Perhaps it's because they served, and are just speaking from their experience, as am I. I notice that most seem to agree with me, and you're not calling them "obtuse."
Like I said, I don't what your experiences have been. Maybe you and your girlfriends do a lot of still-hunting with 12-pound varmint rifles, or compete in 3-gun. I don't know. I've just been pointing out what I think are relevant facts that non-veterans may not have considered.
Sorry if it was not helpful to you.
Fistful, I did point out relevant facts. You ignored them. Based on my experience CARRYING STUFF AROUND. You do not need to serve to understand what it is like to carry an unwieldy object for significant periods of time.
And here comes, Wmnorr, also pointing out that any rifle is going to get heavy after awhile.
You tried to make a point that, specifically, the M16 is heavy after a 12 mile march. Well, no *expletive deleted*it Sherlock. That fact does not make the M16 a heavy rifle, by any stretch of the imagination.
They did not "agree" with you. They pointed out that the M16s were light and they came to that conclusion by having to carry around the previous military standard rifle.
I also think the basic design is light weight, based on comparison with handling MUCH HEAVIER RIFLES.
Supposedly, you claim to have also handled much heavier rifles. So, yes, you are being obtuse, either that or your full of *expletive deleted*it.
Face it, if you are in the military, you are going to be expected to carry around a rifle. Of all the flipping options out there, you got lucky, in terms of weight. And you can take your service and shove it were the sun don't shine, because it doesn't qualify as an excuse to be a jerk.