British Self-loading Rifles

1944 - 1953

Tony Edwards

1940 rifle Specification

Calibre: 7.92mm Length: As for SMLEBarrel: 22-24 inchesWeight: 10lbs max, less than 9lbs if possibleMagazine: 10 roundsFire: Single shot, no burst fire capabilityOperation: Gas or recoil operatedBayonet: Similar to No.4 bayonetGrenade: No grenade firing capability required

World War 2 British General Staff Decisions

Nov. 1942 .30-06

Aug. 1943 7.92mm

Early 1940 7.92mm

SLEM-1 Rifle

Designer Dieudonne Saive

50 rifles manufactured, 5000 ordered for trooptrials, subsequently reduced to 2000 rifles andthen cancelled

Work discontinued in 1947

SLEM-1 details

Action: Gas, tilting breech blockCalibre: 7.92x57mmWeight: 9lb 8ozBarrel length: 21 inchesFeed: 10 round box

Enfield SLEM 1944

Sniper Rifle SREM-1

Action: BoltCalibre: 7.92mmFeed: 5 round box

.303 inch Mark VII

7.9mm P.P.43(7.92mm Kurz)

The Small Arms Calibre Panel

(SACP)

Set up 1945

First Meeting 1st May 1945

Four Meetings

Final Report March 1947

General Staff Specification

Object - Ideal SAA cartridge giving greatest efficiency compatible with minimum weight.

Ball projectile to penetrate steel helmet, body armour, haversack etc. to maximum practical range of weapon.

Ball projectile must penetrate “soft” vehicles and be effective against crews inside.

Ball projectile to be effective against personnel in trenches protected by 20-24” of loose earth, 1” – 1 ½” unreinforced concrete or equivalent at 100 yards on single shot performance.

Trajectory - as flat as possible to 600 yards

Range - 800 yards for all weapons up to, but not including MMG

No smoke, no flash, smokelessness most important

Required for lightened rifle, sniper’s rifle, self loading rifle, light automatic gun, medium machine gun

Ideal Calibre Trials

6.5 x 55mm .30-06 .33 BSA 7.92 x 57mm

SACP Final Report (5/47) issued March 1947

Conclusion:

“The conclusion to be drawn from this report is that the standard round chosen should be of the smallest calibre possible, since this will mean the lightest rifle and automatic gun, and the smallest and lightest ammunition with all the attendant advantages. If the full specification is adhered to, and tungsten carbide A.P. bullets are not permitted, the calibre should be about .27 inches, but if the use of tungsten carbide is allowed or the armour performance clause is relaxed it would be of advantage to choose a lower calibre of .250, the lowest calibre considered.”

.280 .270 7.92mm

Burney 7mm RCL Rifle

7mm BTC Ammunition

RIFLE DESIGN

FG42 (second model)

MP43/44/Stg.44

Gerat 06 (1945)

The EM-1

Korsac LMG

Designer: Mr.Korsac CEAD

Korsac EM.1 Details

Calibre: 7.92mmAction: Gas operated, rotating boltFire: Single shot & Full automaticWeight: 12lbs 5oz.Barrel: 20.5 inchesOA length; 43.5 inchesRifling: RH twist, five groovesMagazine: 18 shot

Work discontinued in May 1947

Korsac rifle (bipod not fitted)

The EM.2

SLR

Designer: Lieut. Jesieranski CEAD

Jesieranski EM.2 Details

Calibre: 7.92x33mm KurzAction: Inertia locked blowback. Fluted chamberFire: Initially Single shot, later full automaticWeight: 8lbs. or 12lbs including bayonet and bipodOther details not known

Work discontinued in May 1947

The EM.3

Light Automatic Rifle

Designer. Mr.Metcalf

Metcalf EM.3 Details

Calibre: 7.92x33mm KurzAction: Gas operated, Roller lockedFire: Single shot initially later full automaticWeight: 8lbFeed; 18 round box

This was the basis of the later Thorpe EM.1 rifle. Work discontinued in May 1947

The Hall (Later EM.3)

SLR

Designer: Major J.F.M. Hall

Hall EM.3 details

Calibre: Proposed .303 inch RimlessAction: Vertical sliding blockWeight: 7lbsBarrel: 19 inchesMagazine: 10 roundsFire: 20-30rpm semi auto onlyEjection: Upwards, over the shoulder

Only one wooden mock up madeWork discontinued in early 1947

Complete Korsac EM.1 in its present calibre

Stop detail work on Metcalf EM.3 rifle but modify this weapon to eliminate the butt and place the trigger mechanism further forward.

Cease work on Jezieranski EM.2 but determine weight of the gun to this general design if the T65 round with 130Grain bullet and a muzzle velocity of 3,000 fps were used.

