M1 Garand rifle

U.S. rifle, caliber .30, M1
M1 Garand rifle. From the collections of the Swedish Army Museum, Stockholm, Sweden.
Type	Semi-automatic rifle
Place of origin	United States
Service history
In service	1936–1959 (as the standard U.S. service rifle)1940s–present (other countries)
Used by	See Users
Wars	World War II Indonesian National Revolution Korean War 1948 Arab–Israeli War Hukbalahap Rebellion First Indochina War Suez Crisis 1958 Lebanon crisis Cuban Revolution Sandinista Revolution Vietnam War Cambodian Civil War Angolan Civil War Iran–Iraq War Soviet-Afghan War Gulf War Northern Ireland Troubles Syrian Civil War Numerous other conflicts
Production history
Designer	John C. Garand
Designed	1928
Manufacturer	Springfield Armory Winchester Harrington & Richardson International Harvester Beretta Breda F.M.A.P. Springfield Armory, Inc. (civilian)
Unit cost	$85 (during World War II) ($1,200 in 2016 dollars)
Produced	1936—1957
No. built	Approx. 6.25 million
Variants	M1C, M1D
Specifications
Weight	9.5 lb (4.31 kg) to 11.6 lb (5.3 kg)
Length	43.5 in (1,100 mm)
Barrel length	24 in (609.6 mm)
Cartridge	.30-06 Springfield (7.62×63mm) 7.62×51mm NATO (.308 Winchester) (Postwar use by U.S.Navy)
Action	Gas-operated, rotating bolt
Rate of fire	40−50 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity	2,800 ft/s (853 m/s)
Effective firing range	500 yd (457 m)
Feed system	8-round en-bloc clip, internal magazine
Sights	•Rear: adjustable aperture •front: wing protected post

The M1 Garand is a .30 caliber semi-automatic rifle that was the standard U.S. service rifle during World War II and the Korean War and also saw limited service during the Vietnam War. Most M1 rifles were issued to U.S. forces, though many hundreds of thousands were also provided as foreign aid to American allies. The Garand is still used by drill teams and military honor guards. It is also widely used by civilians for hunting, target shooting, and as a military collectible.

The M1 rifle was named after its Canadian-American designer, John Garand. It was the first standard-issue semi-automatic military rifle. By all accounts the M1 rifle served with distinction. General George S. Patton called it "the greatest battle implement ever devised". The M1 replaced the bolt action M1903 Springfield as the standard U.S. service rifle in the mid 1930s, and was itself replaced by the selective fire M14 rifle in the early 1960s.

Although the name "Garand" is frequently pronounced /ɡəˈrænd/, the preferred pronunciation is /ˈɡærənd/ (to rhyme with errand), according to experts and people who knew John Garand, the weapon's designer. Frequently referred to as the "Garand" or "M1 Garand" by civilians, its official designation when it was the issue rifle in the U.S. Army and the U.S. Marine Corps was "U.S. Rifle, Caliber 30, M1" or just "M1" and Garand wasn't mentioned.