Battle rifle
A battle rifle is a weapon that fires a powerful bullet such as 7.62×51mm NATO (.308 caliber) or 7.62×54mmR. They were most often used in the Cold War. Today, most armies use smaller, intermediate bullets like the 5.56×45mm NATO, but many many soldiers from different countries still use battle rifles - for example, in a sniper role.
Some of the most popular battle rifles are the FN FAL, G3, and M14, all first made during the Cold War. Newer examples of this type of weapon include the Belgian SCAR-H or the American M110. There are also older weapons that can be described as battle rifles - for example, the M1 Garand rifle, used in World War II.
While battle rifles are much less popular now than in past decades, some armies are going back to the idea of giving their soldiers larger caliber rifles. In 2022, the United States Army decided to replace the old 5.56 M4 carbine with the XM7 rifle, which fires a much bigger 6.8×51mm bullet. And the Turkish army uses the MPT-76, a .308 battle rifle, as its standard issue weapon.
