It appears that rifles developed in the 1980s, firing cartridges developed nearly a century ago are still what our Special Forces need.
One reason for keeping the large 50 caliber round is that it has enough room to fit explosives or incendiaries when they would be most effective.
https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/munitions/mk211.htmThere is (always) some talk of moving to a smaller round. A bullet doesn't need to be a specific diameter to hit a target with sufficient energy to destroy it. Also, cartridge cases can get smaller as propellants get more powerful and gun metals get stronger. Small lighter cartridges make it easier to carry more rounds, but they need to be as effective (or more so) than the ones they're replacing. This article is about different military rounds, but it makes the point:
https://www.pewpewtactical.com/7-62-nato-vs-5-56-nato/
I find it interesting that the current Barrett 50 caliber used by our troops is semi-automatic. In civilian distance competitions, Barrett's bolt-action rifles in the same caliber are more accurate. Perhaps the rate of fire (and the demands of urban combat) is nearly as important as it's accuracy in current combat scenarios.
https://thearmsguide.com/14089/snipers-choice-bolt-vs-semi-auto-precision-rifles/
https://gundigest.com/article/bolt-action-vs-semi-auto-rifle-for-precision-shooting
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