<P> In military use, self - loading rifles were barely used in World War I, and most armies in World War II also still relied upon bolt - action rifles, with the exception of the Americans, who in 1937 had adopted the M1 Garand as the standard - issue infantry weapon . </P> <P> The first successful design for a semi-automatic rifle is attributed to Austria - born gunsmith Ferdinand Ritter von Mannlicher, who unveiled the design in 1885 . The Model 85 was followed by the equally innovative Mannlicher Models 91, 93 and 95 semi-automatic rifles . Although Mannlicher earned his reputation with his bolt - action rifle designs, he also produced a few semi-automatic pistols, including the Steyr Mannlicher M1894, which employed an unusual blow - forward action and held five rounds of 6.5 mm ammunition that were fed into the M1894 by a stripper clip . </P> <P> A few years later, American gunsmith John Moses Browning developed the first successful semi-automatic shotgun, the Browning Auto - 5, which was first manufactured in 1902 by Fabrique Nationale de Herstal and sold in America under the Browning name . The Auto - 5 relied on long recoil operation; this design remained the dominant form in semi-automatic shotguns for approximately 50 years . Production of the Auto - 5 was ended in 1999 . </P> <P> In 1903 and 1905, the Winchester Repeating Arms Company introduced the first semi-automatic rimfire and centerfire rifles designed especially for the civilian market . The Winchester Model 1903 and Winchester Model 1905 operated on the principle of blowback in order to function semi-automatically . Designed entirely by T.C. Johnson, the Model 1903 achieved commercial success and continued to be manufactured until 1932 when the Winchester Model 63 replaced it . </P>

When were semi automatic rifles first sold to the public