Why .308?
- Thread starter Akurn
- Start date
LeatherLungz
Well-Known Member
My only guess is that it is a standardized round that has been developed and tested by them since the late 1940s. They have untold amounts of data on established over the years.
Keep it simple, keep it standard.
Odd thing I've seen is some sniper rifles including law enforcement using a .303 British. :confused:
Keep it simple, keep it standard.
Odd thing I've seen is some sniper rifles including law enforcement using a .303 British. :confused:
cdw338
Well-Known Member
Because it works.
Leather is right.
The 7.62 was developed in the 1950s as a standard for small arms among NATO countries. The M-14 and M-60 was build for the 7.62 so they kept things simple for themselves. In combat you don't have many choices. Sniper rifles aimed at military service often deliberately sacrifice a small degree of accuracy to obtain a very high degree of durability, range, reliability, sturdiness, serviceability and repairability under adverse environmental and combat conditions.
The 7.62 was developed in the 1950s as a standard for small arms among NATO countries. The M-14 and M-60 was build for the 7.62 so they kept things simple for themselves. In combat you don't have many choices. Sniper rifles aimed at military service often deliberately sacrifice a small degree of accuracy to obtain a very high degree of durability, range, reliability, sturdiness, serviceability and repairability under adverse environmental and combat conditions.
Locksley
Well-Known Member
Wildcat said:
The 7.62 X 51 NATO was created to keep the same power and accuracy as the military standard 30/06 cartridge had in WW-II , but to enable the new cartridge to cycle as fast in a machine gun as the 8 MM Mauser did in the MG-38 and MG-42 that the Germans used in there Army. It worked as the Germans use the cartridge in there rebarrelled MG-38 and MG-42 machine guns left from the big war.
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The MG 42 (shortened from German: Maschinengewehr 42, or "machine gun 42") is a 7.92mm universal machine gun that was developed in Nazi Germany and entered service with the Wehrmacht in 1942. It supplemented and in some instances, replaced the MG 34 general purpose machine gun in all branches of the German Armed Forces, though both weapons were manufactured and used until the end of the war.[1]
The MG 42 has a proven record of reliability, durability, simplicity, and ease of operation, but is most notable for being able to produce a stunning volume of suppressive fire. The MG 42 has one of the highest average rates of fire of any single-barreled man-portable machine gun, between 1,200 and 1,500 rpm, resulting in a distinctive muzzle report. There were other automatic weapon designs with similar firepower, such as the Hungarian-Gebauer single-barreled tank MGs, the Russian 7.62mm ShKAS aircraft gun and the British Vickers K machine gun. However, the MG 42's belt-feed and quick-change barrel system allowed for more prolonged firing in comparison to these weapons.
The MG 42's lineage continued past Nazi Germany's defeat, forming the basis for the nearly identical MG1 (MG 42/59), and subsequently evolved into the MG1A3, which was in turn followed by the MG 3. It also spawned the Swiss MG 51, SIG MG 710-3, Austrian MG 74, and the Spanish 5.56mm Ameli light machine gun, and lent many design elements to the American M60 and Belgian MAG. The MG 3 served with many armies during the Cold War and remains in use to this day.
The American military tried to copy the MG42 during the war, the new version being adapted for the .30-06 cartridge. Saginaw Steering Gear constructed a working prototype designated as the T24 machine gun. However, a design flaw in the prototype and the realization that the cartridge might be too powerful for the gun's mechanism to easily cope with resulted in the discarding of the project.
The MG42, with small modifications, resulted in the MG42/59 and Rheinmetall MG3, which is the primary general purpose machine gun of the modern German army (Bundeswehr). A number of other armies around the world have adopted versions of the original, especially the MG3, and it remains in widespread service today. Its belt-feed mechanism was copied and used in the design of the M60 machine gun. The T161 beat the FG 42-derived T52 during tests in the 1950s to become the M60. The T161 used a different gas system and was easier to make than the T52, but they both used a similar belt-feed and basic configuration. The trigger mechanism of the FN MAG or MAG-58 is a virtual copy of the MG42's and the MAG-58's belt-feed is also very similar.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MG_42
Rheinmetall MG 3
The MG 3 is a German general purpose machine gun chambered for the 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge. The weapon's design is derived from the World War II era MG 42 universal machine gun that fired the 7.92x57mm Mauser round.[1]
The MG 3 was developed in the late 1950s and adopted into service with the newly formed Bundeswehr, where it continues to serve to this day as a squad support weapon and vehicle-mounted machine gun. The weapon and its derivatives have also been acquired by the armed forces of over 30 countries. Production rights to the machine gun were purchased by Italy, Spain (MG 42/59), Pakistan (MG 1A3), Greece, Iran, Sudan and Turkey.
