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The "Huot Automatic Rifle" Light Machine Gun (LMG) was a Canadian product of the World War 1 (1914-1918) period. The type was devised from surplus stocks of straight-pull bolt-action "Ross Rifles" (detailed elsewhere on this site) which were superseded in the Canadian Army inventory by the British Enfield SMLE bolt-action rifle. This led Canadian engineer Joseph Huot to develop the Ross Mark III into a working automatic rifle form (the gun would eventually bear his name).

The resulting design was a cumbersome form melding the original Ross Rifle with the characteristics of a then-modern automatic weapon system. The wooden body (shoulder stock included) was retained and a cylindrical ammunition drum was affixed under the frame. Over the frame was a large sheet-steel cylinder shrouding the barrel and working components (which included the Ross Rifle's original straight-pull bolt-action arrangement). Parallel to the barrel was installed the gas-operated piston for the needed automatic actions. The weapon was actuated in typical fashion, a single trigger seated under the rifle's body.

The LMG was chambered for the proven .303 British rifle cartridge.

Design work took place in 1916 as the World War raged on and very-limited production was had between the years 1917 and 1918 resulting in about four or five serial examples. Regarded as cheaper-to-produce than the competing American "Lewis Gun", the promising Canadian creation was tested extensively at Hythe and Enfield with generally good results for what would have been a much-needed wartime product. However, the war ended in November of 1918 with the Armistice, bringing about a formal end to development of this Light Machine Gun.

Rate-of-fire reached 475 rounds-per-minute and feeding was by way of 25-round detachable drum magazine. Sighting of the weapon was through a front and rear iron arrangement.©MilitaryFactory.com

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