sheepdog

http://connecticut.cbslocal.com/2011/05 ... bat-rifle/

...I'd vote 7.62x39 for portability and punch...or 6.8....with the old M14 in every squad for longer shots...I think they could wring a lot more out of the AK round with a better platform...

deputy125

i think the only military long gun with longer service than the m-16 is what??????????

the british "brown bess"?????

i hate and despise the m-16......but it has proven "adequate"............and at a time when we are in multi-trillion dollar deficiets, it might not be the best time to switch.

sheepdog

...I'm for the life of ONE soldier...and the billions they've squandered aren't worth that...the several million they'd spend to equip our boys with enough rifle to reach out and smack the enemy at longer ranges and harder is a priority...they have it if they want to have it for something stupid...they have it for this...

Wizard

I'd be all for switching to hollow points......don't care about any "Hague Convention".....

gunman42782

The military does this ever so often, and gun companies waste millions trying to come up with a gun that the military wont adopt, because it does not offer a significant increase in what the M16 and M4 offers. Basically, if they switch to a better more powerful caliber, most of the recruits probably wont pass the marksmanship requirements! And not to be too sexist, but most women and many smaller men can't seem to handle too much recoil. With 5.56 about anybody can be trained to get decent hits. Right or wrong, love it or hate it, I don't see the M16 going anywhere soon.

sheepdog

...funny...in WWI and WWII, they grew the man to handle the rifle...now they step the gun down to meet what they're accepting as combat soldiers...bad recipe, for sure...