Production of the first postwar variant of the MG 42 chambered in a standard NATO caliber (designated the MG 1) was launched in 1958 at the Rheinmetall arms factory as requested by the Bundeswehr. Shortly thereafter, the machine gun was modified, receiving a chrome-lined barrel and sights properly calibrated for the new round; this model would be named the MG 1A1 (known also as the MG 42/58).
A further development of the MG 1A1 was the MG 1A2 (MG 42/59), which had a heavier bolt (950 g, compared to 550 g), a new friction ring buffer and was adapted to use both the standard German continuous DM1 ammunition belt and the American M13 disintegrating belt. Further improvements to the weapon's muzzle device, bipod and bolt resulted in the MG1A3.
Simultaneously, wartime 7.92mm MG 42 machine guns that remained in service were converted to chamber the standard 7.62x51mm NATO round and designated MG 2.
In 1968, the MG 3 was introduced and entered production. Compared to the MG 1A3, the MG 3 features an improved feeding mechanism with a belt retaining pawl to hold the belt up to the gun when the top cover plate is lifted, an added anti-aircraft sight and a new ammunition box. The MG 3 and its variants all share a high level of parts interchangeability with the original MG 42.
The MG 3 is still used as the standard secondary weapon of most modern German armoured fighting vehicle designs (e.g. Leopard 2, PzH 2000, Marder), as a primary weapon on light/non-armored vehicles (e.g. LKW 2to, ATF Dingo) and as an infantry weapon on light bipods as well as different tripods.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rheinmetall_MG3
Section III: MACHINE GUNS AND MORTARS
13. M.G. 4211
a. General
Recently a new dual-purpose machine gun has appeared which may eventually replace the M.G. 34 in the German Army. Like the M.G. 34, it can be used on a bipod (see fig. 49) as a light machine gun, on a tripod as a heavy machine gun, as an antiaircraft machine gun (on a special tripod), and for numerous other special purposes on special mounts. Because of the wide use of stamping, welding, and riveting, this gun is far easier to manufacture and less smooth in finished appearance than the M.G. 34. It is, however, equally as serviceable as the older model, which is still the main armament of all types of German units. A new and faster method of barrel change is another outstanding characteristic of this new model. The rate of fire has been increased over that of the M.G. 34, but a certain decrease in accuracy has resulted.
http://www.lonesentry.com/manuals/germa ... e-gun.html
http://www.world.guns.ru/machine/mg33-e.htm
MG 51
The 7,5mm Maschinengewehr 1951 or Mg 51 is a General Purpose Machine Gun manufactured by W+F of Switzerland. The weapon was introduced into Swiss service when the Swiss Army initiated a competition for a new service machine gun to replace the heavy MG 11 and the light Lmg 25, adopted in 1911 and 1925 respectively. The weapon is based on the MG42 but instead made from heavier quality machined components and just slightly heavier.
The Pz Mg 51/71 is a vehicle-mounted variant for armoured vehicles like the MOWAG Eagle scout car, the Panzer 68 battle tank and the Entp Pz 65 recovery tank, while the more modern Pz Mg 87 can be found on the Pz 87 "Leopard" tank
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MG51
The M60 (formally the United States Machine Gun, Caliber 7.62 mm, M60) is a family of American general purpose machine guns firing 7.62x51mm NATO cartridges from a disintegrating belt of M13 links. There are several types of live ammunition approved for use in the M60, including ball, tracer, and armor-piercing rounds.[1]
Introduced in 1957, it has served with every branch of the U.S military and still serves with other armed forces. Its manufacture and continued upgrade for military and commercial purchase continues into the 21st century though it has been replaced or supplemented in most roles by other designs, notably the M240 in U.S service.
The M60 machine gun began development in the late 1940s as a program for a new, lighter 7.62 mm machine gun. The design included features that had been successful on earlier designs (most notably the German MG 42 and FG 42),[2] as well as improvements of its own. It was intended to replace the M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle and M1919A6 Browning machine gun in the squad automatic weapon role. It was also to replace the M1919 family in the medium machine gun role. One of the weapons tested against it during its procurement process was the FN MAG.
The U.S. Army officially adopted the M60 in 1957. It later served in the Vietnam War as a squad automatic weapon with many U.S. units. Every soldier in the rifle squad would carry an additional 200 linked rounds of ammunition for the M60, a spare barrel, or both. The up-gunned M113 armored personnel carrier ACAV added two M60 gunners beside the main .50 gun, and the Patrol Boat, River had one in addition to two 50 cal mounts.
The M60 family of weapons are capable of firing standard NATO rounds of the appropriate caliber. Most common in U.S. use are M61 Armor piercing, M62 Tracer, and M80 Ball. For training purposes, M63 Dummy and M82 Blanks are used. The new tungsten cored M993 Armor-piercing rounds may also be fired in the M60 as well, though they did not enter the inventory until after the M60 was withdrawn from service in active-duty units.
