Assault Rifles

Military rifles capable of controlled, fully automatic operation, employed to provide fire support at ranges up to 200 yards by ordinary troops. Assault rifles are not to be confused with assault weapons, which include various types of pistols, rifles, and shotguns. Most assault rifles share common features: They are lightweight, possess selectable fire rates, have large, removable magazines, and have simplified operation.

Features of the modern assault rifle began to appear in armaments at the end of the 19th century. Self-loading rifles were developed at that time, and in [Page 49]1905, the Italian Cei-Rigotti rifle featured selective fire rates for a 6.5mm medium-power cartridge. The Russian Federov Avtomat, a rifle developed in 1916, met most of the specifications of the modern-day assault rifle, including selective fire, short recoil, and a 6.5mm round of intermediate power.

Despite such early developments, the concept of the assault rifle as a specialized weapon did not emerge until the 1930s. At that time, military leaders in Europe and the United States were searching for an infantry weapon of intermediate power and weight. They considered submachine guns too weak and limited in range, and rifles were too awkward to operate and recoiled too strongly in full automatic mode.

During World War II, the armies of the world went into battle with the precursors of modern-day assault rifles. These included the M1 and M2 carbines used by American troops and the Italian MAB 38 rifle, manufactured by Beretta. The German StG 44, which entered production in 1944, is considered the first modern assault rifle. This weapon met the German need for a gun more powerful than the submachine gun but smaller in size and with less recoil. The StG 44 performed well on the battlefield, but it did not prove to be a decisive factor in the war.

During the Cold War, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the Warsaw Pact powers of Eastern Europe continued to develop assault rifles. Early examples included the British Enfield EM-2 and the U.S. M-14 rifle, which was used by many American troops in Vietnam. A major drawback of the M-14 was that its recoil was too powerful for effective fire at full automatic setting. As a result, the Army developed the AR-15 and its improved successor, the M-16. Designed by Eugene Stoner of the ArmaLite Company, these assault rifles incorporated elements of the StG 44, such as the carrying handle, and they fired a 5.56mm round. The Soviet counterpart of the M-16 was the Soviet AK-47, which was designed by Mikhail Kalashnikov in 1947 and entered into production in 1949. Firing a 7.62mm round, it is extremely rugged and easy to use yet has the drawback of a lower muzzle velocity than the M-16 because of its larger round.

Although modified over the years, both the M-16 and AK-47 continue to be the main assault rifle of their respective armed forces, and the weapons have served in military operations worldwide. The AK-47 in particular is also widely used by paramilitary, guerrilla, and terrorist groups because of its low cost, ruggedness, and ease of use. Other assault rifles in service today include the Israeli Galil, related in design to the AK-47, and the Swiss SIG 550.

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