| Rieder automatic rifle | |
| Origin: | South Africa |
| Type: | Automatic rifle |
| Is Ranged: | YES |
| Design Date: | 1940 |
| Production Date: | 1941 |
| Length: | 1130 mm |
| Cartridge: | .303 British |
| Action: | Gas/bolt action |
| Feed: | 10-round magazine or 30-round Bren gun magazine |
| Sights: | Iron |
The Rieder automatic rifle was a fully automatic Lee–Enfield SMLE rifle conversion of South African origin. The Rieder device could be installed quickly with the use of simple tools.[1] A similar weapon of New Zealand origin was the Charlton automatic rifle.
While the rifle had no select fire capability, single shots could be achieved by releasing the trigger quickly. Alternatively the bolt could be operated manually if the gas vein was closed. Prototype rifles fitted with the "Rieder attachment" or device were tested on bipod and tripod mounts and proved reliable with little maintenance, although recommendations were made to change the sight system to take account of vibration during automatic fire.[2]