No doubt they are. The basic G36 is very, very similar to an M16A2, only it has a folding stock, comes with double optic sights (red dot and 3.5x telescopic), and operates with a slightly different mechanic (gas piston with gas vented out, instead of gas blown back into the receiver such as in the AR-15/M16). And it's more reliable, of course.

The TAR-21 and the SAR-21 are simple bullpup 5.56x45mm assault rifles with nothing special about them except slight refinements in design which ought to increase reliability, and coming with holo/red dot/telescopic sights as standard. They might also be easier to handle than some earlier, boxier weapon designs, but that's going to vary from user to user. They are more or less equal in principle to the Steyr AUG, the Enfield SA80/L85 and the FA-MAS.

The FN F-2000 has a fancy ejection system to counter the common problem of left-handed shooters being given a mouthful of brass by bullpup guns, and it was designed to integrate with a computerized fire control module, but otherwise it's more or less the same as the above weapons.

I don't see how the OC-14 is anything but boxy. I mean, you can clearly see how they just took the receiver of a classic AK and made it bullpup. It has the significant disadvantage of the classic clunky AK safety/selector switch being located well behind the grip, making it difficult to handle quickly.

World.Guns.Ru doesn't like hotlinking to images. Like you said, cut-and-paste, or just browse through their pages.

That project's been canceled, though. Also note how the XM-8 is much less boxy than the carbine-bit in the XM-29, even though it's pretty much the same gun with some bits tacked on.

Like you said, it's a trend in weapon manufacturing these days. I don't have first hand experience since I'm '82 vintage, but I hear they said the M16 "looked sci-fi" way back when it was introduced to replace the M14 (with its classic rifle looks, wooden stock and all).

I'd say that's a little more significant than slightly.

Also, if you think the G36C or Tavor (not that hideous Tavor2 shit) rifles are ugly, I hate you and hope you get hit with a car.

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Now that the XM-29's been mentioned, am I the only one who thinks the F2000 looks a little too bulky in the same direction? It's not nearly as heavy and it isn't as big, but it certainly looks bulkier than most rifles. And a lot of it seems to be empty space, too (eg modular foregrip plastic that can be replaced with the grenade launcher).

Unfortunately the WP countries picked green for their tracers, and bullets tend to just make a loud *CRACK* sound in flight unless they're subsonic. No rocking for us.

Plus, fewer edges to dig into your back on a 10-mile hump. Cuz that shit will drive you insane.

We'll see when Great Britain, France, Austria, Australia, Israel and Singapore get their next issue rifles.

FrostyNSO and Smiley have got good points there, I have to admit. The cocking handle and the rear sights on the RK-62 were a pain in the ass -- literally.

It is also one of those weapons that can be more difficult to coax out of your fixer than the avail. 8/48 hrs might suggest. Or more to the point it is often a GM fiat.

With 42 round clips, SA/BF/FA, 2 points builtin recoil comp. (without using up the barrel mount), undermount grenade launcher that holds 8 minis, and factory SL-2 (bye-bye 'nade scatter) it is well worth the 8k street adjusted price.

EDIT: The Colt M22A2 avail is even more skewed even thought it lacks the SL2, plus the original printing had a typo that actually had the avail down to (4/3 days). That means an undermount grenade launcher easily bought by a new character.

The AKM is smaller than an M16A2 and only 1.5 inches longer than an M4 (stock extended). When loaded, it weighs about the same as a loaded M16A2, though.

The XM8 uses the same 5.56x45mm ammunition as the M16/M4. Though it may be the first general issue weapon to use polymer-cased ammunition, rather than traditional brass. I also would hope that the military decides to adopt a more substantial cartridge along with the XM8, like the 6.8x42mm SPC, but I don't think that's going to happen. There's an awful lot of logistical inertia to overcome.

There was more than that, particularly the AK's relatively bad accuracy. We Americans have always been big on long range performance, whether it mattered or not. Honestly, that's about the only edge AR15-based rifles have over AK-based rifles. And when it comes to the M4 vs. AK-74M, that advantage is pretty marginal.

You might have a very hard time trying to ram a bullet through the bore by hand, so in a way it is.

Two 10" x 12" composite plates per soldier to put inside their vests, front and back. Unfortunately it doesn't make them look any more sci-fi. The digital camo uniforms, LBVs, modded out guns, NODs, etc. do.