| Cei-Rigotti | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Selective-fireautomatic rifle |
| Place of origin | Kingdom of Italy |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Amerigo Cei-Rigotti |
| Designed | c. 1890 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 4.3 kg (9.5 lb) |
| Length | 1,000 mm (39 in) |
| Barrel length | 482.6 mm (19.00 in) |
| Cartridge | 6.5×52mm Carcano 7.65×53mm Mauser |
| Action | Gas piston, self-loading |
| Rate of fire | 300-600 rpm |
| Muzzle velocity | 730 m/s (2,400 ft/s) |
| Maximum firing range | 1,400 m (1,500 yd) |
| Feed system | 6-, 10-, 20-, 25-, 30-round fixed box magazine |
| Sights | Iron sight |
TheCei-Rigotti (also known as theCei gas rifle[1]) is an earlyautomatic rifle created in the final years of the 19th century by Amerigo Cei-Rigotti, an officer in theRoyal 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 theFirst World War.[2]
The Italians developedself-loading rifles as early as 1893, and one of the earliest self-loading designs to show some practical value was the Cei-Rigotti rifle, created by Captain Amerigo Cei Rigotti of theBersaglieri.[3]
According to Morin, Cei Rigotti filled at least four different patents:[4]
Commonly known in the Italian press as the Cei gas rifle, it attracted widespread attention in international military circles for a time, while the Italian arms company Glisenti-Bettoni managed to secure the rights to produce the rifle and attempted to sell it in Italy and abroad.[5]
The rifle isgas operated and hasselective fire capabilities (single shots or fully automatic).[6] According to several publications, the prototype rifle was chambered for the6.5×52mm Mannlicher–Carcano.[5][7]
According to thepatent drawing of 1895, the Cei-Rigotti is a device attached to a SwissSchmidt–Rubin 1889 (or any otherstraight pull bolt-action rifle), converting it into an automatic weapon. A hole was drilled into the barrel and part of the gases generated during fire compress a spring which moves a piston that opens and closes the bolt.[4]
The 1899 patent is similar, but it was attached to arotating bolt action rifle instead and had a semi-automatic fire mode.[8] According to Baker, a small hole was bored on the muzzle end of the barrel and part of the gases operate a rotary cylinder which opens the breech, extracts spent cartridges and closes the bolt, which then releases the striker, repeating the process until the rifle runs out of ammunition. In semi-auto mode, a lever-operated mechanism is used to interrupt the striker, requiring the shooter to pull the trigger to fire another round. Reportedly, this device could be attached to anyMauser bolt-action rifle without significantly increasing the weight.[9] According to a Glisenti-Bettoni catalog, two different versions were made: a six-round infantry rifle and a navy 'machine gun-rifle' with a 20-round magazine; Morin mentions that prototypes with 30-round and 50-round magazines were reportedly made,[10] while Baker mentions a 25-round magazine version.[9]
The 1903 patent is an refinement of the previous prototypes. It features a small hole drilled on the right side of the barrel and connected to a cylinder where the gases are tapped in, moving a piston connected to thebreechblock. A recoil spring mounted in the piston closes the breech automatically. According to W. H. B. Smith and Joseph E. Smith, the action stays open after the magazine is empty.[11][12]
The 1911 patent[a] is adirect impingement action, with a piston system featuring two separate springs to open and close the breech. According to Johnston and Nelson, it was intended to soften the recoil, but also made the gun unnecessarily complicated.[3][13]
Another unusual feature of the Cei-Rigotti was its trigger, which extended through a slot across the entirety of thetrigger guard. It has been theorized that it was intended to make the weapon easier to operate in heavy gloves,[2] but in reality it is used to release the bolt without accidentally firing the weapon.[14] The trigger guard assembly was also connected to the magazine, and needed to be removed in order for the magazine to be replaced.[2] 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 anassault rifle.[15]
Full sized rifle and carbine (both automatic and selective fire) prototypes were made. At least one Cei-Rigotti automatic carbine was tested by the British in 1901.[16]
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.[17] 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.[12] Yet another source mentions a demonstration in the same year inBrescia, where the inventor fired 15 shots in one second.[9]
The British also ordered and tested the gun after this event, but they found it unsuitable.[17] According to Johnston and Nelson, representants from Glisenti-Bettoni demonstrated the Cei-Rigotti at theRoyal Small Arms Factory in March, 1901. British test reports noted that the rifle was nearly uncontrollable in full-automatic mode.[3] The rifle found at the UKNational Firearms Centre in Leeds is chambered in7.65x53mm Mauser, as is another example found in a U.S. private collection.[2]
The ItalianWar Ministry purchased a small batch of rifles in 1911 for trial tests inLibya, but like other Italian pre-WWI self-loading designs, no mass production ever took place.[3]