View source for Semi-automatic rifle

{{short description|Type of autoloading rifle}}
{{Unreliable sources|date=March 2024}}
[[File:Ruger 10-22.jpg|thumb|right|[[Ruger 10/22]] - [[.22 Long Rifle]]]]
[[File:Ruger Mini-14 GB NB.jpg|thumb|[[Ruger Mini-14]] 223 Remington or [[5.56×45mm NATO|5.56x45mm NATO]]]]
[[File:Simonov-SKS-45.JPG|thumb|right|[[SKS]] Type 56 - [[7.62×39mm]]]]
[[File:1973 Colt AR15 SP1.jpg|right|thumb|[[Colt AR-15]] SP1 - [[.223 Remington]]]]
[[File:Mannlicher-1885-semi-auto.jpg|thumb|223x223px|Drawing of the Mannlicher 1885 semi-automatic rifle by [[Ferdinand Mannlicher]], one of the earliest semi-automatic rifle designs.]]
[[File:Czechguards.jpg|right|thumb|[[Prague Castle Guard]] carrying the Czechoslovak [[vz. 52 rifle]] ]]

A '''semi-automatic rifle''' is a type of [[self-loading rifle]] that fires a single round each time the [[Trigger (firearms)|trigger]] is pulled while automatically loading the next [[Cartridge (firearms)|cartridge]]. Such [[rifle]]s were developed before World War II and were widely used throughout that war. Rifles are [[firearm]]s designed to be fired while held with both hands and braced against the shooter's shoulder for stability. Externally similar [[shotgun]]s can fire multiple [[Shot (pellet)|pellets]] simultaneously through a [[smoothbore]], while rifle [[Gun barrel|barrels]] are [[Rifling|rifled]] to spin-stabilize individual [[bullet]]s. The actions of semi-automatic rifles use a portion of the fired cartridge's energy to eject the spent casing and load a new round into the [[Chamber (firearms)|chamber]], readying the rifle to be fired again.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chapter 3: Firearms |url=https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/newyorkcity/latest/NYCadmin/0-0-0-6860 |accessdate=July 1, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=27 CFR § 478.11 |url=https://regulations.atf.gov/478-11/2021-28398#478-11-p3678444349-d |accessdate=July 1, 2022}}</ref> This design differs from manually operated rifles such as [[Bolt action|bolt-action]] and [[Lever action|lever-action]] rifles, which need to chamber a cartridge manually before firing again, and [[automatic rifle]]s, which continue firing as long as the trigger remains depressed.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Definition of BOLT-ACTION |url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bolt-action |access-date=2022-05-23 |website=www.merriam-webster.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Definition of AUTOMATIC |url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/automatic |access-date=2022-05-23 |website=www.merriam-webster.com |language=en}}</ref>

==History==
In 1883, [[Hiram Maxim]] patented a recoil-operated conversion of a [[Winchester rifle]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hiram Maxim |url=https://www.dulwichsociety.com/people/hiram-maxim |access-date=2024-09-04 |website=www.dulwichsociety.com|date=7 March 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite patent|number=US319595A|title=maxim|gdate=1885-06-09|url=https://patents.google.com/patent/US319595A/en}}</ref> Another early design for a recoil-operated semi-automatic rifle was by [[Ferdinand Mannlicher]], who unveiled his design in 1885, building on earlier work from 1883.<ref name=Jewison2010>{{cite web |last1=Jewison |first1=Glenn |last2=Steiner |first2=Jörg C. |year=2010 |title=Ferdinand Ritter von Mannlicher |url=http://www.austro-hungarian-army.co.uk/biog/mannlicher.htm |website=austro-hungarian-army.co.uk |publisher=Glenn Jewison }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The 1885 Assault Rifle {{!}} WeaponsMan |url=https://billstclair.com/weaponsman.com/index.html?p=37471 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220117005411/https://billstclair.com/weaponsman.com/index.html?p=37471 |archive-date=2022-01-17 |access-date=2021-03-27 |website=billstclair.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite patent|number=US639421A|title=Recoil-operated firearm|gdate=1899-12-19|invent1=Mauser|inventor1-first=Paul|url=https://patents.google.com/patent/US639421A/en}}</ref> Several of his early models, including the Mannlicher Model 85, the 91, the 93, and the 95, used non-gas-operated mechanisms.<ref name=Smith1947>{{cite book |last=Smith |first=Walter H.B. |year=1947 |title=Mannlicher Rifles and Pistols: Famous Sporting and Military Weapons |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AfqingEACAAJ |publisher=Military Service Publishing |isbn=9781258889470 }}</ref> However, the designs remained prototypes because of challenges associated with the [[black powder]] used in their cartridges (based around the [[Austria]]n [[11×58mmR|11×58 mm R M/77]]), such as low [[muzzle velocity|velocity]] and excessive [[fouling]]. The adoption of [[smokeless powder]] later facilitated the practical development of [[Automatic firearm|fully-automatic]] and [[Semi-automatic firearm|semi-automatic firearms]].

