Grendel LMG

[JASmith]

"Isn't it interesting that the US managed to duplicate in 1955 the performance of a round developed in the 1890s?"

Yes, but it's in a case 2/3 the length, allowing shorter actions and vastly simplifying gas operated systems, which means lighter guns. Compare the Browning 30 to the M-240 or M-60.

Rick

Your point is well-taken. The rim also complicates feeding in automatic weapons. Your observation helps illustrate why we need to avoid a one-dimensional focus on any one characteristic.

It also helps show how things can get complicated real fast.

The way development folks deal with the complexity is to write a list of characteristics the new thing needs to have to be useable as a replacement for the old thing. That list, when formalized, becomes a requirements document.

Cheers!
Joe