FSG Semiautomatic Rifle

    When the Great War demanded the most innovative weapons designs in history, it became apparent that the bolt-action rifle was nearing the end of its days. FSG was one of the first major military-contracted firearms manufacturers that realized this, and went to work developing a battlefield worthy rifle with a semi-auto action. The resulting product was dubbed the MK I.

    The weapon was chambered in the 8.7x45mm Bulgarian, a round that had never been used widely because it was thought to be too powerful for a shouldered weapon. FSG wanted a semi-auto rifle that was practical, but also had plenty of stopping power. The 8.7 Bulgarian had the stopping power of a house, but early experiments resulted in strain on the weapon, particularly in the barrel. This problem was solved by adding a much thicker barrel, one that could withstand the powerful round.

    The weapon proved to be successful on the battlefield, but was not without fault. For one, the 8.7 Bulgarian was high in recoil. Another issue was the heavy barrel, which contributed to the weapon’s overall weight of 10.3 pounds. This problem was tackled by chopping down the barrel, which resulted in the carbine model, also known as the MK II. Although the barrel was shorter, the weapon’s range and accuracy was not significantly affected. The MK II proved to be much more popular than the original model, as it was a lighter 8.6 pounds and still had that FSG punch.

    During the weapons trials in the trenches of Western Europe, another problem arose. The MK II did not react well to the wet conditions of the waterlogged trenches, and the actions had begun to rust. FSG quickly recalled its issued carbines and replaced them with a specially-built model, which became known as the MK III or Trench Model. The MK III featured a rust-resistant construction, as well as a heat shield and bayonet lug that were popular with trench firearms. This model proved to be perfect for trench conditions, and was widely used throughout the rest of the war.

Forello & Saint Grode Semi-automatic Rifle

Cartridge: 8.7x45mm Bulgarian

Magazine: 8-round detachable box

Effective Range: 570 yards

Barrel Length: 22 in. (MK I), 15 in. (MK II), 14 in. (MK III)

Pictured above:

MK I Standard

MK II Carbine