Mannlicher's designs contributed to the evolution of later [[firearm]]s, including the [[John Moses Browning|Browning]] [[M1917 Browning machine gun|M1917]], [[M1919 Browning machine gun|M1919]], and [[M2 Browning]] machine guns.<ref>{{Cite web
  |last=McCollum|first=Ian|date=2015-05-06|title=Mannlicher 1885 Semiauto Rifle|url=https://www.forgottenweapons.com/mannlicher-1885-semiauto-rifle/|access-date=2020-10-21|website=Forgotten Weapons
}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book
  |last1=Smith|first1=Walter Harold Black|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NiK7nEZkf0IC&q=FG+42+Mannlicher|title=Small Arms of the World: The Basic Manual of Military Small Arms, American, Soviet, British, Czech, German, French, Belgian, Italian, Swiss, Japanese, and All Other Important Nations|last2=Smith|first2=Joseph Edward|date=1960|publisher=Stackpole Company|language=en}}</ref> In the early 1880s, [[Mannlicher–Schönauer|Mannlicher]] began producing versions of his rifles designed for smokeless powder, continuing his work until his death on January 20 1904.<ref>{{Cite book
  |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SJaPbfRhdfoC&q=Mannlicher+Smokeless+Automatic+1891&pg=PA7-IA7|title=The Engineer|date=1893|publisher=Morgan-Grampian (Publishers)|pages=14|language=en}}</ref>

[[File:FSA-1917-detoured.jpg|thumb|The [[Fusil Automatique Modele 1917]] was an early [[France|French]] semi-automatic rifle issued in limited numbers to the French Armed Forces during [[World War I]].]]

===Blowback semi-automatic===
In 1903 and 1905, the [[Winchester Repeating Arms Company]] introduced the first low-power [[Blowback (firearms)|blow back]] (shell-operated) semi-automatic rifles firing [[rimfire ammunition|Rimfire]] and [[centerfire ammunition|center fire ammunition]]. The [[Winchester Model 1903]]<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |title=Historical Firearms - Winchester Model 1903 / Model 63 The Winchester... |url=https://www.historicalfirearms.info/post/168059981329/winchester-model-1903-model-63-the-winchester |access-date=2024-10-16 |newspaper=Historical Firearms |last1=Firearms |first1=Historical }}</ref> and the [[Winchester Model 1905]]<ref>{{Cite book |title=Winchester Repeating Arms Company 1905 Guns Catalog |publisher=Reproduction by Cornell Military Publications. Brighton, MI 48114}}</ref> both operated on the blow back principle to function. Designed by [[T.C. Johnson|Thomas C. Johnson]], the Model 1903 was commercially successful and remained in production until 1932 – when it was succeeded by the [[Winchester Model 63]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Association |first=National Rifle |title=An Official Journal Of The NRA {{!}} Snapshot: Winchester's Rimfire Rout |url=https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/snapshot-winchester-s-rimfire-rout/ |access-date=2022-05-23 |website=An Official Journal Of The NRA |language=en}}</ref>

