ORIGINAL: Perturabo
The thing is that it includes practically all the full-powered infantry rifles since Mosin-Nagant. They can fire up to 800+ metres but only with a scope. Effective range without a scope is only 500 metres, while rifles from 10-30 years earlier have an effective range of over 1km without a scope. The only reasonable reason I can think of is that the definition of effective range changed over time.ORIGINAL: Vyshka
ORIGINAL: Perturabo
I have noticed that 19th century rifles have pretty crazy effective ranges - like in over 1km without optics. In 20th century effective ranges drop to ~500 metres despite higher muzzle velocities and more aerodynamic projectiles.
Then I have read an article about Chassepot rifle and it wrote that:
Does it mean that 19th century rifles had longer effective range because they were aimed at crowds, not on point targets?
While researching the Stg44 online last week I came across a quote similar to the following:
The rifle was chambered for the 7.92 x 33mm Kurz cartridge, also known as 7.92 mm Kurz
(German for "short"). This shorter version of the German standard (7.92 x 57mm Mauser)
rifle round, in combination with the weapon's selective-fire design, provided a
compromise between the controllable firepower of a submachine gun at close quarters with
the accuracy and power of a Karabiner 98k bolt action rifle at intermediate ranges.
While the StG44 had less range and power than the more powerful infantry rifles of the
day, Wehrmacht studies had shown that most combat engagements occurred at less than 300
meters with the majority within 200 meters. Full-power rifle cartridges were overpowered
for the vast majority of uses for the average soldier.
In the German case at least I think they were moving towards designs that were optimal for engagements at those ranges.
One should also be very wary about interpreting the results of such tests. Lt. Col. Dave Grossman makes a compelling argument that most soldiers before Vietnam didn't actually fire at their enemies...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Killing ... nd_Society