04-21-2014, 03:28 PM
Tony Williams Wrote:I've focused on production military weapons in this article, although I do refer to the MDR in my article on bullpups.
True, but there still seems to be a wish to have auto fire - after all, the new M4A1 has just changed from the three-round burst to an automatic option.
That was to get rid of the atrocious trigger weight inconsistencies from the 3-round Burst abortion, not to provide Full Auto capability to the infantryman. The Auto mechanism is very simple, and does not affect the pull weight in the Semi mode, whereas the 3rd burst mech does.
SOCOM has had M4A1 from the start, before big green pickle machine ever got M4's.
People need to get it entirely out of their heads that full auto capability is a consideration with a professional army fielding assault rifles. 3rd world bugger eaters love it, but the implications for combat effectiveness and logistics are not lost on professional soldiers.
For small reconnaissance units, it can be effective for break contact drills, but that's about it.