I don't know if this has been discussed but wouldn't developing a cleaner burning powder be more productive than developing more piston rifles?
I'm thinking there is more room for improvement with fewer hassles. I like reloading with Alliant RL10 becuase I get velocity with less powder. Less powder means less carbon residue. Can powder be developed that leaves less residue without velocity loss? Just a thought. kwg
I like your thinking but I think it's a hopeless task unless and until there is a drastic change in propellant technology. I looked at the Alliant site for RL-10x recipes and the amount of powder is very similar to what I use with Varget or other powders. You would need a substantial reduction in charge weight to make any perceptible difference and that will bring in reliability issues in the AR because it needs a certain volume of gas to unlock the bolt and move the carrier backward.