By the early 20th century, several manufacturers began producing semi-automatic [[.22 caliber]] rifles, including [[Winchester Repeating Arms Company|Winchester]],<ref name=":0" /> [[Remington Arms|Remington]],<ref>{{Cite news |last=Firearms |first=Historical |title=Historical Firearms - Remington Model 16 The Remington Model 16 is a... |url=https://www.historicalfirearms.info/post/172943501644/remington-model-16-the-remington-model-16-is-a |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20190415234615/http://www.historicalfirearms.info:80/post/172943501644/remington-model-16-the-remington-model-16-is-a |archive-date=2019-04-15 |access-date=2024-12-13 |work=Historical Firearms |language=en}}</ref> [[Fabrique Nationale]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=2008-06-03 |title=22 Semi-Auto Rifle |url=http://www.browning.com/customerservice/dategun/detail.asp?id=5 |access-date=2024-12-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080603175817/http://www.browning.com/customerservice/dategun/detail.asp?id=5 |archive-date=3 June 2008 }}</ref> and [[Savage Arms]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=22 Long Rifle History: From Plinking to Precision |url=https://savagearms.com/blog/post/from-plinking-to-precision-the-evolution-of-the-22-long-rifle |access-date=2024-12-13 |website=savagearms.com |language=en}}</ref> all using the direct blow back system of operation. Winchester later introduced a [[.351 Winchester Self-Loading]] semi-automatic rifle, the [[Winchester Model 1907|Model 1907]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=Association |first=National Rifle |title=An Official Journal Of The NRA {{!}} Early Semi-Automatics: Winchester's First Self-Loading Rifles |url=https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/early-semi-automatics-winchester-s-first-self-loading-rifles/ |access-date=2024-10-16 |website=An Official Journal Of The NRA |language=en}}</ref> as an upgraded version of the Model 1905 offering greater power than its .[[.22 caliber|22 caliber]] predecessor and utilizing a blow back system. Both the Model 1905 and Model 1907 saw limited [[military]] and [[police]] use.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Firearms |first=Historical |title=Historical Firearms - Winchester's Self Loading Rifles In the early... |url=https://www.historicalfirearms.info/post/181311063062/winchesters-self-loading-rifles-in-the-early |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20230122073349/https://www.historicalfirearms.info/post/181311063062/winchesters-self-loading-rifles-in-the-early |archive-date=2023-01-22 |access-date=2024-12-13 |work=Historical Firearms |language=en}}</ref>

===Early semi-automatic rifles===
In 1883, Artillery Officer Wilhelm H. O. Madsen and Julius A. N. Rasmussen, the attendant of the [[Copenhagen]] arms factory, initiated the development of recoil-operated self-loading firearm designs. By 1887, they had produced a functional prototype, later designated the [[M1888|M1888 Forsøgsrekylgevær]]. The Danish military tested this rifle but ultimately didn't adopt it. Subsequently, the pair developed a new design known as the M1896 Flaadens Rekylgevær. This model underwent testing by the Danish military and was deemed reliable. Consequently, 60 units were procured for the [[Royal Danish Navy|Danish Navy]], making it one of the earliest semi-automatic rifles officially adopted by a military force.<ref name="Madsen-Rasmussen">{{cite web |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |year=2015 |title=Madsen-Rasmussen |url=https://www.forgottenweapons.com/early-semiauto-rifles/madsen-rasmussen-18881896/ }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-06-04 |title=Madsen-Rasmussen M1896 semi-automatic rifle (Denmark) |url=https://modernfirearms.net/en/military-rifles/self-loading-rifles/denmark-self-loading-rifles/madsen-m1896-eng/ |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=Modern Firearms |language=en}}</ref>

In the final years of the 19th century and the early 20th century, experiments and patents with [[gas-operated reloading|gas-operated reloading systems]] were developed by [[Hiram Maxim]] and Richard Paulson as well as a gas-operated conversion system from an American inventor named Henry Pitcher. Other designs were also developed, such as the [[Cei-Rigotti]] in 1900.<ref name="Cei-Rigotti">{{cite web |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |year=2013 |title=Cei-Rigotti |url=https://www.forgottenweapons.com/early-semiauto-rifles/cei-rigotti/ }}</ref>

In 1906, [[Remington Arms]] introduced the [[Remington Model 8|Remington Auto-loading Repeating Rifle]] which was renamed the Model 8 in 1911 and marketed as a sporting rifle. It was sold in Europe by [[FN Herstal]] as the FN Browning 1900.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Woodall |first1=Cameron |title="F.N. 1900" |url=http://thegreatmodel8.remingtonsociety.com/?page_id=1562 |access-date=9 August 2020}}</ref> The rifle is a [[locked breech]], [[long recoil]] action designed by [[John Browning]], and had [[.25 Remington|.25]], [[.30 Remington|.30]], .32, and [[.35 Remington|.35 caliber]] variants. In 1936, the Model 81 superseded the Model 8 and was offered in [[.300 Savage]] as well as the original Remington calibers.