When firing blanks, the M13 or M13A1 blank-firing adaptor (BFA) is necessary in order to produce enough gas pressure to cycle the weapon with blanks. All ammunition must be fixed in a NATO standard M13 disintegrating metallic split-link belt to feed into the weapon.
The standard combat ammunition mix for the M60 consists of four ball (M80) cartridges and one tracer (M62) in belts of 100 rounds. The four to one ratio theoretically allows the gunner to accurately "walk" the fire into the enemy. Tracer bullets do not fly quite the same trajectory as ball and weapon's sights must be used for accurate fire�particularly at ranges in excess of 800 meters, where 7.62x51mm NATO tracer bullets usually burn out and are no longer visible. This is a problem for all weapons in this caliber using this tracer round.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M60_machine_gun
M14 rifle
The M14 rifle, formally the United States Rifle, Caliber 7.62 mm, M14, is an American selective fire automatic rifle firing 7.62x51mm NATO ammunition. It was the standard issue US rifle until 1970.[4] The M14 was used for US Army and Marine Corps basic and advanced individual training, and was the standard issue infantry rifle in CONUS, Europe, and South Korea, until replaced by the M16 rifle in 1970. It remains in limited front line service with the United States Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard, and remains in use as a ceremonial weapon. The M14 also provides the basis for the M21 and M25 sniper rifles. It was the last so-called "battle rifle" (a term applied to weapons firing full-power rifle ammunition) issued in quantity to U.S. troops.
Development
The M14 was developed from a long line of experimental weapons based upon the M1 Garand. Although the Garand was among the most advanced infantry rifles of the 1940s, it was not a perfect weapon. Modifications were beginning to be made to the basic M1 rifle's design since the twilight of the Second World War. Changes included adding fully automatic firing capability and replacing the 8-round "en bloc" clips with a detachable box magazine holding 20 rounds. Winchester, Remington, and Springfield Armory's own John Garand offered different conversion designs. Garand's design, the T20, was the most popular, and T20 prototypes served as the basis for a number of Springfield test rifles from 1945 through the early 1950s.
Earle Harvey of Springfield Armory designed a completely different rifle, the T25, for the new .30 Light Rifle cartridge. The latter was based upon .30-06 cartridge case cut down to the length of the .300 Savage case. The .30 Light Rifle eventually evolved into the 7.62x51mm NATO and the commercial .308 Winchester round. Although shorter than the .30-06, the 7.62x51mm NATO round retained the same power due to the use of modern propellants.[5] In the background, Lloyd Corbett was tasked with developing .30 Light Rifle conversions for the M1 rifle and later the T20 prototypes. After a series of prototype designs, the T44 surfaced. The earliest T44 prototypes used the T20 receivers rebarreled for 7.62 mm NATO, and replaced the long operating rod/piston of the M1 with the T25's shorter "gas expansion and cut-off" system. Later T44 prototypes used newly fabricated receivers shorter than either the M1 or T20; the new action's length was matched to the shorter 7.62 mm NATO cartridge instead of the longer .30-06.
Deployment
The T44 competed successfully against the T47 (a modified T25) and the FN FAL (T48). This led to the T44's adoption by the U.S. military as the M14 in 1957. Springfield Armory began tooling a new production line in 1958 and delivered the first service rifles to the U.S. Army in July 1959. However, long production delays resulted in the 101st Airborne Division being the only unit in the Army fully equipped with the M14 by the end of 1961. The Fleet Marine Force finally completed the change from M1 Garand to M14 in late 1962. Springfield Armory records reflect that M14 manufacture ended as TRW, fulfilling its second contract, delivered its final production increment in Fiscal Year 1965 (1July '64 - 30June '65). The Springfield archive also indicates the 1.38 million rifles were acquired for just over $143 million, for a unit cost of about $104
The rifle served adequately during its brief tour of duty in Vietnam.[6]. Though it was unwieldy in the thick brush due to its length and weight, the power of the 7.62 mm NATO cartridge allowed it to penetrate cover quite well and reach out to extended range, developing 2,470 ft�lbf (3,350 J) of muzzle energy. However, there were several drawbacks to the M14. The traditional wood stock of the rifle had a tendency to swell and expand in the heavy moisture of the jungle, adversely affecting accuracy. Fiberglass stocks were produced to resolve this problem, but the rifle was discontinued before very many could be distributed for field use. Also, because of the M14's powerful 7.62x51 mm cartridge, the weapon was virtually uncontrollable in fully automatic mode, so much so that most M14s were permanently set to semi-automatic fire only[7] so as to avoid useless waste of ammunition in combat.[8][9]
The M14 was developed as a means of taking the place of four different weapons systems � the M1 Garand, the M1 Carbine, the M3 "Grease Gun" and the M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR). It was thought that in this manner the M14 could simplify the logistical requirements of the troops if it took the place of four weapons. It proved to be an impossible task to replace all four, and the weapon was even deemed "completely inferior" to the World War II M1 Garand in a September 1962 report by the comptroller of the Department of Defense.[10] The cartridge was too powerful for the submachine gun role and the weapon was simply too light to serve as a light machine gun replacement for the BAR. (The M60 machine gun better served this specific task.)
