Gangbangers are bright enough to avoid confrontations. The paid protestors who are going to show up in the morning to scream into bull horns from 6 inches away, not so much.
Be fun to watch the surprised look on a Communist when some NG PFC racks a round into battery.
"No, wait..."
“Will they also carry a basic load of ammo, 210 rounds? 7 loaded magazines? With one seated?”
Doubtful. They don’t need a full invasion-day combat load to be effective in this DC task. They also don’t need grenades and Apaches on call.
“”””Otherwise, the rifle is an exceptionally awkward club””””
During Basic training my buddy and I were assigned to guard the daytime parking lot at the PX while everyone was parking and shopping, for some reason I decided to mess with an E-9 who had just pulled in, he was laughing at my feigned diligence until I told my buddy “fix bayonets” which made him take a serious pause and suddenly it was a nervous, “now look fellas, relax......”.
OOH, great question. Obviously from one with advanced, combat infantry experience........We're all impressed.