The new U.S. Military rifle and bayonets

[Broadsword2004]

Hey, I was reading about the military intended to replace the U.S. military's M-16, called the XM8; it is supposed to be a lot better performing than the M16, much less likely to jam, easier to aim, and lighter, plus 70% easier to clean, etc....it is still being tested and the recent funding for it to put it into action was cut (but the rifle isn't dead, it just won't come into service as soon as hoped), anyways, I think I read (though not totally sure) that the rifle does not have a bayonet mount. Isn't that kind of stupid?? I mean, like this one guy said, nothing can stop a crowd of potential rioters like a company of Marines in full riot gear with rifles that have bayonets on them. A soldier on guard is one thing, but soldiers on guard with bayonets on the rifles just is a bit psychological to the enemy too, it helps keep people in place because they know if they charge they will still run into trouble. Also, it can help you if you run out of ammo and have to fight hand to hand, I mean, you never know if the U.S. might end up in some kind of other jungle fighting or something in the next 20, 30, or 40 years. You want to be able to attach a bayonet onto the gun if necessary.

My opinions anyways, if the rifle in fact cannot have a bayonet mounted on it.

For pics of the rifle, google it. It looks more like a kid's toy though then a military rifle; upon seeing it, you are like, THAT is the U.S. military's new rifle!?! Looks more like a water gun you'd buy at a K-Mart

[Broadsword2004]

Oh yeah, you may say, "if people charge, they know they'll get shot at!!" but some troops might not be inclined to, or allowed, to shoot at protesters or whatnot; bayonets I think can help cuz then if the people run into the bayonet, I guess the troops could say, especially if it was in a foreign country, "We didn't stick them, we stood our ground, and they ran right into our rifles!"

[EmptyneSs]

they want the new rifles to be way smaller and lighter cause right now our troops have problems with the size of the m16's, like for example its to big to properly use in their humvees and whatnot. there new guns are gonna be alot more compact, so u cant really put a bayonet on it, u may as well just pull out a big knife and use it with ur hand if u want to use a blade

[Broadsword2004]

Well yeah true, you'd think though that the gun would still be fixed to allow a bayonet to be attached in case it was needed. Sort of like how fighter planes never dogfight these days, yet they all have at least a machine gun mounted under the cockpit in case they get into a dogfight. Or how the Abrams never uses conventional gasoline, but can run on it in an emergency.

[Hardball]

F*k the bayonnet; I would rather have the "SCOPE" AND unlimited ammo. It' about time, the m-16 has been around forever.

[Oreomeister365]

herm..

Perhaps these people like Halo 2 too much

http://dboy.cpgl.net/USA/xm8/xm8-5.jpg

http://www.bungie.net/images/Games/Halo2/Gallery/Renders/battle_rifle_front.jpg

[Dead_Nerd]

Actually it looks much more like a modified G36 assault rifle, and those have been around forever. There is a resemblance between the halo gun and it though, but after reading some text, the creators of halo made that rifle, and were quite suprised when the military designed one like it at almost the same time. This means that it had been in developement for a while. My $.02

[Broadsword2004]

Only thing I don't like is the M-16 is the only American-designed rifle left in the inventory. All other rifles and pistols are European-designed, but made in America.

This is actually due to cost and is no problem militarily, cuz they build them here, but I mean still, symbolism-wise, you'd think the primary rifle of the U.S. military could be American (which it still is, until the M-16 leaves service).

[unclejoe357]

The XM8 is just a G-36 with a few more features. It has proven itself to be accurate, reliable and durable. However, I am wondering about the polymer reciever ovearheating and failing under sustained fire. There were numerous reports of this happening in Bosnia. This needs to be fixed HK claims the XM8 can be configured into a light machine gun.

Another interesting HK development is an m4 with their G36 gas system, after all their jibba-jabba about their guns being better than the M16/AR15 family they make one......

HK makes good guns, but with a few exceptions they are not worth the asking price. HK