Editing Automatic rifle (section)

===M14 rifle (battle rifle)===
[[File:Garandcar.jpg|thumb|The [[M1 Garand|M1 Rifle]] and M1 Carbine]]

The U.S. Army was influenced by combat experience with semi-automatic weapons such as the [[M1 Garand]] and [[M1 carbine]], which enjoyed a significant advantage over enemies armed primarily with bolt-action rifles.<ref name="pogoarchives.org">Richard R. Hallock, Colonel (retired) of US Army [http://pogoarchives.org/labyrinth/09/02.pdf M16 Case Study] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906090843/http://pogoarchives.org/labyrinth/09/02.pdf |date=2015-09-06 }} March 16, 1970</ref> Although U.S. Army studies of World War II combat accounts had very similar results to that of the Germans and Soviets, the U.S. Army maintained its traditional views and preference for high-powered semi-automatic rifles.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

After World War II, the United States military started looking for a single automatic rifle to replace the [[M1 Garand]], [[M1 carbine|M1/M2 Carbines]], [[M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle]], [[M3 submachine gun|M3 "Grease Gun"]] and [[Thompson submachine gun]].<ref name="ReferenceA"/> However, early experiments with select-fire versions of the M1 Garand proved disappointing.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nramuseum.com/media/940585/m14.pdf| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131204025725/http://www.nramuseum.com/media/940585/m14.pdf |archive-date=2013-12-04 |title=CUT DOWN in its Youth, Arguable America's best Service Rifle, the M14 Never Had the Chance to Prove Itself |last=Schreier |first=Philip |date=September 2001 |pages=24-29, 46}}</ref> During the [[Korean War]], the select-fire [[M2 Carbine]] largely replaced [[submachine gun]]s in US service.<ref name="Rottman2011">{{cite book|author=Gordon Rottman|title=The M16|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oRhIaYrN3sYC&pg=PA6|year=2011|publisher=Osprey Publishing|isbn=978-1-84908-690-5|page=6}}</ref> However, combat experience suggested that the [[.30 Carbine]] round was underpowered.<ref>[http://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/arms-chosin-few/ Arms of the Chosin Few]. Americanrifleman.org. Retrieved on 2011-11-23.</ref> American weapons designers reached the same conclusion as the Germans and Soviets: an intermediate round was necessary, and recommended a small caliber, high velocity-cartridge.<ref>Donald L. Hall [https://web.archive.org/web/20150924051902/http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/377335.pdf An effectiveness study of the infantry rifle] (PDF). Report No. 593. Ballistic Research Laboratories. Maryland. March 1952 (released March 29, 1973)</ref>
[[File:M14 Stand-off Munitions Disruptor (SMUD) (7414626342).jpg|thumb|U.S. [[M14 rifle]], advanced by the proponents of the [[battle rifle]] concept]]
However, senior American commanders, having faced fanatical enemies and experienced major logistical problems during World War II and the Korean War,<ref>''Fanaticism And Conflict In The Modern Age'', by Matthew Hughes & Gaynor Johnson, Frank Cass & Co, 2005</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pacificwar.org.au/JapWarCrimes/Explaining_JapWarCrimes.html |title=An Attempt To Explain Japanese War Crimes |publisher=Pacificwar.org.au |access-date=2012-08-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.history.army.mil/books/korea/20-2-1/toc.htm |title=South to the Naktong – North to the Yalu |publisher=History.army.mil |access-date=2012-08-23 |archive-date=2013-11-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102112322/http://www.history.army.mil/books/korea/20-2-1/toc.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>[http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/BigL/index.html#contents HyperWar: The Big 'L'-American Logistics in World War II]. Ibiblio.org. Retrieved on 2011-12-24.</ref><ref>[http://www.almc.army.mil/alog/issues/NovDec03/Logistics_of_Invasion.htm The Logistics of Invasion] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150622011454/http://www.almc.army.mil/alog/issues/NovDec03/Logistics_of_Invasion.htm |date=2015-06-22 }}. Almc.army.mil. Retrieved on 2011-11-23.</ref> insisted that a single powerful .30 caliber cartridge be developed, that could not only be used by the new automatic rifle, but by the new [[general purpose machine gun]] (GPMG) in concurrent development.<ref name="independencearmory1">Col. E. H. Harrison (NRA Technical Staff) [http://independencearmory.com/downloads/M14_Articles/American%20Rifleman%20-%20New%20Service%20Rifle_%20Amer.%20Rifleman%20June,%201957.pdf New Service Rifle] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151107045353/http://independencearmory.com/downloads/M14_Articles/American%20Rifleman%20-%20New%20Service%20Rifle_%20Amer.%20Rifleman%20June%2C%201957.pdf |date=2015-11-07 }} (PDF). June 1957</ref><ref name="AGWilliams-Ammo">{{cite web|first=Anthony G |last=Williams|url=http://www.quarryhs.co.uk/GPC.pdf |title=Assault Rifles And Their Ammunition: History and Prospects|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180403234914/http://www.quarryhs.co.uk/GPC.pdf |archive-date=April 3, 2018|website=Military Guns & Ammunition by Anthony G. Williams|date=November 2016|access-date=April 24, 2018}}</ref> This culminated in the development of the [[7.62×51mm NATO]] cartridge and the [[M14 rifle]]<ref name="independencearmory1"/> which was basically an improved select-fire M1 Garand with a 20-round magazine.<ref>[http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ground/m14.htm M14 7.62mm Rifle]. Globalsecurity.org (1945-09-20). Retrieved on 2011-11-23.</ref> The U.S. also adopted the [[M60 machine gun|M60 GPMG]].<ref name="independencearmory1"/> Its NATO partners adopted the [[FN FAL]] and [[HK G3]] rifles, as well as the [[FN MAG]] and [[Rheinmetall MG3]] GPMGs.