Farquhar-Hill
William Beardmore and Company · Rifle · Discontinued · 1918
Also known as: Pattern 1918, Rifle, .303 inch, Pattern 1918, Farquharson-Hill
Overview
The Farquhar-Hill is a British self-loading rifle developed during the First World War and chambered in .303 British. Designed by Moubray Farquhar and Arthur Hill, it fed from a detachable 19-round drum magazine and used a rotary bolt with a dual-spring buffer system intended to smooth cycling despite the variable quality of wartime ammunition. Formally adopted as the Rifle, .303 inch, Pattern 1918, it saw only very limited issue before the war's end caused the order to be cancelled.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 6600 g (232.8 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1042 mm (41.02") |
| Barrel Length | 686 mm (27.01") |
| Action Type | Gas Operated |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 19 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Drum |
| Muzzle Velocity | 732 m/s (2402 fps) |
| Effective Range | 550 m (601 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 1370 m (1498 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 5 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .303 British · primary — also known as .303 Mk VII, 7.7x56mmR, .303 Enfield
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Drum Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety
- Features: Long Recoil Origin, Rotary Bolt Locking, Dual Spring Buffer, Detachable Drum Magazine, Adjustable Vertical Foregrip, Semi Pistol Grip Stock
Service history
Operators
- British Army · adopted 1918 · as Rifle, .303 inch, Pattern 1918
- Royal Air Force · adopted 1918
Conflicts
- World War I (1914-1918)
Production
Production years: 1918-1919
A British order for 100,000 rifles in 1918 was cancelled after the Armistice; only a small number of examples were ever built.
Origin
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Designer: Moubray Farquhar, Arthur Hill
Discontinued: 1919
Notes
The design originated as a long-recoil operated rifle patented in 1908; the production Pattern 1918 is most often described as gas-operated semi-automatic. A 1918 contract for 100,000 rifles was placed with Beardmore but abandoned in 1919 before mass production began.
Background
One of the earliest semi-automatic service rifles, the Farquhar-Hill spent roughly a decade in development and switched from long-recoil to gas operation before finally being adopted in 1918. Its few wartime examples were issued chiefly to aircraft observers and rear gunners, who valued self-loading firepower in the air more than the muddy infantry could on the ground.