I can appreciate the sentiment but be careful in your criticisms.
The XCR is a great rifle platform and apart from the trigger a great design. (Soon to be resolved) but be careful when opening a criticism.
We were it would be last year for the 308 version, now it's late this year or even next. The trigger issue has taken an age to resolve, and yet you deny it's an issue. I tried the knuckle and pad usage and sorry maybe mine is just a really bad iteration but it's still shite. Todd Jarrett teaches to use the pad for more control, but I guess he is wrong and will never win anything.
The XCR is hardly a clean sheet design. Yes, there are a few unique features but essentially you have taken ideas from other weapons and improved them and bolted them together. It's a good idea to take the best from various rifles and combine them into a single improved solution. Don't criticise others who have done pretty much what you have. There is nothing worse than a hypocrite. Kalashnikov, FN (FAL) and Stoner could say similar things about you, and they would be just as right.
Yes the cruel treatment started very soon, but some of us bought early XCR rifles on faith. you should have knocked those assholes back with quality and timely delivery of updates and parts. Yes, accept that you used the best features of other rifles and tout it as a strong point. You have managed to incorporate them into a single platform, that a frickin achievement. I got royally fucked for supporting the XCR, so what. At my range they took the piss when I pulled it out, but at the end of a day of shooting plates all day long with no cleaning and no failures, they all shut up and took note. they pointed out that the bolt comming loose from the op-rod was dumb, until I pointed out that there is no pin to loose or fumble with in the dark. :duh:
Just think an AK bolt and carrier with long stroke for reliability, a FAL adjustable gas system, and AR style split lower to accept STANAG magazines and yet still have a folding stock. Brilliant. Add improved controls and you have a great platform. Your only fuck up was thinking you could do a better trigger, and yes the design was good, but the execution was poor. As I have said before, I have spare parts that are made so badly they don't even fit together. Especially when triggers are probably the most common complaint on a rifle. A stock AR solution would have been a much better option, opening you up to a myriad of aftermarket options. Ah well hindsight is 20:20.
That's three rifles you have essentially taken design ideas from. Again be careful who you criticise. If you feel threatened by them you should be. You were the one who upped the game with the XCR, now you have to compete on quality and by delivering your promises. That is how you can differentiate. the best lesson I ever learned was to accept when I fucked up, fix it quickly and learn from it then move on.
I'm so pissed off with the trigger bullshit and the 308 delays that I've bought a POF upper for competitions. that's three caliber conversions you could have sold me! I will probably buy their 308 as the XCR 308 appears to be vapour, delay after delay and no preproduction images. Focus on your design and manufacturing and the product will answer your critics.
I think I've lost my faith, try to not to make others loose theirs, it will cost you if they do. Trust is like reputation, it's twice as hard to rebuild.