In 1898, American designers noted a number of shortcomings in the armament of US Army soldiers. The government decided to create a new, more advanced weapon. As part of its implementation, the American Springfield rifle was created on the basis of a Mauser bolt-action rifle captured from Spanish soldiers.
June 19, 1903 became the official date of its adoption by the army. Already during the Second World War, American infantrymen used Springfield M1903 repeating rifles.
How it all began?
Since 1816, American infantrymen were armed with smoothbore muskets. In 1842, development of a more advanced weapon model began at the Springfield Arsenal. Serial production began in 1944. The products were the first American muskets to replace flint locks with cap locks. As a result of design improvements, such weapons could be operated regardless of weather conditions.
Spare parts for muskets were interchangeable and produced by machine. The barrel in this model was made thick, specifically for its further cutting. For firing from this weapon, 69-caliber Minier bullets were developed. After testing the rifles, the developers concluded that a larger caliber does not provide sufficient hit accuracy. It was decided to reduce the caliber of the Minier. Thus, the 1842 rifle turned out to be the last American musket using caliber 69. In eleven years, from 1844 to 1855, the arsenal produced 275 thousand units of this weapon. The Springfield 1855 rifle was designed to fire 58 caliber (14.7 mm) Minier bullets.
Operation
Shutter on a Springfield 1903
was single action. This meant that after each shot and subsequent reload, the bolt had to be manually cocked in order to fire again. It had a capacity of 5 rounds of 7.62 mm caliber, like most rifles of the time.
Springfield 1903
, being a copy, managed to improve the Mauser design by making the rifle shorter. The Model 1906 cartridge made the Springfield a very reliable and powerful rifle. It was used by the United States upon entry into World War I and was used unchanged until the outbreak of World War II (1939).
The first American breech-loading shotguns
The Springfield 1873 Luke rifle was widely used in battles with the American Indians. The bolt mechanisms in this weapon opened like a hatch.
This is where the name of the rifle came from. The models were of two types: cavalry and infantry. In one minute, no more than fifteen shots could be fired from such a weapon. The fired bullet had a speed of up to 410 m/sec. Springfield 1873 rifles were used by the US Army until 1992.
New rifle for the American-Spanish War
The American soldiers who fought in Cuba used long-outdated single-shot rifles of the 1873 model. The Spaniards used German 7mm Mausers.
After an increased level of US infantry losses, the American military command in 1900 decided to urgently replace outdated rifles. The Springfield Arsenal received the task of creating a new rifle and ammunition for it. Due to the fact that at that time American weapons designers did not have a high-quality sample that could be used as a basis for a new model, they took the captured Mauser as a basis. Since everything in the Springfield rifle of the 1903 model was copied from the German Mauser, in order to patent the new weapon the United States had to pay Germany 200 thousand dollars.
The American army is arming itself
The turbulent end of the 19th century clearly showed how precarious the political world order was. The rapid development of industry and the emergence of new technologies marked the beginning of the struggle for resources. There was a massive redistribution of sales markets, and the struggle for colonies was actively waged. Old political heavyweights - Great Britain, France, Germany and Russia. – new political players tried to push aside, among which the United States of America and Japan took the leading roles. America, whose economy was rapidly gaining momentum, could no longer accommodate its ambitions within its borders.
At first, the Western Hemisphere became the sphere of interest of American capital, so the United States was in dire need of a combat-ready and well-armed army. It is the American army and navy that from this moment become an effective instrument for spreading US influence on the world stage.
It was possible to ensure the combat effectiveness of our own armed forces only by having modern small arms at our disposal. The first major armed conflict in the Western Hemisphere in which the American army had to take part was the American-Spanish War of 1898. While the Americans managed to achieve amazing successes at sea, defeating the Spanish fleet in a number of naval battles, the American army had a hard time on land. The infantry, armed with outdated single-shot Springfield rifles of .45-70 caliber, was noticeably inferior to the Spanish troops, armed with Mauser C96 rifles. The presence in the troops of a certain number of Krag M1892 and M1898 repeating rifles with .30-40 caliber did not affect the situation.
The army was in dire need of powerful, convenient and modern small arms. The situation is quite complicated. The Krag rifles, which recently entered service with the American Army, were produced in large quantities and continued to be mass-produced. In such a situation, it was unreasonable and unprofitable to put another type of small arms into production. However, in high military offices and in the Capitol, a decision was made to obtain a different rifle for their own army. In 1900, the State Arsenal in Springfield began developing a new military rifle and a new type of ammunition for this weapon.
In both cases, similar weapons and cartridges of the Mauser system were taken as a basis. The cost of the acquired patent was at that time a colossal amount - $200,000. From the first drawings, it became clear that American gunsmiths did not bother to develop their own design idea. Basically, the new American rifle followed the contours of the German Mauser rifle. The main components of the American rifle were also similar to the German model.
The main tactical and technical characteristics were in many ways similar to their European counterpart. Eg:
- rifle length 1097 mm;
- empty weight, without loaded magazine, 3.94 kg;
- caliber .30-03;
- magazine capacity 5 rounds;
- initial bullet speed 670 m/s;
- maximum bullet range 2469 m;
- rate of fire - 10 rounds per minute.
The rifle, created by the Americans, had a manual reloading system. The barrel was locked by turning the bolt. As a sapper tool, the weapon was equipped with a needle bayonet, which later played a cruel joke on mass production.
For firing from the new rifle, a new .30-03 caliber cartridge was developed, which had a heavy, blunt-pointed bullet weighing 14.2 grams. The cartridges are bottle-shaped. The new weapon was adopted by the American army in 1903 and received the designations US Rifle, .30 caliber, ball and M1903. The latter designation has become the most common in the army and abroad. Under this designation, the rifle went into mass production, which was limited to a small series.
The first field tests among the troops coincided with the appearance of a new rifle cartridge by the Germans, more powerful and effective. The highlight of the invention was a lightweight, pointed-shaped bullet. The projectile had better ballistics, and the flight range increased accordingly. This factor became an obstacle to the mass production of the new American rifle. Almost the entire first series was recalled to the factory to re-equip the weapon for a new cartridge. To this was added another drawback - a needle bayonet. According to the military and personally to US President Theodore Roosevelt, this form of bayonet was archaic and did not meet modern tactical requirements. In parallel with the re-equipment of production models with bolts, new sights and magazines designed for the new .30-06 cartridge, the rifles are equipped with sword-shaped bayonets with a long and wide blade. Since 1906, serial production of an updated rifle chambered for a new cartridge began. The flight speed of the pointed bullet was no longer 670 m/s, but much higher - 880 m/s.
Ammunition
Especially for the Springfield 1903 rifle, American gunsmiths produced new cartridges that were equipped with jacketed blunt-pointed bullets weighing 14.2 grams. The long sleeve was bottle-shaped and did not contain a welt. Compared to the Krag-Jorgensen rifles, the bullet fired from the Springfield rifle had an increased speed of 670 m/s. Despite the fact that this gun is a copy of the Mauser, the American version was adopted as the US Rifle, 30 caliber, M1903.
