Editing Semi-automatic rifle (section)

{{short description|Type of autoloading rifle}}
{{Unreliable sources|date=March 2024}}
[[File:Ruger 10-22.jpg|thumb|right|[[Ruger 10/22]] - [[.22 Long Rifle]]]] [[File:Simonov-SKS-45.JPG|thumb|right|[[SKS]] Type 56 - [[7.62×39mm]]]]
[[File:1973 Colt AR15 SP1.jpg|right|thumb|[[Colt AR-15]] SP1 - [[.223 Remington]]]]
[[File:Mannlicher-1885-semi-auto.jpg|thumb|223x223px|Drawing of the Mannlicher 1885 semi-automatic rifle by [[Ferdinand Mannlicher]], one of the earliest semi-automatic rifle designs.]]
[[File:Czechguards.jpg|right|thumb|[[Prague Castle Guard]] carrying the Czechoslovak [[vz. 52 rifle]] ]]

A '''semi-automatic rifle''' is a type of [[rifle]] that fires a single round each time the [[Trigger (firearms)|trigger]] is pulled while automatically loading the next [[Cartridge (firearms)|cartridge]]. These rifles were developed Pre-World War II, and were used throughout World War II. Rifles are [[firearm]]s designed to be fired while held with both hands and braced against the shooter's shoulder for stability. Externally similar [[shotgun]]s can fire multiple [[Shot (pellet)|pellets]] simultaneously through a [[smoothbore]], while rifle [[Gun barrel|barrels]] are [[Rifling|rifled]] to spin-stabilize individual [[bullet]]s. The actions of semi-automatic rifles use a portion of the fired cartridge's energy to eject the spent casing and load a new round into the [[Chamber (firearms)|chamber]], readying the rifle to be fired again.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chapter 3: Firearms |url=https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/newyorkcity/latest/NYCadmin/0-0-0-6860 |accessdate=July 1, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=27 CFR § 478.11 |url=https://regulations.atf.gov/478-11/2021-28398#478-11-p3678444349-d |accessdate=July 1, 2022}}</ref> This design differs from manually operated rifles such as [[Bolt action|bolt-action]] and [[Lever action|lever-action]] rifles, which need to chamber a cartridge manually before firing again, and [[Automatic firearm|fully-automatic]] rifles, which continue firing as long as the trigger remains depressed.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Definition of BOLT-ACTION |url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bolt-action |access-date=2022-05-23 |website=www.merriam-webster.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Definition of AUTOMATIC |url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/automatic |access-date=2022-05-23 |website=www.merriam-webster.com |language=en}}</ref>