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The battlefield is not a range. It's hard to see targets - harder the further away they get. They are moving. They are hiding. They are under cover. They (or someone else) is shooting at you. That's why most casualties from small arms fire in WW II were at 200 m or less.
This is mass warfare. Most combatants receive the minimum amount of training their country deems necessary to achieve a slight advantage on the battlefield because the training pipeline costs money, takes time and delays the arrival of new people on the battlefield. So the average guy isn't going to hit an enemy at long range even if he could see it.
As has been pointed out above, ammo with more punch weighs more. So does the rifle with more punch. You spend much more time moving than you do shooting. Every pound you can get rid of helps.
Often the targets appear at very close quarters, very suddenly and very fleetingly. Smaller rifles are handier. With medium power cartridges, they are easier to control and can even fire short bursts which makes it quicker to aim them.
Finally, combat is a team sport. You are not out there by yourself. The rifle is really the short range direct fire weapon. Squad automatic weapons and machine guns are the long range weapons. And if you have a radio, all things are possible.
I haven't addressed the dreaded "stopping power" issue. I have no desire to. Suffice it to say, I've never seen anyone volunteer to stand out around 200 m to 300 m and get shot with an M4 because the round is a joke.
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