In total, one batch of rifles was made. They were immediately handed over to the American infantry. In 1905, Theodore Roosevelt gave personal orders to replace the rifle's needle bayonet with a wedge bayonet. The weapon was returned back to the factory. At this time, the Germans invented new cartridges with sharpened bullets. The Americans also adopted this idea. The old ammunition of 1903 model (30-03) had to be abandoned. The bullet of the new ammunition of 1906 (30-06) weighed only 9.6 grams, but developed a very high speed (880 m/s). The rifle, returned to the manufacturer to replace the bayonet specifically for the new ammunition, was now also equipped with new sighting mechanisms.
"Springfield" - the child of "Mauser" (part 3)
It was always the case that someone did something a little better than others. And others bowed to this man and asked him to share (even if for money!) ... “sturgeon of the first freshness.” And then they proudly said: “I wear a Prado!” And only people with a low level of culture or with complexes try to pass off someone else’s as their own, and they make it worse for themselves, because the truth, like an awl in a bag, cannot be hidden, but the attitude towards such “comrades” changes, since people do not like when they are deceived. Meanwhile, what is there to be ashamed of? This phenomenon is normal! For example, in the USA, for many years they got by with the Springfield rifle of 1873, then they used the Krag-Jorgensen rifle and everything was fine... in peacetime, but when it came to shooting, it turned out that the Krag couldn’t hold a candle suitable for a German Mauser!
Fort Slocum. American infantrymen are mastering the Springfield rifle.
It turned out that the US Army soldiers sent to Cuba were armed with long-outdated Springfield M1873 single-shot .45-70 caliber (from the time of the wars with the Indians in the Wild West!), and some of the brand new Krag-Jorgensen M1892 and M1898 .30 caliber -40, alas, is noticeably inferior to the “aboriginal” troops who used 7-mm Mauser rifles. Before this, everything suited the US Army. But as soon as the losses, unjustified ones at that, began to grow, journalists began to write about it, and senators began to make inquiries (this, by the way, is what is good about democracy!), that is, “the roast rooster pecked at the sirloin,” the American military “awoke from sleep ” and decided - “we need to change the rifle!” And it was a courageous decision, because the old “gaiters” had not yet served for ten years, and almost new rifles had to be written off and in large quantities!
Right there. Training in rifle techniques.
Be that as it may, after heated debates both in the Senate and in the War Department, the decision to replace the rifle was made, and the state arsenal in Springfield was tasked with developing a new rifle and a cartridge for it. And since this decision was made in 1900, the Americans had plenty to choose from (a whole arsenal from different countries of the world!) and what to take as a basis, if they were to copy someone else’s designs.
Springfield M1903 rifle with cartridges.
And who can guess at once which rifle they chose as a copy model? Of course, there’s nothing to think about here: on a Paul Mauser rifle! But all rights to it, both in detail and “in general,” belonged to the Mauser company and... for the use of its patents, the Americans paid the Germans a decent amount of $200,000 - very big money at that time.
First of all, they made a cartridge that received a jacketed blunt-pointed bullet, weighing 14.2 grams and with a long bottle-shaped sleeve without a welt. The speed of such a bullet when leaving the barrel reached 670 m/s - which was 100 m/s more than that of the Krag-Jorgensen rifle bullet, which fired the .30-40 cartridge. As for the rifle, it was, in fact, a “clone” of the Mauser rifle, although, of course, it differed from it in details. It was tested and adopted for service under the designation “US Rifle, .30 caliber, M1903”, and the cartridge, accordingly, was called: “cartridge, ball, .30 caliber, M1903”.
Springfield rifle at the Swedish Army Museum, Stockholm.
The rifle was produced in an experimental batch and sent to the troops, but then in 1905 it was again withdrawn by personal order of US President Theodore Roosevelt and returned to the manufacturing plant. The reason is a needle-type bayonet, which the president ordered to be replaced with a blade one. But then the Germans once again surprised the world and adopted a new cartridge with a pointed bullet. Accepting their idea unconditionally, the Americans adopted a similar "cartridge, ball, .30 caliber, M1906" cartridge in 1906, known as the .30-06. From the previous model of 1903 (now designated .30-03), the .30-06 cartridge was distinguished by a new pointed jacketed bullet of less weight (9.6 grams), but with a higher initial speed of about 880 m/s. The old rifles had to be fitted with new sights for a new cartridge, which is why there was a delay in their delivery to the troops.
World War I. American sniper with a spearfield.
The production of the new rifle was organized at once at two state arms factories: Springfield and Rock Island (Springfield armory and Rock Island armory), but no matter how hard they tried, already during the First World War the American Expeditionary Force of the United States in Europe faced such a problem as lack of M1903 rifles. Because of these Americans, they had to urgently adopt the M1917 rifle, a conversion of the British Enfield P-14 rifle chambered for the same .30-06 cartridge. There were also technological defects, which, however, were completely eliminated by 1918.
The design of the Springfield rifle.
In 1929, the rifle was modernized. This is how the M1903A1 variant appeared, in which, unlike the M1903, the stock had a half-pistol neck of the butt instead of a straight one - the so-called “C stock” stock. But few of them were produced, since in 1936 the USA officially adopted the M1 self-loading Garand rifle.
M1903A4 rifle.
But during World War II, the shortage of rifles in the United States repeated, and production of the M1903 was resumed at the Remington Arms arms factories and... the Smith-Corona Typewriters typewriter plant. Then, in 1942, she developed an extremely simplified version of the M1903A3 rifle, which had many stamped parts and a diopter sight. In addition, on its basis, Remington developed the first American special rifle for snipers - the M1903A4, which had an optical sight with a 2.5X magnification and a high-quality barrel, on which there were no conventional sighting devices. This model M1903A4 turned out to be the longest-lived in the US Army: the rifle was used in the 1960s, when it was replaced by the new M21 sniper rifles chambered for the standard NATO caliber 7.62 mm.
Bandolier M1923.
There were two main variants of the rifle: the M1903 and the M1903 Mark 1 rifle, adopted in 1918, adapted to install the “Pedersen device” on it, which turned an ordinary rifle into a self-loading rifle chambered for low-power cartridges. It could be installed in place of the standard bolt and shoot with special 7.62 mm cartridges with a cylindrical sleeve. A 40-round magazine was inserted from above. There were a lot of them made - 60,000 pieces, but the war had already ended by that time, and besides, this device turned out to be very technically imperfect. As a result, it was removed from service, and the rifles were remade to the previous standard.
Bolt, handle and stock neck.
The next option was the M1903A2 rifle - a device for firing cannons through the barrel. This saved ammunition and reduced wear on gun barrels in peacetime.
As for the design of the M1903 rifle itself, everything was “like everyone else.” It was an ordinary repeating rifle with a manually controlled bolt and locking the barrel by turning it. The bolt had two lugs in the front and another additional one in the rear, as well as a massive non-rotating extractor that captured the groove on the sleeve when feeding the next cartridge from the magazine. That is, everything is the same as on Mauser rifles, but there were also differences. Thus, the rear stop when the bolt was locked was located in a vertical position, and not in a horizontal position, because it was believed that in the latter case the dispersion of shots to the left and right would increase. The extractor itself was shortened a little. Also, the rear bridge on the receiver, where the guides for the clips were located, had a large cutout made so that the rear stop would pass through it. The fuse is also of the Mauser type, at the rear of the bolt, and under it there is a protruding firing pin head. The magazine cut-off was located on the left and worked as a shutter travel limiter. That is, it limited the rearward travel of the bolt just enough that it was enough to remove the spent cartridge case, but the bolt could not capture a new cartridge. That is, the military’s dreams of saving ammunition were brought to life here, and... it’s obvious that they dreamed of this all over the world!
