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26-604: Since 1999, Taurus have produced the SAF under license in .40 S&W for Brazilian law enforcement. Semi-automatic-only variants manufactured by FAMAE are mostly marketed for sale in Canada. The SAF is a blowback-operated select-fire submachine gun, firing from a closed bolt . It is based on the Swiss SIG SG 540 assault rifle which was produced under license in Chile in the 1980s. The design

52-431: A selector switch, which varies depending on the weapon's design. Some select-fire weapons have burst fire mechanisms to limit the maximum number of shots fired automatically in this mode. The most common limits are two or three rounds per trigger pull. Fully automatic fire refers to the ability for a weapon to fire continuously until either the feeding mechanism is emptied or the trigger is released. Semi-automatic refers to

78-524: A demonstration was actually held publicly in Rome on June 13, 1900, when 300 rounds were fired on full automatic before the gun got so hot it seized up. Yet another source mentions a demonstration in the same year at the Brescia Arsenal . The British also ordered and tested the gun after this event, but they found it unsuitable. According to Johnston and Nelson, representants from Glisenti-Bettoni demonstrated

104-540: A muzzle velocity of 300m/s. The Mini-SAF is a more compact variant, at only 12 inches (300 mm) long. It has a short 4.5-inch (110 mm) barrel, no shoulder stock (although the left-side-folding tubular metal buttstock of the standard SAF can be attached), and a vertical foregrip. The Mini-SAF can use the standard 30-round magazines, but comes with special 20-round magazines for a smaller profile. All versions have post-front-sights with adjustable elevation, and aperture-rear-sights, adjustable for windage. The SAF-200

130-524: A trigger pull for each round). Some select-fire weapons offer a burst mode as the second option, where each pull of the trigger automatically fires a predetermined number of rounds (generally two or three), but will not fire any more until the trigger is released and pulled again. The current U.S. standard assault rifle , the M16A4 , and the M4 carbine variant of this rifle fire a maximum of three rounds with each pull of

156-504: A two-round-burst to minimize the chances of missing with a third round. Some automatic cannons have larger burst limiters to coincide with higher rates of fire. Cei-Rigotti The Cei-Rigotti (also known as the Cei gas rifle ) is an early automatic rifle created in the final years of the 19th century by Amerigo Cei-Rigotti, an officer in the Royal Italian Army . Although the rifle

182-579: A unique rate-of-fire reducer mechanism purchased from FN Herstal with two rates of automatic fire. This reducer mechanism was later changed to one designed by the Springfield Armory . The final version (M1918A2) provided two selectable rates of fully automatic fire only. During World War II the Germans began development of the select-fire function which resulted in the FG 42 battle rifle developed in 1942 at

208-476: A variety of select-fire functions. The first design (M1918) is a select-fire, air-cooled automatic rifle that used a trigger mechanism with a fire selector lever that enabled operating in either semi-automatic or fully automatic firing modes. The selector lever is located on the left side of the receiver and is simultaneously the manual safety (selector lever in the "S" position – weapon is "safe", "F" – "Fire", "A" – "Automatic" fire). The next version (M1918A1) had

234-597: Is a modernised variant, which is being tested by FAMAE and the Chilean Army . It includes a new retractable and foldable stock, a new handguard and Picatinny rails provided for modern optics and lateral attachments. The rails are optional for the other SAF variants, but is standard on the SAF-200. Select-fire Select fire , is the capability of a weapon to be adjusted to fire in semi-automatic , fully automatic , and/or burst mode . The modes are chosen by means of

260-473: Is a shortened version of the SIG 540 rifle, but the rifle's rotating bolt has been replaced with a simple blowback bolt. The SAF also has a bolt hold-open catch that engages after the final shot. Otherwise, the receiver, stock, fore-end, trigger/hammer assembly and floating firing pin design are from the SIG 540. (It also retains the folding trigger guard for winter glove use.) The upper and lower receiver as well as

286-464: Is a weighted trigger, such as the Steyr AUG , which will fire a single shot when 4.0 - 7.1 kg (8.8 – 15.4 lbs.) of weight is exerted on the trigger, and then become fully automatic when over 7.1 kg (15.4 lbs.) of weight is applied. This is useful for emergency situations where a rapid volley of rounds is more effective for suppressing a close enemy rather than a single-round burst (multiple single shots with

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312-430: Is fitted with protruding lugs on one side and corresponding slots on the other, allowing two or three magazines to be clipped together for a quicker magazine change. The .40 S&W magazines are made of steel and hold 30 rounds. The selector has four settings: safe, single shot, 3-round burst and fully automatic . Some models were made in a semi-auto only configuration for law enforcement and civilian customers. The SAF

338-461: Is manufactured in four different variants: standard configuration with a fixed polymer buttstock, standard configuration with a left-side-folding tubular metal buttstock, SAF SD , which used an integral suppressor and folding buttstock, and the Mini-SAF. The SAF SD is a suppressed variant with a slightly longer barrel length of 220 millimetres (8.7 in). It has a lowered fire rate of 980 rpm and

