Yeah, the mag thing never struck me as a deal breaker and I figured you'd get use to it, but some old timers with years of experience with the conventional configuration may simply never take to it. Kind of like when the F-16 hit the inventory ... the young guys took to it like fish to water but many of the old guys just couldn't buy into the side stick computer control idea.
And I think the trigger has always been the bigger issue and begging for a really good engineer to make a name for himself by putting that to bed.
And yes, the idea is great as it's always nice to have a longer barrel so long as it doesn't make the rifle too long -- the bullpup gives you upwards of 8 inches longer barrel in the same size OAL rifle.
What I'd like to see in a next generation combat rifle is a bullpup with a 16-18 inch barrel firing a larger more powerful cartridge. And, instead of a simple flash hider I'd like to see a four function supressor: sound, flash, recoil and rise. Take about 4-5 inches of the 8 inch advantage and make a supressor that is quieter to make it harder for the BG's to locate you and easier for you to remain in communications with the GG's. Reducing recoil and muzzle rise would permit quicker follow up shots even with the more powerful rifle.
Such a rifle might actually be a couple inches shorter than the M4.
Brian