The extractor tooth (on the left), markings on the breech of the barrel, and the sighting frame are clearly visible.
The magazine is also of the Mauser type, with staggered cartridges. It could be loaded either one cartridge at a time or using a plate clip for five cartridges. The rifle stock is wooden, uncut, with a long upper receiver lining. Some rifles had a straight stock neck, while others had a semi-pistol grip. The rifle was equipped with a 1905 model bayonet.
The shutter is closed. The handle is bent down, which is convenient, and moved back, which provides a higher rate of fire for rifles with manual rotary bolts.
The M1903 and M1903A1 rifles had traditional sighting devices. The M1903A3 rifle had a diopter rear sight located in the rear of the receiver, which was adjustable in range. The M1903A4 sniper rifle did not have open sights; instead, a bracket with an M73B1 2.5X optical sight was installed.
The shutter is open.
The disadvantages of the design are the following: the hammer was cocked when the bolt was opened, which required more hand work, since at the same time the sleeve in the chamber also shifted; the receiver does not have such a strong bridge at the back as in the Mausers of 1893 - 1898; for some reason, there is no recess for the thumb in the receiver, which was usually made for ease of loading; a simple stock neck is more characteristic of early rather than later rifles. However, the last statement is very subjective – some like it this way, some like it that way! Otherwise the rifle was constructed in a completely satisfactory manner. She took aim without a bayonet, which was carried separately from her in a sheath at the belt. The rifle, importantly, was not heavy - its weight was 3.94 kg without ammunition. Length: 1097 mm. That is, it was quite convenient for action in narrow places and at the same time quite suitable for participation in bayonet combat.
1930 rifle 1903A1.
That is, having adopted this rifle, the Americans did not surpass, but at least equaled in their combat capabilities the German army. Now US infantrymen fired approximately the same number of bullets per minute as German ones, with the same accuracy and at the same distance!
PS The author expresses gratitude for the opportunity to use her photographs of the Springfield rifle.
Receiver device
This element of the rifle consisted of a polygonal wooden box with a U-shaped cross-section. The handguard performed two functions:
- Protected the recharging mechanism from external mechanical influence.
- Protected the shooter from contact with a hot barrel.
In the rear part the butt was equipped with a special recess for the handle. The rifle's forend was equipped with swivels to which belts were attached.
The barrel was mounted on mounts located on the front wall. There was also a reloading handle. In this part of the rifle, the forend was fastened and the spent cartridges were extracted. There was a special window in the back wall of the box through which the magazine was connected. Inside the receivers were located trigger mechanisms, bolts and return springs. The bolt, in the form of an oblong part, was equipped with a special channel for an asymmetrical firing pin. A design feature of the Springfield rifles is the interaction of the bolts and return springs using a lever. Especially for this purpose, fastenings used by the return spring were installed in its lower part.
Description of sights
The Springfield rifle is equipped with a patented bolt-action action. According to shooters, it is very similar to its German counterpart. However, the American-made gun still had some individual features.
Initially, these guns fired blunt bullets and were equipped with sector sights. A needle bayonet was included with the Springfield rifle. In 1905 it was modernized, and the model itself underwent design changes. Factory rifles were equipped with mechanical sighting mechanisms. There were front sights in the muzzle of the weapon, and mechanical or ring sights in the rear.
The transition to pointed bullets entailed changes to the frame sights: now it consisted of two slots and a clamp containing a diopter. Due to this, the sights could be adjusted in both vertical and horizontal planes. The sight allowed shooting at a distance of no more than 2,700 yards.
Muzzle-loading rifles in the hands of southerners and northerners
During the American Civil War, the infantrymen of each of the warring sides were armed with several dozen types of rifles, both American and foreign made. The vast majority of these were muzzle-loading percussion rifles, while breech-loading weapons were relatively rare. The American Civil War was the last large-scale conflict in which muzzle-loading small arms played a major role on the battlefield. In this article we will look at the main types of muzzle-loading rifles used by the infantry of both warring armies.
Weapons shortage: old stocks are being used
When the American Civil War broke out in mid-1861, opponents were immediately faced with a severe shortage of all types of weapons—especially small arms. There were plenty of volunteers on both sides of the front, but there was often nothing to arm them with. In each state, local arsenals were shaken up, bringing to light long-outdated samples. Because of this, soldiers of volunteer regiments were often armed with outdated rifles and shotguns, which the army abandoned twenty years ago. The most common examples were the following:
- Model 1816 Springfield smoothbore shotgun, .69 caliber (Model 1816 Springfield). It was originally a flintlock musket, which was later modified to use caps. They were produced until 1841, about 700,000 units were produced in total;
- Model 1842 Springfield smoothbore shotgun, .69 caliber (Model 1842 Springfield). It was produced until 1854; a total of about 360,000 pieces were produced. After the advent of 58-caliber Minie bullets, some Springfield 1842s were converted into rifles, although this practice did not become particularly widespread;
- Mississippi rifle of the 1841 model, 54 caliber (Model 1841 Mississippi Rifle). It gained fame during the Mexican War, when Colonel Jefferson Davis (future President of the Confederacy) secured the arming of his Mississippi regiment with these rifles, overcoming the resistance of the War Department. After the Minié bullet was adopted by the army, a significant part of these rifles were modified to meet new requirements, although there were still enough 54-caliber rifles. During the first year and a half of the war, the Mississippi was used by both sides, and the Confederates used it until the end of the conflict.
Mississippi Rifle Model 1841 worthingtongalleries.com
More modern rifles were rare during the early period of the war, and the southerners suffered greatly from their shortage. For example, at the Battle of Shiloh in April 1862, both armies still had smoothbore muskets in large numbers, while the Confederates had some soldiers go into battle with flintlocks, shotguns, and hunting weapons. No one was going to put up with this state of affairs - both the Union and the Confederation made every effort to correct it.
Springfield rifle 1855 and 1861
The main weapon of the federal infantry was the Springfield rifle of the 1855 and 1861 models. The Springfield M1855 was the first US Army weapon to use the Minié bullet. By 1861, the entire regular US Army was equipped with rifles of this type (in 1861 - 15,304 soldiers and 1,098 officers), and in total approximately 70,000 units were produced. Since the Model 1855 had a complex, unreliable and expensive cap lock system, it was improved a few years later. The result was the emergence of a new type of rifle - the Springfield Model 1861, which was often called the Springfield Rifle Musket. After this, many M1855 rifles were modified to use a standard primer.
The 58-caliber Minié bullet (15 mm) is the invention of the French captain Claude Minié, who designed it in 1846. This is an oblong lead bullet with a cylindrical leading part with a bottom recess. When fired, the tail section expands and ensures reliable adhesion of the bullet to the rifling of the rifle barrel. Thanks to its use, the accuracy and rate of fire of the then muzzle-loading rifles increased significantly. Even before the war, the Minié bullet became the main one in the US Army, and in the Civil War - the main ammunition for muzzle-loading rifles of the armies of both sides wikipedia.org
In capable hands, the Springfield was distinguished by its accuracy, reliability and range. It was a massive weapon, approximately 1.42 m long and weighing 4.9 kg. The kit included a flat bayonet 23 cm long. The rifle was loaded with a 58-caliber Minie bullet in a paper cartridge or the traditional version, when gunpowder was first poured into the barrel and then a bullet was inserted. The initial bullet speed was approximately 350 m/s, the target firing range was up to 366 m, and the maximum was up to 640 m.
