The Smith-Condit Semi Automatic Rifle,Invented in 1906 by Morris Smith, the Smith-Condit rifle was a
The Smith-Condit Semi Automatic Rifle,Invented in 1906 by Morris Smith, the Smith-Condit rifle was an early semi-automatic design that was considered for military use with the US Army. The Smith-Condit used a gas operate blow back system with the gas tube located below the barrel. It used an internal fixed magazine which held five rounds and was chambered for a cartridge called the .30/40 short. The Smith-Condit could be fired in both semi-automatic and bolt action. To disable semi-automatic firing, a plug was inserted into the gas tube, essentially making it a straight pull bolt action, hence why the action has a larger than normal charger.While an interesting design, the Smith-Condit was rejected by the US Army because it was not sturdy enough for military use and used non-standard ammunition. Only a handful of prototypes were ever made, although the rifle would evolve into the more popular Standard Arms Model M and Model G. -- source link
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