The Army Gets A New Rifle

[usabaker]

I was reading the Sept 1941 issue of The American Rifleman and there was an article titled The Army Gets A New Rifle, By Maj. E.H. Harrison.

It was a Springfield Armory Semi-Auto gas-operated rifle where the magazine was mounted on the top of the receiver at a 30-degree angle. It was an interesting article but it did not provide a design name or model number. I'm guessing that in the rifle may be in the same War Department search that eventually brought us the M1 Carbine?

The War Department was looking for; Very short and light rifle capable of "being carried or kept at hand almost continually" accurate and effective out to 300 yards, using a "new" .30 cal cartridge with a 110 gran bullet at 1800 to 2000 FPS. Semi-Auto, not more than 5 pounds and magazines up to 50 rounds.

I attempted to find information and other pictures of this rifle online but have found nothing yet. It is an interesting thing to read.

Here are scans of the article.

Attachment 110925Attachment 110924

[browningautorifle]

The angle sounds like the Pederson device mag...that would be about as handy to bush bash with as a spear through your head. You'd catch everything... Luckily it developed into our favorite little carbine...