"Not only is the AR platform as accurate as any bolt gun, it is much easier to build and the useful life of the barrel is twice as long.
Now if they would issue it in 7.62."
You won't get any semi as accurate as a bolt gun... but it is easier to build and the barrel life is close to being the same as on a bolt gun if not a bit shorter. The AR10 is in .308 also known as 7.62x51mm.
Having built some very accurate semi's and some precision bolt guns in my day, there is no way to make a semi reliable and consistant while maintaining the kind of accuracy that a precision bolt action rifle like the M40 achieves.
Mike
"there is no way to make a semi reliable and consistant while maintaining the kind of accuracy that a precision bolt action rifle like the M40 achieves."
If you are talking about M14s I'll agree with you but the AR platform is different. The advantages are simple - Threaded collar over threaded collar barrel attachment, no bedding to perfect or go bad, no gas piston/op rod harmonics to be concerned with. Building a sub minute AR is as simple as buying good parts and screwing them together. Anyone can do it.
The real difference between a bolt gun and a semi is in trigger control. A bolt gun allows the shooter to milk the trigger, constantly improving the sight picture until the rifle fires. A gas gun requires the shooter to pull more quickly and follow through by pinning the trigger back while the gun recoils. Failure to do this will often lead to doubles as the rifle recoils away from the trigger finger, resets, then runs into the finger again on it's way back forward. This is often seen on gas guns with rather light triggers and inexperienced operators.
One has to remember that the gas guns will be issued to "designated marksmen" and that it will be perfect for this role. The Corps will retain the outstanding M40 for "precision" work.