360° Panoramic Mechanical - Rifles, Submachine Guns, Machine Guns (Desert Weapons)

Author: 360° Panoramic Firearms Writing Group / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: The rifle is the basic weapon of infantry, a single-shot, shoulder-fired long-barreled firearm primarily used to fire bullets and eliminate exposed enemy personnel, with an effective range of about 400 meters. In modern warfare, the main roles of rifles include: eliminating enemy personnel and light armor targets in close combat and night battles during the final stages of combat; defeating enemies in specific conditions such as mountainous, jungle, and urban environments; and conducting rear attacks on enemies. The rifle is the oldest type of firearm, with other types of firearms developed based on it. The Japanese-made "Type 38 rifle," the American-made "carbine," and the "semi-automatic" rifle that China recently used as a ceremonial weapon are all well-known rifles. Rifles are generally 70 to 80 centimeters long, with an effective range of 400 to 800 meters. Some rifles are equipped with mounts and perform well when firing in stationary positions such as prone, kneeling, or standing, but their effectiveness in firing while running is inferior to that of submachine guns. Rifles are typically equipped with bayonets, enabling close-quarters combat. Rifles can be classified into three types based on automation: fully automatic rifles, semi-automatic rifles, and non-automatic rifles. Fully automatic rifles are capable of continuous fire, with a cyclic rate of fire of 40 rounds per minute in semi-automatic mode and 90 to 100 rounds per minute in fully automatic mode. These rifles can automatically load and eject spent cartridges. Semi-automatic rifles are single-shot rifles that automatically eject spent cartridges and feed new rounds. They were developed in the early 19th century and widely used and refined during the two World Wars. Their cyclic rate of fire is generally 35 to 40 rounds per minute, and pulling the trigger fires only one round. Non-automatic rifles are the oldest traditional weapons, typically single-loading. Since the advent of firearms in the 13th century, they have undergone approximately 600 years of development and are now largely perfected. Currently, rifles are evolving toward versatility. Using special hollow-charge bullets, they can fire rifle grenades with a range of 70 to 100 meters; equipped with scopes, they can serve as sniper rifles; and with folding stocks, they can replace submachine guns. At the same time, rifles are also moving toward smaller calibers, lightweight designs, and full automation. For example, the American M16A1 automatic rifle, with a caliber of 5.56 mm and equipped with a 30-round magazine, weighs only 3.82 kilograms, making it the lightest rifle ever used by the U.S. military. With continuous improvements and development, coupled with their simple structure, lightweight design, ease of use and portability, suitability for mass production and deployment, rifles will remain the most widely used close-combat weapons in the military in future high-tech warfare. P4-5