Military Advancements in Rifle Technology

By M1 1964
  • Period: to

    Rifles of the Military

  • M1819 Hall Rifle

    Patented on May 21, 1822, The M1819 was the first breech loading rifle. Breech loading is loading ammo into or near the rear of the barrel. This rifle was adopted by the U.S. Army in 1820-1821. It was produced during 1920-1930, firing a .69 caliber round. The fire rate was at 8-10 shots per minute.

  • Hawken Rifle

    In 1823, Jacob and Samuel Hawken design their eponymous rifle, which becomes the favored muzzleloader for hunting Plains game. With a barrel 33 to 36 inches long, the Hawken rifle is shorter than the frontier long rifle, and the 10-pound gun is owned by some of the most famous hunters of the time: Theodore Roosevelt, Kit Carson and Daniel Boone. The rifle is made even more famous in the 1972 Robert Redford classic Jeremiah Johnson, which helps repopularize muzzleloaders. recreational shooting

  • Burnside Carbine

    Another breech loading rifle, the Burnside Carbine started to be produced during 1856. The carbine used a special brass cartridge, also invented by Burnside. Pressing the weapon's two trigger guards opened the breech block and allowed the user to insert a cartridge. When the trigger was pulled, the hammer struck a percussion cap and caused a spark. A hole in the base of the cartridge exposed the black powder to this spark and shot the projectile.

  • Winchester rifle

    Winchester rifles were affordable, and produced in such great numbers, that the Winchester became the generic rifle. The Winchester had such a powerful hold in some regions that it actually became known as "the gun that won the West." In 1887, Winchester came out with their first repeating shotguns. The next major milestone for Winchester came in 1903, when the company introduced the first automatic rifle that would become widely used.

  • Winchester Lee Navy Rifle

    This gun has a caliber of 6X60 USN's with an overall length 1210 mm. The barrel length is 711 mm with a weight of 3.86 kg and a capacity for 5 rounds. This gun was an improvement because it provided a 300, 600 and 800-2000 yards range with 100 yard increments.

  • M1917

    The caliber for this gun is .30-06, and it is manually operated with a rotating bolt. Its overall length is 1175 mm with a barrel length of 660 mm. Its weight is 4.08 kg and has a capacity for 5 rounds. This gun is an improvement because it has higher accuracy and was built to be carried comfortably

  • Mondragon Self-loading Rifle

    This gun has a caliber of 7X57 mm that is gas operated with a rotating bolt. Its overall length is 1105 mm with a barrel length of 577 mm. It has a weight of 4.18 kg with a capacity for 8, 20, or 30 rounds. This gun is an improvement because it was fitted for extended capacity.

  • Arisaka Type 44 Cavalry Rifle

    The Type 44 Carbine was a Japanese bolt action rifle produced from 1911-1942. It fired a 6.5x50mm round. The rifle held 5 rounds inside the 5 round internal clip. Approximately 91,900 Type 44 rifles were produced by Japanese arsenals.

  • Pederson T1 Rifle

    This gun has a caliber of .276. It has a delayed blowback and is semi-automatic.The length overall is 1117 mm with a weight of 4.1 kg. The barrel length is 610 mm and has a capacity for 10 rounds. This gun was an improvement because it did not have to be operated manually, and, in addition to this, the cartridge was much lighter and smaller, increasing lethality.

  • S&W Light Rifle Mk.1

    This gun has a caliber of 9X19 Lugers with an overall length of 822 mm. The barrel length is 248 mm with a weight of 3.9 kg. It has a capacity for 20 rounds. This gun was a great asset as it had been fitted for metallic shoulder stocks to be used by the Navy. It provided a great range of sight between 50 and 400 yards.

  • FG-42 Automatic Rifle

    This gun has a caliber of 7.92X57 mm with an overall length of 937 mm. It had a barrel length of 508 mm with a weight of 4.38 kg. It has a rate of fire of 900 rounds per minute with a capacity of 10 or 20 rounds. The trigger is designed to provide maximum accuracy, increasing that accuracy by adding an optical scope.

  • Springfield Rifle M1903A1

    This gun is manually operated with a rotating bolt with an overall length of 1097 mm. Its barrel length is 610 mm with a weight of 3.94 kg. It has a capacity for 5 rounds. This gun is an improvement from other guns due to its eyepiece. The shooter can use this for more accuracy, and it acts as binoculars. It is a semi-automatic, which made it highly effective for World War II.

  • SAFN-49 Rifle

    This gun has a caliber of 7X57 that is gas operated with a tilting bolt. Its overall length is 1116 mm with a barrel length of 590 mm. It has a weight of 4.31 kg and has a capacity ofr 10 rounds. This gun is an improvement because it has a safety switch, allowing the State of Safety to be inspected thoroughly and effectively.

  • REC7

    "The REC7 rifle’s dependability stems largely from its innovative operating system. Using a minimum number of parts, the piston system separates heat and powder residue from the bolt carrier and trigger assembly. The rifle runs cool and clean, reducing maintenance requirements and increasing endurance. The patented chrome-lined fluted gas block prevents excessive carbon buildup from operation under adverse conditions" (http://www.barrett.net/firearms/rec7). This rifle fires a 5.56 NATO round.

  • CVA Electra

    In 2007, CVA unveils its Electra, an electronic-ignition muzzleloader, in which the trigger is actually a micro switch that transfers a charge when depressed. The Electra uses an electric spark created by a 9-volt battery to fire off the bullet, making the time between pulling the trigger and the bullet's exit from the barrel nearly instantaneous. It also makes the lock time (the delay caused by a hammer striking a primer), which helps improve consistency.

  • The FG-42 Automatic Rifle was made in Germany, what is the significance of the year the rifle was made and where it was made?

  • Why might guns made for military purposes need more lethal shots that can occur more quickly?

  • What is the need for rifles and guns to improve as society progresses?

  • The Mondragon rifle in Mexico was provided from Spain. Why might it be risky for countries to begin trading war materials?