My problem is with the rifle in full-auto, which is the role for an assault rifle.
I don't think it's controllable, but I haven't heard any reports on it in full auto. And that's how troops use their rifles, for the most part, when in contact.
I would also point out that those major powers using "true assault rifle rounds" quit using them almost three decades ago. Probably for the same reasons...hard to control on automatic fire, and weight.
There's no substitute for aimed fire, if you have time and opportunity for aimed fire. But given that most people won't expose themselves long enough to get a good sight picture under stress, the next best thing is putting lead in the air. THat tends to spoil the aim of the guy shooting at you.
As I have often pointed out, Custer's last stand is the classic example of accurate, heavy bullets vs. short-range high-volume, less-accurate bullets. The lead in the air wins every time.
If war was a battle between marksmen, we could all do better than the 6.8 or the 5.56, but war as I know it isn't that way. That's only one component of war, and not a main component.
