The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - VIDEO: Finest Bolt Action Battle Rifle in History?

**Mike Irwin** · September 13, 2012, 12:11 PM

"It wasn't the rifle, it was the shooters. Capt Edward C. Crossman talks about this in his book "Military and Sporting Rifle Shooting."

It was both.

It was at the Battle of Mons where that happened.

The British Expeditionary Force at that time was composed of some of the world's best trained riflemen firing, at that time, the world's fastest operating rifle.

Those same troops couldn't have given the same impression with either the Mauser or the Springfield - the bolt action on those rifles is appreciably slower than that of an Enfield.

There's a very appropriate saying that came out of World War I:

The Germans had the best hunting rifle

The Americans had the best target rifle

The British had the best battle rifle.

September 13, 2012, 12:11 PM	#5
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,390	"It wasn't the rifle, it was the shooters. Capt Edward C. Crossman talks about this in his book "Military and Sporting Rifle Shooting." It was both. It was at the Battle of Mons where that happened. The British Expeditionary Force at that time was composed of some of the world's best trained riflemen firing, at that time, the world's fastest operating rifle. Those same troops couldn't have given the same impression with either the Mauser or the Springfield - the bolt action on those rifles is appreciably slower than that of an Enfield. There's a very appropriate saying that came out of World War I: The Germans had the best hunting rifle The Americans had the best target rifle The British had the best battle rifle. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.