In 1908, General [[Manuel Mondragon|Manuel Mondragón]] patented the [[Mondragón rifle]], designated the M1908. The rifle was used by Mexican forces in the [[Mexican Revolution]], making [[Mexico]] the first nation to use a semi-automatic rifle in battle, in 1911.

[[File:M1 Garand rifle USA noBg.jpg|thumb|The [[M1 Garand]] was designed by [[John Garand]] in 1936 and initially produced for the [[United States Armed Forces|United States military]].]]
Shortly after the Mondragón rifle was produced, [[France]] introduced its semi-automatic rifle, the [[Fusil Automatique Modele 1917]], also known as the Repetier-Selbstlader-Gewehr M1917 (RSC M1917). The Modele 1917 had a locked breech, gas-operated action that was similar in its mechanical principles to the American [[M1 Garand]]. However, the shortened and improved version, the Model 1918, saw more use during the [[Rif War|Moroccan Rif War]] from 1921 to 1926.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rif War {{!}} Facts, History, & Outcome {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/event/Rif-War |access-date=2024-12-18 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-27 |title=The Rif War: A forgotten war? |url=https://international-review.icrc.org/articles/the-rif-war-a-forgotten-war-923 |access-date=2024-12-18 |website=International Review of the Red Cross |language=en}}</ref> The bolt-action [[Lebel Model 1886 rifle]] remained the standard [[France|French]] [[infantry rifle]] until it was replaced in 1936 by another bolt-action rifle, the [[MAS-36 rifle|MAS-36]].

The [[United Kingdom]] experimented with [[Self-loading rifle|self-loading rifles]] during the interwar period, intending to replace the bolt-action [[Lee–Enfield]] with a self-loading rifle. This plan was discarded when the [[World War II|Second World War]] became imminent and the United Kingdom hastily rearmed with more traditional weapons designs.

===Gas-operated rifles===
[[File:M1941.jpg|thumb|[[M1941 Johnson rifle]] Semi-Automatic Rifle with original spike bayonet and leather sheath. The 10-round rotary magazine could be quickly reloaded using two clips of .30 Caliber M2 Ball ammunition.]] [[Springfield, Massachusetts]] – [[John Garand]], a [[Canada|Canadian]]-born [[Firearm|firearms]] designer, was tasked with designing a basic [[M1 Garand|gas-actuated self-loading infantry rifle]] and [[M1 carbine|carbine rifle]] that would eject the spent [[Cartridge (firearms)|cartridge]] and reload a new round using a gas-operated system. It took 15 years to perfect the M1 prototype model to meet all the [[U.S. Army]] specifications.<ref>Bruce N. Canfield. The Unknown M1 Garand, ''American Rifleman'', 142 (January 1994): 46–49.</ref><ref>[http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2014/12/14/hindsight-is-3006-critique-of-the-m1-garand/ Hindsight: A Critique Of The M1 Garand], December 14, 2014.</ref> The resulting ''Semi-Automatic, .30 caliber, M1 Rifle'' was patented by Garand in 1932, approved by the [[U.S. Army]] on January 9, 1936, and underwent mass production in 1940.<ref>{{US Patent|1892141}}</ref>[[George S. Patton|General George S. Patton]] described the M1 Garand as "the greatest battle implement ever devised''.''"<ref>{{Cite book |last=Thompson |first=Leroy |title=The M1 Garand |publisher=Osprey Publishing |year=2012 |pages=4}}</ref> It replaced the [[bolt-action|bolt action]] [[M1903 Springfield]] and was the first gas-operated semi-automatic rifle adopted as a national standard-issue service rifle, and was often referred to as the "Garand Rifle".<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=JScDAAAAMBAJ&dq=popular+science+October+1940&pg=PA68 He Invented the World's Deadliest Rifle], ''Popular Science'', December 1940, page 68.</ref> During [[World War II]], over 4,000,000 M1 rifles were manufactured.<ref>Bruce N. Canfield. The Winchester Garand, ''American Rifleman'', Volume 153 (April 2005), pages 46–49.</ref>

The [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] [[AVS-36]], [[SVT-40|SVT-38, and SVT-40]], as well as the German [[Gewehr 43]], were semi-automatic [[Gas-operated reloading|gas-operated]] rifles issued during [[World War II]] in relatively small numbers. In practice, they did not replace the bolt-action rifle as a standard infantry weapon of their respective nations—[[Germany]] produced 402,000 [[Gewehr 43]] rifles,<ref>{{cite book |last1=McNab |first1=Chris |title=German Automatic Rifles 1941-45: Gew 41, Gew 43, FG 42 and StG 44 |date=2013 |publisher=Osprey Publishing |page=19}}</ref> and over 14,000,000 of the [[Kar98k]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Grant |first1=Niel |title=Mauser Military Rifles |date=2015 |publisher=Osprey Publishing |page=65}}</ref>

