So, I take it that a Phased Plasma Rifle in a 40-Watt Range is out of the running for consideration, then?
How about a major modification to the M-16? Just unscrew the receiver from the forward sight blade and screw on a a new receiver, say, a
?
Wait that sounds like some thing I heard before...
[QUOTE-Kevin McKlung]“The best way to improve the AR15
is to unscrew the front sight and put
a new gun under it.” [/QUOTE]
6) The rifle should have digital ammunition counter that records rounds spent and time/date stamp.
power requirements and why bother? so now when you pull a slug from some militant ass you can have the medical examiner record when he was shot? why bother? I mean Keep it simple Stupid!! and besides in a lot of cases the mark would be gone because the bullet is supposed to fragment or might get mangled. besides the counters cause there own issues of light and weight and what if sand gets in it all you need is a polymer window ( look at the P MAG lever ) in the mag or a transparent mag.
5) With shortening military service times as a trend, the rifle needs to be easy to use for both right/left hand shooters. If anyone has experience, how easy is it to teach a left-handed person to shoot with right-hand?
I am not saying any thing about terms of service as a need but ambi and ergonomics is a must in CQC situations come up were a right handed shooter will shoot left handed and vise versa
4) The rifle itself should be reasonably light, because all the frigging attachments will make it heavy.
a good point but work should also be on making the add ons light
3) I like the 20mm/25mm "smart grenade" concept used in the OICW project, with smart air-burst rounds.
the problem is those rounds are also smaller in terms of wear heads so a compromise is to also make Air burst 40x46mm rounds for standard GL's and or carry the specialized GL and A PDW.
2) The rifle should extend to a "family" of products, such as sharpshooter variant, SMG variant, light MG variant, etc., like PLA's Type 95, Singapore's SAR-21, and the in-developmentCanceled but still kicked M4's Arse XM-8:
good point to a point..... Heh heh....
a three carbine system seems the best answer to me ( using a conventional lay out.if using a bullpup leave out the butt stock options)
A 9-11.5 inch barreled Personal defense weapon with either a telescopic or folding butt stock. a compensator has to be included as the smaller barrels generate more muzzle flash and sound.
A 12.5-16inch barreled carbine with bayonet lug ( note 14.5 was selected for the M4 because that was the shortest length the bayonet of the 1980's Us Army worked well with a new bayonet could be worked to function with shorter but I would still go with a 14.5 inch barrel.)Folding butt stock for Close quarters as a standard light infantry weapon.
A 18-20 inch heavy profile ( preferably with fluting as it eases cooling) bi pod equipped scoped ( a real scope not the ACOG like fitted to the Army SDMR) and an adjustable fixed stock. to function as a Para sniper or Designated marksman or special purpose rifle
Note I feel that a Automatic Rifle role should still be held by a Belt feed weapon like the M249( FN minimi) or HK MG4 or stoner LMG or other light belt fed weapon however a 16 - 18 inch heavy profile barrel with Beta C magazine folding or fixed stock and light weight bipod ( like a Grip pod) would fill the needs of those who can't live with out a Automatic rifle.
1) The deployment date will be set in near future, not far-future. So we'll stick with conventional ammo and not laser/plasma beams.
F^@(ing A! although I think scaling up to 6.8 would be nice the date of implementing such a system should be sooner then later and conventional Ammo is a big yes
thanks adeptitus for giving me some thing to rant off
and noone no thats the most powerful weapon not rifle. the rifle is a tool the Soldier/ marine is the weapon!