364-556: The Cei Gas Rifle, it attracted widespread attention in international military circles for a time, while the Italian arms company Glisenti-Bettoni managed to secure the rights to produce the rifle and attempted to sell it in Italy and abroad. The rifle is gas operated and has selective fire capabilities (single shots or fully automatic). According to several publications, the prototype rifle

390-595: The Cei-Rigotti from being classified as an assault rifle. Reportedly, prototypes with magazines up to a capacity of 50 rounds existed. Full sized rifle and carbine (both automatic and selective fire) prototypes were made. At least one Cei-Rigotti automatic carbine was tested by the British in 1901. The gun was supposedly presented by Cei-Rigotti to his superiors in a private demonstration in 1895. An Italian newspaper reported on this event in 1900. According to another source,

416-600: The ability to fire one round per trigger pull. The presence of select fire modes on firearms permits more efficient use of rounds to be fired for specific needs, versus having a single mode of operation, such as fully automatic, thereby conserving ammunition while maximizing on-target accuracy and effectiveness. This capability is most commonly found on military weapons of the 20th and 21st centuries. Early attempts at this technology were hindered by one or both of two obstacles: over-powerful ammunition and mechanical complexity. The latter led to excessive weight and unreliability in

442-596: The firearm. One of the earliest designs dates to just before the end of the 19th century with the development of the Cei-Rigotti , an early automatic rifle created by Italian Army officer Amerigo Cei-Rigotti that had select-fire capability (single shots or burst). Another is the M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) developed during the First World War . The BAR and its subsequent designs incorporated

468-591: The invention of smokeless powder." The select-fire function was later seen in the Russian AK-47 (designed in 1946), the Belgian FN FAL (designed 1947-53) the British EM-2 (designed in 1948), and the U.S. AR-10 (designed in 1957) and its AR derivatives . Select-fire weapons, by definition, have a semi-automatic mode, where the weapon automatically reloads the chamber after each fired round, but requires

494-547: The request of the German Air Force ( Luftwaffe ) in 1941. Another German design that used select fire was the StG 44 that was the first of its kind to see major deployment and is considered by many historians to be the first modern assault rifle . "The principle of this weapon -- the reduction of muzzle impulse to get useful automatic fire within actual ranges of combat -- was probably the most important advance in small arms since

520-459: The trigger be released and pulled again before firing the next round. This allows for rapid and (in theory) aimed fire. In some weapons, the selection is between different rates of automatic fire and/or varying burst limiters. The selection is often by a small rotating switch often integrated with the safety catch or a switch separate from the safety, as in the British SA80 family. Another method

546-429: The trigger guard are steel, and the pistol-grip and handguards are all made from polymer. The ambidextrous safety/fire selector switch, as well as the interchangeability with SIG 552/553 handguards are a feature found on the latest versions. Older versions used their own handguards. The 9mm magazines use a transparent plastic made from polymer, allowing the number of available rounds to be determined visually. The magazine

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572-529: The trigger in burst mode . In this design, it retains the count of previously fired rounds and may fire fewer than three rounds. Other designs reset the count with each trigger pull, allowing a uniform three-round burst as long as rounds remain. A common version of the Heckler & Koch MP5 submachine gun (which is widely used by SWAT teams and military special operations personnel) fires single shots, three-round-bursts, and automatically. A special variant uses

598-466: Was chambered for the 6.5×52mm Mannlicher–Carcano . According to the patent drawing of 1895, the Cei-Rigotti rifle uses the gas pressure from the barrel to move a piston forward and compress a strong spring; once the pressure falls, the spring expands and opens the breech which features its own closing spring. As soon as the breech is open, the piston is disconnected from it. Described by Johnston and Nelson as an innovative, but never perfected design, it

624-401: Was intended to avoid the violent blow associated with the direct impingement operation, ultimately proving to be an overly complex mechanism. British test reports noted that the rifle was nearly uncontrollable in full-automatic mode. Another unusual feature of the Cei-Rigotti was its trigger, which extended through a slot across the entirety of the trigger guard. It has been theorized that it

650-480: Was intended to make the weapon easier to operate in heavy gloves, but in reality it is used to release the bolt without accidentally firing the weapon. The trigger guard assembly was also connected to the magazine, and needed to be removed in order for the magazine to be replaced. This magazine is also a major point of contention among military historians, as, since the weapon was reloaded via stripper clips rather than detachable magazine, many argue that it disqualifies

676-576: Was never officially adopted by any military, it was tested extensively by the Italian Army during the lead-up to the First World War . The Italians developed self-loading rifles as early as 1893, and one of the earliest self-loading designs to show some practical value was the Cei-Rigotti rifle, created by Captain Amerigo Cei Rigotti of the Bersaglieri . Commonly known in the Italian press as

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