Memo: 6 January 1948Manufacture of new automatic rifles

The three new auto rifles under design will be known for experimental purposes as:

Automatic Rifle .270 or .280EM-1 – Mr.Thorpe’s design

EM-2 – Captain Januszewski’s design (Janson)EM-3 – Major Hall’s design

(Signed) W.Reeve(Col. For CEAD)

Objective:

To have both EM.1 and EM.2 rifles ready for trials in the United States in February 1950

The EM-1

Code name COBRA

Designer: Stanley Thorpe CEAD

EM.1 (Thorpe) Details

Action: Gas, Roller lockedCalibre: .280 inchWeight: 10.25lbsBarrel length: 24.5 inchesFeed: 20 rounds detachable boxCyclic rate: 600r.p.m.M.V.: 2350 fps

EM.1 Manufacture

Serial Nos. 1 & 2 proofed June 194816 more ordered. All manufactured at RSAF Enfield in .280 inch calibre.

The EM.2 Rifle

Code Name Yellow Acorn

Designer: Stefan Januszewski CEAD(later Janson)

EM.2 (Janson) Details

Action: Gas, pivoting lugsCalibre: .280 inchWeight: 7lbs 13oz.Barrel length: 24.5 inchesFeed: 20 round detachable boxCyclic rate: 600-650 r.p.m.M.V.: 2350 fps

EM.2 First hand made prototype

EM.2 Manufacture

Serial Nos. 1 & 3 made by Chambron LtdSerial Nos. 2 & 4 by RSAF EnfieldSerial Nos. 5 -20 by RSAF Enfield(All .280 inch calibre)

Serial No. HV-1 Chambron Ltd (7x49mm Second Optimum)Serial No. HV-2 Chambron Ltd (7.62x1mm)Serial No. HV-3 Chambron Ltd (7x49mm Second Optimum)Serial No. HV-4 Chambron Ltd (7.62x51mm)

EM.2 Manufacture (cont.)

Serial Nos. 1 – 10 BSA Ltd (7.62x51mm)Serial Nos. EN100 – EN114 RSAF Enfield (7.62x51mm)

Serial Nos. 1 – 10 Canadian Arsenals Ltd (7x51mm Compromise)

Total manufacture 58 weapons

History of Chambron manufactured HV-1.

Received 28 February 1952 in 7x49mm Second Optimum - 1452 rounds fired.

Converted to 7.62x51mm 15 July 1952 - 5803 rounds fired

New 7x49mm barrel fitted 9 September 1952 - 115 rounds fired

Converted back to 7.62mm 18 September 1952 - 898 rounds fired

7x49mm barrel refitted 28 October 1952 - 675 rounds fired

7.62mm barrel refitted 10 February 1953 - 2404 rounds fired

Rebuilt and rechambered in .30-06 November 1953 – 190 rounds fired

The BSA 28P

Designer: BSA Guns Ltd

BSA 28P Details

Action: Gas, locked by tilting boltCalibre: .280 inchWeight: 9lbs 6ozBarrel length: 24 inchesFeed; 20 round boxM.V.: 2350fps

The FN Series

Designer: Dieudonne Saive

FN No.1 Carbine Details

Action: GasCalibre: 7.92x33mm KurzWeight: 8lb 9oz (light barrel)

10lb 14oz (heavy barrel)Barrel length: 19 inchesFeed: 20 round box

FN No.1 Carbine

FN No.2 Carbine Details

Action: GasCalibre: .280 inchWeight: 8lb 9ozBarrel Length: 23 inchesFeed: 20 round box

FN No.2 Carbine

1950 FN FALs, all .280 calibre

U.S. Trials February 1950

Technical Trials: Aberdeen Proving Ground2 rifles of each type

User Trials: Fort Benning10 rifles of each type

Plus wound trials at Edgwood

Competitors:

EM.2

FN

T.25

Conclusions:

1.The U.S. T.65 .30” round is not suitable for Army Field Forces use because of its excessive recoil, blast, flash and smoke.

2.That the British calibre .280” round is not suitable for Army Field Forces because of its comparatively high trajectory.

3.That of the basic types submitted for test, the British .280” round is preferred.

4.That none of the test rifles are suitable for Army Field Forces use in their present form.

5.That of the rifles tested, the FN showed the most promise for development for early use.

These recommendations were overturned by the United States Board of Ordnance who would not accept any cartridge less powerful than the .30 M1

In August 1951 Britain unilaterally adopted the EM.2 as

Rifle 7mm No.9 Mark 1

And the ammunition as

Cartridge SA Ball 7mm Mark 1

Cartridge S.A. 7mm Mark 1z

Following the General Election of 1951 which returned the Conservatives to power, Churchill visited Washington to clear up a number of outstanding defence matters, including the rifle question.

In doing so he reversed the earlier British decision tounilaterally adopt the 7mm EM.2 rifle

Over the next three years Britain, Belgium and Canada tested a number of rounds in what became known as the BBC trials in an endeavour to meet the NATO requirements

However, nothing became of this and in 1954 Britain formally adopted the FN FAL with the 7.62x51mm T65 cartridge

.270

.280

.280/

307m

m 2

nd Opt

.7m

m H

V7m

m C

ompr

.7.6

2mm

The final appearance…..

Experimental 6.25mm (1969)

The End