The bullet's penetrating power was very significant: in tests from the Springfield, from a distance of up to 300 yards (275 m), 11 inch boards (2.54 cm each), placed one after the other an inch apart, were pierced. At a distance of over 300 yards, the same bullet penetrated 6.4 inch boards, and over 500 yards (457.2 m) - 5.6. The effect of a Springfield bullet hitting a human body was described by historian K. Mal:
“The bullet from Springfield caused... terrible destruction in him. Hitting a living “target”, it crushed bones with terrible force (this was caused by the low speed of the bullet at the end and the fact that it was not jacketed), and penetrating into living flesh, it necessarily “took” part of the wounded man’s clothing with it (the reason for which was large caliber weapons). In the conditions of rudimentary military field surgery, gunshot wounds often ended fatally. A bullet hitting any of the limbs led to its amputation, and gunshot wounds to the chest, abdomen or head were usually considered fatal.”
.
Rifle "Springfield-M1861" wikipedia.org
However, the vast majority of Civil War soldiers were practically not trained in aimed shooting and the proper use of their weapons, so most often the outstanding qualities of the Springfield were not properly used. The main emphasis was on the rate of fire: the infantryman had to fire three shots per minute.
"Springfield-M1861" was produced at an armory in Massachusetts, as well as two dozen contractors. One rifle cost 20 dollars. In 1863, the “Springfield-M1861” was slightly modified, which is why from that moment on rifles of this type are called “M1863”.
The first deliveries of Springfield-M1861s came to the federal army at the beginning of 1862; in total, about 1 million Springfield rifles of various modifications were manufactured during the war. Because of their proximity to sources of production, they were initially supplied to the Army of the Potomac. At the end of the war, many federal units in all theaters of war were armed with them. Because of its mass production, the Springfield became the main infantry weapon of the Civil War. The Confederates also used these weapons, although they received them only as trophies (during the war, the southerners captured several tens of thousands of Springfields of all types).
After the war, the Springfields underwent conversion - they were converted to breech loading.
"Enfield 1853"
The second most popular rifle of that war was the English capsule rifle "Enfield" model 1853 (Pattern 1853 Enfield; in America it was often called the Enfield rifle-musket). It was the main rifle of the British Army in the period 1853-1867, having been tested in the Crimean War and colonial conflicts. Before the Civil War, Enfields were imported into the United States in small quantities for the needs of the army and state militia.
Everything changed in the summer of 1861, when, after the start of the mass formation of military units, an urgent need for small arms arose. Trade agents from both sides went to Britain to buy weapons en masse. At the same time, weapons were often purchased privately. For example, Wade Hampton, a wealthy planter from South Carolina, began to form the “Hampton Legion” at the beginning of the war and purchased Enfields from England to arm it.
Some English entrepreneurs quickly responded to the excitement by taking out contracts to produce Enfields for the needs of the Confederation. This is how the Barnett rifle and Tower rifle appeared, which were the same Enfields, but named after contracting companies; they cost the same as the Springfield - $20. The first delivery of Enfields to America was recorded in August 1861; they first appeared on the battlefield during the battle for Fort Donelson. Active imports continued until the end of 1863: by this time, the industry of the Union was already fully providing the troops with Springfields, and the Confederates, due to the Union blockade, stopped importing weapons en masse.
In the Confederate infantry, the Enfield became the main rifle - at the end of the war, 75% of the CSA infantrymen had it. In total, more than 900,000 Enfields were brought to America for both sides during the war.
Enfield rifle of Private V.P. McLaughlin of Company B, 126th Illinois Volunteers, Union Army. This example took part in the Siege of Vicksburg icollector.com
Like other infantry weapons of the time, the Enfield was muzzle-loaded with Minié or Pritchett bullets (a simplified version of the Minié bullet). The unloaded rifle weighed 4.3 kg with a length of 1.4 m. The sighting range reached 1143 m (1250 yards), and the maximum was 1828 m (2000 yards) with an initial bullet speed of 270 m/s. The rifle was equipped with a bayonet, the axis of which was deflected from the axis of the barrel, which made reloading convenient, since the soldier did not bump into the tip of the bayonet with his hand.
Independent tests of small arms carried out in both main Confederate armies (North Virginia in the Eastern Theater and Tennessee in the Western Theater) showed that when firing the Minie bullet, Enfields are the most accurate rifle of all models in service. However, such accuracy was most often achieved only in tests for which qualified shooters were involved. When it came to mass use, then, as in the case of the Springfield-M1861, the main problem with the operation of Enfields in America was the mediocre training of shooters. Because of this, the excellent qualities of the Enfield were not fully used, and the main emphasis was also placed on the rate of fire - three rounds per minute.
An Enfield rifle used by the Confederates and recently sold for $3,250 horsesoldier.com
After the war, the US authorities sold the captured Enfields to Japan, where they fought a lot in the civil wars there.
Austrian rifle on American battlefields
The huge demand for small arms at the beginning of the war led to the fact that American arms sales agents poured not only into Britain, but also into other European countries. They also reached the Austrian Empire, which is why the third most common rifle of the American Civil War was the Austrian Lorenz rifle Model 1854.
The Americans chose Lorenz for a reason. Structurally, this rifle was similar to the usual “Springfields” and “Enfields”, and was cheaper - about 18 dollars apiece. For its time, the Lorenz was a really good weapon. The rifle weighed 4.28 kg with a length of 1.33 m. The initial bullet speed was 373 m/s. The optimal sighting range was 225 m, the maximum was 675 m.
An example of an Austrian Lorenz rifle recently sold for $1,995 horsesoldier.com
In 1861-1862, 226,924 Lorenz were purchased for the army of the North, and 100,000 for the Confederate army. Interestingly, in both armies these rifles were used mainly in the Western theater of operations, and their combat debut took place at the Battle of Shiloh in April 1862. In the East, “Lorentz” were encountered relatively rarely. Thus, they were armed with the 2nd and 7th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiments of the famous “Iron Brigade” of the Army of the Potomac. Southerners in battles in the East noted the use of “Lorenz” in the battle of New Market on May 15, 1864: the cadet battalion of the Virginia Military Institute, which distinguished itself in battle, was armed with rifles of this type.
However, not everything was so rosy - the operation of the Lorentz in America was constantly accompanied by difficulties. The problems began with the caliber - the Lorenz had a 54, while the most common in the USA was the 58. Moreover, original Austrian solid-bottom ammunition was in short supply, and the Americans used either hollow Minié bullets or suitable local equivalents. Because of this, in the North, rifle barrels were bored out to fit them to the usual caliber - if this was done in field workshops, then the Lorentz rifles were turned into smoothbore guns.
The Confederates tried not to do this, purchasing bullets for the Lorenz from Austria (at least 600,000 are known to have been purchased) and using 54-caliber bullets from the M1841 Mississippi rifle. Some northern regiments followed the same path - for example, the mentioned 2nd Wisconsin, which used the 54 caliber. For comparison, in the “related” 7th Wisconsin Regiment, the Lorentz barrels were bored out for Minier bullets.
