Dameyo

Top 10 Combat Rifles

// March 21st, 2009 // General

10. M-14
The rifle served adequately during its brief tour of duty in Vietnam. Though it was unwieldy in the thick brush due to its length and weight, the power of the 7.62 mm NATO cartridge allowed it to penetrate cover quite well and reach out to extended range, developing 2,470 ft.lbf (3,350 J) of muzzle energy. However, there were several drawbacks to the M14. The traditional wood stock of the rifle had a tendency to swell and expand in the heavy moisture of the jungle, adversely affecting accuracy. Fiberglass stocks were produced to resolve this problem. However, the rifle was discontinued before very many could be distributed for field use. Also, because of the M14’s powerful 7.62×51 mm cartridge, the weapon was virtually uncontrollable in fully automatic mode. The M14 was developed as a means of taking the place of four different weapons systems - the M1 Garand, the M1 Carbine, the M3 “Grease Gun” and the M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR). It was thought that in this manner the M14 could simplify the logistical requirements of the troops if it took the place of four weapons. Although it proved to be an impossible task to replace all four, the weapon excelled as a replacement for the M1 rifle, fixing many of the previous rifle’s shortcomings.

The cartridge was too powerful for the sub machine gun role and the weapon was simply too light to provide as a light machine gun replacement for the BAR. The M60 machine gun better served this task.

9. STG 44
The StG 44 (Sturmgewehr 44 or “assault rifle model 1944″) was an assault rifle developed in Nazi Germany during World War II and was the first of its kind to see major deployment. It is also known under the designations MP 43 and MP 44 (Maschinenpistole 43, Maschinenpistole 44 respectively), which denotes earlier development versions of the same weapon.

MP 43, MP 44, and StG 44 were different designations for what was essentially the same rifle, with minor updates in production. The variety in nomenclatures resulted from complicated circumstances in Nazi Germany. Developed from the Mkb 42(H) “machine carbine”, the StG44 combined the characteristics of a carbine, submachine gun and automatic rifle. StG is an abbreviation of Sturmgewehr. The name was chosen for propaganda reasons and literally means storm rifle as in “to storm an enemy position” (i.e. “assault”, leading to the modern terminology “assault rifle”). After the adoption of the StG 44, the English translation “assault rifle” became the accepted designation for this type of infantry small arm.

The rifle was chambered for the 7.92×33mm Kurz cartridge, also known as 7.92 mm Kurz (German for “short”). This shorter version of the German standard (7.92×57mm Mauser) rifle round, in combination with the weapon’s selective-fire design, provided a compromise between the controllable firepower of a submachine gun at close quarters with the accuracy and power of a Karabiner 98k bolt action rifle at intermediate ranges. While the StG44 had less range and power than the more powerful infantry rifles of the day, Wehrmacht studies had shown that most combat engagements occurred at less than 300 m with the majority within 200 m. Full-power rifle cartridges
were overpowered for the vast majority of uses for the average soldier.

8. Springfield 1903
The Springfield M1903, formally the United States Rifle, Caliber .30, Model 1903, is an American magazine-fed, bolt-action rifle used primarily during the first half of the 20th century. It was officially adopted as a United States military service rifle on June 19th 1903, and saw service in World War I. It was officially replaced as the standard infantry rifle by the faster-firing, semi-automatic M1 Garand, starting in 1936. However, the M1903 Springfield remained in service as a standard issue infantry rifle during World War II, and a sniper rifle during the Korean War, and the early stages of the Vietnam War.

Due to its balance, it is still popular with various military drill teams and color guards, most notably the U.S. Army Drill Team.

M1903 rifles (along with the M1 Garand) are also common at high school Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) units to teach weapons handling and military drill procedures to the cadets. JROTC units use M1903s for regular and inter-school competition drills, including elaborate exhibition spinning routines. Exhibition teams often use fiberglass stocks in place of wooden stocks, which are heavier and more prone to breakage when dropped. The M1903 is also the standard parade rifle of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets, which has over six hundred M1903s, a very small percentage of which are still fireable.

For safety reasons, JROTC M1903s are made permanently unable to fire by having a metal rod welded into the barrel, or having it filled with lead, soldering the bolt and welding the magazine cutoff switch in the ON position.

