The best rifle resource on the net
 

Welcome to our rifles Archive. Have fun browsing!

 

Article #1: The assault rifle

(Browse for more articles)

 
Simply put, an assault rifle is a cross M1 Carbine was introduced by America. It
between a normal rifle and a machine gun. did not offer the select-fire option, but
Such kinds of automatic rifles or this feature was later made available in
carbines have the facility of selective its successors – the M2 and M3
firing. This means that it can shoot carbines. The M1 was mass-produced and
short, suppressive automatic bursts, extensively used because it proved ideal
which makes them perfect for supportive for close-up work on the front. The M16
or ‘covering’ fire. They are equipped came in 1960, but the M1 never went
with intermediate-powered ammunition that completely out of style.
offers variable firepower and thereby Today’s assault rifles feature calibers
takes the pressure off the shooter by from 5.45 mm to 7.62 mm and are equipped
affording him the advantage of controlled with magazines that can accommodate
fire. This leads to better placing of between 20 and 30 rounds. Some assault
shots and also preserves the rifle’s rifles feature semi-automatic and fully
mechanisms for longer periods. automatic fire capabilities, while others
Since assault rifles are predominantly also have the select-fire and 2/3 shot
used for this purpose, it can be argued burst options. Most of them have
that the qualifier ‘assault’ is not a effective ranges of up to 600 meters,
strictly accurate term. In fact, it is after which the accurate placing of shots
used widely only in the United States. becomes a matter of chance rather than
However, they are also highly effective marksmanship.
offensive weapons. The main advantage is However, there are advanced assault
economy of firepower, since they are not rifles available – the Heckler & Koch
suitable for prolonged firing periods in G36 is a perfect example of these.
which cartridges are often wasted. In Calibrated for smaller bullets that have
that sense, assault rifles require higher velocity, this highly advanced
considerable marksmanship. However, some assault rifle features a telescopic
of them can fire up to 500 rounds a sight, supported by red-dot infrared
minute in fully automatic mode and that sighting, that considerably increase its
makes up for a lot of uncertainty in accuracy over longer ranges. Most
terms of stopping power. contemporary assault rifles are designed
Assault rifles, loosely christened after according to the ‘bull pup’ model,
the German equivalent, are standard which includes a butt plate that is
equipment in most armies, are issued in directly attached to the receiver and the
place of the unwieldy and cumbersome trigger positioned ahead of the magazine
battle rifles. The most well known are slot.
the Russian AK 74 and the American M16 Today, there is considerable controversy
rifle. The iconic AK 47 uses a 7.62x39mm about what features actually qualify a
medium-power load and was developed by rifle to be included in the ‘assault
Anton Kalashnikov in 1943. weapon’ category. Various acts such as
Historically speaking, the Italian the National Firearms Act of 1934, the
Cei-Rigotti was the first assault rifle, Gun Control Act of 1968 and the Firearm
and was first put into widespread use in Owners Protection Act of 1986 have
1900. However, assault rifles were not attempted to define the required
used by the military until the coming of specifications and also the parameters
the Russian Federov Avtomat in 1916. This surrounding rights of ownership of such
model, highly advanced for its time, was weapons. The 1994 Federal Assault Weapons
the brainchild of an enlisted armorer Ban, which lapsed in 2004 but is still
named Colonel Federov. World War 1 saw considered a standard of sorts, specifies
the Browning Automatic Rifle, which first such features as bayonet lug, pistol
offered full-power rounds. grip, a folding stock and night scope.
Shortly before World War II (in 1938) the






1- A- B- 2- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8- 9- 10- 11- 12- 13- 14- 15- 16- 17- 18- 19- 20- 21- 22- 23- 24- 25- 26- 27- 28- 29- 30- 31- 32- 33- 34- 35- 36- 37- 38- 39- 40- 41- 42- 43- 44- 45- 46- 47- 48- 49- 50- 51- 52-