M1903 Springfield
| Springfield M1903 | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Type | Bolt-action rifle |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1903–1974 (still used in U.S. Marine shooting matches) |
| Wars | |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Springfield Armory |
| Designed | 1903 |
| Produced | 1907–1949 |
| Number built | 1,300,000+ |
| Variants | See Variants |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 3.94 kg (8.7 lb) |
| Length | 1,097 mm (43.2 in) |
| Barrel length | 610 mm (24 in) |
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| Cartridge | .30-03; .30-06 Springfield |
| Action | Bolt action |
| Rate of fire | 10–15 rounds/min |
| Muzzle velocity | 854 metres per second (2,800 ft/s) |
| Effective firing range | 914 metres (1,000 yd) |
| Maximum firing range | 5,029 metres (5,500 yd) with .30 M1 Ball cartridge |
| Feed system | 5-round stripper clip, 25-round (Air Service variant) internal box magazine |
| Sights | Flip-up rear sight graduated to 2,500 metres (2,700 yd), barleycorn-type front sight M1903A3: Aperture rear sight, barleycorn-type front sight |
| Blade type | Bayonet |
The M1903 Springfield, formally the United States Rifle, Caliber .30-06, Model 1903, is an American five-round magazine fed, bolt-action service repeating rifle, used primarily during the first half of the 20th century.
It was officially adopted as a United States military bolt-action rifle on June 19, 1903, and saw service in World War I. It was officially replaced as the standard infantry rifle by the faster-firing semi-automatic eight-round M1 Garand starting in 1937. However, the M1903 Springfield remained in service as a standard issue infantry rifle during World War II, since the U.S. entered the war without sufficient M1 rifles to arm all troops. It also remained in service as a sniper rifle during World War II, the Korean War, and even in the early stages of the Vietnam War. It remains popular as a civilian firearm, historical collector's piece, and as a military drill rifle.
During 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 U.S. troops armed with outclassed Springfield Model 1892–99 Krag–Jørgensen bolt-action rifles and older single-shot Springfield rifles. The Spanish soldiers inflicted 1,400 U.S. casualties in a matter of minutes. A U.S. Army board of investigation was commissioned as a direct result of this battle. They recommended replacement of the Krag.
The 1903 adoption of the M1903 was preceded by nearly 30 years of struggle and politics, using lessons learned from the recently adopted Krag–Jørgensen and contemporary German Mauser G98 bolt-action rifles. The M1903 not only replaced the various versions of the U.S. Army's Krag, but also the Lee Model 1895 and M1885 Remington–Lee used by the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps, as well as all remaining single-shot trap-door Springfield Model 1873s. While the Krag had been issued in both a long rifle and carbine, the Springfield was issued only as a short 24-inch barrel rifle in keeping with current trends in Switzerland and Great Britain to eliminate the need for both long rifles and carbines.
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