BAR (USA)
| Length | 120cm / 47in |
| Weight | 8.8kg / 19.4lb |
| Muzzle velocity | 800m / 2,600ft per second |
| Cartridge | .30in |
| Magazine | 20 rounds |
| Rate of fire | 550 rounds per minute |
The design of the Browning Automatic Rifle started life in 1917 as a machine gun and a rifle hybrid. It was intended to enable one soldier to fire from the hip to lay down suppressing fire as fellow troops made an advance. Despite being a machine gun, it could be fired in a single shot mode, was relatively light and was slightly hindered by only having a 20-round magazine.
Despite this limitation, this pioneering cross between an assault rifle and a light machine gun was exceptionally well made and proved to be robust and reliable in all conditions. The BAR was essentially accepted as a squad gun incorporated into each rifle unit as a support weapon.
