I have a couple of Mausers. Nice rifle and very typical.

And I collect military arms, so I understand that some people yearn for things to stay they same.

But, they can't be the same forever or we would never have many of the things that we take for granted: Cartridges, semi-auto actions (blowback, gas operated, etc.), optics, synthetic stocks, etc. All are different, "unnecessary", more prone to failure, etc. But, all get you something that someone decided that they needed while hunting, on the battlefield, etc.

I am an engineer. It is a curse to go through life questioning how things work, how they could work differently and how to go about making that happen. Not all designs are improvements. There are a lot of failures along the way to any improvement. But, without questioning the status quo and trying designs on paper and in steel they would never get done.

I know most of the things I have discussed have been done. But, what HASENT been done? What is just a dream now, but high tensile polymers could make a reality?

Come on. As much as I love ramming lead balls down the muzzle of a pipe with a little hole at the other end, it isn't the be all and end all of firearm design.

Chubber