100% improvment over m16 a flawed comcept

The fact is, no gun in going to give the avrage soldier 100% improvment in hit percentage over the m16, unless someone invents a homing bullet. Skill is far more important in determing hit percentage the any gun, no matter how reveloutionary. Lets face it if the Steyr ACR couldn't provide 100% improvment over the m16 no firearm can, including the new xm8, which is no where near as effective as the ACR. Because the fact is SKILL, not weapon design is paramount in combat. Why do terrorists still use Kalishnkovs and SKS rifles? because they work, and they are the only weapons they've got. Not because some government has promised them 100% improvement if only they wait arround long enough. Weapon design is important too, that's why NATO troops have an edge on most battlefields. But there is no substitute for training. KNOW THY WEAPON.

[edit on 17-6-2004 by h4dd3n]

Or as the British army would say.

Any weapon is better than the SA80! LOL

Actually from what I've heard the new SA80a2 is a pretty good rifle. Granted, the first two versions were crap.

[edit on 17-6-2004 by h4dd3n]

Well done I couldent have said it better myself

The XM29 OICW doesn't have a 100% improvement over current small arms, its expected to have a 500% improvement. However its current cost and weight as well as the likely long training times may mean it will be used as squad level weapon like the SAW(which weight approximately the same) The benefits of this system are significant because of the grenades dual airbursting/impact system allows soldiers to effectively defeat a group soldiers hiding in a building or destroy a lightly armored vehicle all with the same grenade. Of course this is contingent on the OICW on not being cancelled.

The main reason the AK-47 is so prevalent is because it is so utterly reliable, and one could purchase a truckload of them for half the price of a truck load of M-16s. Ammo is available worldwide, as are replacement parts.

"Know thy weapon"...I would add the old adage, "beware the man with only one rifle: he likely knows how to use it".

US soldiers are actually some of the best shots. They are so good that the government is thinking about using 6mm instead of 5.56mm in the XM-8. They would carry less ammo but since US soldiers are some of the best shots it does not matter.

What does US soldiers being some of the best shots, have to do with making ammo 6mm instead of 5.56mm?

a marine of mine says that the SA-80 he had never jammed at all and he was on the range all day in rain and sunshine

Also as an extension of the AKs reliability it's also able to take a beating, get dirty and still work fine they're guns made for the real world where # happens instead of requireing rediculous amounts of cleaning and maintenence to keep it working.

So what is the best standard infantry weapons?
I think it's the Heckler-Koch G36, any views?

Is it really that much more effictive than a standard underbarrel grenade launcher?

The standerd British assualt rifle has actually has quite a few problems over its life. It needs a replacement. The XM29 is not being produce. The rifle and grenade parts are being split into two projects called XM-8 and XM-25. And becasue if the XM-8 was to use 6mm the soldiers would carry less ammo. The government is ok with this becuase US soldiers are good shots.

Here is the XM-25:


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Its uses 25mm smart shells instead the 20mm from the XM-29.

XM-8:


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