06-06-2013, 02:36 AM
The discussion has me thinking. We used the .30-06 for both WW1 and WW2. The British had been using the .303 and the Soviets the 7.62x54R. After the war, we started thinking about a better cartridge. The UK wanted the .280 British, we wanted the .308 (7.62x51). Soviets went to the 7.62x39. From that can the rifles: M14, FNH FAL and the AK-47 (with the SKS). That was Generation I (GEN I).
GEN II was the 5.56x45 for NATO and 5.45x39 for the Warsaw Pact. The rifles were the M16 and the AK-74. BTW, a battle rifle has a 20" barrel, an assault rifle is more like 16" thus a carbine.
GEN III rifle designs are out there but nothing is really outstanding. We are designing the rifles (modular based on gas systems with mulit caliber options). The problem is that we are still designing for GEN II ammunition. It is time for a general purpose cartridge to replace the 5.56x45 and the 7.62x51. Something like the Grendel. The 6.5mm is the ideal caliber. The real question is do we want to limit ourselves to the current magazine or go for a longer case? And part of creating a GPC is that we need a plastic case to replace brass (reloaders could still use brass, of course). Develop the GPC and the rifle will come.
BTW, think of what would have happened had we adopted the .280 British instead of the 7.62 NATO then the 5.56 NATO.....
GEN II was the 5.56x45 for NATO and 5.45x39 for the Warsaw Pact. The rifles were the M16 and the AK-74. BTW, a battle rifle has a 20" barrel, an assault rifle is more like 16" thus a carbine.
GEN III rifle designs are out there but nothing is really outstanding. We are designing the rifles (modular based on gas systems with mulit caliber options). The problem is that we are still designing for GEN II ammunition. It is time for a general purpose cartridge to replace the 5.56x45 and the 7.62x51. Something like the Grendel. The 6.5mm is the ideal caliber. The real question is do we want to limit ourselves to the current magazine or go for a longer case? And part of creating a GPC is that we need a plastic case to replace brass (reloaders could still use brass, of course). Develop the GPC and the rifle will come.
BTW, think of what would have happened had we adopted the .280 British instead of the 7.62 NATO then the 5.56 NATO.....