M1903 Springfield rifle facts for kids

The M1903 Springfield rifle was a very important rifle used by the U.S. military. It was a bolt-action rifle, meaning you had to pull a lever back and forth to load each new bullet. This rifle was used in major conflicts like World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and even a bit in the Vietnam War.

It was designed based on the German G98 Mauser rifle. The M1903 Springfield could hold up to five .30-06 Springfield bullets at a time.

A Key Rifle in World War I

The M1903 Springfield was the main rifle for the U.S. Army during World War I. Soldiers relied on it for fighting in the trenches.

Why It Was Replaced

In 1936, the M1903 Springfield was replaced by the M1 Garand. The M1 Garand was a semi-automatic rifle. This meant it could fire bullets much faster than the M1903.

This speed was very important, especially in trench warfare. In tight spaces like trenches, being able to shoot quickly was a big advantage. Semi-automatic rifles were better for this than bolt-action ones.

Its Role in World War II and Beyond

Even though a newer rifle came out, the M1903 Springfield was still widely used in World War II. It became the main sniper rifle for the U.S. military.

Snipers used it because it was very accurate. It remained the main U.S. sniper rifle until the early parts of the Vietnam War.

Images for kids

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  M1903 Springfield with loading clips

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  U.S. Marines with M1903 rifles and bayonets in France, 1918

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  The Pedersen device allowed bolt action M1903 Mark I rifles with a left side ejection port under the magazine to fire .30 caliber pistol-grade cartridges in a semi-automatic fire mode. The ejection port is not visible in this right-side view.

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  Camouflaged M1903 Springfield sniper's rifle with Warner & Swasey telescopic sight in France, May 1918

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  M1903 Springfield with 8x Unertl scope used during a vintage sniper rifle match in 2012.

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  Diagram of the .30 Springfield rifle

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  M1903

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  M1903 with 'scant' stock

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  Springfield M1903A1

See also

In Spanish: Springfield M1903 para niños