Rifles of the future?

[[R-MOD]Bob_Marley]

The AUG has a conversion kit allowing the change of the ejection port side, but it requries being stripped down and reassembled. the F2000 or A-91 can be fired from either shoulder with no adjustments needed. Which is rather more handy if one needs to shoot wrong handed while storming a building.

[cplgangster]

also the SA80s have got the cocking handle on the right side coming right down to where the cheek would be if firing from left shoulder so not only loads of hot brass but a mouth full of cocking handle as well.

I do think bull pup is better imo only because it has got a long barrel but overall short body meaning it can do job of m16 and equivilents but not have the length and i dont know how to put it clumbsiness of an m16.

[Liquid_Cow]

The M16 family has one major flaw IMHO, that being the location of the recoil spring in the butt stock, makes it impossible to have a true folding stock which would be a huge value for CQB. Other than that its a fine weapons with an incredible record. Bear in mind that even though there are other rifles which surpassed it in reliability testing the M4 still scored a 99%+ rating on reliability. As I've previously discussed, its not going any where for a while, the cost of converting 1.5 million members of the US Armed Forces to a different weapon system is just too much until a better mousetrap comes along.

As for caseless, well Nedlands1, I;m glad you edited that into your post. I don't think that caseless is the future for high ROF weapons, without some sort of amazing cooling system its just not going to work (Note, it is already in use in large caliber weapons with lower ROF's). Rail guns are more likely IMHO, but then you have the problem of a power supply, and we have a hard enough time keeping the batteries charged up on our radios, never mind the guns we carry. Binary liquid fuel looks interesting, but there are still a lot of technical hurdles to cross there.

No, I think old fashion cased ammo will be the norm for quite some time. You'll see lots of developments in powder, barrel, and projectile, but the brass (or alloy) case will it for the foreseeable future.

[ReadMenace]

Originally Posted by Liquid_Cow

The M16 family has one major flaw IMHO, that being the location of the recoil spring in the butt stock, makes it impossible to have a true folding stock which would be a huge value for CQB.

The primary purpose of folding stocks on almost any weapon is to reduce the overall size of the weapon for purpose of stowage, not for ease of use in close quarters. Shorter stocks and barrels are the way to go -aside from a bullpup configuration- forease of use in confined spaces.

-REad

[Fullforce]

The rifle of the future will be designed by Magpul.

[Darkpowder]

Originally Posted by Hardtman

I don't really think that the bullpup design is that good.

<cut>

If you put it on top you could have a great weight balance as well as makin the overall dimensions of the weapon smaller.

Like this?

[Harrod200]

Good ol' Bren.

Just hope you don't mind having a blind spot covering...everything to your right.

Bullpup > All

[Sandy_Beret]

Originally Posted by Darkpowder

Like this?

Word on the bren was that the bullet grouping was too close...
the "beaten zone" was too small... which may have made it, in some
senses, too accurate... ironic...

[Ohnoyoudidnt565]

Originally Posted by NYgurkha

Tau Pulse rifles.

/that is all

FOR THE GREATER GOOD!

[[R-MOD]KP]

Originally Posted by Liquid_Cow

The M16 family has one major flaw IMHO, that being the location of the recoil spring in the butt stock, makes it impossible to have a true folding stock which would be a huge value for CQB.

They are just as long once you fold the stock out in order to shoulder and fire the rifle, or have I missed something?