small arms ergonomics

[Math.be]

Hello

I'm doing a seminar on small weapons ergonomics.
If some of you has specific details on particular weapons, let me know.
Subject is quite wide, so if you have experience with a weapon that as great inovations or one that has very poor ergonomics let me know about the details.

Thx

[Jippo]

Just don't fall to the generalisations of some weapons having bad ergonomics by reputation. Lot of the ergonomics talked here is just user preferences conflicting.

Few examples:
U.S. shooters tend to think AR is ergonomic as they are used to it, and as a result XM-8 had to be changed in a way it represented the M-16 in all possible ways from the interface point of view. One more specific detail is changing of the magazine release from the AK-style latch on the G36 to push button style of the M-16 on the basis of better ergonomics. In human terms both are operated with the same fingers and similar movement, G36 having the advantage of positive operation in dirt and snow. Still M-16 style button was chosen.

MP5 and AR safeties are of similar desing and yet people argue about the better one. AR has to be moved rather a long way from safe to full auto and MP5 many think has wrong dimensioning to comfortable to use. For my hand the MP5 is far handier than AR due to it's shorter range of movement.

AK47 dilemma. AK47 is generally thought to have bad ergonomics by most people. The rifle is a child of another era than the modern rifles, and the whole range of movements related to shooting were different from more modern techniques. Word tactical wasn't even in the dictionary at the time. It had pretty good ergonomics for it's day, and even by todays standards it can be operated just as quickly any other rifle can. It just requires far different techniques than other rifles. People generally aren't taught these techniques which leads to them use their techniques learned for other rifles. This means that they can not use the rifle properly, and dismiss it to have bad ergonomics simply because the drills they learned don't work. So does it have bad or good ergonomics?

[James]

I have large hands, and I dislike the "A2" M16 grip very much; it has a built in ridge that's supposed to go between one's middle finger and ring finger, but the way I grip my rifle it sits squarely in the center of my ring finger.
Either the "Tango Down" grip or the "MIAD" grip are preferable to me. MIAD is adjustable, and I like it A LOT.
I find HK grips comfortable, but regular AK47 are not for me - too small.

I do like having a forward "gangster" grip on rifles for tactical use. My preference is a plain cylinder like that from KAC.

[MikeSierra151]

I have done most of my rifle training on the M4/16 rifle that used the military carrying handle rear sight. When I tried to use the small BUIS I tend to try and look around it in fast target engagements.
There is also the "American" magazine release buttons vs "European" catches found on the grips.