Service Rifles.

[InkEd]

We really need to stop badmouthing all the French guns!
They put alot of time and money to guarantee those weapons could pass the "drop test."
(j/k)

The reason we issued the Chauchat was because we didn't have/have enough LMGs of our own for the war. It was better than nothing but not by much from most accounts. IIRC the reason we didn't use one of the British designs was because of some personal issues held by the head of the Ordinance Department. (However, I could be mistaken.)

 

[Slamfire]

but in the end commissioned HK to undertake a thorough revamp of the SA80 (HK was by this time owned by Royal Ordnance, so was in effect a British company - it has since been returned to German control).

I think the lesson to be learned is that Armies need to buy small arms designed by Germans.

Sounds to me like the SA80 was not properly developed and tested. We had that issue with the early M16's. It cost the US taxpayer hundreds of millions to get that rifle to an acceptable reliablity level.

Anyone can go to http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/ and type in "Report of the M16 review panel" http://dsearch.dtic.mil/search?site...ad=1&filter=0&getfields=*&btnG.x=12&btnG.y=11

and read all the problems the US Army had with that Colt rifle. The M16 was not ready for prime time and troops got killed because of that.

 

[briansmithwins]

and read all the problems the US Army had with that Colt rifle. The M16 was not ready for prime time and troops got killed because of that.

Actually, I can't think of one US Army rifle that, since the introduction of drawn brass cartridges, was ready for prime time, except for the M1 Garand.

Krag? Nope. An antique that was obsolete before it was issued.
Springfield '03? An inferior copy of a Mauser 98.
M14? The rifle so bad it lasted less than 10 years as the main service rifle after almost 20 years of development.
M16? Not a Army project, had issues from not enough development.

BSW

 

[Cosmoline]

he French WWI rifles, the Lebel and Berthier, mainly because of the fat, rimmed cartridge (and in the case of the Lebel, the tubular magazine)

The 1886 Lebel was the first of its kind, so it was far from perfected. But it was solid and reliable with a high capacity and a heck of a lot of punch. The soldiers loved it and you can still find them kicking around in various wars. The three round Berthier is probably a better choice for bad rifles. The capacity was very low and the action was vulnerable to debris.