Automatic rifle

Usually, an automatic rifle is a rifle that continuously fires bullet as long as the trigger is pressed. Cartridge shells are ejected and new cartridges are loaded into the chamber automatically. However, most automatic rifles are designed to give both semi- and fully automatic fire. This is called selective fire. They also rifle bullets from a magazine. These features makes them different from other automatic firearms like the machine gun and submachine gun.

Use
Soldiers in the United States Army who carry the M249 SAW are called automatic riflemen. The weapon is also called an automatic rifle. However, it is a fully automatic firearm. These are normally called squad automatic weapons (SAW) or light machine guns.

An assault rifle is quite similar to an automatic rifle. However, it uses less powerful bullets than the machine gun or battle rifle. This allows the soldier using it to control the recoil of the weapon without using a bipod or something similar. Bullets like these are called "intermediate" bullets. For example, the AK-47 assault rifle often uses a 7.62x39mm bullet. The bullet is the same diameter. However, it is smaller and less powerful compared to the 7.62x54mmR. The 7.62x54mmR was what was being used with rifles when the AK-47 was brought in to service.

 History 

The very first automatic rifle was the Mexican Mondragón rifle. It was designed by General Manuel Mondragón. He began working on the weapon in 1882. He patented it in 1887. In the 20th century, automatic rifles go back to World War I. This is where the Browning Automatic Rifle (B.A.R.) and Huot were first used. They were supposed to be used like light machine guns to help soldiers attack.Hogg, Ian V., and Weeks, John. Military Small Arms of the 20th Century (London: Arms and Armour Press, 1977), p.180, "US Automatic Rifle, Caliber .30in M1918-M1922 (Brownings)". However, only the Mondragón rifle and the B.A.R. were used in World War I.

Examples
Farquhar-Hill rifle
Federov Avtomat
Cei-Rigotti
Browning Automatic Rifle
M1946 Sieg automatic rifle
MTB 1925

 Related pages 
Semi-automatic rifle
Assault rifle
Sniper rifle
Light machine gun
Squad automatic weapon

 References 

 Other websites