What do you think.....

[Clancy]

Gentemen,

...started US Ordnance to being looking for a Semiautomatic Rifle right after WW 1. The War to end all Wars. Could it have been the Pedersen Device ? Remember that Mr. Garand had a working Semiautomatic Rifle with a 20 Mag. as early as 1920.

http://www.garandm1rifle.com

Thanks again
Clancy

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[Sgt Striker]

Could it have been the Pedersen Device

If this is the question, then, no way. The Pedersen device was only an interm devise to be used in the trenchs, and the fact it used a pistol cartridge doomed from the begining as a replacement rifle..... IMHO.

 

[Clancy]

Sgt Striker,
No on the Pedersen. I was just using it to show that it might have gotten Ordnance into the semiautomtic mind set.
Thanks again
Clancy

 

[freddo]

I have read that the Ordnance Corps had begun developing a semiautomatic rifle in 1901, but had not come up with one by the time World War I broke out. So, work began again in 1919.

This is a good question. And after searching the net for almost an hour, I can't find any decisive information as to why. I don't think it was "modern thinking" on the Army's part...? I have also read that the Germans dismissed semi-automatic rifles (until late in the war!) as "wasteful" and not necessary.

Of course, wasn't the BAR "rushed" through development for use in WW1? Although I don't believe they were actually used in WW1, the BAR may have been a good catalyst for the usefulness of a semi-automatic combat rifle...??