The boys go through the XM5 rifle. Caleb gently mocks some of the ridiculous aspects, says we will buy 6 of them total. Jack is in wide eyed anticipation of the new speediboi rounds. I am my usual cautiously optimistic Sig fan.
I like the XM5 concept. I believe the criticisms of the XM5 are often rooted in the mythos of the failure of the M14 and falsely attribute extra failures to the battle rifle concept. Meanwhile, battle rifles are still used worldwide with the G3, FAL, SCAR, and AR types still holding down combat roles, including service rifle in some instances. Usually used in specialized roles in NATO aligned (structured) forces, those forces who standardized around M855 (because America did) so we could share ammo (we can’t, since NATO ‘standard’ 5.56 is a fairly loose term. Partner forces shouldn’t swap ammo outside of dire emergencies).
This could go the same way as the XM8, that Americanized G36 that made it to an ‘XM’ designation too, where ultimately the military gets tired of spending the money and just upgrades our AR’s again.
The thing is, when looking at the XM8 era, there used to be a substantial upgrade curve the M4 could be pushed through (and was ultimately) to get the parity of performance with the wonder 5.56’s, like the SCAR and 416. However, like when we adopted the M14 and then M16, the XM5 is changing caliber. That seems to be catalyst necessary to carry a change when the previous rifle ran.
Yes, the M14 functioned. It was just big, heavy, got expensive to maintain, and was a rifle designed in 1928 (aesthetically and ergonomically) but produced in 1959 to compete against the likes of the AR, AK, FAL, and G3. It just couldn’t hang.
Go Sig. Congrats. I want one. (It’s FDE, of course I want one.)
