Springfield M1903
| Springfield M1903 | |
|---|---|
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| general information | |
| Civil name: | Springfield M1903 |
| Military designation: | US Rifle, .30 caliber, Model of 1903 |
| Country of operation: | United States |
| Developer / Manufacturer: | Springfield Armory |
| Manufacturer country: | United States |
| Production time: | 1903 to 1944 |
| Model variants: | A1, A2, A3, A4 |
| Weapon Category: | gun |
| Furnishing | |
| Overall length: | 1055 mm |
| Weight: (unloaded) | 4.1 kg |
| Sight length : | 78 mm |
| Barrel length : | 610 mm |
| Technical specifications | |
| Caliber : | .30-06 (7.62mm × 63mm) |
| Possible magazine fillings : | 5 cartridges |
| Ammunition supply : | Box magazine |
| Cadence : | 10 (theoretical) rounds / min |
| Fire types: | Single fire |
| Number of trains : | 2, 4 and 6 |
| Twist : | Left |
| Visor : | Hole notch, front sight without front sight protection |
| Closure : | based on Mauser closure |
| Charging principle: | Repeater |
| Lists on the subject | |
The Springfield M1903 is a repeating rifle developed in the United States of America and mass-produced from 1903 to 1944 .
The weapon referred to by the US armed forces as the US Rifle, .30 caliber, M1903 is also often called simply Springfield .
history
During the Spanish-American War (1898), the Spanish army used Mauser rifles model 1893 in 7 mm caliber. These were superior to the Krag-Jørgensen rifles used by the US troops in terms of ballistic performance. While the initial speed of the Krag rifle was around 600 m / s, the projectile of the Spanish Mauser 1893 rifle reached over 700 m / s, which was due to the higher combustion pressure. It was not possible to adapt to this performance with the Krag rifles, as their breeches only had one locking lug, but the Mauser breeches distributed the forces occurring over two lugs. In addition, the Mauser rifles could be reloaded faster thanks to a loading strip .
The Bureau of Ordnance therefore decided to redesign the weapon and ammunition. The rifle to be developed should fire a much stronger cartridge in .30 caliber (7.62 mm), which is superior to the Krag cartridge. The round head bullet should achieve an initial velocity (V 0 ) of 2,300 ft (700 m / s) from the 30 inch (762 mm) barrel .
development
US Rifle Model 1900 .30
The studies led to the development of a first prototype which largely corresponded to the Mauser M1892 previously tested by the US Army. However, the weapon was not further developed. On the instructions of the Chief of Ordnance , it was decided in 1900 to further develop a rifle with elements of the Krag M1898 and the Spanish Mauser rifle model 1893, of which a large number of captured specimens were in the hands of the USA. A single example of this development in .30 caliber was completed on August 25, 1900.
The weapon had an overall length of 49.75 "(1.26 m) and a barrel length of 30" (76.2 cm). Stock, treadmills and sights as well as the firing pin function and the safety mechanism were taken over from the cantilever. The chamber of the barrel taken over from the collar was adapted to the longer cartridge. The breech and the integrated magazine were based on the Spanish Mauser rifle model 1893. As with the Lee-Enfield rifle, the cartridge feed could be prevented with a swiveling metal plate, the weapon could thus be used as a single loader. On October 2, 1900, the weapon was presented to an officers' commission. This found:
"... the arm has successfully passed the test to wich it has been subjected, the minor difficulties which were experienced being only what might reasonably be expected in the case of a new gun that has not previously been tested."
"The gun successfully passed the test it was submitted for, and the small problems it encountered are what would be expected with a new and untested weapon."
US Rifle Model 1901 .30
The further development of the M1900 led to the 1901 model, which was set up for the rimless cartridge in caliber .30. The rifle had an overall length of 49.75 "(1.26 m) and a barrel length of 30" (76.2 cm). In terms of construction, it was a combination of the M1898 Krag-Jørgensen and the locking system from Mauser . The pointed bayonet combined with the cleaning rod was similar to that of the Springfield M1888 trapdoor. The magazine box was completely integrated into the shaft and no longer protruded downwards. Front sight and sliding sights were taken over from the Krag M98 rifles produced at the same time.
