Semi-auto rifles have been around since 1903. That is 120 years. Winchester 1903 and Remington model 8.
If the AR-15 is good enough for Miss America 1962 to shoot it is good enough for us today.
https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2015/06/07/blast-from-the-past-miss-america-shooting-a-cutting-edge-rifle/
Much longer than that. Look up the Guycot pistol and rifle chain gun (or the Treeby) - one shot with each pull of the trigger, as only one example of what was available back in the 1700 - 1800s. (You can find an episode of ‘Forgotten Weapons’ that cover them.) And they weren’t the only ones. The various semi-autos were just more expensive and not mass produced. And most didn’t use the blow-back of the round to cycle the action.