An unidentified Federal Army corporal poses in a studio in Cincinnati, Ohio, next to his Lorenz rifle with a fixed bayonet pinterest.com
Another problem was with the sight: the distance on it was indicated in the German system of measures, and not in the English system adopted in America, which made the aiming process difficult. Because of this, the quality of shooting from the Lorenz often turned out to be unstable, especially in conditions of poor training of the average American shooter. Therefore, the emphasis in their use was on the traditional three shots per minute. In addition, not a single Austrian manual for this rifle was ever translated into English, although they described in detail the features of operation and maintenance.
Due to the above problems, the Lorentz were replaced, whenever possible, with more familiar models, and the released copies were sent to the rear and training units (as in the case of the Virginia Military Institute). However, they served in some combat regiments of both armies until the end of the war. After the end of hostilities, the no longer needed Lorentz were sold abroad - mainly to Africa and Latin America.
Other imported rifles in the federal army
In addition to Britain and Austria, the federal authorities imported weapons from other European countries. In the first two years of the war, Union trading agents purchased 141,570 Prussian Potsdam muskets, 57,467 Belgian Liege rifles and 44,250 French Minie rifles, as well as a small number of weapons in other countries (for example, in Saxony, where they bought a batch of 1851 model muskets made in Belgium).
Of greatest interest is the Prussian “Potsdam Musket” model 1809/1831, 70 caliber (Model 1809 Potsdam Musket). The Model 1809 had a flintlock, but the Model 1831 had a cap lock. In the first years of the war, they were used mainly by federal troops of the Western Theater of Operations, and were rarely seen in the Army of the Potomac.
Two unknown soldiers of the federal army, armed with Prussian "Potsdam muskets" model 1809 wikipedia.org
"Potsdam" was not very popular among soldiers due to its size (length - 1.56 m), weight (4.88 kg), high recoil when fired and low accuracy. The reason for the latter was not only the poor training of the shooters, but also the inadequacy of the ammunition. The musket was 70-caliber; the Americans used 65-caliber cartridges for it, which reduced accuracy. Nevertheless, the “Potsdam muskets” were used by the army until 1864, although after 1863 they were mainly used by the militia in the rear.
As for the French Migné rifles, although there were relatively few of them, they were used to train the black “colored troops”.
Harper's Weekly magazine cover depicting black soldiers training in the use of Minié rifles Harper's Weekly
In general, even in the federal army, most regiments showed a variety of weapons used. For example, on March 31, 1863, Company B of the 72nd Pennsylvania Zouave Infantry Regiment of the Army of the Potomac was armed with 42 rifles: 20 Springfields, 17 Enfields, 4 Belgian rifles and 1 Lorenz. Unification was sought for a long time, but even at the end of the war it was not possible to achieve it everywhere.
"Faithville" and "Richmond": Confederate copies of "Springfields"
From the very beginning of the war, the Confederates faced a severe shortage of weapons. The South had neither a weapons industry nor serious reserves of rifles with which to arm the numerous volunteers who came to recruiting stations. The meager stocks of rifles and shotguns at the disposal of the state authorities, as well as those captured from the arsenals of the US Army, were quickly exhausted.
The southerners made unprecedented efforts to quickly organize the production of weapons, for which they used captured equipment whenever possible. For example, after the capture of the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry (West Virginia) in September 1862, the Confederates became the owners of production facilities for the production of Springfield rifles and large reserves of various components. This equipment was transported to Faithville (North Carolina), where a small arms production plant was opened at the local arsenal. The components (mostly wooden stocks for rifles) were transported to Richmond (Virginia), where construction of a weapons factory began before the war.
The consequence was the appearance of two new types of rifles, essentially copies of the Springfield, with several changes:
- the Fayetteville rifle, which in some respects even surpassed the Springfield: sighting range - 460 m (Springfield had 366), maximum range - 730 m (Springfield had 640). In total, from 1862 to March 11, 1865, approximately 20,000 of these rifles were produced in Faithville;
- Richmond rifle. The wooden stock was from a Springfield, and the barrel was from a British Enfield. The initial bullet speed is approximately 330 m/s, the effective range is 550 m. In total, the southerners produced 31,000 Richmonds - more than any other type of rifle that was made in the South. At the end of the war, to save wood, Richmond switched to producing shortened versions, producing 5,400 carbines and 1,350 shortened rifles.
Richmond rifle pinterest.com
However, the production capacity of the southerners was not enough to fully equip their army. Therefore, the most important source of weapons for them were trophies; fortunately, during the victories in 1862-1863, they captured a lot of them. For example, on the Battlefield of Chancellorsville in May 1863 alone, the Confederates collected 26,000 rifles of various types.
Even when military luck turned against the southerners, trophies still played an important role, accounting for approximately half of the total supply of weapons. For example, according to official statistics from January to September 1864, of the 95,000 rifles supplied to the Confederate armies, 30,000 were imported from abroad, 20,000 were manufactured, and 45,000 were captured as trophies.
Although muzzle-loading rifles dominated the battlefields of the American Civil War, their era was coming to an end. As the war progressed, breech-loading rifles and carbines of various designs increasingly appeared on the battlefield—the future belonged to them.
Literature:
- Mal K.M. American Civil War 1861-1865. — M.: ACT; Mn.: Harvest, 2002
- Don Trojani's American Battles. — Stackpole books, 2006
- gunsweek.com
- Katcher P. American Civil war armies 1. Confederate troops - Osprey, 1986
- Katcher P. American Civil war armies 2. Union troops - Osprey, 1986
- The American Civil War. A visual history. —DK, 2015
How did Springfield work?
The rifle, unlike modern models, fired with the bolt open. According to reviews from firearms enthusiasts, due to this design feature, the rifle, unlike a product with a rotary manual bolt, has a higher rate of fire. In addition, the Springfield, with a total length of 1097 mm and a weight of 3.94 kg, turned out to be a fairly convenient weapon for use in narrow areas. For hand-to-hand combat, a bayonet was developed for the rifle, which was easily mounted on the weapon. To make it comfortable to wear, the American infantry was equipped with a special sheath that was attached to the belt.
After pressing the trigger, a special lever located behind the sear and holding the return spring began to release. Then the spring, acting on the lever, set the bolt in motion. Moving to the extreme position, he grabbed ammunition from the magazine and directed it into the chamber. The shot was fired after the firing pin broke the cartridge capsule. The resulting recoil rolled the bolt back to its original position. Simultaneously with this process, the cartridge case was extracted. The next shot was possible after the bolt was returned and installed behind the sear.
Rotating shutter
The rotating bolt was distinguished by a well-placed handle, convenient for quickly reloading the weapon. High quality standards and advanced manufacturing technologies made the weapon very accurate when shooting, which is why the M1903 and its subsequent modifications are still valued as sporting weapons.
When American troops headed to France in 1917, they were armed primarily with M1903 rifles. But soon in production this model was replaced by other modifications, including the M1903 Mk 1, in fact it was the same M1903, but with Pedersen’s ingenious device, which was supposed to turn an ordinary rifle into some kind of automatic assault rifle.
The bolt was removed and replaced with a receiver for special 7.62 mm pistol cartridges fed from a magazine mounted on top. Although the device received negative reviews from the troops, the Mk 1 was retained for the planned offensive campaign of 1919 and after the First World War they were again converted into standard M 1903 rifles.
