Ribeyrolles 1918
Societe des Cycles Clement-Gladiator · Assault Rifle · Prototype · 1918
Also known as: Carabine Mitrailleuse 1918, Ribeyrolle 1918, Machine Carbine 1918
Overview
The Ribeyrolles 1918 is an experimental French select-fire assault rifle developed at the end of World War I and widely regarded as one of the earliest expressions of the assault-rifle concept. Designed by Paul Ribeyrolles at the Clement-Gladiator works, it fired the purpose-built intermediate 8x35mm Ribeyrolles cartridge from a 25-round detachable box magazine using a simple direct-blowback action. Officially designated the Carabine Mitrailleuse 1918, it was intended to bridge the gap between the rifle and the light machine gun for assaulting troops.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 5100 g (179.9 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1090 mm (42.91") |
| Barrel Length | 450 mm (17.72") |
| Action Type | Blowback |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 25 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 570 m/s (1870 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 1300 J (959 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 400 m (437 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 575 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 8x35mm Ribeyrolles · primary — also known as 8x35mm SR, 8x35 Ribeyrolles, 8x33mm Ribeyrolles
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic, Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety
- Features: Select Fire, Intermediate Cartridge, Wooden Stock, Bayonet Lug
Service history
Operators
- French Army (trials) · as Carabine Mitrailleuse 1918
Conflicts
- World War I (1914-1918)
Production
Production years: 1918-1921
Only a small number of prototypes were built; the design never entered series production and was abandoned after the 1921 trials.
Origin
Country of origin: France
Designer: Paul Ribeyrolles
Discontinued: 1921
Notes
Rejected by the French Army in 1921 after trials; cited reasons included reliability problems, limited effective range, excessive weight and the logistical burden of introducing a new cartridge. No surviving examples are known and only a single period photograph is widely circulated.
Background
Its 8x35mm cartridge - necked down from the American .351 Winchester Self-Loading round and carrying an 8mm Lebel bullet - was arguably the first purpose-designed intermediate cartridge, predating the famous 7.92mm Kurz of the German StG 44 by some two decades.