Re-enter the Battle Rifle?

[KevinB]

The M-14 is not exactly doing a stellar job.
  Lot so problems have cropped up - and while they have refurbed and issued 5,000 of them, it is a stop gas until a new DMR system is picked and funded.

I'm not sure where your getting stoppage numbers from, but statistically the C7/M16 FOW runs rings around others.
Barring rather skewed dust tests.

I'd love to see full an open competition, as we have won pretty much everything we enter against the competition.
 

 

[Ex-Dragoon]

Would getting UK or Australian/NZ FNs be an option or did they destroy their FALs like we did?

 

[KevinB]

The Uk adopted the LMT MWS (we did not compete).

 

[Matt_Fisher]

As Kevin mentioned, if we're looking for a truly role spcific Designated Marksman/Sharpshooter type weapons system, the FN-FAL isn't really the best candidate out there.  While it is 7.62, the manufacturing tolerances and operating system don't produce the best platform for extremely accurate fire.  Piston systems built on weapons that have looser manufacturing tolerances such as that on the FN-FAL generally produce more 'yaw' type recoil forces which make it harder for the shooter to control the weapon during the firing cycle, resulting in less accurate aimed shots, and can also be difficult to maintain a zero with optics. 

A direct impingement system like the AR-15/M16/C7 has the recoil forces more in line with the bore and result in a more accurate aimed shot.  Given that a DMR/SS isn't likely to be firing large amounts of automatic fire, the issue of stoppages due to excessive carbon buildup isn't likely to be that great. 

The technology has moved forward and better systems that are more suitable are out there for use in a DMR/SS role.