Chapter 516: The M1 Semi-Automatic Rifle
During this period, Charles had intensified his troops' training, especially concerning their use of new equipment.
Browning had simultaneously undertaken the production of both the BAR and the M1 semi-automatic rifle. Everyone initially assumed the BAR would be deployed first due to its relative maturity—it was based on an existing light machine gun design, modified only slightly into an automatic rifle. Moreover, Browning had already produced prototypes and even performed basic tests.
However, surprisingly, the M1 semi-automatic rifle was the first to appear before the troops.
In just half a month, Browning delivered the first batch of a hundred rifles for soldiers to test.
He visited the command headquarters, visibly shocked, and asked Charles directly:
"General, it was perfect right out of production. How did you achieve this?"
"The ammunition capacity, barrel length, gas-operated mechanism—everything fits seamlessly and precisely. This is practically impossible unless you anticipated every single detail, including potential future problems, and proactively avoided them!"
In contrast, the BAR, which Browning had personally designed, encountered issues during testing. The barrel walls were too thin, causing the risk of barrel bursting under rapid fire, necessitating further improvements.
It was as though, in a 500-meter race, Charles leisurely allowed Browning to start first. Just as Browning approached the finish line, Charles casually began to run, suddenly overtaking him and triumphantly raising his arms before a stunned audience.
Browning felt something was amiss yet couldn't pinpoint exactly what.
Charles responded lightly: "Perhaps it was just luck, Mr. Browning. When designing, I primarily treated it as a rifle rather than a light machine gun, and rifles are inherently more mature designs."
Browning considered this briefly before ultimately accepting the explanation. Indeed, the M1 shared many commonalities with traditional rifles, such as the stock, barrel, and bolt mechanism—it simply replaced bolt-action operation with semi-automatic functionality. What other explanation could account for such instant perfection?
Talent? Luck? Something else entirely?
…
The rifle tests proceeded splendidly. Once again, Dominique stepped into the instructor role, leading a mechanized infantry company through live-fire exercises.
From their very first shot, the soldiers fell in love with the M1 rifle:
"Good God, it's practically like a machine gun!"
"Yes, it handles beautifully—no shifting balance issues like the Lebel rifle."
"Take this onto the battlefield, and everyone will envy us, even the Germans!"
Initially, Tijani had shown little interest in this semi-automatic rifle, firmly convinced that the fully automatic BAR would be superior. He even suspected a conspiracy from Charles—assuming Charles intended to bait him into accepting this semi-automatic rifle, justifying Charles's decision to give the BAR exclusively to the armored division.
He mustn't fall for it!
Yet seeing his soldiers enthusiastically praising the semi-automatic rifle at the firing range, Tijani couldn't resist trying it himself.
"Bang, bang!"
"Bang, bang, bang!"
…
"Clang!" The clip ejected automatically after firing the eighth and final round.
Tijani found it slightly unsettling. Accustomed to manually cycling a bolt after each shot, the ease of simply pulling a trigger felt almost unnatural. The bullets vanished quickly, and before he knew it, all eight had been fired.
Using binoculars, he inspected the chest target at 100 meters—five clear hits, two within the inner ring of the bullseye.
Dominique praised genuinely: "Impressive shooting, General. Such speed combined with accuracy—and this is your first try! A bit more practice, and you'll be even better."
Then, almost casually, Dominique added, "Had this been the BAR, you might not have been so fortunate."
Dominique had meant no insult to the BAR. Yet Tijani, fixated on the BAR, felt slightly annoyed. With mild irritation, he pressed, "What are you suggesting? That full-auto rifles are inferior to semi-automatic ones?"
Surely no one could refuse the BAR's greater fire rate and higher ammunition capacity. Dominique must be Charles's agent, subtly pushing this semi-automatic weapon!
Dominique hesitated briefly before explaining:
"Admittedly, General, I'm not experienced on the battlefield. But from my knowledge of firearms, higher firing rates aren't always better."
"A Maxim machine gun is powerful indeed—but it must be tripod-mounted, fed with ammunition belts, to sustain its output."
"Rifles, however, must be handheld, shoulder-fired, and have limited ammunition capacity. Under these conditions—"
Tijani suddenly grasped Dominique's point. BAR's automatic fire sacrificed accuracy. Its twenty-round magazine, fired rapidly, could end up less accurate than the eight rounds of the M1 semi-automatic rifle.
If the BAR could deliver sustained fire like a true machine gun, compensating accuracy with sheer volume, perhaps it would be useful. However, its ammunition capacity was limited to twenty rounds—restricting its role and leaving it neither a true machine gun nor a precision rifle.
In contrast, the M1 semi-automatic balanced accuracy and rate of fire perfectly, optimizing both.
More importantly, BAR could only be effectively used by physically strong soldiers, while every infantryman could handle the M1.
Tijani gazed at the M1 rifle in astonishment. How could he have ever preferred the BAR?
Three soldiers armed with M1s delivered twenty-four accurate rounds, surpassing BAR's ammunition and accuracy. How foolish he had been, longing for a rifle only one soldier per squad could effectively wield!
Decisively, he hurried toward Charles, who stood speaking with several soldiers nearby.
"General," Tijani approached, holding up the semi-automatic rifle. "Can I have a moment?"
"Certainly," Charles replied, nodding.
Tijani gestured with the rifle. "I want this rifle issued to my troops."
Charles frowned slightly. "You're asking too much, General—wanting both automatic and semi-automatic rifles. What about the armored divisions?"
Firmly, Tijani insisted, "Leave automatic rifles to the armored divisions—they probably need the BAR more."
"You're sure?"
"Absolutely."
Charles smiled knowingly. "As you wish. We'll equip the mechanized divisions first."
This rifle had always been intended for the mechanized divisions. They often engaged enemy infantry at longer ranges, requiring precisely this sort of weapon. Armored divisions, fighting closely alongside tanks, benefited more from submachine guns and shotguns suited for trench-clearing operations.
Suddenly, Charles thought of General Haig, commander of the British Expeditionary Force. He would surely appreciate the M1 semi-automatic rifle. Haig considered machine guns "redundant," arguing sheer numbers of infantry rifles could equal a machine gun's firepower.
Indeed, the M1 represented precisely such a qualitative improvement in overall infantry firepower.
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