The main goal was to achieve smooth and reliable cycling, but the design was very complicated and thus badly suited for a military firearm.
By 1911, Farquhar and Hill revised their rifle, changing its source of energy from barrel recoil to more convenient gas operated action.
The new weapon also used an intermediate spring as a source of energy for cycling of the bolt with a stationary barrel, simplifying design and making it potentially more accurate and reliable.
This rifle was initially chambered for the new ".303 rimless" round, designed by necking up the 7.65x53mm Belgian Mauser case and loading it with British-issue Mk.VII bullet of .303 caliber.
On several occasions the British Army tested this machine gun, known as the Beardmore-Farquhar but ultimately rejected it for a variety of reasons.