Chapter 516 M1 Semi-Automatic Rifle

During this period, Charles was taking the time to train his troops, especially training them to use new equipment.

Browning produced the BAR and M1 semi-automatic rifles at the same time.

Everyone thought that the BAR could be installed earlier because it was relatively mature. The prototype was a light machine gun, but it was just improved into an automatic rifle. In addition, Browning has produced a prototype gun and even undergone simple testing.

But what is surprising is that it was the M1 semi-automatic rifle that finally appeared in front of everyone.

In less than half a month, Browning sent the first batch of one hundred rifles for soldiers to test.

He went to the headquarters specifically to find Charles and asked with a shocked look on his face:

"Major General, it was perfect as soon as it was produced. I want to know how you did it?"

"The ammunition capacity, length, gas guide, etc., everything is exactly right."

"This is almost impossible unless you consider every detail, even consider possible problems that may arise in the future and actively avoid them!"

During the test of the BAR he designed, he found that the barrel wall was too thin, which may cause the chamber to explode during rapid bursts of fire, so further improvements were needed.

It's like on a 500-meter track, Charles asked Browning to run first. Seeing that Browning was about to run to the finish line, Charles got up calmly, but suddenly Charles crossed the line and raised his hands. Accept the cheers from the audience.

Browning always felt that something was wrong, but couldn't figure out why.

Charles replied lightly: "Maybe it's just luck, Mr. Browning. When I designed it, I thought of it more as a rifle rather than a light machine gun, and the rifle is much more mature than the light machine gun."

Browning thought for a while, and finally nodded and accepted Ciel's explanation.

The M1 semi-automatic does have many similarities with the rifle, such as the handguard, barrel, bolt action, etc. It just changes the bolt action to semi-automatic.

More importantly, if you don't believe this explanation, what other reasons could cause this situation?

talent?

luck?

Or something else!

…

The rifle test was a success, and Dominic once again served as an instructor, conducting live-fire training for an infantry company of mechanics.

The soldiers fell in love with the M1 rifle the first time they fired:

"God, it's like a machine gun."

"Yes, it feels very good in the hand. There is no change in the center of gravity of the Lebel rifle at all."

"If you take it to the battlefield, everyone will be jealous to death, including the Germans!"

…

Tijani was originally not interested in this semi-automatic rifle. He preconceived the idea that a fully automatic rifle like the BAR that could fire continuously was the best.

He even thought it was Ciel's conspiracy.

Charles must be hoping to lure me with this rifle. Once I equip this semi-automatic, he can legitimately equip the armored division with the BAR.

You must hold back and don’t be fooled!

However, when he saw soldiers praising the semi-automatic on the shooting range, he couldn't help but go out and give it a try.

"Bang bang."

"Bang bang bang!"

…

"Cang", the magazine jumps out when the last bullet is fired.

Tijani was a little uncomfortable. He was used to pulling the bolt and loading the gun every time he fired a round. When using the semi-automatic, he always felt that a certain step was missing.

The bullets came out too easily. All you had to do was pull the trigger, and accidentally all 8 bullets were fired.

He raised the telescope and looked at the chest target a hundred meters away. There were five bullet holes, two of which were on the inner ring of the ten rings.

Dominic praised sincerely: "The marksmanship is good, General. With such a rate of fire and such high accuracy, especially since this is your first time trying a gun, you may be able to shoot better with a little practice."

Then he added: "If it was BAR, it wouldn't be so lucky."

Dominic just mentioned it casually and did not mean to disparage BAR.

But Tijani was thinking about BAR and was a little unhappy after hearing what Dominic said. He asked with a little displeasure: "What do you mean? Fully automatic is not as good as semi-automatic?"

BAR has a higher rate of fire and ammunition capacity, no one will refuse it.

Dominic must be Charles's supporter, secretly doing my ideological work!

Dominic said "uh" and explained:

"I don't know much about the battlefield, General."

"But based on my knowledge of guns, I don't think the higher the rate of fire, the better."

"The Maxim is indeed better than the rifle, but it must be placed on the ground and the bullet chain is pulled on, so as to ensure its powerful firepower output."

"But the rifle is held in the hand and placed on the shoulder to shoot, and the ammunition capacity is limited and it is impossible to output as crazy as Maxim. At this time..."

Tijani seemed to understand.

The BAR's continuous shooting is based on the loss of accuracy. Its 20 bullets are fired in one go, and the hit rate is probably not as high as the 8-round semi-automatic bullet.

It seems desirable if the BAR can output as crazy as a machine gun and rely on quantity to compensate for accuracy.

However, the attributes of the rifle determine that it can only have an ammunition capacity of 20 rounds.

As a result, the BAR became neither better nor worse. Its output was not as good as that of a machine gun, and its accuracy was not as good as that of a rifle.

The M1 semi-automatic is precisely at the point where both accuracy and rate of fire are within the acceptable range!

More importantly, the BAR can only equip soldiers with outstanding physical fitness, while the M1 semi-automatic can equip every soldier.

God, Tijani exclaimed to himself as he looked at the semi-automatic rifle in his hand.

I'm actually thinking about BAR?

Three soldiers equipped with M1 semi-automatic rifles can have 24 rounds of ammunition, which has a higher ammunition capacity and higher accuracy than BAR.

How stupid is it to think that a rifle squad can only be equipped with one BAR? !

Thinking of this, Tijani no longer hesitated, grabbed the rifle and ran quickly to the other side where Charles was talking happily with several soldiers.

"Major General, can I talk to you?" Tijani asked.

"Of course." Charles nodded.

Tijani raised the semi-automatic rifle in his hand: "I hope my troops can be equipped with this rifle."

Charles frowned: "You are too much, General. You want both full-automatic and semi-automatic, what do you want the armored division to use?"

Tijani said firmly: "Leave the full-automatic rifle to the armored division, they may need BAR more."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course, I am sure."

Charles smiled and nodded: "As you wish, then equip the mechanized division first."

This gun was originally used for mechanized divisions. Mechanized divisions often need to fight with enemy infantry at a distance, and they need this kind of long-range rifle more.

The armored division relies more on tanks for close combat, and sometimes they have to rush into trenches to clear the way for tanks. PPD submachine guns and shotguns are more suitable for them.

At this time, Charles inexplicably thought of Haig, the commander of the British Expeditionary Force. He would definitely like the M1 semi-automatic.

Haig felt that "machine guns are redundant" because he believed that as long as there are more people, there will be more rifles, and more rifles will fire more bullets, and their total firepower will eventually exceed that of machine guns.

The M1 semi-automatic is precisely an overall improvement in infantry firepower!