4.5 pounds heavier, 10 rounds less - yikes!

renatohm said:

4.5 pounds heavier, 10 rounds less - yikes!

what's that in real money? Also, clearly putting the rifle into rifleman

graylion said...

what's that in real money?

Just over 2kg

renatohm said:

4.5 pounds heavier, 10 rounds less - yikes

Yes it weighs a bit more then a loaded M4+ACOG+IR+M203

In fairness to the NGSW, half of that disparity is due to the unusual lightness of the M4A1 compared to other 5.56 rifles.

Weight wise, the Marines current M27+VCOG 1-8X VCOG + IR + Suppressor is likely getting up to NGSW weight. I'll have to run those numbers later. 

But in terms of return to Battle Rifle, a loaded NGSW is 13.24lbs, vs 10.7lbs for a loaded M14. 

stancrist said:

It hardly seems fair to compare the NGSW rifle with its adjustable stock, advanced optic, and suppressor, to the old M14 with its fixed stock, iron sights, and no suppressor

It is and it isn't.

In the sense that you mention, it's obviously unfair as NGSW does indeed have a lot more stuff.

However in terms of evaluating the wisdom and future success / issues for NGSW, I think the comparison with the M14 / past battle rifles is instructive.

Namely, the M14 (and later the Battle Rifle in general) fell out of favor due to the weapon and ammunition being deemed excessively heavy, relatively low capacity vs enemy weapons, and harsh recoiling. And that was when the weapons were ~10.7lbs loaded. 

Now we have a gun thats 13.24lbs loaded, with loaded mags of identical weight/size/capacity to the M14....

To me that should ring alarm bells. 

Concur.

gatnerd said:

Now we have a gun thats 13.24lbs loaded, with loaded mags of identical weight/size/capacity to the M14.... To me that should ring alarm bells. 

When the French army put a 1.8 kg day / IR sight on a FAMAS to make a 6.6 kg IW (14.5 lbs), the troop acceptance was low...

gatnerd said:

Weight wise, the Marines current M27+VCOG 1-8X VCOG + IR + Suppressor is likely getting up to NGSW weight. I'll have to run those numbers later

Turns out the Marines current M27 is indeed nearly identical to NGSW.

M27: 8lb* (specs of 16” 416 vary from 7.83-8.16lb)

VCOG 1-8 SCO: 2lb

PEQ 16: 0.56lb

NT-4 Suppressor:1.35lb

30rd 5.56 PMAG: 1.1lb

=13.01lb

Both the M27 and NGSW show the downside of variable power optics and suppressors: weight.

I had initially strongly advocated on LPVO scopes for all. But now looking at these ballooning weights, plus the much shorter range fighting we see in Ukraine, I'm more inclined to think LPVO's/Smart Scopes should be for the DMR / Squad leaders, and stick with a 1lb ACOG+RMR for regular riflemen. 

Even moreso as a top mounted RDS allows 'passive aiming' with night vision, which is becoming increasingly important now that enemy forces have NVG ability and can see IR lasers. Early reports in Ukraine has said turning on IR lasers was a death sentence. 

gatnerd said:

Namely, the M14 (and later the Battle Rifle in general) fell out of favor due to the weapon and ammunition being deemed excessively heavy, relatively low capacity vs enemy weapons, and harsh recoiling. And that was when the weapons were ~10.7lbs loaded. 

If people are complaining about a harsh recoil, more mass is a good thing, because physics.