Bisley Lecture 29th August 2009

Early British Automatic Rifle Trials

Gas operation

Long recoil operation

Short recoiloperation

Organisation

Ordnance Board

Various Select, Standing and Sub-committees, e.g.Breech LoadingMachine GunSmall Arms (Magazine Rifle)

Chief Inspector of Small Arms (CISA)

Chief Superintendent of Factories (CSOF)

1900 Small Arms Committee (SAC)

Charged to consider all aspects of small arms and ammunition and to cover every possible military aspect.

Maxim conversion of Martini

Patent 447836 5th December 1891

Action: Long Recoil

Calibre: .577/.450

Maxim conversion of Martini

Griffiths-Woodgate

Tested 1893

Action: Long recoilCalibre: .303 inch

SAC June 1900

The Director General of Ordnance desired the Committee to say:

“Whether there are, in their opinion, any such defects in our Lee Enfield Rifle that makes it desirable to consider the question of providing a new rifle for the Army.”

Captain Kenyon recommended that the Committee obtained and tested the following:

1 The American Army Rifle

2 Spanish Mauser

3 Boer Mausers

4 Lee straight pull rifle

5 The latest production from the Austrian Steyr factory

6 The latest Mauser obtainable automatic rifle

7 Any other automatic rifle

Rifles tested by the SAC

Jan. 1902 De Falentans

Aug. 1903 Mondragon

Nov. 1903 Kjellman

Nov. 1905 Smith-Condit

Jun.1906 Halle

Feb. 1906 Committee laid down conditions to be fullfilled by any proposed automatic rifle.

Rifle to be simple and strong, easily and cheaply repairedLoading to be with ease and certaintyCartridge to be rimlessEnergy of 3000 ft.lbs.Bullet wt. not less than 140 grns.Charger/clip not to exceed present service type (194 grns.)Rifle not to exceed 9½ lbs.Calibre not less than .25” nor greater than .315”Rifle must be capable of automatic or manual operationEjection not to incommode the firer or man at his sideBolt or block positively lockedEfficient and positive safety

Automatic Rifle Committee

Formed October 1909

Chairman Brig. Gen. H.H.Wilson CB DSODirector of Military Operations

Col. W.Congreve VC MVOCmdt. School of Musketry Hythe

Col. J.D.Hopton Ret.ex President SAC

Lt.Col. The Hon. T.F.FremantleMaj. W.B.WallaceMaj. W.H.GreenlyCol. L.T.Pease R.M.A.

Naval representativeCol. R.C. Stuart

Indian representativeSecretary Capt. C.W.Scott

“To select the most suitable automatic magazine action for rifles, complying with certain prescribed conditions.”

Automatic Rifle Committee

The requirements for the rifles were largely based on those of the Small Arms committee of 1906 with the following changes:

A pointed bullet of between 150-180 grns.

A calibre of .27 - .28 inch and pressure of not more than 21 tons/sq.inch at 80 deg. F.

When putting the safety device out of action the rifle must remain cocked and ready to fire.

Each rifle would be measured against 65 criteria.

Formed October 1909

1st Meeting 23 November 1909

1st Interim Report 25 August 1910

2nd Interim Report 30 October 1911

3rd Interim Report 9 July 1913

Dissolved December 1913

Final report 22 January 1914

3 Volumes of proceedings

Automatic Rifle Committee

The Rifles

Enfield “A”

1908/9

Action: GasCalibre: .303 inch

Enfield “A”

Enfield “A”

RL 16749B

Enfield “A”

Enfield “A”

Conclusions:

The rifle is not simple or strongThe mechanism is not well protected from the entrance of rain, sand or dirt.The gas cylinder and piston rusted badly

It complied with most other conditions re: calibre, weight etc.

Enfield “B”

1908/9

Action: GasCalibre: .303 inch

Enfield “B”

1908/9

Menteyne-Degaille

Action: Long recoilCalibre: .303 inch

No photograph or drawing has been found.

