What .308 Batle rifle would have seen wide spred adoption if there was no "Big 3"

[Click Click Boom]

If the M14, FAL and G3 were never invented what rifle would have "made it" as the dominant .308 battle rifle?

 

[MIL-DOT]

AK47 chambered in .308 !!

 

[R.W.Dale]

The Mas 49/56 adapted to 308 <not by drunken monkeys> would have probably been quite popular and very in demand as would have been the Sig 510 and Beretta BM59

honorable mention goes to the Cetme

 

[polik6887]

Ar-10.

 

[Nolo]

The ones that did are the ones that would. The only other option I could see is perhaps an StG-44 redesigned and rechambered for .308. I guess the AR-10 would see a bigger fan base, too.
I couldn't see the AK getting .308 treatment before the end of the Cold War, the Russkis had already come up with a better general-issue round.
You might see some FN-49 action for a little while, too. Though that rifle was truly one without a real role. There's a reason it didn't catch on.

 

[Ian]

Some descendant of the G43. Less popular would have possibly been guns based on the AR-10, Johnson M1941, and Ljungman. At least, that would be my guess. Only Harry Turtledove really knows.

 

[Ash]

Ljungman
MAS 49/56
FN 49

 

[Nolo]

Some descendant of the G43.

I honestly think the StG-44 would be a better candidate for that, but we're pretty close. The German research was really good stuff to build upon.

 

[Ian]

Well one question is, without the M14 would anyone else have bothered with a .308 battle rifle?

The FAL was originally designed for an intermediate cartridge, as was the German roller-locked stuff (IIRC). When the US forced 308 on NATO, everyone scaled up their guns to use it. Someone like Tony Williams would know a whole lot better than I, but without the somewhat artificial US influence, wouldn't all the development have gone towards smaller cartridges?

 

[Nolo]

True. Assuming no Big 3 is assuming a lot. Possibly the existence of the .308.

 

[lamazza]

HK91-
rugged, reliable and reasonably accurate and its not picky about ammo like the AR10.

 

[Nolo]

HK91

The HK91 is one of the big three, namely the G3.

 

[yesit'sloaded]

I consider the M14 to merely be an evolution of the M1. The SVD would have made a decent battle rifle with a shorter barrel. The British bullpup Em-1 looked promising.

 

[H2O MAN]

MIL-DOT AK47 chambered in .308 !!

Definitely a .308 AK, but I feel the M1 Garand would still be the top dog if no .308s were available.

 

[HM2PAC]

Either the M1 would have hung around a bit longer, or the AR-10.

 

[H2O MAN]

On the other hand... a modernized BAR would be have been very interesting

 

[bleachcola]

IMI Galil would be my choice.

 

[elmerfudd]

You might see some FN-49 action for a little while, too. Though that rifle was truly one without a real role. There's a reason it didn't catch on.

I think the biggest reason it didn't catch on was because FN began marketing an improved version of it called the FAL.

 

[Realbigo]

Without the M14, I doubt there would have ever been a BM59. I'd have to say the Galil in .308 would be top of the heap.

 

[Drgong]

Cetme

 

[orionengnr]

Was the Seyr/AUG available as a .308? If so, I think that would be an interesting option.

If not, AR-10 would be my choice, simply because the design is well-understood an I would imagine that parts interchangeability with the AR15 would make it a great choice...

 

[ftierson]

Originally posted by Nolo
The ones that did are the ones that would.

Yup...

That pretty well sums it up...

Forrest

 

[bleachcola]

Was the Seyr/AUG available as a .308? If so, I think that would be an interesting option.

Nope. It replaced the StG 58 which used .308. Only other chambering I know of (besides 5.56mm) is the 9mm submachine gun model.

 

[HorseSoldier]

Without the M14, and the attendant American beating of the drum for 7.62x51 incessantly (at least until everyone in NATO decided to play along, at which point we dumped it . . . ), I'd have to agree with those who question whether there would have been any .308 battle rifles at all. I don't think there was much enthusiasm for them at all outside of the US military, or more specifically the clique in the US military running the show for fielding an M1 replacement.

EM-2 and FAL in 280 British would have probably been the big winners, plus whatever American counterpart may or may not have been in the running as well (which might have been a FAL itself).

 

[For Freedom]

The question makes me feel uncomfortable.