Never having been in combat or even fired a rifle I probably shouldn’t be commenting here but you guys are all experts so perhaps you can help me out.
I have read somewhere that the semi-automatic aspect of the rifle (am I right in saying it was the first semi-automatic issued as standard infantry rifle to any army?) was a drawback and led to tremendous expenditure of ammunition and much less accuracy.
Troops under combat might be expected to blast away emptying clips without proper aim, whereas a well-trained infantryman with a bolt-action will take more care firing fewer and better aimed rounds.
Probably incorrect given that all armies around the world have adopted automatic rifles since WWII but an interesting theory if anyone wants to comment.
Troops under combat might be expected to blast away emptying clips without proper aim, whereas a well-trained infantryman with a bolt-action will take more care firing fewer and better aimed rounds.
Exactly what is desired for the tactical doctrine of horizontal envelopment, two prongs alternately rushing the adversary's flanks.
Fire team A pours out volume of fire, each rifleman or BAR covering his assigned sector of the adversary's front, whilst Fire team B rushes to a new position on his assigned enemy flank, then commences same effective volume across the front to permit Fire team A to reach closer point-blank fire or bayonet killing contact with adversary on A's assigned flank.
This is not possible with bolt-action gear.
You would understand if you ever had been subjected to the incoming rate of massed covering fire of a Garand or M14-equipped infantry squad with two fire teams, or two squads, or a whole rifle platoon attacking your dug-in position. It is a storm of fire chewing up terrain that you just don't want to experience.
It takes a .30-06 or .308 round to effectively penetrate brush, soil, or light barricades such that the adversary cannot keep their heads up to deliver sustaining fire.
Theoretically. From a 1940's to 1950's infantry viewpoint. A rifle squad had thirteen men composing two rifle teams: Squad leader (M1); 2 BAR men (BAR); 2 assistant BAR men (M1s); and 8 riflemen, two of which would be the assistant squad leaders as Fire teams A and B leaders.