The Best Assault Rifle.

[102first_hussars]

I like my C7A1 assault rifle (M16)

its accurate, light and low recoil, and i look so sexy holding it too

 

[Jank]

Anyone mention the Fabrique Nationale SCAR (Special Forces Combat Assault Rifle) yet? The Heavy (SCAR-H), chambered in 7.62 NATO looks interesting. I understand it is in current use with U.S. special forces.

 

[Matt308]

From what I have heard, it has not been adopted. Even in small numbers. The whole acquisition of a new rifle was put on hold. This holds true with the acquisition of a new pistol too.

 

[Jank]

Well, I know for a fact that it's currently in use although to be fair, I do not know how widespread among special forces. Do you have a source for that information? I'm not seeing anything indicating that adoption has been put on hold. It wouldn't surprise me in light of current funding issues though.

Just six months ago it was still a go.

DefenseNews.com - Extra Funds To RefineU.S. Special Forces' Multiuse Future Rifle - 10/09/06 13:59

 

[Matt308]

I read it in American Rifleman. The whole program was put on hold.

 

[lesofprimus]

Yea.... I know a few guys who ran this weap through some trials, and they liked the weapon, however, they preferred the shorter 253 millimeter (9.96 inch) barrel on the Mk16, but the 7.62mm round of the Mk17.... The best of both worlds??? Not likely...

Also, the sheer bulk and size of the weapon had some of the guys concerned about it CQC performance, not to mention the weight unloaded is over 7 pounds....

The M4A1 weighs in at 6 1/2 pounds with 30 rounds...

 

[Jank]

I understand from the forum over at Military.com that the March 7, 2007 American Riflemen show did a segment on it on it and there was no mention of the hold.

Do you know what issue it was in?

Les, I think the M4A1 actually weighs in closer to 7.5lbs with a full load of love. You weren't looking at WIKIPEDIA were you?

 

[lesofprimus]

No, just going off of memory.... U may be right...

 

[Matt308]

I understand from the forum over at Military.com that the March 7, 2007 American Riflemen show did a segment on it on it and there was no mention of the hold.

Do you know what issue it was in?

Les, I think the M4A1 actually weighs in closer to 7.5lbs with a full load of love. You weren't looking at WIKIPEDIA were you?

I don't recall and it may have been one of the other rags that I subsribe to. The idea of finding a new rifle has been ongoing for years and years. However, there was a program that was initiated wherein HK, Colt, and some other manufacturers submitted designs that were narrowed down to a handful of interim products. Colt cried foul because the submittals by HK and others were effectively modified M4s (hell they even looked like Colt's rifle). These other manufacturers claimed that the gas system was significantly modified to make use of a pushrod, thus avoiding the fouling problems with the current M4s. Colt made such a legal stink that this dem/eval program was put on hold. That is what I am referring to.

This overall search for a new weapon continues to get a modicum of funding, but with no real end in sight.

 

[Jank]

Matt308 said, "This overall search for a new weapon continues to get a modicum of funding, but with no real end in sight."

It sounds like you are maintaining that the SCAR program has been halted, is on hold or is just a stop gap for something more permanent.

Let me know if you come across anything that indicates that the SCAR has not been selected as the replacement rifle for the special forces, or that the program has been halted as I would certainly be interested in reading it.

 

[Matt308]

I'll keep an eye out. It is apparent that various factions within DoD are vying for funding.

 

[Soren]

I'd personally not recommend such a weapon, I suspect its way too light for the round it uses. I'd much rather have the new 6.8mm weapons be deployed.

And if you want a 7.62x51mm assault rifle then there's plenty of excellent older, cheaper and proven designs out there...

 

[Matt308]

[cough] M-14 [cough]

 

[Lucky13]

This is what I used in my time in the Swedish Rangers the AK4..... THE best rifle that I ever had!

The Ak 4 is a Swedish version of the German Heckler Koch G3 battle rifle.

 

[Matt308]

Rollerblock breach design. Has a sharp recoil compared to locked breach gas piston/impingement. But in .223, how bad could it be. Wish I owned one.

 

[102first_hussars]

I still think the M-16 is more suitable, every soldier is trained to clean his rifle atleast once a day, and to keep the receiver clean and the barrel out of the mud, so if you can follow those rules closely, you wont have so many problems,

now at 300 yards away and i am at odds with an Ak weilding man, i have a better chance at hitting him with a double tap, that he has at hitting me with one round, im sorry but i want that type of accuracy, i also want light recoil, A LIGHT WEAPON,

and for those days i want to be stupid, i want to fire the weapon with the butt at my forehead

and the Ak cant give me that type of satisfaction

 

[Lucky13]

BTW......is only for modern assault rifles? Would a MP44 fit in here?

 

[Soren]

The MP-44 isn't competitive with any of the assault rifles above, it was the best small-arm ever to be made when it entered service in WW2 however.

 

[Matt308]

type of accuracy, i also want light recoil, A LIGHT WEAPON,

and for those days i want to be stupid, i want to fire the weapon with the butt at my forehead

and the Ak cant give me that type of satisfaction

 

[renrich]

Hussar, for those days when you want to be stupid reminds me of the first day on the 1000 inch range with the M1 Garand. NCO named Sgt Angel to prove an M1 couldn't hurt you held one to his groin and fired it subsequently to his stomach, his shoulder and to his chin. My recollection was that he did it one-handed.