We throw around all kinds of firearms categories. In fact, the terminology can get a tad overwhelming. Battle rifle is one such firearm term that gets used a lot these days. But what is a battle rifle? Stay tuned to see what makes some rifles actual battle rifles. What is a Battle Rifle? While it might seem that any rifle used in battle could be a battle rifle, historically, a definition formed around specific characteristics to identify this particular type of firearm. Battle rifles were a product of the Cold War, when designers created guns to counter the Soviet threat. Battle rifles use various operating systems; however, they all share these common traits:

The PTR91 in 7.62 NATO is a semi-automatic clone of the H&K G3.

  • Battle rifles are never bolt action. At a minimum, they are semi-automatic
    and sometimes select-fire, meaning they fire in either fully or semi-automatic modes. Some nations also converted select-fire battle rifles to semi-automatic only to control recoil and conserve ammunition. Semi-automatic or select-fire battle rifles provided personel with high firepower, giving them the advantage in combat.
  • The class of caliber also sets battle rifles apart. Battle rifles always fire full-sized rifle cartridges, usually in the .30 caliber range. 7.62 NATO or .308 Win
    was a very common caliber for battle rifles. Full-size rifle cartridges are much more potent than pistol cartridges and intermediate rounds (between a full-size rifle round and a pistol round) such as 5.56 NATO
    or 7.62x39
    .
  • We cannot have battle rifles without detachable box magazines. Earlier semi-automatic military rifles like the WWII era American M1 Garand used an internal fixed magazine. Separate, detachable box magazines
    allowed for faster loading since these magazines were loaded with ammunition ahead of time.



A James River Armory M14 in 7.62 NATO.

Historical, Cold War era examples of battle rifles include the American M14, the Belgian Fabrique Nationale (FN) FAL, the German G3, and the French MAS49. The M14, FAL, and G3 were all chambered in 7.62 NATO. The Spanish 7.62 NATO CETME was the predecessor of Germany's G3 battle rifle. While France was a member of the NATO military alliance, they went their own way, chambering the MAS49/56 in their 7.5x54 French round. Battle rifles are an invention of the Cold War; but, they didn't just die out. The FN SCAR 17S is a perfect example of a modern battle rifle chambered in 7.62 NATO that feeds from detachable box magazines. The AR10, which is the AR15
's .308 big brother, is another rifle belonging to the battle rifle family. These two rifles are lighter than previous battle rifles, thanks to the extensive use of aluminum and polymer.

France's MAS 49/56 battle rifle broke rank with NATO and used a proprietary 7.5x54 French cartridge.

Why Were Battle Rifles Created? After the end of WWII, it appeared that many European nations would adopt assault rifles. Assault rifles offered the firepower and portability of fully automatic submachine-guns but with manageable recoil and extended range. They saw how useful these firearms were in German military hands and believed they were the way of the future. While assault rifles have a greater range than pistol-caliber submachine-guns, their range is shorter than rifles with a full-size rifle round. As the Cold War heated up in the 1950s, most European nations joined the NATO military alliance to oppose the Soviet Union. For NATO to cooperate, they needed commonality between military equipment. The UK and Belgium wanted assault rifles chambered in intermediate cartridges. However, America was the most prominent NATO member and insisted that the standard caliber be a full-sized rifle cartridge. The US wanted to maintain long-range shooting capability. Because of America's significant influence, the rest of Europe relented and nations built battle rifles around 7.62 NATO.

The Italian BM-59 in 7.62 NATO is the final evolution of the classic M1 Garand Rifle.

Do Battle Rifles Still Exist? The United States and a few other European nations adopted 5.56 NATO rifles in the 1960s and 1970s. However, other NATO militaries kept 7.62 battle rifles until the 1980s. Today, most militaries of developed countries use rifles chambered in intermediate calibers. Intermediate caliber cartridges are much lighter than full-sized rifle rounds, and the lighter weight ammunition allows soldiers to carry more of it. Assault rifles have mostly replaced battle rifles in everything but specialty roles that need extended range or penetration power.

The FN SCAR 17S, a modern 7.62 NATO battle rifle.

What's the Difference Between Battle and Assault Rifles? Folks toss the term assault rifle around even more than battle rifle, so we should make sure to differentiate the two kinds of firearms. Battle rifles cannot be assault rifles because battle rifles do not use intermediate cartridges. Today, most militaries use assault rifles for general issue. In roles that need a firearm with additional power and range, however, sometimes battle rifles fit the bill. Conclusion While many nations decided decades ago to downsize to intermediate cartridges, battle rifles seem to stick around. For some applications, there's no substitute for a large, full-sized rifle cartridge. For jobs that need more oomph, battle rifles bring the power. Upgrade to your very own battle rifle today with our large selection of .308 semi-automatic rifles.