Modifications
Throughout its history, Springfield rifles have repeatedly undergone design changes, which resulted in the appearance of the following models:
- Model 1903. They are characterized by sector sights and the use of blunt bullets.
- Model 1906. The rifle is characterized by a modified chamber shape and a new frame sight. The latter was equipped with a special screw with a notched head. By rotating it, the shooter could shift the sight and aim in the vertical and horizontal planes.
- NM 1903 sporting rifle. Considered to be the target weapon used by the American National Rifle Association. From 1921 to 1940 Almost 29 thousand units were manufactured.
- Rifle made in 1929. This model is characterized by the presence of a pistol stock neck. In addition, in this “Springfield” a cylindrical front sight can be used as protection for the front sight.
- Weapons of the 1942 model. Produced until 1945. The neck shape of the stock is semi-pistol. In the manufacture of butt plates, trigger brackets, stock rings and muzzle guards, the stamping method was used. The barrel channel has two grooves. Using a diopter sight, you can shoot at a distance of up to 800 yards.
M1903 Springfield
Background
In the 1898 War with Spain, the M1893 Mauser used by the Spanish Army gained a deadly reputation, particularly from the Battle of San Juan Hill, where 750 Spanish regulars significantly delayed the advance of 15,000 American troops armed with superior Springfield Model 1892-99 Krag––Rifles Jorgensen bolt-action and older Springfield single-shot rifles. Spanish soldiers claimed 1,400 American casualties in a matter of minutes. Similarly, earlier that day, a Spanish force of 540 regulars armed with the same Mauser rifle under the command of Spanish General Vara Del Rey held off General Henry Ware Lawton's Second Division of 6,653 American soldiers and a separate brigade for ten hours. 1800 people. the nearby town of El Caney, preventing this division from participating in the attack on San Juan Heights. The US Army Commission of Inquiry was created as a result of both battles. They recommended a Krag replacement.
The adoption of the M1903 in 1903 was preceded by nearly 30 years of struggle and politics, using lessons learned from the newly adopted Krag–Jørgensen rifle and the modern German Mauser Gewehr 98 bolt-action rifle. The design itself is largely based on the Mauser Model 1893 and subsequent models up to the Gewehr 98 rifle. The M1903 front receiver ring diameter is 1.305 in (33.15 mm), slightly larger than the 33 mm (1.30 in) ring diameter of older models Mauser with "small ring" and smaller than "large ring" 35.8 mm (1.41 in) Gewehr 98 The US military licensed many Mauser patents and other German patents, including the Spitzer bullet, later modified into the 30-06 Springfield . [4] The M1903 not only replaced various versions of the US Army Krag, but also the Lee Model 1895 and M1885 Remington–Lee used by the US Navy and US Marine Corps, as well as all remaining single-shot decoys. -Springfield model 1873 door. While the Krag was issued in both a long rifle and a carbine, the Springfield was issued only as a rifle with a short 24-inch barrel, following current trends in Switzerland and the UK to eliminate the need for both long rifles and carbines. [5]
The two main problems commonly cited with the Krag were its slow-loading magazine and its inability to handle higher chamber pressures for high-velocity rounds. In 1899, the United States Army attempted to introduce a higher-velocity cartridge for existing Krags, but its single locking lug on the bolt could not handle the additional pressure in the chamber. Although a stripper-clip or charger-loading modification of the Krag was developed, it was clear to Army authorities that a new rifle was needed. Following the US military's experience with the Mauser rifle during the Spanish-American War of 1898, authorities decided to adopt a stronger Mauser-derived breech design equipped with a box magazine with a charger or puller.
Advances in small arms technology
In 1882, the Remington Lee Model 1879 bolt-action rifle was purchased by the US Navy in limited quantities. Several hundred Model 1882 Lee Navy (M1882 Remington-Lee) were also tested by the US Army during the 1880s, although the rifle was not officially adopted into service. The Navy adopted the Model 1885 and later a different style Lee Model 1895 (6mm straight pinch bolt) which was used in the Boxer Rebellion. The Army's 1885 and 1895 6mm Lee cartridges were used in the Spanish-American War, as well as the .30 Krag and .45-70 Model 1873 Springfield. The Lee rifle's detachable box magazine was invented by James Paris Lee and was a major influence on later rifle designs. [ citation needed
] Other achievements made it clear that the Army needed a replacement. In 1892, the US military conducted a series of rifle tests that resulted in the adoption of the .30 Krag-Jorgensen rifle. The Krag officially entered US service in 1894, but was replaced by the Springfield M1903 nine years later.
Development
Thousands of Spanish Mauser Model 93 rifles surrendered by Spanish forces in Cuba were returned to the US and carefully studied at Springfield Armory, where it was decided that the Mauser was a superior design.
American Model 1900 rifle .30 prototype
A prototype rifle was produced in 1900; it was very similar to the No. 5 rifle, the last prototype of the Mauser M92 in US Army rifle testing in 1892. This design was rejected and a new design was developed combining features of the 1898 Krag rifle and the 1893 Spanish Mauser.
American Model 1901 rifle .30 prototype
Springfield began working on a rifle that could withstand higher loads around the turn of the 20th century. The prototype Springfield Model 1901 combined a locking bolt, 30-inch barrel, magazine well, stock and Krag-Jørgensen sight with two locking lugs, external claw extractor and a Mauser 1893 Take staggered magazine. as an example from the 1898 Mauser Gewehr 98, a large safety lug was added to the side of the bolt behind the extractor, which engaged the barrel bridge and prevented the bolt from moving rearward. The bolt handle was also curved downwards to allow the bolt to operate. the shutter was faster. The Springfield Model 1901 is almost entering production. Springfield was confident enough that the Springfield Model 1901 prototype would be accepted and they began making some parts, but it was not accepted and further changes were required.
Adoption
Following modern trends in service rifles, the barrel was shortened to 24 inches after it was found that a longer barrel did not provide a noticeable ballistic advantage and a shorter barrel was lighter and easier to handle. This "short rifle" also eliminates the need for a shorter carbine for mounted troops or cavalry. [6] A bayonet was added to the design - a knife with a bayonet stored in the fore-end of the stock. This new design was accepted, classified, and officially adopted as the United States Rifle, .30 caliber, Model 1903, and entered production in 1903. The M1903 became widely known among its users as the "due three" due to the '03 year of first production.
Even though Springfield Armory used a two-piece firing pin and other minor design changes, the 1903 was actually a Mauser design, and after that company filed a lawsuit, the US government was found liable to pay Mauser Werke a $250,000 royalty. . [7]
By January 1905, more than 80,000 of these rifles had been produced at the federal Springfield Armory. However, President Theodore Roosevelt objected to the retractable-bar bayonet design used, considering it too fragile for combat use. In a letter to the Minister of War he said:
I must say that I think this bayonet is about as bad an invention as I have ever seen. As you noticed, it was interrupted immediately after the impact, even with moderate violence. It would have no moral effect and very little physical effect. [8]
Consequently, all rifles by that time had to be converted to a knife bayonet, called the M1905. Sights were also a concern, so a new and improved Model 1904 sight was added.[6][9]
The refit was almost complete when it was decided to make another change. It was to incorporate improvements discovered during experimentation, most notably the use of pointed ammunition, first adopted by the French in the 1890s and later by other countries. The cartridge itself was based on the .30-03, but instead of a 220-grain (14 g) round-tip bullet firing at 2,300 ft/s (700 m/s), it had a 150-grain (9.7 g) bullet. a pointed bullet fired at 2,800 ft/s (850 m/s); the neck of the case was also a fraction of an inch shorter. The new American cartridge received the designation “Cartridge, ball, caliber .30, mod. 1906." The M1906 cartridge, better known as the .30-06 Springfield cartridge, is used in many rifles and machine guns and is still a popular civilian cartridge. The rifle's sights were again redesigned to compensate for the speed and trajectory of the new cartridge.
