World War I Light Rifle?

Hardware isn't the issue. There are hardware solutions to this problem in the decades leading up to WW1, most of them noted already. The most logical is the Winchester automatics, like the 1905 and 1907 - simple, reliable, good medium range performance.
The problem is horses. They are still THE big thing in 1914, and every army wanted to make sure that infantry could deal with them. Not necessarily from a form-square, break-the charge standpoint either - although having a rifle that can punch lengthwise through a horse at 500 meters is something regimental commanders would love. Everything on the battlefield, from artillery to rations, moved on or behind a horse or team of horses. Killing them is a lot more important than dealing with individual soldiers. This is part of the reason the seemingly absurdly-ranged "volley sights" were ubiquitous prior to WW1. One soldier with rifle isn't going to be able to hit a single target at 1400 meters intentionally. But if an infantry company or regiment catches a supply train or artillery battery out in the open - plunging fire and beaten ground.
The other problem is tactics. For the infantry, the rifle was seen as a dual purpose weapon. A powerful firearm when on the defense, and a sturdy stick to hang a knife on for offense. There isn't a concept of individual firepower or small unit action in 1914 - when you go on the attack, it's as a pikeman accompanied by 1000 of your close friends. When you are defending, you are still trained to fire by ranks - with 1000 of your close friends. Until the trenches are dug and the wire strung, there isn't going to be a movement towards light rifles and firepower, because there isn't a theoretical framework to put them in. Once the shooting starts, the innovating begins - but you're under immense pressure to get everything you can to the front, so innovating takes a back seat to making MORE of what you already have.
 

SwampTiger

Banned
I am always amazed at the American refusal to learn lessons from their allies. The US Army and Marines had seen short range combat in the Philippines, Cuba, Vladivostok and Central America prior to the world war. Yet, American leaders continued with the long range fire rifleman tactics after the French had advised them on proper trench tactical changes. Their failure to grasp the new firepower based tactics, and the usefulness of American designed and built weapons, ie. the Lewis gun and Winchester self loaders, resulted in greater losses and a longer transition for American troops during their early introductory campaigns.

Note that pump action shotguns were not slower firing than semi-automatics. The 1897 did not have a trigger disconnect. You could hold the trigger down, pump the slide, and the gun would fire when you pushed the slide/bolt to the locked position faster than a semi-automatic could fire.
 
Top