Interesting......

There’s been a lot of debate recently about the whole issue of small arms, particularly with the effectiveness of the Colt M4 carbine. The Army’s reliability study demonstrated that if well lubed, the M4 performs largely without fight-ending stoppage. But there’s continued argument over the knock-down power of the 5.56mm round, the reliability of the M4 if constant care isn’t possible and on the whole issue of whether or not there’s a better operating system out there.

The debate is just reaching a critical point, with the Army recently caving to pressure from Capitol Hill and agreeing to hold a “sandstorm test” between its M4 and a couple other carbines that fire on a different operating system many say is more reliable. With the end-strength increase in the Army and Marine Corps and the overall focus of budget attention on land forces, momentum may be building to issue a new infantry rifle as the Army and Marine Corps build new brigade combat teams and infantry battalions.

There’s no one in the DoD officially saying this yet, but a lot more people in high places are asking previously taboo questions on whether it’s time to throw the stoner design to the side.

We’ve already taken a look at three of the most popular competitors to the M4: the XM8, the H&K 416 and the FN SCAR - or Mk-17 and Mk-16.

Well, a buddy passed along another interesting entrant into the “new carbine” world (that’s not to say there aren’t others out there, but this one’s the new kid on the block) which seems to meld all the best aspects of the previous three rifles into one.

Made by Longmont, Colorado-based Magpul Industries Corp.

http://www.defensetech.org/archives/003695.html

I saw this article I also read somewhere where the Special Forces were looking for weapons of larger Cal.

Later on in the article it states that the upper receiver/barrel can be swapped out between 5.56 and 7.62. I kinda like that option. How easy it will be for troops in the field to get that option remains....

it fires the 6.8 round though i thought right? the M4-68/M468(how ever the hell its spelled)

another plastic gun shooting the .223 is meh but if can be like an AR10 as you say bring it on

1. Personally the M16 is a fairly adequate weapon, not the best in the world (the Tavor of HK416 hold that title), but not bad either.
2. Frankly the whole idea of a larger caliber is a result not of failings of the 5.56 round but in it's implementation with sub-par bullets and barrels that are far too short, such as on the M4.
3. As I have said before I think the best entries for a new AR would be the Tavor or HK416, the tavor is short and handles very well, and the HK 416 has shown to be more rugged than the M16 by a fair margin.