battle rifle

A category of firearms that is, in fact, different from an assault rifle. Assault rifles must have full-auto capability while chambered for intermediate cartridges such as the 5.56 NATO, which is found in many rifles today. However, the battle rifle may come in a greater variety of firing modes such as bolt action, semi-auto, full auto, and burst. Also, battle rifles employ larger rounds than assault rifles such as the .30-06 and 7.62x51 NATO (not the same bullet found in the AK-47, which is the 7.62x39 NATO) However, because they are chambered for larger bullets, thus causing heavier recoil, they are not always as suited for full-auto fire compared to assault rifles. Battle rifles are more effective for support roles and when engaged in mid-long range combat. Two excellent examples of battle rifles are the American M14 and the Belgian FN FAL. These rifles are both automatic and fire the full-powered 7.62x39. There are many other battle rifles but these two are among the most famous.