T48 double barrel rifle

[Bill Hollinger]

Board, I would like to share two photos from our esteemed member RCS.

From RCS:

"Rifle was developed by Winchester during 1956=57 and chambered
for the 22/T65 duplex cartridge (22/7,62x51mm with two bullets). Weight was
11.8 lbs, total length is 43.5 in and barrels are 23 inches.

They call it the double barreled T48 but it would appear to me that it is something
on its own ! Robert"

This is truly a unique specimen of the experimental work performed in the interest of defending this nation. Many thanks to Robert for taking the time to email these photos to me and many thanks to his ever present contributions to this site.

Information

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[RCS]

Thanks Bill for posting these photos, this rifle was developed by Winchester during 1956-57. There are two bolts, two barrels and two 20 rd magazines and one trigger and one gas cylinder. The line drawings of this rifle had some information stating that two T48 rifles were used but it looks to me that this is a dedicated receiver produced for this project but could be wrong. The gas cylinder has a ball that will block the other gas port if only one barrel is being fired, if both barrels are being fired the ball will stay in the center. The weight is 11.8 lbs, length is 43.5 in and the barrels are 23 inches long.
The cartridge used is the 22/T65 Duplex (22 on a necked down 7,62x51mm case. Thanks again Bill for posting the photos

[WarPig1976]

What roll would this have been used in.?

[stencollector]

What roll would this have been used in.?

Maybe it was for battle against a nation of identical twins.

[RCS]

From the little amount of information available, it was stated that the recoil from firing both barrels at once, was just a little more than the standard issue M1 rifle.

The first T48 double rifle was delivered for testing by the US Army in 1957, it is unknown as to how many were manufactured. In the book "The Black Rifle" there are complete line drawings of this Winchester developed T48.

Photo shows a few cartridges from this time period. Left 7.62x51mm steel case LC 56,
middle 7.62x51 AP LC 54 and far right 22 cal on 7.62x51mm WCC 53Attachment 44072

[Peter Laidler]

Same question as warpig but with the added questions of what on earthly planet were they on - or what were they smoking? If you want two quick shots, just pull the trigger twice. Same if you need FOUR quick shots........ Just pull it 4 times! If it's 30 rounds you need, then fit an L4 magazine. If you want a machine gun, then don't bother with an FN-FAL!

Diplomacy prevents me saying more............

[us019255]

with the added questions of what on earthly planet were they on -

Probably at the request of a high officer who needed to smoke something to chill out.

It reminded me of a story one of my Physics Professors told me in '61. He was working at the Springfield Armory during WWII. An officer assigned him the task of designing/making a 5 lb Garand. He said that he tried to explain the physics of recoil to no avail. A number of months later he had the rifle done. The officer took it out to the range and fired a couple of rounds. Returned it and that was the last anyone heard of that idea.

[RCS]

The designer listed for the T48 double rifle is Stefan K. Janson, who was Manager, Arms Research & Development Dept of Winchester. His name should be familiar as he was one the principal designers of the EM-2 (No 9 Mk 1). Before WW2 he was a native of Poland and fled to England.

[browningautorifle]

what on earthly planet were they on - or what were they smoking?

Peter! I'm surprised at you! And you an engineer? Aren't you the group that asks, not "Why" but "Why not?" Seriously, it's not much heavier than my FN C1. Other than that, it promises to be just a bit over complicated for Immediate actions and stoppages, and maybe teaching mechanism...mag change in a pinch could be a bit*h too perhaps...no bayonet lug thank god.

I just have to shoot it anyway, the armourers get to fix it...after all...

[Bill Hollinger]

...no bayonet lug thank god....

It takes two! One 5" and one 16"!