Best Warfighter Rifle

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The answer must be an M16 5.56 as there would be ammo support wherever it is used. But I also agree with RCmodel that the 7.62 (.308) is a far superior battle round. An M14 is deadly in all circumstances, wind, distance, cover, etc.
 
Thank you Balrog for backing me up!
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He's actually contradicting you, not backing you up. As Balrog points out, the M1 Carbine wasn't intended as a battle rifle. Instead, again as Balrog points out, it was intended to give rear echelon troops a replacement for the 1911. Rear echelon. Front line troops in combat were still expected to carry the more effective M1 Garand.

While I like the M1 Carbine because it is light and handy and gentle to shoot and "cute", it is important to note that no military treats it as a front line weapon so if the professionals discout it that's reason enough to discount it. FALs, AKs, M14s, ARs, G3s all saw lots of use with armies in the hands of troops on the front lines of combat.
 
A Remington 121 The Fieldmaster in 22lr. Because I will be so deep in the woods it will not matter.
 
Well, if the war broke out at my house I would have to choose an AK or SKS. I have an AR but it's not as reliable as those mentioned plus the longest shot I would have would probably be 100 yd's. Everything else is wood's, so I would not need the long range capability of the AR. Then again, maybe a shotgun would be best. lol
 
I would have to choose an AK or SKS. I have an AR but it's not as reliable as those mentioned
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What's wrong with your AR?

You should get it fixed.

AR's are every bit as reliable if they are working right.

rc
 
AK variant. Only hard choice is which one. There's so many, in so many calibers. I have a VEPR .308, which is a good M14 equivalent. Lighter weight and just as accurate, while maintaining AK reliability. My only advice is to avoid corrosive ammo for your emergency stash, regardless of caliber, as it requires you to religiously clean your firearm shortly after using it.
 
An FNH P90.

Oh I forgot the sarcastic smiley.

Seriously I'd take an AK if I didn't have to worry about being able to find ammo. Meaning if the battle were somewhere in the eastern hemisphere. In the Western Hemisphere I'd probably want a SCAR in 7.62/.308 since 5.56 is almost non existent these days. But if I didn't have to worry about ammo, gimme an AK in 7.62x39. I've put a cheap WASR10 through hell and it never malfunctioned in anyway that a quick swipe of the charging handle couldn't fix. Its accurate enough and powerful enough for any shooting that I'd do without a precision bolt action. Oh and I actually love AK iron sights. Even with the typical short stocks they have and my being 6'4-6'5" I find them to be pretty ergonomic. It's a design that I've never seen a reason to have to baby it. It can be cleaned well enough with the attached cleaning rod, a shoe/boot lace, and your choice of gun or motor oil. The safety is my only complaint. But apparently my WASR had a defect. The bolt would stay open after the last round which I guess isn't part if the design. And after inserting a new magazine a quick but solid bump anywhere on the rifle would chamber a round. I sometimes lose sleep and kick myself for selling it. Now I gotta go get a beer to cry into. :(
 
I will second the AR15 in 6.8

Puts a thump on mean 300 lb texas boar.



Jordan and UAE have added it to their arsenal, supposedly other militaries are considering it.

USA ammo manufacturers seem to be making more 6.8, but still not mainstream enough....

So.... I stack it up deep and.....
Reload, reload, reload
 
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Let's find out what y'all think is the best Warfighter Rifle. If you had to fight a war and could have only one semi automatic rifle to do it with what would it be?
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Colt M4A1, hasn't let me down yet. Then again I've been lucky enough not to have a reason to use it yet.
 
If I am going to have to carry it AND the ammo, I want a Colt M4 and 5.56 ammo. I like the ergos, and it is fine for distances that I can actually see. They are reliable, and accurate.
 
If I have to carry it, an M4 with an aimpoint.

Now if I didn't have to carry it and the ammo, a BAR without a doubt.

Laphroaig
 
This is sort of like an SHTF or what caliber for zombies thread, isn't it? Individuals do not get to choose their own battle rifle, except perhaps in irregular fighting forces. So are we debating that, or are we debating what would be the best choice for a regular fighting force? That debate has been going on, in this country, since its beginning. (Even if you already have an opinion on the subject, you really owe it to yourself to read the book linked in the preceding sentence, if you have not done so already.) I'm not sure how more debate will change anybody's mind. 5.56x45 and 7.62x51 each have their own strengths and weaknesses. It would be nice if a grunt could choose whichever he prefers, but that is not the way it works. If I had a choice, as say a member of some kind of irregular fighting force, I'd chose both, and alternate between them based on the task at hand. So there, that settles it. If you get no choice, as in the regular army, you get whatever is handed to you. If you get a choice, chose both.

But not an M1 Carbine. Maybe for the wife or kids, but not for front line work.
 
Do I get to be 19 again? The OP specified semi-automatic so that would eliminate anything with a rock and roll switch.
 
5.56x45 and 7.62x51 each have their own strengths and weaknesses.
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If I am going to have to carry it AND the ammo, I want a Colt M4 and 5.56 ammo.
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Colt M4A1, hasn't let me down yet.
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AR's are every bit as reliable if they are working right.
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The answer must be an M16 5.56 as there would be ammo support wherever it is used. But I also agree with RCmodel that the 7.62 (.308) is a far superior battle round. An M14 is deadly in all circumstances, wind, distance, cover, etc.
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I will second the AR15 in 6.8
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Logic doesn't always dictate decisions, but just reading this thread alone tells me a modern fighting force would be well equipped and still quite mobile with a 6.8 AR. After all the dust settles - my take away from the choice of 5.56 is mainly for large volume of so called "suppressing" bullets flying. And of course it's deadly, but the 7.62x51 can and does tear things up more at a longer distance. Yet hefting 300+ rounds?
 
