Cei-Rigotti

Cei-Rigotti
Type	Automatic rifle
Place of origin	Italy
Production history
Designer	Amerigo Cei-Rigotti
Designed	1900
Specifications
Weight	4.3 kg (9 lb 55 oz)
Length	1,000 mm (39.4 in)
Cartridge	6.5x52mm Mannlicher-Carcano
Action	Gas piston, self-loading
Rate of fire	Up to 900rpm
Muzzle velocity	730 m/s (2,400 ft/s)
Feed system	25-round detachable box magazine
Sights	1,400 meters (1,531 yards)

The Cei-Rigotti is an early automatic rifle created by Amerigo Cei-Rigotti, an officer in the Italian Army, in 1890, and extensively modified until its final form circa 1900.

It had selective fire capabilities (single shots or burst) and was a gas operated rifle. Over the next few years (1903 and 1911) there were improvements to its internal functions, such as its gas operation. The rifle fired 6.5x52mm Mannlicher-Carcano ammunition fed from a 25-round detachable box magazine. The rifle, although not actually used by any army (possibly because of its extreme unreliability), was produced in limited quantities and tested in Switzerland, Russia and Austria. These variations fired 8x56mmR (Austria) and 7.62x54mmR (Russian) ammunition.

The Cei-Rigotti was tested by the British Small Arms Committee and was also tested by the Royal Navy. The rifles experienced difficult ejection and had high rates of misfires. According to the illustrated directory of 20th century guns, it was also unpopular with troops who used it because of the distance the bolt traveled backwards in operation.

See also

• Fedorov Avtomat
• Farquhar-Hill Rifle
• Furrer M25
• Charlton machine gun
• Huot automatic rifle
• Browning Automatic Rifle

External links

• (French) Encyclopesarmes