In 1977, the Army located a rather large cache of un-issued M1903A3 rifles which were then issued to JROTC units as a replacement for their previously issued M1 Garand and M14 rifles, which were then returned to Army custody due to concerns about potential break-ins at high school JROTC armories. After the creation of the privatized Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) in 1996, the Army has located additional M1903 and M1903A3 rifles which have been made available for sale to eligible CMP customers. The CMP announced over Halloween weekend 2008, that they had a handful of M1903 and M1903A3’s available for sale. The following Monday the CMP received over 700 pieces of mail, and most of the rifles have since sold out, per the 11-17-08 update from the CMP.

7. Steyr AUG
The AUG is an Austrian 5.56 mm assault rifle, designed in the early 1970s by Steyr Mannlicher GmbH & Co KG (formerly Steyr-Daimler-Puch). The AUG (Armee Universal Gewehr—”universal army rifle”) was adopted by the Austrian Army as the StG 77 (Sturmgewehr 77) in 1977, where it replaced the aging 7.62 mm StG 58 automatic rifle (a license-built FN FAL). In production since 1978, it is the standard small arm of the Austrian Bundesheer and various national police units. It has also been adopted by the armed forces of Argentina, Australia (accepted into service in 1985 and manufactured by Australian Defence Industries in Lithgow, this Austeyr model is also in use by New Zealand), Bolivia, Ecuador (since 1988), Ireland, Luxembourg, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia (introduced in 1978), Pakistan and since 1988—the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

The AUG was designed as a family of rifles that could be quickly adapted to a wide variety of roles with the change of the barrel to a desired length and profile, among which are: a compact 350 mm (13.8 in) barrel, 407 mm (16.0 in) carbine barrel, 508 mm (20.0 in) standard rifle-length barrel and a 621 mm (24.4 in) light machine gun barrel. The AUG is a modular, bullpup configuration rifle that employs a high level of synthetic and advanced alloy components.

6. Kar 98
The Karabiner 98 Kurz (often abbreviated Kar98k or K98k) was a bolt-action rifle adopted as the standard infantry rifle in 1935 by the German Wehrmacht, and was one of the final developments in the long line of Mauser military rifles.

The Karabiner 98k was a controlled-feed bolt-action rifle based on the Mauser M 98 system. It could be loaded with five rounds of 7.92×57mm IS ammunition from a stripper clip, loaded into an internal magazine. It was derived from earlier rifles, namely the Karabiner 98b, which in turn had been developed from the Mauser Model 1898. The Gewehr 98 or Model 1898 had an internal, staggered row magazine of five cartridges within the receiver. Since the rifle was shorter than the earlier Karabiner 98b from which it was derived (the 98b was a carbine in name only, being identical in length to the Gewehr 98 long rifle), it was given the designation Karabiner 98 Kurz, meaning “Carbine 98 Short”. Just like its predecessor, the rifle was noted for its reliability, good accuracy and an effective range of up to 500 meters (547 yards) with iron sights.

5. FN FAL
The Fusil Automatique Leger (Light Automatic Rifle) or FAL is a 7.62×51 NATO self-loading, selective fire rifle produced by the Belgian armaments manufacturer Fabrique Nationale de Herstal (FN) during the Cold War, and adopted by many North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries. It has also been adopted by many other nations for their armed forces and has proven to be a popular civilian rifle for hunting and sport shooting. The FN FAL was also produced under license in many of the adopting countries. Because of its prevalence and widespread use among the armed forces of many Western and other non-Communist countries during the Cold War, it was nicknamed “the right arm of the Free World”.

The FAL operates by means of a gas-operated action very similar to that of the Russian SVT-40. The gas system is driven by a short-stroke, spring-loaded piston housed above the barrel, and the locking mechanism is what is known as a tilting breechblock. To lock, it drops down into a solid shoulder of metal in the heavy receiver much like the bolts of the Russian SKS carbine and French MAS-49 series of semi-automatic rifles. The gas system is fitted with a gas regulator behind the front sight base, allowing adjustment of the gas system in response to environmental conditions, and can be closed completely to allow for the firing of rifle grenades. The FAL’s magazine capacity ranges from 5 to 30 rounds, with most magazines holding 20 rounds. In fixed stock versions of the FAL, the recoil spring is housed in the stock, while in folding-stock versions it is housed in the receiver cover, necessitating a slightly different receiver cover, recoil spring, and bolt carrier, and a modified lower receiver for the stock.

FAL rifles have also been manufactured in both light and heavy-barrel configurations, with the heavy barrel intended for automatic fire. Most heavy barreled FALs are equipped with bipods, although some light barrel models were equipped with bipods, such as the StG58 and the German G1, eventually discarded and given to the Turks.

