The R68 (Rifle, 1968) was an American prototype assault rifle that was designed by John P. Foote.
History[]
The R68 was designed in 1968. It was a low-cost assault rifle developed with simplicity and ease of production in mind. Only a hand-made prototype was built by Foote and the gun never reached production. Two years later, Foote redesigned the R68 in the form of the lighter FAC 70 carbine.
Design[]
The R68 was a basic gas-operated, 5.56mm assault rifle made from stamped steel components. It consisted of just 68 parts. It used a long-stroke gas piston and rotating bolt locked with a buttress thread. The cocking handle was located on the top of the receiver to allow for ambidextrous use, and the safety switch was placed inside the trigger guard. The weapon fed from standard M16 magazines.