Semi-automatic rifle
[10] However, the designs remained prototypes because of challenges associated with the black powder used in their cartridges (based around the Austrian 11×58 mm R M/77), such as low velocity and excessive fouling.
[11][12] In the early 1880s, Mannlicher began producing versions of his rifles designed for smokeless powder, continuing his work until he died in 1904.
[16] By the early 20th century, several manufacturers began producing semi-automatic .22 caliber rifles, including Winchester,[14] Remington,[17] Fabrique Nationale[18], and Savage Arms,[19] all using the direct blow back system of operation.
[21] In 1883, Artillery Officer Wilhelm H. O. Madsen and Julius A. N. Rasmussen, the intendant of the Copenhagen arms factory, initiated the development of recoil-operated self-loading firearm designs.
Consequently, 60 units were procured for the Danish Navy, making it one of the earliest semi-automatic rifles officially adopted by a military force.
[25] The rifle is a locked breech, long recoil action designed by John Browning, and had .25, .30, .32, and .35 caliber variants.
This plan was discarded when the Second World War became imminent and the United Kingdom hastily rearmed with more traditional weapons designs.
[28][29] The resulting Semi-Automatic, Caliber .30, M1 Rifle was patented by Garand in 1932, approved by the U.S. Army on January 9, 1936, and underwent mass production in 1940.
[33] The Soviet AVS-36, SVT-38, and SVT-40, as well as the German Gewehr 43, were semi-automatic gas-operated rifles issued during World War II in relatively small numbers.
Designed by Sergei Gavrilovich Simonov in 1945, it came equipped with a bayonet and could be loaded with ten rounds using a stripper clip.
During World War II, American ground forces fired approximately 25,000 rounds for each enemy killed.
Semi-automatic rifles use gas, blow-forward, blow back, or recoil energy to eject the casing after a round has been fired, to chamber a new cartridge from the magazine, and to reset the action.
The primary advantage of semi-automatic rifles is their ability to fire multiple sequential shots quickly, as avoiding manually chambering cartridges helps to maintain the aiming position.
Repeatedly engaging single or multiple targets rapidly greatly increases the effectiveness of a firearm in most applications.
The added weight of springs and fittings in self-loading mechanisms, along with some of the cartridge energy being used to reload, can help reduce recoil.
[42] The time required for changing or reloading magazines can reduce the effectiveness of a rifle, as it imposes a duration limit on the continuous rate of fire.
[47] Some hunters use semi-automatic rifles, including AR-15 style models, citing their compact design and customization options, effectively making it easier to traverse rugged terrain while tracking a target and providing a large variety of customization ranging from scopes and muzzle devices to different calibers.
[citation needed] Semi-automatic fire greatly assists in maintaining one's sight picture, which is especially important when follow-up shots are required.
