M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle

[David]

The Browning Automatic Rifle, or BAR, was a direct result of machine gun and trench warfare found in the First World War. The intention was to fill the need for soldiers to have the firepower of a machine gun with the carrying capacity (and accuracy for that matter) of a portable combat rifle. The idea was actually presented by the French, and in 1917, John Browning set out to fulfill this idea. Thusly, the BAR was born and saw some service with combat forces towards the end of the war (1918).
The weapon was not a perfect breeding of the two concepts. For one, it was an extremely complicated design (at least internally), which made it an improbability for mass-production. The weapon also suffered from the fact that it was too heavy to be fired from the shoulder like a conventional rifle. On automatic firing mode, the weapon moved too much to provide much accuracy. The small magazine was also a drawback, containing just 20 rounds. In the end, the weapon system proved to be a mutt of the two concepts, fulfilling the role of neither one nor the other. The system used a gas-operated piston and cylinder along with .30-06 Springfield cartridge rounds in 20 round magazines.
None-the-less, the weapon system proved to have some advantages. Due to the internal complexity, it made for a very reliable weapon under battlefield conditions. It went on to become the standard light automatic weapon for the US infantry during the Second World War (as the M1918A2 in 1940) and was also provided to the British Home Guard in some numbers.
Early versions had a firing selector switch, allowing the weapon to be fired in single shots or in full automatic. Later versions did away with the single shot system and allowed for only two selection rates of fire - one for 350 rounds per minute and the other for 550 rounds per minute. The United States Marines preferred the former selector firing system so changes were made to accommodate that and, after a few other slight modifications, and the BAR proved itself on many fronts, often serving as a highly portable battlefield support weapon.
The BAR was dropped from service in the 1950's and continued on in foreign armies throughout the 1970's. Considering its beginning, it is amazing to see how the BAR evolved into a respected and reliable system throughout nearly half a century. The BAR did also see service in the Korean War. The modern M249 SAW fulfills the void that was left when the M1918A2 was removed from active service with the United States Army.
Specifications for the Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR):

Designation: M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle
Might Be Known As: 'BAR'
Classification: Automatic Rifle
Operation: Gas-operated piston
Caliber: .30 Caliber (30-06 Springfield)
Length: 48 inches
Weight: 16lbs (unloaded)
Magazine Capacity: 20-round detachable box
Rate of Fire: 500 rounds per minute (Selective rate depending on variant below)
Muzzle Velocity: 2,650 feet per second
Variant Breakdown:
M1918
Developed in 1917, this system has selective fire for single shot or full automatic. The early system did not have the shoulder plate nor the bipod characteristic of later BAR models. It has a simple blade front sight and a leaf with aperture battle sight with aperture rear sight.
M1918A1
Developed in 1937, also showcasing the selective single-shot or full automatic firing modes. The shoulder support plate was introduced to the buttstock. A 'spike' bipod was also added for support.
M1918A2
Developed in 1940, this system was fully automatic (with two modes of automatic fire - Slow and Fast - as mentioned in the text above). It featured a shorter hinged shoulder support plate (later models used a plastic buttstock) and a carrying handle. The aperture rear sight was now adjustable for windage.