Another gas-operated semi-automatic rifle developed toward the end of World War II was the [[SKS]]. Designed by [[Sergei Gavrilovich Simonov]] in 1945, it came equipped with a [[bayonet]] and could be loaded with ten rounds using a [[stripper clip]]. It was the first widely issued rifle to use the [[7.62×39mm]] cartridge.<ref name="hogg2002">Hogg, Ian (2002). ''Jane's Guns Recognition Guide''. Jane's Information Group. {{ISBN|0-00-712760-X}}.</ref> By the end of World War II, however, semi-automatic rifles had been largely superseded in military usage by their select-fire counterparts - weapons such as the [[AK-47]], [[FN FAL]], and [[M16 rifle|M16]] limited the viability of widespread [[Military deployment|deployment]] of semi-automatic rifles.
[[File:Staff Sergeant Richard J Clark USMC 2013-07-09 16-55.jpg|thumb|U.S. [[United States Marine Corps|Marine]] with a [[Barrett M82]]]]
Gradually, [[military doctrine]] increasingly prioritised the volume of fire over individual marksmanship. During World War II, American ground forces fired approximately 25,000 [[Round (firearms)|rounds]] for each enemy killed. This number rose to 50,000 rounds in the [[Korean War]], and rose again, to 200,000, during the [[Vietnam War]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Arquilla|first=John|title=Information Strategy and Warfare: A Guide to Theory and Practice|publisher=Routledge|year=2007|pages=150}}</ref> The first fully-automatic rifle to see widespread usage was the German [[StG 44|STG-44]], which was reportedly well-liked by troops,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chen |first=Peter |date=2008 |title=Sturmgewehr 44 Rifle {{!}} World War II Database |url=https://m.ww2db.com/weapon.php?q=5 |access-date=18 October 2024 |website=World War II Database}}</ref> as the 30-round select-fire rifle gave them much more flexibility than the bolt-action [[Karabiner 98k]].

Ultimately, [[automatic rifle|fully-automatic rifle]]s would become standard in military usage, as their [[firepower]] was superior to that of a semi-automatic rifle. However, both semi-automatic and bolt-action rifles are still widely used today in military service in specific roles, such as [[designated marksman rifle]]s, which prioritize accuracy over volume of fire. Furthermore, to accommodate for this greater firepower, [[battle rifles]] were mostly replaced by [[assault rifles]], whose lighter bullets allowed more [[ammunition]] to be carried at once. Where semi-automatic rifles continue to be used, they are usually in higher calibers, such as the [[.50 BMG]] [[Barrett M82]].

==Operation==
[[File:SIG-MCX-Rifle.jpeg|thumb|[[SIG MCX|SIG Sauer MCX]]]]
Semi-automatic rifles use [[gas-operated reloading|gas]], [[blow forward|blow-forward]], [[blowback (arms)|blow-back]], or [[recoil operation|recoil]] energy to eject the casing after a round has been fired, to chamber a new cartridge from the [[magazine (firearms)|magazine]], and to reset the [[action (firearm)|action]]. This enables another round to be fired once the trigger is depressed again.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Price |first=Jessica Taylor |date=2022-06-10 |title=What makes a gun semi-automatic? Key gun terms explained as House passes new legislation |url=https://news.northeastern.edu/2022/06/10/semi-automatic-guns-explained/ |access-date=2024-09-14 |website=Northeastern Global News |language=en-US}}</ref>

Semi-automatic rifles can be fed by an [[Clip (ammunition)|en-bloc clip]], [[Magazine (firearms)|external magazine]], or stripper clip.
[[File:Ruger AR-556 (40251945971).jpg|thumb|[[Ruger AR-556]].]]
==Advantages==
The primary advantage of semi-automatic rifles is their ability to fire multiple sequential shots without manually [[Chamber (firearms)#Function|chambering]] [[Cartridge (firearms)|cartridges]], increasing rate of fire and allowing the shooter to maintain their aiming position. Repeatedly engaging single or multiple targets rapidly greatly increases the effectiveness of a firearm in most applications. Semi-automatic rifles can typically more than double the hits at close range and increase hits by about 50% at longer distances compared to manually loaded rifles. The added weight of [[Spring (device)|springs]] and fittings in self-loading mechanisms, along with some of the cartridge energy being used to reload, can help reduce [[recoil]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Johnson |first=Melvin |title=Rifles and Machine Guns |date=1944 |publisher=[[William Morrow and Company]] |pages=45}}</ref> Reduced recoil helps keep the rifle on target for successive shots, improving overall accuracy.

