Brontekst bekijken van Cei-Rigotti

{{Short description|Italian selective-fire automatic rifle}}
{{Infobox weapon
| is_ranged          = yes
| name               = Cei-Rigotti
| image              = File:Cei-Rigotti - 6.jpg
| image_size         = 300
| origin             = {{flag|Kingdom of Italy}}
| type               = Selective-fire [[automatic rifle]]
| designer           = Amerigo Cei-Rigotti
| design_date        = c. 1890
| cartridge          = [[6.5×52mm Carcano]]<br>[[7.65×53mm Mauser]]
| action             = Gas piston, self-loading
| rate               = 300-600 rpm
| velocity           = {{convert|730|m/s|abbr=on}}
| weight             = {{convert|4.3|kg|lb|1|abbr=on}}
| length             = {{convert|1,000|mm|in|abbr=on}}
| part_length        = {{convert|482.6|mm|in|abbr=on}}
| feed               = 6-, 10-, 20-, 25-, 30-round fixed box magazine
| max_range          = {{convert|1,400|m|yd|abbr=on}}
| sights             = Iron sight|
}}

The '''Cei-Rigotti''' (also known as the '''Cei gas rifle'''<ref name="MusgraveNelson1967">{{cite book|author1=Daniel D. Musgrave|author2=Thomas B. Nelson|title=The World's Assault Rifles and Automatic Carbines|year=1967|publisher=T. B. N. Enterprises|page=225}}</ref>) is an early [[automatic rifle]] created in the final years of the 19th century by Amerigo Cei-Rigotti, an officer in the [[Royal Italian Army]]. Although the rifle was never officially adopted by any military, it was tested extensively by the Italian Army during the lead-up to the [[First World War]].<ref name="fw">{{cite web|url=http://www.forgottenweapons.com/early-semiauto-rifles/cei-rigotti/|title=Cei-Rigotti|work=ForgottenWeapons.com|first=Ian |last=McCollum|date=October 24, 2012|accessdate=July 12, 2013}}</ref>

==Description==
[[File:Cei-Rigotti demonstration 1900 - 2.jpg|thumb|This circa 1900 photo shows an Italian soldier demonstrating charging and firing a standard and high capacity version of the Cei-Rigotti rifle. The charging clip holds about 25 rounds.]]
[[File:Cei-Rigotti - 7.jpg|thumb|The Cei-Rigotti rifle field stripped.]]
[[File:Cei-Rigotti version 1.png|thumb|A version of the Cei-Rigotti rifle in 1900.]]

The rifle was [[Gas-operated reloading|gas operated]] and had [[selective fire]] capabilities (single shots or fully automatic). Available information on this gun is sparse and often contradictory.

According to several publications, the prototype rifle was chambered for the [[6.5×52mm Mannlicher–Carcano]].<ref name="Westwood2005">{{cite book|author=David Westwood|title=Rifles: An Illustrated History Of Their Impact|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hLBTkNZ8U44C&pg=PA364|year=2005|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-1-85109-401-1|page=364}}</ref> The gun was supposedly presented by Cei-Rigotti to his superiors in a private demonstration in 1895. An Italian newspaper reported on this event in 1900.<ref name="Miller2003"/> According to another source, a demonstration was actually held publicly in Rome on June 13, 1900, when 300 rounds were fired on full automatic before the gun got so hot it seized up.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Smith |first1=Walter Harold Black |last2=Smith |first2=Joseph Edward |editor1-last=Sweet |editor1-first=J.B. |title=The Book of Rifles |date=1963 |publisher=[[Stackpole Books|Stackpole Company]] |page=68 |edition=3rd |url=https://archive.org/details/bookofrifles0000smit |language=en-US |lccn=63-12562}}</ref> Yet another source mentions a demonstration in the same year at the [[Brescia Arsenal]].<ref name="Hogg1978">{{cite book|author=Ian V. Hogg|title=The complete illustrated encyclopedia of the world's firearms|year=1978|publisher=A & W Publishers|isbn=978-0-89479-031-7|page=[https://archive.org/details/completeillustra00ianv/page/108 108]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/completeillustra00ianv/page/108}}</ref>

The British also ordered and tested the gun after this event, but they found it unsuitable.<ref name="Miller2003">{{cite book|author=David Miller|title=The illustrated directory of twentieth century guns|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=d9AftMZgOOkC&pg=PA224|year=2003|publisher=Zenith Imprint|isbn=978-0-7603-1560-6|pages=224–225}}</ref> The rifle found at the UK [[National Firearms Centre]] in Leeds is chambered in [[7.65x53mm Mauser]], as is another example found in a U.S. private collection.<ref name="fw"/>

One unusual feature of the Cei-Rigotti was its trigger, which extended through a slot across the entirety of the trigger guard. It has been theorized that it was intended to make the weapon easier to operate in heavy gloves,<ref name="fw"/> but in reality it is used to release the bolt without accidentally firing the weapon.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g317yW6Sdvo&t=968s |title = Firearms Expert Reacts To Battlefield 1’s Guns PART 2 |date = 26 November 2022 |work=GameSpot }}</ref> The trigger guard assembly was also connected to the magazine, and needed to be removed in order for the magazine to be replaced.<ref name="fw"/> This magazine is also a major point of contention among military historians, as, since the weapon was reloaded via stripper clips rather than detachable magazine, many argue that it disqualifies the Cei-Rigotti from being classified as an assault rifle.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2014/04/02/sturmgewehr-assault-rifle-developments-prior-1942/|title = Before the Sturmgewehr: Assault Rifle Developments Prior to 1942 -|date = 2 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140429051800/https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2014/04/02/sturmgewehr-assault-rifle-developments-prior-1942/|archive-date=April 29, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> Reportedly, prototypes with magazines up to a capacity of 50 rounds existed,<ref name="Westwood2005"/> but there is no actual known evidence of this yet, and the most high-capacity magazine that can be seen on the drawings from the period is a two-column one for 30 rounds.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.imfdb.org/wiki/Cei-Rigotti |title = Cei-Rigotti – Internet Movie Firearms Database}}</ref>

==See also==
===Early automatic rifles===
*[[Browning Automatic Rifle|Browning M1918 automatic rifle]]
*[[Fedorov Avtomat|Fedorov M1916 Avtomat]]
*[[Lmg 25|Furrer Leichtes Maschinengewehr lMG 25]]
*[[Huot Automatic Rifle|Huot M1916 automatic rifle]]
===Early self loading rifles===
*[[Farquhar-Hill rifle|Farquhar-Hill P1918 semi automatic rifle]]
*[[Fusil Automatique Modèle 1917]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{in lang|fr}} [http://encyclodesarmes.free.fr/pays/italie/fusil/CEI-RIGOTTI/CEI-RIGOTTI.htm Encyclopesarmes]
* [https://archive.org/stream/generalinformati3541unit#page/212/mode/2up Details of the Cei-Rigotti rifle in General Information Series (United States. Office of Naval Intelligence) No. XX, 1901]

[[Category:Automatic rifles]]
[[Category:Trial and research firearms of Italy]]
[[Category:Rifles of Italy]]