The Designated Marksman came into his own during the GWOT; DMs are considered to be regular infantrymen who are tasked to provide precision fire out to 600m. By default, most have been armed with 5.56 AR derivatives, since that was what was available. However, the Army also issued M14s due to the 5.56 rounds' percieved lack of range and striking energy, while the Marines are fully fielding the Mk12. The Army also issues DMs everything from M4s with ACOGs to the latest mod of EBR. Several of our European allies, such as the Brits, have decided that a semi-auto 7.62 is needed for the DM role, and have adopted an AR10 varient for the task.

So, let's hear your thoughts on what a proper DM rifle should be: caliber, barrel length, optics, etc.