Brigadier General William Crozier's (Chief of Ordnance Department's) annual report states:
“The improved musket has been completed, and tried, with very satisfactory results. The principal points of its difference from the present service musket are the use of two lugs instead of one for holding the bolt against the rearward pressure of the powder, with resulting increase of strength sufficient to enable a velocity of 2300 feet per second to be obtained . ”
“The improved rifle was completed and tested with very satisfactory results. The most important difference to the existing weapon is the use of two locking lugs instead of one for locking against gas pressure. This results in a gain that allows a projectile velocity of 2330 feet per second. "
5,000 weapons have been commissioned for field trials, assuming a production rate of 125 rifles per day. General Crozier noticed that around 200 Krag rifles were still being made every day during the field trials. He achieved that enough money was released for the production of 100 test weapons. Unlike the actual 1901 model, not only 22 "barrels for the carbine and 30" barrels for the rifles, but also 24 "and 26" barrels were installed.
From mid-1901 to September 1902, extensive tests were carried out with the weapons produced. Among other things, the twist angle was changed from 10 "to 8" per revolution, which had a positive effect on the shot precision without significantly changing wear. The US government paid US $ 200,000 for the production rights to the Mauser system.
Serial production
The weapon developed for series production was produced in the Springfield Arsenal from 1904 under the name "M1903".
After the .30 caliber ammunition with the round lead head, projectile weight 220 grains (.30-06 soft point) had not proven itself, it was replaced from 1906 with a modification of the ammunition introduced in Germany in 1905 as a pointed cartridge. This was called Caliber .30-06 Springfield full jacketed ( full jacket ), the bullet weighed 150 grains, it was also produced with a hollow point.
M1903 A1
The M1903 A1 was introduced on December 5, 1929. With this version, the S-stock was replaced by the C-stock, which is characterized by a longer and more elongated, i.e. slimmer, shape and has a pistol grip. In addition, there are now finger grooves on the fore-end.
Until about 1936, all rifles had an eighth of an inch diameter hole on the right side of the lock ring, which was intended to vent the gases outward if a case ruptured. From 1936, a similar hole was made on the left side.
M1903 A3
The M1903 A3 was introduced on May 21, 1942 . Here again there is only one gas relief hole, this time on the left side. The forend has no grooves, the butt was made both straight and with a pistol grip.
M1903 A4
The M1903 A4 model was introduced on January 18, 1943. The snipers still used the M1903A4 version in part during the Korean War . This came from the factory without fixed sights and could only be used with optics. The M73 from Lyman Alaskan and M73B1 from Weaver were possible as riflescopes .
M1903 Air Service
910 rifles were converted for use in observation balloons and aircraft of the Army Air Service . The forearm was shortened to 5.75 "and the shoulder rest to 29". The sight was shortened and provided with a rectangular cutout so that it could be used as an open sight. The grain became wider at the same time. In addition, the weapons received an interchangeable 25-round magazine.
Poor manufacturing quality of lock housings
With early weapons manufactured in the Springfield Armory , serial numbers up to 800,000, the material quality of the breech block was insufficient, the steel was brittle. The later between the serial numbers 800,000 and 1,275,767 as well as those made in the Rock Island Arsenal from "Springfield Armory Class C Steel" were, although better than their predecessors, inferior to the cases made of nickel steel later until 1942. The use of these early weapons for sport shooting was therefore not recommended.
literature
- Norm Flayderman: Flayderman's Guide to Antique American Firearms and Their Values . Krause Publications, Iola, Wisconsin 2001, ISBN 0-87349-313-3 .
- Leroy Thompson: The M1903 Springfield Rifle , Bloomsbury Publishing, 2013, ISBN 978-1-78096-013-5 . (82 pages online PDF)
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ Roger Ford: The World's Great Rifles. Sterling, New York 1998, ISBN 0-7607-0919-X
- ↑ Springfield Republican, Springfield, Massachusetts, November 28, 1902 (quoted in [Springfield Armory National Historic Site, Rate NPS Web Catalog, Catalog Number: SPAR 6134])
- ↑ WHBSmith & Joseph Smith: The Book of Rifles in 1948 by The Telegraph Press, Harrisburg, Penn
- ^ Martin Pegler: Out of Nowhere: A History of the Military Sniper. Osprey Publishing, 2006, ISBN 1-84603-140-0 , p. 214 [1]
- ↑ Kevin Dockery: Stalkers and Shooters: A History of Snipers. Penguin, 2007, ISBN 1-4406-2890-4 , p. 214 [2]