[Joe 6-pack]

IMHO, as long as the military continues to insist on using the 5.56 x 45, they would do well to move to a bullpup layout. The M4 length is certainly handy for CQB, but a lot of velocity is surrendered with that shorter barrel. While the Brits have had a host of problems with their SA80, the Steyr Aug has served any number of our allies well for decades, and even the French FA-MAS has acquitted itself well. As long as the military insists on a carbine length primary arm, they should avail themselves of the full length barrel.

[MCF]

If they adopt a new rifle they might as well switch to the 6.8 SPC at he same time.

[taxcontrol]

I’d like them to consider 6.5 or 6.8 as a minimum cartridge. I tend to favor more accruate, longer range, heavy hitting rounds. Would truely like them to go to the 7.62 Nato. If small size is needed, you can convert the M14 to a bullpup configuration.

[The KG9 Kid]

I left this thread for a minute and was thinking the same thing you posted.

I can't imagine the US Army material procurement people accepting a bullpup design, but the features of the Steyr AUG need to be looked at, even though it has it's own shortcomings. You're right in that the only way to get a full length barrel in a compact maneuverable package for CQB and rapid response to/from motor vehicle transport is to adopt the bullpup style. If they're going to go that far, then they might as well adopt Steyr's instant-change barrel feature as well.

I've seen AR15-breed rifles offering 'Quick change barrels', but all of these need time and tools to accomplish at the armory where the Steyr AUG can be changed immediately in the field from the standard 20" rifleman barrel to a shorty 14" commando barrel or to a 24" squad marksman barrel.

Downside of bullpup rifles is the trigger pull and length of pull off the non-adjustable clamshell-style stock not comfortably fitting soldiers of various sizes, though the last issue is distinctly an American military characteristic: The Austrians have Tyrolian mountain climbing soldiers who are all pretty much two meters tall and don't have to worry about how their AUG length of pull fits a 5'4" Latina soldier from New Mexico.

There have been a lot of folks who've never really examined the AUG that describe it as the ugliest rifle they've ever seen, but once you give a doubter the chance to use it themselves they're quickly convinced that Steyr-Mannlicher was at least a half century ahead of their time when they developed the StG77 'AUG' rifle.