The Rifles That Made America

Popular Mechanics ^ | 28 Nov, 2017 | Matthew Moss

[MtnClimber]

Ever since the 13 colonies gathered enough gumption to form a union, U.S. soldiers have carried an evolving range of weapons, from flintlocks pistols to lever actions to assault rifles. The American soldier has fought many battles through the generations. The first line of defense has always been the rifle.

The earliest European settlers brought matchlock muskets to American shores, but by the 18th century these had been replaced with flintlocks, which used flint to ignite gunpowder. These flintlocks armed the minutemen and the new Continental Army during the Revolutionary War.

At the outbreak of the war, the Continental Army was desperate for weapons, and American gunsmiths scrambled to manufacture copies of the British Brown Bess. Meanwhile, Britain’s age-old rival France was eager to undermine Britain’s grip on the North American colonies (and none-too-pleased about how the Seven Years War turned out, either.) So, in 1776, France began in secret to supply smoothbore, flintlock muskets. These muskets, made at France’s military arsenals like the one at Charleville, worked much like the Brown Bess. When the trigger was pulled, a flint struck a spark and ignited the powder charge, firing a round lead ball.....

During the interwar period, America’s small arms designers got even more creative. In the early 1930s John Cantius Garand, a French-Canadian gun designer, developed a new rifle that utilized the propellant gas of the ammunition to power a long-stroke gas piston. When it was introduced in 1937, this new operating system allowed riflemen to fire an unprecedented thirty rounds-per-minute—firepower Springfield M1903 troops could only dream of.

[MtnClimber]

The Garand is a nice Rifle, but the M14 was much better, though heavy.

[doorgunner69]

The Garand is a nice Rifle, but the M14 was much better, though heavy.

Agree, used a beat up Garand in ITR for the mud and wear, but the M14 did not seem more heavy. Certainly liked it better, with the magazine and no "clip" jiggery-pokery.

[Flag_This]

I would like a Springfield 1873 carbine, please.

[MtnClimber]

I have a Sharps Carbine in 50 Cal metallic cartridge.

[umgud]

Basic training in the 60’s was with the M14, infantry training was with the M16. Once deployed, most were issued the M16, but many did still carry the M14 and even BAR’s.

[Flag_This]

Nice!

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

I like the 1902 Remington Rolling Block.

[MtnClimber]

I also have 30-40 Krag, Model 1917, Model 1903A3, M1 Garand. All have military cartuches and other markings.

[njslim]

M14 is improved Garand with 20 rd detachable magazine,
different gas system and full auto capability

In other particulars is a Grand

[ProtectOurFreedom]

WTH, no Kentucky Long Rifle / Pennsylvania Long Rifle on the list? Sacrilege! Wiki --> The settlers of western Virginia (Kentucky), Tennessee, and North Carolina had a reputation for hardy independence and rifle marksmanship as a way of life, further reinforced by the performance of riflemen in the American Revolution, especially Morgan's Riflemen, who were pivotal in both the Battle of Saratoga and the Battle of Cowpens, as well as the War of 1812. In that war, the longrifle gained its more infamous nickname the Kentucky Rifle, after a popular song "The Hunters of Kentucky," about Andrew Jackson and his victory at the Battle of New Orleans. The American longrifle also was used by the Texans in their War for Independence from Mexico.

[marktwain]

I acquired a Remington-Lee in .45-70 once. I think it was the first detachable magazine bolt action rifle the Army ever purchased. Only a few hundred were ever made, around the late 1870’s-1880’s.

The design eventually morphed into the Lee-Enfield and was adopted by the British.

I sold it to a collector who would appreciate it.

[Redwood71]

If you ask Custer it would be the Spencer or Henry repeaters. That and the fact he should have brought the Gatling guns.

rwood

[dsc]

With all the mistakes he made that day, and the generalship of Crazy Horse and Gall, Gatling guns might not have saved him.

[Bull Snipe]

I would have selected the 1861 and later 1864 pattern Springfield rifles over the Henry. Millions were manufactured and use to equip the Union Army. It is the gun that won the American Civil War for the North. Also wonder why the Pennsylvania pattern long rifle was not on the list.

[Redleg Duke]

I started out with an M-1, but trained with the M-14 in basic and AIT. Loved it then, love it now. Wish I could own one.

Building up AR-15s in .300 Blackout, now. May try a 6.5. But, I have lots of 7.62 NATO in my rathole.

[Daffynition]

Depending on who you ask, almost as important, was the development of gun sights, scopes and ammo.

In the late 1800’s when William Lyman, an avid outdoorsman and inventor, created a product that resolved problems with gun sights of his day. The commonly used vernier sights were adequate for daytime shooting, but almost useless if lighting was not perfect. Lyman’s No. 1 Tang Sight featured a small disc and a large aperture, a combination that made the thin rim almost invisible and greatly improved the shooter’s vision. His patented design launched the Lyman Gun Sight Company, and today, the Lyman tang and receiver sights still utilize the same principles originated over 137 years ago to enhance both the sight picture and the speed of aiming.

[Ciexyz]

Most informative.

[nonsporting]

The Garand is a nice Rifle, but the M14 was much better, though heavy.

The M14 (or M1A for us mere civilians) is a tremendous rifle, capable out to 600 yards and beyond. The M1A in the SOCOM 16 configuration is a devastating CQB alternative to the anemic M4 (14.5" AR variant).

The M14 weighs less than the M1 Garand -- 9.2 lbs vs. 9.5 lbs empty. The M14's over all length is slightly longer than the M1 (44.3" vs. 43.5"), but this is due to the flash hider.

The design "flaw" of the M14 was giving it a full-auto capability with a powerful cartridge like the 7.62mm NATO. An intermediate cartridge with a 120-125gr projectile at 2200fps would greater improve controllability in full-auto configuration.

[Redwood71]

It was the only thing they might have been able to carry with them that did actually have some fire power. But you’re probably right as when the numbers got 8 to 1, they wouldn’t have had enough bullets with the way the indians were fighting them using their breech loaders against them. Custer was a power hungry fool.

rwood