By the time of Pancho Villa's 1916 Expedition, the 1903 Springfield Rifle was the standard service rifle of the United States Armed Forces. Some rifles were fitted with the Warner & Swasey Model 1913 and 1908 "musket sights" during the campaign, with "musket sights" being the common language for optical sights at the time. Anecdotal evidence from the time indicates that some of the rifles were equipped with Maxim suppressors, making them the first suppressed rifles used by the US military. [ citation needed
] The Warner & Swasey Model 1913 musket sight continued to serve after Pancho Villa's expedition and during World War I, but was found to be inadequate and was removed from U.S. Army inventory by the 1920s. [10]
World War I and interwar use
US Marines with M1903 rifles and bayonets in France, 1918
An Elder type periscope stock fitted to the M1903 (1918). Designed for trench warfare, it allowed a rifleman to fire over the parapet of a trench while remaining covered and protected; The rifle is also equipped with a 25-round magazine. [eleven]
Note the empty cartridge ejection hole cut into the right side of the M1903 receiver below the Pedersen device magazine. Pedersen's device allowed M1903 Mark I bolt-action rifles to fire .30 caliber pistol cartridges in semi-automatic mode.
By the time the United States entered World War I, Springfield Armory and Rock Island Arsenal had produced 843,239 M1903 rifles. Pre-war production used questionable metallurgy. Some receivers made from single heat treated hardened steel were incorrectly exposed to excessive temperatures during the forging process. Carbon could be "burnt" out of the steel, causing the receiver to become brittle. [12] Despite documented evidence that some early rifles were improperly tampered with, actual cases of failure were very rare. Although there have been several documented cases of serious injury resulting from receiver failure, the US Army has never reported any casualties. Many failures were attributed to the use of incorrect cartridges, such as the 7.92×57mm Mauser. [13] Evidence also suggests that improperly manufactured brass cartridge cases could exacerbate receiver failure. [14]
Pyrometers were installed in December 1917 to accurately measure temperature during the forging process. Changes were made around serial number 800,000 for rifles manufactured at Springfield Armory and at serial number 285,507 at Rock Island Arsenal. Lower serial numbers are known as low number M1903 rifles. Higher serial numbers are believed to have been "double heat treated". [13]
Near the end of the war, Springfield released the Model 1903 Mark I. The Mark I has a cutout on the left side of the receiver designed to serve as an ejection port for the Pedersen device, a modified sear and cutoff for rifle control. Pedersen device; a specialized insert that replaced the bolt and allowed the user to fire .30 caliber pistol rounds semi-automatically from a detachable 40-round magazine. The stock was also trimmed down a bit on the left side to open up the ejection port. The Mark I is otherwise identical to the Model 1903. Temperature control during forging was improved prior to the Mark I's production. Following the Mark I's release, the receiver alloy was strengthened by the addition of nickel.
In 1926, having experienced the effects of long-range fire from the German 7.92×57mm rifle and machine gun during the war, the US Army adopted the .30-06 cartridge, a heavy 174-grain boat-tail bullet standardized as "Cartridge, Cartridge" . Ball, caliber 30, M1'. [15] Designed primarily for long-range machine guns, the M1 ammunition soon became known to Army marksmanship teams and expert marksmen for its significantly greater accuracy than the M1906 cartridge; the new M1 ammunition was issued to infantrymen with the Springfield rifle as well as machine gun teams. [16] However, in the late 1930s, it became apparent that with the development of mortars, polygon artillery, and the M2 Browning .50 caliber machine gun, there was a need for long-range rifle-caliber machine guns. the fire was decreasing. In 1938, the US Army returned to the .30-06 cartridge with a 152-grain flat-base bullet, now called the M2 Ball, for all rifles and machine guns. [15]
In the 1920s and 1930s, M1903s were supplied to US allies in Central America, such as Cuba, Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Costa Rican troops were equipped with Springfields during the Coto War, and some of the rifles were captured by the opposing Panamanians. [17] Cuban Springfields were used by Batista's forces after World War II and later by the Revolutionary Armed Forces, such as during the Bay of Pigs Invasion. [18]
The Federal Bureau of Investigation purchased some M1903 rifles customized as National Rifle Association Sporter Models in response to the 1933 Kansas City Massacre. [19]
In service, the Springfield was generally praised for its reliability and accuracy, although some problems remained. The precision rear aperture sight was too far from the eye to be used effectively, and the narrow, unprotected front sight was difficult to see in poor light and easy to damage. The Marine Corps released the Springfield with a hood to protect the front sight as well as a thicker front blade. The two-piece firing pin/firing pin also proved to be no improvement over the original one-piece Mauser design and was the cause of numerous ammunition repairs as well as periodic reports of magazine followers jamming. [20]
A camouflaged M1903 Springfield sniper rifle with a Warner & Swasey telescopic sight in France, May 1918.
The Second World War
During World War II, Springfields began to be produced by new private manufacturers such as Remington Arms and Smith-Corona Typewriter. Remington began production of the M1903 in September 1941 under serial number 3,000,000, using old tools from the Rock Island Arsenal that had been in storage since 1919. The earliest rifles are almost indistinguishable from the 1919 Rock Island rifles. As already worn-out tools began to wear beyond use, Remington began seeking Army approval for an ever-increasing number of changes and simplifications, both to speed up production and improve productivity. The milled parts on the Remington M1903 were gradually replaced by stamped parts until the Army and Remington recognized that the new model name was appropriate at serial number 3,330,000. Other features of the M1903, such as the premium walnut stock with finger grooves, were replaced with less expensive, but serviceable analogues. Most of the milled parts produced by Remington were o. [21]
The M1903 was discontinued in favor of the M1903A3. The most noticeable visual difference in the M1903A3 was the replacement of the barrel-mounted rear sight with a smaller, simpler diaphragm rear sight mounted on the rear of the receiver; It was primarily adopted to speed up the familiarization of soldiers already trained on the M1 Garand, which had a similar sighting system. However, the leaf spring that provided the tension to adjust the elevation on the new aperture sight tended to weaken with continued use over time, causing the rifle to lose its intended elevation adjustment. [20] Other modifications included a new stamped cartridge follower; Ironically, the rounded edges of the new design went a long way in reducing complaints of “fourth circle jamming” on the previously machined part. [20] All standard furniture was also recycled from stamped metal.
In late 1942, Smith-Corona Typewriter Company also began production of the M1903A3 at its Syracuse, New York plant. [22] Smith/Corona parts are in most cases identified by their lack of markings, except when time permits during production, early and mid-stage rifle production, and only on some parts.
