It's the Round, not the Rifle
I think the major issue that's affecting assault rifle efficacy is the intermediate cartridge/round. I don't think the tech. will be "perfect" until this is adequately addressed.
Combat experience has demonstrated that the 5.56mm round is too light, lacking the range, and penetration/stopping power to effectively engage targets at anything beyond 100m. It's adequate for MOUT/CQB, but when the enemy aren't up close, like in most of Afghanistan, it's a problem.
Heavier rounds, like the 7.62x54mm perform better at longer ranges, but the more powerful cartridge generates more recoil, negatively impacting accuracy (especially during automatic fire) and causing generating more wear and tear on the internal action.
So, once a better intermediary round is adopted, then yes, assault rifle tech. will pretty much be perfected. I'm sure that there will be continued debate over the best internal action (delayed blow-back, gas piston v. gas impingement, etc.).
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