Deleted member 1487
In WW1 militaries started to notice that combat was not happening at long ranges because actually being able to see targets beyond a certain distance in combat was highly limited once colorful uniforms and close order tactics were abandoned:
Apparently an intermediate cartridge was actually developed with this idea in mind:
For the sake of argument let's say the performance of the cartridge is about 1/3rd lower than the parent cartridge, as the weight is about roughly 2/3rds that of the parent case+bullet combo and is used for carbine length rifles and light machine guns like a lightened Bergman:
Now clearly this isn't going to change WW1's outcome by itself, but let's say the change appears in 1916 to save materials and allow for lighter weapons, which then means more ammo carried, improved accuracy, a more mobile unit, etc. and proves itself in combat.
How does this impact interwar weapons development and then WW2 weapons if everyone sees that the concept works in WW1? Might we even see a variety of developments in WW1 for all the major combatants that actually get into service (i.e. not glorified prototypes like the Fedorov Avtomat or the Ribyerolle machine carbine)?
Might everyone have assault rifles and autorifles/lmgs in time for WW2?
StG 44 - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
In the spring of 1918, Hauptmann (Captain) Piderit, part of the Gewehrprüfungskommission ("Small Arms Examination Committee") of the German General Staff in Berlin, submitted a paper arguing for the introduction of an intermediate round in the German Army with a suitable firearm. He pointed out that firefights rarely took place beyond 800 metres (870 yd), about half the 2 km (1.2 mi) sight line range of the 7.92×57mm round from a Mauser Gewehr 98 rifle or less for MG 08 machine gun. A smaller, shorter, and less powerful round would save materials, allow soldiers to carry more ammunition, and increase firepower. Less recoil would allow semi-automatic or even fully automatic select-fire rifles, although in his paper he called it a Maschinenpistole (submachine gun). The German Army showed no interest, as it already had the MP 18 submachine gun firing 9 mm pistol rounds and did not want to create a new cartridge.[14]
Apparently an intermediate cartridge was actually developed with this idea in mind:
German 7.9x42.5mm perhaps for Rheinmental-Borsig Rifle
There is a previous thread titled “Unknown Rifle Cartridge”. Fede was extremely helpful, as always, in identifying this round. Now I would like to continue this discussion focusing on this cartridge and the candidate rifles. My original post was: "I have had this round for over 15 years. I...
forum.cartridgecollectors.org
Bergmann MG 15nA machine gun - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
Now clearly this isn't going to change WW1's outcome by itself, but let's say the change appears in 1916 to save materials and allow for lighter weapons, which then means more ammo carried, improved accuracy, a more mobile unit, etc. and proves itself in combat.
How does this impact interwar weapons development and then WW2 weapons if everyone sees that the concept works in WW1? Might we even see a variety of developments in WW1 for all the major combatants that actually get into service (i.e. not glorified prototypes like the Fedorov Avtomat or the Ribyerolle machine carbine)?
Might everyone have assault rifles and autorifles/lmgs in time for WW2?