To speed up production, dual-rifle rifled barrels were adopted, and steel alloy specifications were relaxed to meet "War Emergency Steel" criteria for both rifles and barrels. [23] M1903A3 rifles with "military grade" dual-rifling barrels were shipped with a printed note stating that the reduction in rifling did not affect accuracy. [24] As the war progressed, various machining and finishing operations were eliminated on the M1903A3 in order to increase production levels. [24]
Original production Remington and Smith-Corona rifles had a dark grey/black finish similar to late WWI bluing. From late 1943, a lighter gray-green finish was used for the parking area. This later finish was also used on the arsenal of refurbished weapons.
It is somewhat unusual to find a WWI or early WWII M1903 with an original dated barrel. Most, if not all, WWII .30-06 ammunition used a corrosive primer that left corrosive salts in the barrel. If not removed by frequent and proper barrel cleaning, these residues can cause pitting and excessive wear. During jungle fighting on various Pacific islands, cleanup was sometimes poor, and excessive humidity exacerbated the corrosive effects of the residues. [25]
The M1903 and M1903A3 rifles were used in combat alongside the M1 Garand by the US military during World War II and were widely used by US forces in Europe, North Africa and the Pacific. The US Marine Corps were initially armed with M1903 rifles at the start of battles in the Pacific, such as the Battle of Guadalcanal, but the jungle environment battlefields typically favored self-loading rifles; [26] Army units that later arrived on the island were armed with the M1 Garand. [27] US Army Rangers were also the primary user of the M1903 and M1903A3 during World War II, with the Springfield being preferred over the M1 Garand for certain sabotage missions.
According to Bruce Canfield's post " US Infantry Weapons of World War II"
, the final versions of the M1903 (A3 and A4) were delivered in February 1944.
[21] By that time, most American combat units had been rearmed with the M1 Garand. However, some frontline infantry units in both the US Army and Marine Corps retained the M1903 as infantry rifles after this date and continued to use them alongside the M1 Garand until the end of the war in 1945. The Springfield remained in service with snipers (using the M1903A4 rifle
), grenadiers (using the 22mm
sleeve-
type rifle with the M1 grenade launcher), grenade launcher until the M7 grenade launcher became available for the M1 rifle in late 1943), and Marine reconnaissance units .
Sniper rifle
The M1903A4 was the US Army's sniper rifle of choice during World War II. The M1903A4 was a variation of the M1903A3. The only difference between the receivers was that the model and serial number on the receiver were split into the 1903A4 to make room for a Redfield scope mount. The Redfield sight mount removed the rear sight that was standard on the M1903A3. The sight used on the M1903A4 was a Weaver Model 330 or 330C with a 2.75x scope. The receivers were tested by Remington Arms and those found to be the best, i.e. those closest to the specifications, were selected for use as the M1903A4. Barrels were also selected specifically to be added to the M1903A4 rifle only if they met near-exact design specifications. The front sight was never installed on A4 barrels, but the notch for it remained in place. . [20] Barrel specifications were generally unchanged between the M1903A3 and M1903A4, however the War Department began installing barrels with two grooves instead of four, despite no obvious change from the four-groove rifling that was standard. until 1942. [28]
According to some reports, the M1903A4 was not suitable for use as a sniper rifle. The M1903A4 was a relatively accurate rifle with an effective range of approximately 600 yards (550 m). These long-range guidance limitations were due to the limited field of view of both Weaver sights. From its introduction into service in 1943 until the end of the war, it was used extensively in all theaters of war by both the U.S. Army and the U.S. Marine Corps. [29] Weaver's sights (later standardized as the M73 and M73B1) were not only low-powered in magnification, they were not waterproof and often fogged up or became waterlogged when humidity changed. Additionally, the M81/82's optional sights also had significant drawbacks. Primarily, they had lower power (2.2x vs. 2.75x) and, like other sights on the M1903A4, had serious field of view issues. [20] [29] [30] The USMC and US Army would eventually move to a large 8x scope that spanned the length of the rifle, designed by John Unertl.
Foreign users
The US Army Military Police and the US Navy Coast Patrol also used the M1903 and M1903A3 throughout the war. Various US allies and friendly irregular forces were also armed with weapons. The Brazilian Expeditionary Force (February) operating in the 5th Army in Italy was equipped with Springfield M1903 rifles. In August 1943, General Charles de Gaulle's Free French Forces were rearmed by the United States primarily with the M1903A3 Springfield and M1917 Enfield rifles. The M1903A3 became one of the main rifles used by French forces until the end of the war, and was later used in Indochina [31] and by local militia and security forces in French Algeria. [32] Large numbers of M1903 Springfields were sent to China. [33]
During the Korean War, South Korean Marines used the M1903A3. [34]
South Korean Marine armed with an M1903 rifle, September 20, 1950.
Springfield M1903 rifles captured by the Germans were designated Gewehr 249 (a).
[35]
Post-Korean military service
After the Korean War, use of the M1903 in combat (as opposed to training) conditions was rare. However, some M1903A4s were used by snipers up until the Vietnam War; and technical manuals for them were printed back in 1970. [6] The US Navy also continued to carry some stockpiles of M1903A3s on board ships for use as mine countermeasures rifles.
Today
M1903 Springfield with 8x Unertl scope used during a match using a vintage sniper rifle in 2012
Due to its balance, the M1903 continues to be popular with various military instructors and color guards, primarily among U.S. Army training groups. [ citation needed
] The M1903 rifles (along with the M1 Garand, M1917 Enfield, and M14 rifles) are also common in high school Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) units to train cadets in weapons handling and military training procedures. JROTC units use the M1903 for regular and interscholastic competitive drills, including challenging exhibition spinning programs. Exhibition teams often use fiberglass stocks instead of wood stocks, which are heavier and more prone to breaking if dropped. JROTC Color Guards still prefer wooden stocks over fiberglass due to their weight characteristics and appearance. The M1903 is the standard dress rifle of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets, which has over six hundred M1903 rifles, a very small percentage of which are still fireable. The Summerall Guards of The Citadel also use the Springfield 1903 for their silent training.
The US Navy color guard rifles are similar in many ways to the Springfield rifles. [ clarification needed
]
In 1977, the Army discovered a fairly large cache of unissued M1903A3 rifles that were demilitarized and then issued to JROTC units as replacements for previously issued M1 Garand and M14 rifles, which were then returned to the Army due to concerns about possible tampering. JROTC High School armory entrances.
For safety reasons, the JROTC M1903 is made permanently unfireable by plugging the barrel with a steel rod or filling it with lead, soldering the bolt, and welding the magazine switch to the ON position. To plug the barrel, a rod of very cold steel was inserted; once it warmed up, it was too difficult to remove.
The first American sniper rifle
The 1942 Springfield M1903A4 was created by selecting the very best and most accurate M1903 rifles. This model is characterized by the complete absence of mounts for a bayonet and standard sighting devices: front sights and open sights. Instead, the weapon is equipped with optical sights: 2.2x M84, 2.5x M73B1, manufactured by Weaver Co. This model was in service with the American Army until 1961. The Marine Corps used the rifle as early as 1969.
external reference
- Wikimedia Commons has a media gallery covering the Springfield M1903
. - Springfield 1903 and US Arms (in French)
- Springfield M1903, M1903A1, M1903A3 and M1903A4 rifles (in English)
| authoritative control |
|
- Data: Q217153
- Multimedia: Springfield M1903
