Originally posted by chino65:
We all know the M16 is not a perfect system.
But for all its supposed unreliability, the IDF have fought in the
desert for 30 years with the M16.
(And here we have people in the US conducting laboratory tests to
simulate desert combat? What a stupid waste taxpayers' money. Why
not just ask the IDF "hey does the M16 work in the desert?)
There is the usual lame argument that the IDF used M16' cos they
were FOC. But if the M16 didn't work in the desert, they wouldn't
use it even if you pay them to.
But as it turns out, the IDF love the M16 / M4 and is a "weapon of
choice".
...
IDF used expensive FN FALs in the 60's but they phased it out when
they found it sensitive to the desert environment. [b]And yes, the
FN FAL is a piston-drive.
So a piston-drive is not the magic bullet to reliability. [/b]
The FN is 7.62mm and the then new standard is 5.56mm. No prizes
for the reasons of change.