==Disadvantages==
A self-loading mechanism designed for specific cartridge dimensions and power may fail to reload dirty or bent cartridges, struggle to extract low-power training cartridges, or be damaged by cartridges of excessively high power. Some rifles require [[Lubrication|lubricated]] cartridges, making them prone to collecting dirt. Reliability issues in the mechanism can negate the advantage of faster [[Shooting|firing]], potentially lowering the [[rate of fire]] compared to manually loaded rifles if not designed for easy manual reloading. The [[United Kingdom]] regarded the reliable rate of fire from manually loaded rifles as nearly as high as self-loading rifles as recently as World War II.<ref>Johnson (1944) p.43</ref>

Semi-automatic rifles are uniquely susceptible to [[slamfire]] malfunctions caused by abrupt cartridge [[acceleration]] during self-loading. Slamfire discharges are unlikely to hit the target and may cause [[collateral damage]].<ref>Johnson (1944) pp.352-357</ref>

The time required for changing or reloading [[Magazine (firearms)|magazines]] can reduce the effectiveness of a rifle, as it imposes a duration limit on the continuous rate of fire. High-capacity magazines increase the rifle's weight and typically reduce feeding reliability due to the varying spring tension ranging from a full magazine to a nearly empty magazine. Additionally, detachable magazines are generally less durable than internal magazines.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://guncreed.com/2023/10/15/detachable-vs-fixed-gun-magazines/#:~:text=Reliability%20Concerns%3A%20One%20significant%20disadvantage%20associated%20with%20detachable,prone%20to%20malfunctions%20such%20as%20misfeeds%20or%20jams. |title=Detachable Vs. Fixed Gun Magazines |date=15 October 2023 |publisher=GunCreed |accessdate=14 November 2024 }}</ref>

The complexity of a self-loading mechanism makes self-loading rifles more expensive to manufacture and heavier than manually loaded rifles. The semi-automatic M1 Garand weighs about 410 [[gram]]s (0.9 lbs.) more than the bolt-action M1903 Springfield it replaced, an increase of seven percent. American development of a self-loading infantry rifle began with the [[.276 Pedersen]] cartridge in recognition of the difficulties of producing reliable self-loading mechanisms for more powerful cartridges. Although the M1 Garand was ultimately adapted to fire the [[.30-06 Springfield]] cartridge at the insistence of General [[Douglas MacArthur]],<ref>Johnson (1944) pp.41,71&79</ref> most subsequent self-loading rifles for infantry use have been chambered for less powerful cartridges to reduce weight, making the service rifles easier to carry.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hollings |first=Alex |date=2021-08-25 |title=Why the US military switched from 7.62 to 5.56 rounds |url=https://www.wearethemighty.com/popular/762-to-5-56-rounds/ |access-date=2024-11-15 |website=We Are The Mighty |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Select examples==
{{columns-list|colwidth=20em|
* [[Mondragón rifle]]
* [[Mauser#Mauser M1916|Mauser M1916]]
* [[Fusil Automatique Modele 1917|M1917 RSC]]
* [[M1922 Bang rifle]]
* [[General Liu rifle]]
* [[M1 Garand]]
* [[Type 4 rifle]]
* [[SKS]]
* [[Dragunov Sniper Rifle|Dragunov Rifle]]
* [[Gewehr 43]]
* [[SVT-40]]
* [[Ag m/42]]
* [[Hakim rifle]]
* [[Rasheed Carbine]]
* [[AR-10]]
* [[AR-15]]
* [[L1A1 Self-Loading Rifle|L1A1 Rifle]]
* [[Heckler & Koch PSG1]]
* [[Heckler & Koch SL8]]
* [[Heckler & Koch SL7]]
* [[Heckler & Koch SL6]]
* [[Farquhar-Hill Rifle]]
* [[Kbsp wz. 1938M]]
* [[M1 Carbine]]
* [[Springfield Armory M1A]]
* [[Ruger Mini-14]]
* [[M1941 Johnson rifle]]
* [[Gewehr 41]]
* [[vz. 52 rifle]]
* [[MAS-49 rifle]]
* [[FN Model 1949]]
* [[Ruger 10/22]]
* [[Marlin Model 60]]
* [[Remington Model 7400]]
* [[Remington Model 8]]
* [[Winchester Model 1907]]
* [[Walther WA2000]]
* [[ZH-29]]
* [[Smith & Wesson M&P15-22]]}}