Paul M. Menteyne & Pierre A. Degaille

Built by Coventry Ordnance Works

Developed by Charles W. Laird

Menteyne-Degaille

The rifle is not constructed to work properly

The safety is not efficient and is unsafe

If the sear becomes worn it could fire automatically

Kjellman

Action: Long RecoilCalibre: 6.5 x 55mm

Kjellman

Rejected due to:

Calibre does not complyComplicated and expensiveFragile componentsToo heavyParts not easily replaced

Letter dated 29 October 1910

“… I am commanded to inform you that as a result of the recent trials …The Army Council do not desire to purchase a licence to build this rifle or any option to purchase and that no further trials will be made with it”

Halle

Action: Short recoilCalibre: 7 x 57mm

Halle

Halle

Conclusions:

“Penetration at 25 yards, accuracy at 200 yards and the automatic working of the mechanism when clean appear to be fairly good.

Filling the magazine through the bottom is inconvenient, the ejection of empty cases to the right is liable to cause injury to the person on his right.”

Sjogren

Action: Recoil – Inertia boltCalibre; 7 x 57mm

Sjogren

Sjogren

Initially of “considerable interest”

Cannot be used as a manual loader

Failed depression test

Further tests revealed weakness and liable to failure

Shotgun had serious failure

Improved model offered but “Not considered necessary to carry out trial”

London Small Arms Co.

Action: Long recoilCalibre: .276 inch

London Small Arms Co.

London Small Arms Co.

London Small Arms Co.

London Small Arms Co.

London Small Arms Co.

London Small Arms Co.

Failed several of the tests

Particularly susceptable to sand and dirt

“This rifle is not in a fit condition for firing trials to be carried out before the Committee.”

LSA to be informed and given a list of the points of failure.

BSA Ltd

Action: Short recoilCalibre: .276 inch

BSA Ltd

Rifle is not strong and very liable to damage.

Not well protected from sand and dirt

Failed Condition No.9 – easily changed from automatic to manual operation.

“The Committee are of the opinion that the results of these trials do not indicate that the present rifle is likely to develop into a satisfactory Service arm.”

Mondragon

Action: GasCalibre: 7 x 57mm

Mondragon

Mondragon

Mondragon

Failed sand and dirt test

Inaccurate

The Small Arms Committee did not recommend any further trials of the rifle in its form at that time.

“General Mondragon’s representative was so informed”

Roth

Action: Recoil – primer actuatedCalibre: Special 7.92 x 57mm

Roth

Roth

Main disadvantage is special ammunitionIt would necessitate different ammunition for rifle and machine gun.

Barrel too weak for bayonet

Cocking handle broke during firing

Ammunition very defective – over twenty case separations

Brauning

Action: Short recoilCalibre: 7 x 57mm

Brauning

Brauning

Body too frail and liable to damage

Barrel too slight for high pressure cartridge

Ballistics too low

However, many good features

“….the Department will be pleased to try anotherrifle if constructed to fire a cartridge giving the proper ballistics,”

Rexer

Action: Long recoilCalibre: 6.5 x 55mm

Rexer

Works well when clean

Body and frame are very fragile

“The rifle would not stand much rough handling or falling about”

The representatives of the inventor were told that no further action would be taken at that time with this weapon.

Farquhar-Hill

Action: RecoilCalibre: 7 x 57mm

7.92 x 57mm M88(1908)7.65 x 54mm? (1909)

At the Bisley meeting of 1909 was demonstrated with 180 grain bullet and was described as the Farquhar-Scott, presumably as it had been made by Webley & Scott.

Farquhar-Hill

Action: GasCalibre: .303 Rimless

Farquhar-Hill

Farquhar-Hill

Farquhar-Hill

Generally worked well before breakages

Fore end excessively weak

Body weak at rear

Little protection for gas cylinder and springsIn fore end.

Mainsprings broke, rifle taken fro repair

Trials continued through WWI

Farquhar-Hill

Revelli

Action: Short recoilCalibre: 6.5mm Carcano

Revelli

“The Committee recommend that the makersbe informed that it is not proposed to proceed With any further trials of this rifle.”

Bang

Action: Gas – blow forwardCalibre: 7.65 x 54mm

6.5mm

Bang

Bang

Bang

Performed well.

“The rifle has given results superior to mostOthers that have come before the Committee.

