stanc Wrote:Uh, the drilled gas port, gas-operation concept had been proven more than a decade before development of the M1 rifle began. Here are a few examples:
RSC 1918 https://youtu.be/sExBiD7sBw0?t=12
Farquhar-Hill https://youtu.be/oXpgJ4JydN4?t=11
Lewis Gun https://youtu.be/l73mR4D9pYw?t=11
Apparently not since both the Americans and Germans put priority into the gas trap system.
stanc Wrote:Did not the Browning automatic rifle and the Thompson submachine gun have reputations for reliable operation?Yes, but the Model 50 Reising, single feed M3 Grease gun, M-1 carbine and original M-16 mags were dismal at best.
stanc Wrote:There's just one problem with that reasoning: Springfield Armory and Remington were able to develop magazine-fed versions of the M1 rifle that worked. https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2015...rock-roll/
Yup, and the article verified my opinion on the US priority on magazine development.
On May 4th, 1945, Remington was represented by Lowe, Loomis, and G. O. Clifford at a meeting in Washington with representatives from Ordnance (including Col. Studler), Springfield Armory, and Aberdeen Proving Ground to discuss the T20E1, T22E1, and the findings thus far as to the proper configuration of the new rifle, whichever was chosen. *****( It appears that at some point in these proceedings, it was decided to dispose of the superior Remington magazine, and revert to the existing M1918 BAR magazine.)*****
Development continued at Remington from this point until after the end of the war. The improved T22E2 prototype was completed by late October, 1945, and submitted for testing before the end of that month.****( Unsurprisingly the test results showed that the rifle’s cyclic rate was outpacing the BAR magazine’s ability to feed rounds into the action, and this resulted in an inordinate number of closures of the bolt on an empty chamber; interestingly, though, this was the only type of malfunction reported!)******