Are you asking about just the bare, base rifle? With or without carry handle? No mag, empty mag, or fully loaded?
Or one with everything attached all-up with optic, sling, lights, lasers, forward grip, rail covers, duct tape etc....
This question has been asked for close to two centuries now, and the answer has never been universally identified.Both really. I am just curious how heavy is too heavy for a rifle a soldier has to carry for so long.
I original M-16 A1 weighted 6.3 lbs, which is what I was issued. After I built an A2 I was disappoint at how much heavier it was especially the barrel. Made a light fast handling combat rifle into something not so much. Now days I kinda prefer an M4 style. Tempted to build a one with a 20 inch pencil barrel.
We probably need OP, @Roboss ,to chime in here--I'm guessing the initial question was in regard to whether lighter or heavier infantry rifles were better/worse.
Which may be a rabbit hole, as trends along that line have gone to either extreme of the course of military history.
It's a little bit like whether military packs loads are larger or smaller than any given range of dates; and whether the material used mattered. USArmy went from cotton canvas M-56 LBE to nylon LC gear, and "saved" about a pound in weight, to have about 2# of extra gear added on.
Yeah, I didn't think about the weight of the M-14 that I was issued and had on my first tour. When I got my 6.3 Lbs. M-16 it felt really light. I didn't think anymore about it until my mission called for an M-60. But I wasn't Infantry so I didn't have to carry it that much.Whatever the weight of the rifle, you will get used to it. An M1 will "feel" the same to someone who carries it often, as a M16A1 "feels" to one who carries it often. It's more of a matter of physical conditioning. If you never carry the rifle on a regular basis, or train with it on a regular basis, (or at all) or spend whole days with it, then I suppose the lightest rifle possible would be "ideal". There is no magic number however, what ever the rifle weighs, you will get used to it, unless it never leaves the house except to go to the rifle range. If one truly needs a rifle in the six pound range, they truly need some physical training. Do some push-ups and run a couple of miles every other day.
Id have liked the "A2" I assembled a lot better if id done that. It didn't feel that heavy, but the nose was where all the weight was.When I did my A2 clone, the barrel profile is the one thing I didn't hold true on, used a LW. Glad I did, makes for a much better balanced rifle.