No right answer here, all depends on too many variables. For infantry combat there would be multiple. Most would be m-16/m4 with a 1:4 ratio of scoped m-14 For DM's. 1:16 ratio of M240 crew served. Even this may change if we are talking defensive or offensive operations.

Now, if you are a lone operator, that totally changes. I would choose an intermediate range semi-auto carbine (mini-30 in my case). Reasoning is that staying undetected and avoiding contact is the best option. I would try everything I could to avoid a firefight and will likely wait in cover/concealment till you were within 25 yards in hopes that you went right on by. In which case, your 30 carbine might very well come in handy.
 
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This is an easy one for me. Infantry here, and had an M14 issued to me for (36 months and 2 different countries)

During my last tour, we were puttin um in the dirt out to 800meters with the EBR's...... especially when the fools didnt have anyone pullin security....LOL

With that being said, and for the purpose of this thread, my semiautomatic only M14 for this thread would sport an 18.5in SEI std weight bbl, or a Criterion 18.5in tube, as both could get it done, plus be at about 37.5 to 38 inches of OAL.

The SAGE stock and gas lock would be swapped out for std GI, and synthetic stock.

Smith gas lock front sight with thier Vortex flash suppressor. ( A can would be a good edition too, especially when operating out of a patrol base)

Smith mounts are solid from my experience with them, but the ARMS mounts are just as solid for less weight, and they present a lower profile than the SEI types.
Less cheekweld to build, so there ya have it.

Optics.....yup

Loadout: If I'm pickin the rifle, then I'm a pickin who resupplies me and when, so 7 20rd mags is plenty.

The safer way to clear a building is take along a AF JTAC. Simply fix the enemy, and wait for the 500lbs bomb to show up.

Tank main gun worked in Sadr City.:)

Everyone should have a few M67's types with um. All comes down to who is a tossin um.....:D

Supporting fires for the joes with the M320's to get close enough to drop a few thru the windows. (Much easier to shoot um in stand alone mode vs mounted to an M4 from what I have seen and done with um.)

If ROE prevents the big stuff, using the M14 to "clear" rooms can be done, just like the M1 Garand was used in prior wars, as well as the M16A1, A2, and A4.

From my experience, the M4 totin grunts will get stuck humpin somethin heavy anyways, and this is the M4's best attribute. Similar to the M1 Carbine's role back in WW2, and Korea. (Machine gun teams, AT4's, demo, RTO, and supporting the 11C's by humpin 60mm mortar rds...for a few examples)

Since this is all a "what I would want" thread........here are a few more things I would pick.

Refinements to the M240L need to continue, along with the SCAR. (They aint quite there yet from what I have seen)

A modern version of something along the lines of an M72 LAW, but with a warhead better designed for use again hard targets like buildings, bunkers, etc...... and without the need to make the thing anymore heavier.

Keep the ammo cans as they are now, and dont go to a plastic can please, as they dont make for a decent stove in the field....lol

Less political nonsense dumped onto warfighters on the ground. ( I know ya mean well, and I love all POG's, but worry about beans and bullets, or reclass to 11B.
Here is one for ya........With all the high tech gizmo's poppin out of the woodwork nowadays.........work on makin MRE's taste better.:what:
(You have come along way, but dont stop now. The British still have us beat in this dept.)


Just my opinion.......:)
 
I'd pick the original AR-10. I like the AR-15, but I do think the caliber is just a little too small. The problem is that the US missed the opportunity to adopt a truly good intermediate round in the 1950s because the army insisted on a full power round, and at the same time, wanted the versatility of a select fire assault rifle like the StG44. Problem is that full-auto capability in a rifle and a full power battle rifle cartridge are incompatible requirements. But the AR-10 got closer to making them compatible than either the M14 or the FAL did. Unlike those weapons, the AR-10 was actually somewhat controllable on full auto, though not really enough.

Better still would have been the AR-10 scaled down slightly and chambered for something like the postwar British .280 cartridge. With a bullet in the 6.5-7mm range, you can have a projectile with a high ballistic coefficient that actually can equal the range of the 7.62mm NATO round with a lot less recoil (today, the 6.5mm Grendel can do this).

But if I had to have an actual rifle instead of an ideal one... As I said, I'd take the AR-10.
 
A little late, as usual...but my 2% of a buck:

It would depend on whether I was part of an infantry unit or operating alone. As part of a squad or fire team, I'd go with what the others are carrying...if given the choice. Logistics and all.

Alone, I'd opt for an M14, probably with the selector locked out. A close 2nd choice would be the M1 because of the ammunition. If the M1 was chambered for 7.62 instead of .30-06, it would be a tossup. For all the reasons that Vern outlined.

Taking the semi-auto requirement out of the question, my choice would be a light, bolt-action carbine with a 4x scope...also chambered in 7.62/.308 Winchester, because getting involved in a protracted firefight is a good way to git all kilt. You have to get lucky every time they pull the trigger. They only have to get lucky once. Better to hide, shoot, and scoot and live to shoot and scoot another day.

Would I carry an M1 Carbine? Only if I didn't have a better choice...and there are a lot of better choices.
 
when I hear you cant clear rooms with certain weapons I have to laugh. I think people watch to many movies. To me the best way to "clear" rooms with grenades either thrown or shot in the room
 
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