The committee recommend the inventor be sent a copy of the report and be informed that a Communication on the subject of Automatic Rifles generally will be sent to him shortly.

Hellfeld

Action: Short recoilCalibre: 7.92 x 57mm

Hellfeld

“In view of the excess weight over that laid down in “Conditions to be fulfilled by an Automatic Rifle”, also to the fact that it will not function as a magazine rifle, the Committee recommend that no further action be taken.”

Tatarek

Action: Gas – Blow forwardCalibre: .276 inch (Patt.’13)

Tatarek

Tatarek

“Exceedingly long, being 3¼ inches longer than the long M.L.E. rifles.

The conversion was roughly carried out, and the rifle was not in a fit condition to be put through a firing trial.

..badly balanced, heavy, bulky, weak, uncertain in its action, and complicated.

…similar to Farquhar-Hill and Bang rifles, and does not shew any promise of ever developing into anything practical for service purposes.”

Kretz

Action: Gas – Blow forwardCalibre: .276 inch (Patt.’13)

Kretz

Kretz

Kretz

Kretz

Kretz

“The rifle was not in a fit state to be put through a firing trial, the conversion having been very roughly carried out.

…complicated, weak, bulky, excessively heavy, badly balanced, uncertain in its action, liable to derangement and breakdown under the most favourable conditions, difficult to strip and more difficult to assemble.

The principle is similar to a combination of the Farquhar-Hill (but with coil instead of spiral springs) and the Bang rifles with all their disadvantages aggravated and many peculiar to itself.”

Vickers

Action: Long recoilCalibre: .276 inch

Fidjeland

Action: GasCalibre: 6.5 x 55mm

No photographs or drawings have been found.

Fidjeland

“I do not think any action can be tolerated in which the lugs are both on one side of the axis of the rifle, and in which the bolt as a whole together with the extractor turns relatively to the cartridge case.”

The SAC recommended that no futher trials be carried out unless the rifle was modified to more nearly comply with the conditions named.

Cei Rigotti

Action: GasCalibre: 6.5mm Carcano

Cei Rigotti

“There is nothing positive in the action of this rifles….

…the principle is not considered suitable for a service rifle.

It is not considered that a rifle constructed on these lines would be suitable for the Service.

The Committee recommend that no further action be taken”

Shoube

Action: Short recoilCalibre: 6.5 x 55mm (?)

Introduced by Vickers Maxim & Co.

No photographs or drawings found.

Tested by SAC in April 1900. The rifle was “very well liked” by the Committee. VSM were informed that the introduction of a new rifle was not at that time under consideration. The rifle has not been submittted again.

Perino

Action: Long recoil with gas assistCalibre: 6.5mm Carcano

Perino

Not tested by the Committee. Description supplied by the inventor.

Gas assist was muzzle booster similar to Vickers

Laird-Menteyne

Action: Gas long recoilCalibre: .303 inch

No photographs or drawings have been found.

Faletrans

Action: Short recoilCalibre: 7.63mm Mauser

& 7.92mm (?)

No photographs or drawings have been found.

Two weapons submitted, a short carbine and a rifle.

Faletrans

“The weapons produced were of low power and the extraction and method of charging the magazine were not good.

The general design is simple but the weapons appear to be still at the experimental stage….

Correspondence continued with the marquis de Faletrans until June 1905 when he was told there was no immediate prospect of adopting an Automatic Rifle.”

No new rifle has been submitted.

Smith-Condit

Action: GasCalibre: 7 X 57mm

No photgraphs or drawings of this rifle have been found.

Tested by SAC in November 1905

Smith-Condit

The Committee do not consider that this military rifle contains any very distinct features or shows sufficient promise, as compared to other automatic rifles that have come before them, to warrant the ordering of one at a price of £500.

The inventor was informed that no further action would be taken at this time.

Fedorov

Action: Short recoilCalibre; 6.5 x 50SR

Federov

Not tested by the Committee, but view based on translated description in Russian military journal.

Automatic Rifle Committee

The Reports

1st Interim2nd Interim3rd Interim

Final

Farquhar-HillRNAS type

1918

The plans for Great Britain’s first automatic

rifle

100,000 to be issued in 1919

The End