== Civilian uses for semi-automatic rifles ==

=== Sport shooting ===
Semi-automatic rifles are often used for [[sport shooting]]. There are various types of sport shooting, ranging from rapid-fire, target, and distance shooting. Shooting clubs in America became increasingly common in the 1830s,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Encyclopedia Britannica |title=Shooting |url=https://www.britannica.com/sports/shooting |website=Encyclopedia Britannica |access-date=29 October 2019}}</ref> and have since grown in popularity.

=== Hunting ===
Semi-automatic rifles have grown in popularity among hunters.<ref>{{Cite web |last=CROCENZI |first=MADDIE |date=February 17, 2018 |title=Hunters split on use of semi-automatic rifles |url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/feb/17/hunters-split-on-use-of-semi-automatic-rifles/ |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=The Washington Times |language=en-US}}</ref> Some hunters use semi-automatic rifles, including [[AR-15 style rifle|AR-15 style models]], citing their compact design and customization options, effectively making it easier to traverse rugged terrain while tracking a target and providing a large variety of customization ranging from scopes and muzzle devices to different calibers.{{Citation needed|date=January 2025}} Semi-automatic fire greatly assists in maintaining one's sight picture, which is especially important when follow-up shots are required.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Brenton |first1=Bartt |title=5 Reasons to Hunt with an AR-15 |url=https://www.brentonusa.com/5-reasons-to-hunt-with-an-ar-15/ |website=Brenton Performance Grade Hunting Rifles |date=28 December 2017 |publisher=Bartt Brenton |access-date=29 October 2019}}</ref> Due to their demand, the manufacturers of semi-automatic firearms have greatly increased the effective firing distance of their products compared to the first semi-automatics sold on the civilian market.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Britain's Commandos to get new assault rifles. |url=https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/news/2023/september/07/230907-royal-marines-new-rifle}}</ref>{{Failed verification|date=November 2025|reason=The source does not support what is contained in the article.}}

=== Self-defense ===
Semi-automatic rifles have been used for [[self-defense]]. However, in the United States, this use has been rare, totaling only between 51 and 69 self-defense incidents with [[AR-15–style rifle|AR-15-style semi-automatic rifles]] over the span of 9 1/2 years.<ref>
{{Cite web |last=Mascia |first=Jennifer |date=2023-08-29 |title=How Often Are AR-Style Rifles Used for Self-Defense? |url=https://www.thetrace.org/2023/08/ar15-rifle-self-defense-shooting-data/ |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=The Trace |language=en-us}}
</ref>{{Better source needed|reason=Citation is The Trace, a gun-control propaganda outlet established by the largest gun control lobby, Everytown for Gun Safety, which is biased, not at all objective.|date=November 2025}}

==See also==
* [[Assault rifle]] (''not to be confused with "Assault weapon"'')
* [[Assault weapon]] - certain semi-automatic rifles are classified as assault weapons in some jurisdictions
* [[Firearm]]
** [[Pistol]]
** [[Revolver]]
** [[Semi-automatic pistol]]
* [[AR-15 style rifle]]
* [[Personal defense weapon]]
* [[Rifle]]
** [[Automatic rifle]]
** [[Bolt-action rifle]]
* [[Semi-automatic firearm]]
** [[Semi-automatic pistol]]
** [[Semi-automatic shotgun]]
* [[Shotgun]]
* [[Single-shot]]
* [[List of semi-automatic rifles]]
* [[AK-47|AK-47 Assault Rifle]]

==References==
{{cite book |last=Johnson |first=Melvin M. |author-link =Melvin Johnson |title =Rifles and Machine Guns |publisher =William Morrow and Company |date =1944 |location =New York }}
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.forgottenweapons.com/early-semiauto-rifles/ Early Semi-Automatic Rifles]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Semi-Automatic Rifle}}
[[Category:Semi-automatic rifles|*]]
[[Category:Austrian inventions]]