Among other 7.62×51mm NATO battle rifles at the time, the FN FAL had relatively light recoil, due to the gas system being able to be tuned via regulator in fore-end of the rifle, which allowed for excess gas which would simply increase recoil, to bleed off. In fully-automatic mode, however, the shooter receives considerable abuse from recoil, and the weapon climbs off-target quickly. Today, with a proper muzzle brake however, the FAL on fully automatic does far better and with enough training, can make the FAL as accurate as a man using a M16 on three round burst. However, most military forces adopting the FAL eventually eliminated full-automatic firearms training in the light-barrel FAL.

4. M1 Garand
The M1 Garand (officially the United States Rifle, Caliber .30, M1) was the first semi-automatic rifle to be generally issued to the infantry of any nation. In 1936, it officially replaced the bolt-action M1903 Springfield as the standard service rifle of the United States Armed Forces and was subsequently replaced by the selective-fire M14 in 1957. However, the M1 continued to be used in large numbers until 1963 and to a lesser degree until 1966.

The M1 was used heavily by U.S. forces in World War II, the Korean War, and, to a limited extent, the Vietnam War. Most M1 rifles were issued to American Army and Marine troops, though many thousands were also lent or provided as foreign aid to America’s allies. The Garand is still used by drill teams and military honor guards. It is also widely sought by the civilian population as a hunting rifle, target rifle, and military collectible.

The M1 played a major role in America’s victory in WWII. It became a key element in the battle tactics of the U.S. military. On the European front, the Germans were relying on heavy machine gun emplacements and fixed defense positions. In order to overcome such positions, the U.S. used a fire and maneuver strategy. The high rate of fire the M1 had, being a semi-automatic rifle, allowed troops to lay down heavy and accurate cover fire on German positions. This made it possible for groups of soldiers to out-maneuver the German stagnant gun emplacements and overtake them.

In the jungles of the South Pacific, the benefits of the M1 were again seen on the battlefield. In the thick jungles, it was often necessary to lay down a field of fire into areas where enemy troops were located, but not visible. The semi-automatic M1 gave Americans the firepower to do this; which had devastating effects on the enemy. The Japanese were also using defensive machine gun positions, like the Germans, and again the fire and maneuver techniques aided by the M1 proved successful.

3. Lee Enfield No4
The Lee-Enfield bolt-action, magazine-fed, repeating rifle was the main firearm used by the military forces of the British Empire/Commonwealth during the first half of the 20th century. It was the British Army’s standard rifle from its official adoption in 1895 until 1957. The Lee-Enfield used the .303 British cartridge and in Australia and New Zealand the rifle became known simply as the “303″. It was also used by the military forces of Canada, India, and South Africa, among others.

A redesign of the Lee-Metford, which had been adopted by the British Army in 1888, the Lee-Enfield remained in widespread British service until the early 1960s, and the 7.62 mm L42 sniper variant remained in service until the 1990s. As a standard-issue infantry rifle, it is still found in service in the armed forces of some Commonwealth nations.

The Lee-Enfield featured a ten-round box magazine which was loaded manually from the top, either one round at a time or by means of five-round chargers. The Lee-Enfield superseded the earlier Martini-Henry, Martini-Enfield, and Lee-Metford rifles, and although officially replaced in the UK with the L1A1 SLR in 1957, it continues to see official service in a number of British Commonwealth nations to the present day — notably with the Indian Police — which makes it the longest-serving military bolt-action rifle still in official service. Total production of all Lee-Enfields is estimated at over 17 million rifles.

By the late 1930s the need for new rifles grew, and the Rifle, No. 4 Mk I was first issued in 1939 but not officially adopted until 1941. The No. 4 action was similar to the Mk VI, but lighter, stronger, and most importantly, easier to mass produce. Unlike the SMLE, the No 4 Lee-Enfield barrel protruded from the end of the forestock. The No. 4 rifle was considerably heavier than the No. 1 Mk. III, largely due to its heavier barrel, and a new bayonet was designed to go with the rifle: a spike bayonet, which was essentially a steel rod with a sharp point, and was nicknamed “pigsticker” by soldiers. Towards the end of the Second World War, a bladed bayonet was developed, originally intended for use with the Sten gun—but sharing the same mount as the No. 4’s spike bayonet—and subsequently the No. 7 and No. 9 blade bayonets were also issued for use with the No. 4 rifle as well.

