Curtis, the EM2 was trialled in the UK in 1948 and 1949, engineering trials were conducted at Aberdeen Proving Ground, USA, from March to May 1950. Troop trials by the US Army Infantry Board were conducted at Fort Benning, Georgia, from may to November 1950.
After firing almost 57,000 rounds of .280 ammunition, the overall stoppage rates on automatic fire were less than 5 per 1,000 rounds, and 3.4 per 1,000 semi-auto fire. In contrast the M1 Garand rifle, which was used as a control weapon for the trials, averaged 3.8 stoppages per 1,000 rounds firing semi-auto only.
Inspite of it being the most reliable and accurate weapon in the trial, the American Ordnance authorities considered the .280 round lacked power. The Enfield design team increased bullet weight and velocity but the Americans were still unimpressed, and considered the T65 American cartridge as the round to be desired. The T65 of course became known as the 7.62mm NATO cartridge.
The Enfield design team developed a 7.62mm version of the EM2, there is an example of this in the pattern room, unfortunately minus its magazine.
heres a couple of pics of it.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v14/j ... em2007.jpg[/pic]
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v14/j ... em2008.jpg[/pic]
