As we roll through the 2020s, the U.S. military’s plans to move to a new fighting rifle are moving forward—at a glacial pace, perhaps, but still moving forward. The latest sign is news that Winchester has started construction on a new factory to crank out 6.8x51mm ammunition, for military contracts.

Military tech @ TFB:

• UK Royal Marines Adopt SIG Sauer MCX
• TFB Review: America’s New Battle Rifle – The SIG Spear in 6.8x51mm
• Replacement of the PKM with the M240 in the Georgian Army
• BREAKING: Russia will Adopt Both AK-12 and AEK-971 Assault Rifles

Making munitions

The new factory is part of the military’s Next Generation Squad Weapons (NGSW) Program, which is ”a significant step in the Army’s modernization efforts.” Or so their PR tells us.

In reality, you might see it as a long-delayed move towards a cartridge with roughly the same characteristics that the American military passed on back in the 1950s when other military thinkers suggested something a bit lighter than the 7.62x51mm round. After deciding the heavy .30-cal wasn’t the way to go, the U.S. moved to the 5.56x45mm round, and some people decided that was too light. Here we are in 2025, with the military moving to a round somewhere in between—just as was suggested decades ago.

The military will be purchasing the new XM7 rifle (SIG MCX-SPEAR 6.8×51) in increasing quantities in the years to come, and that means they need ammo to feed the rifles. This is what the new Winchester factory is intended to do.

The factory is 450,000 square feet and will make all the components needed to manufacture 6.8mm ammo, and produce finished ammo for the U.S. military. The plant is on the grounds of the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant (LCAAP), and it was built in conjunction with the U.S. Army’s Joint Program Executive Office for Armaments and Ammunition (JPEO A&A) and Joint Munitions Command (JMC).

Ken Lane, big boss at Olin, Winchester’s parent company, said: “Olin Winchester has a rich history in ammunition manufacturing excellence and support of the U.S. Military. We are proud to build on this American legacy through this opportunity to partner with the U.S. Army to construct this transformational facility and bring new capabilities to the Warfighter.”