During the course of the Second World War, the No. 4 rifle was further simplified for mass-production with the creation of the No. 4 Mk I in 1942, which saw the bolt release catch removed in favor of a more simplified notch on the bolt track of the rifle’s receiver. It was produced only in North America, with Long Branch Arsenal in Canada and Savage-Stevens Firearms in the USA producing the No. 4 Mk I rifle from their respective factories. On the other hand, the No.4 Mk I rifle was primarily produced in the United Kingdom.

In the years after the Second World War, the British produced the No. 4 Mk 2 (Arabic numerals replaced Roman numerals for official designations in 1944) rifle which saw the No. 4 rifle being refined and improved with the trigger being hung from the receiver and not from the trigger guard, the No. 4 Mk 2 rifle being fitted with beech wood stocks and the return of brass buttplates. With the introduction of the No. 4 Mk 2 rifle, the British refurbished all their existing stocks of No. 4 rifles and brought them up to the same standards as the No. 4 Mk 2. No. 4 Mk 1 rifles so upgraded were re-designated as the No. 4 Mk I/2 rifle, whilst No. 4 Mk I rifles that were brought up to Mk 2 standards were re-designated as the No. 4 Mk I/3 rifle.

2. M16
M16 (more formally Rifle, Caliber 5.56 mm, M16) is the U.S. military designation for a family of rifles derived from the ArmaLite AR-15 and further developed by Colt starting in the mid-20th century.

The M16 rifle family including the M16/A1/A2/A3/A4 has been the primary infantry rifle of the United States military since the 1960s. With its variants, it has been in use by 15 NATO countries, and is the most produced firearm in its caliber. The M16 entered US Army service in 1964.

The M16 was first adopted in 1964 by the United States Air Force (USAF). The U.S. Army began to field the XM16E1 en masse in 1965 with most going to Vietnam. The US Marine Corps also adopted the system during this period. The XM16E1 was standardized as the M16A1 in 1967. This version remained the primary infantry rifle of the United States military from 1967 until the 1980s, when it was supplemented by the M16A2. During the early 1980s a roughly standardized load for this ammunition was adopted throughout NATO.

The M16A3 is a fully-automatic variant of the M16A2, issued primarily within the United States Navy. The M16A2, in turn, is currently being supplemented by the M16A4, which incorporates the flattop receiver unit developed for the M4 Carbine, and Picatinny rail System. M16A2 are still in stock with the U.S. Army and Marine Corps, but are used primarily by reserve and National Guard units as well as by the U.S. Air Force.

1. AK 47
The AK-47 is a 7.62 mm assault rifle developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov in two versions: the fixed stock AK-47 and the AKS-47 (S—Skladnoy priklad) variant equipped with an underfolding metal shoulder stock.

Design work on the AK began in 1944. In 1946 the rifle was presented for official military trials, and a year later the fixed stock version was introduced into service with select units of the Red Army (the folding stock model was developed later). The AK-47 was officially accepted by the Soviet Armed Forces in 1949. It was also used by the majority of the member states of the former Warsaw Pact. The AK-47 was also used as a basis for the development of many other types of individual and crew-served firearms.

It was one of the first true assault rifles and, due to its durability, low production cost and ease of use, remains the most widely used assault rifle in the world - so much so that more AK-type rifles have been produced than all other assault rifles combined.

Throughout the world, the AK and its variants are among the most commonly smuggled small arms sold to governments, rebels, criminals, and civilians alike, with little international oversight. In some countries, prices for AKs are very low; in Somalia, Rwanda, Mozambique, Congo and Ethiopia, prices are between USD30–USD125 per weapon, and prices have fallen in the last few decades due to mass counterfeiting. Moisés Naím observed that in a small town in Kenya in 1986, an AK-47 cost fifteen cows but that in 2005, the price was down to four cows indicating that supply was “immense”. The weapon has appeared in a number of conflicts including clashes in the Balkans, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Somalia.

After the Soviet retreat from Afghanistan, the Soviet Army left quantities of weapons including AKs which were subsequently used in the civil war between Taliban and Northern Alliance and were also exported to Pakistan. The gun is now also made in Pakistan’s semi-autonomous areas. It is widely used by tribes in Africa like the Hamar, amongst others.

The World Bank estimates that 75 million AK-47s are available worldwide, out of 100 million Kalashnikov family weapons and 500 million total firearms. Mikhail Kalashnikov addressed the United Nations in 2006 at a conference aimed at solving the problem of illicit weapons, saying that he appreciated the AK-47’s role in state-sponsored defense but that counterfeit weapons carrying his name in the hands of “terrorists and thugs” caused him regret.