The M14 remained the primary infantry weapon in Vietnam until it was replaced by the M16 in 1966�1967. Further procurement of the M14 was abruptly halted in late 1963 due to the above mentioned Department of Defense report which had also stated that the AR-15 (soon to be M16) was superior to the M14 (DOD did not cancel FY 1963 orders not yet delivered). After the report, a series of tests and reports by the United States Department of the Army followed that resulted in the decision to cancel the M14.[10] The M16 was then ordered as a replacement for the M14 by direction of Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara in 1964, over the objection of those Army officers who had backed the M14 (other factions within the Army research and development community had opposed the M14 and the 7.62x51 mm round from the start). Though production of the M14 was officially discontinued, some disgruntled troops still managed to hang on to them while deriding the M16 as a frail and underpowered "Mattel toy"[11] or "poodle shooter". In January 1968 the U.S. Army designated the M16 as the "Standard A" rifle, and the M14 became a "Limited Standard" weapon. The M14 rifle remained the standard rifle for US Army Basic Training and troops stationed in Europe until 1970.
The U.S. Army also converted several M14s into the M21 sniper rifle, which remained standard issue for this purpose until the adoption of the M24 SWS in 1988.
M14 in U.S. service since replacement by M16
An Army marksman in Fallujah, Iraq, using an M14 with a Leupold LR/T 10x40 mm M3.Although the M14 was phased out as the standard-issue rifle by 1970, M14 variants are still used by various branches of the US Military as well as other armed forces, especially as a sniper rifle and as a designated marksman rifle, due to its excellent accuracy and effectiveness at long range. Special active units such as the OPFOR units of the Joint Readiness Training Center use M14s. Few M14s were in use in the Army until the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars. Since the start of these conflicts, many M14s have been employed as designated marksman and sniper rifles. These are not M21 rifles, but original production M14s. Common modifications include scopes, fiberglass stocks, and other accessories.[12] In the mid-1990s, the USMC chose a new rifle for DM use, an M14 modified by the Precision Weapons Shop in Marine Corps Base Quantico called the Designated Marksman Rifle (DMR). It is intended for use by security teams (SRTs, FAST companies), and USMC Scout Snipers in the cases where a semi-automatic rifle would be more appropriate than the standard bolt-action M40A1/A3 rifle. The USMC Rifle Team uses the M14 in shooting competitions.
A USMC Designated Marksman Rifle (DMR) in useThe 1st Battalion of the 3rd United States Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) in the Military District of Washington is the sole remaining regular United States Army combat field unit where the M14 is still issued as the standard rifle, along with a chromed bayonet and an extra wooden stock with white sling for military funerals, parades, and other ceremonies. The United States Air Force Honor Guard uses a version of the M14 specially modified by the USAF Gunsmith that prevents semi-automatic fire; members have to manually cycle a new round by pulling on the charging handle every time they fire. The United States Navy Ceremonial Guard and Base Honor Guards also use the M14 for 3-volley salutes in military funerals. It is also the drill and parade rifle of the United States Military Academy, United States Naval Academy, United States Air Force Academy, The Citadel, Norwich University, Virginia Military Institute, and North Georgia College and State University.[13] Various sniper variants have been used by the SEALs, often mistaken with M21 in the overt literature, only one of them has received a standard name in the U.S. military designations system: the M25, developed by the Special Forces. These sniper variants have probably been replaced by the Mk 11 Mod 0, selected in 2000. SEALs also use the Mk 14 Mod 0 EBR (Enhanced Battle Rifle) for close-quarters battle and in a designated marksman role.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M14_rifle
mr.big
Well-Known Member
you can shoot it all day without havin to change bbls and it will shoot lights out,,a 308 with 175 gr bullets in the hands of a trained shooter is very lethal
I had a VSSF 308 that I wish I still had,,
thinking about gettin JW the same DPMS that Ruger got
I had a VSSF 308 that I wish I still had,,
thinking about gettin JW the same DPMS that Ruger got
Locksley
Well-Known Member
7.62 mm NATO Ammo
The first standard NATO cartridge, the 7.62 x 51mm NATO, was developed by the United States as a successor to the .30 Caliber M2 round (30-06), which had served as the standard U. S. rifle cartridge since 1906.
The standard .30 Caliber M2 cartridge propelled a 150 grain projectile at a muzzle velocity of 2,800 fps (848 mps). It served the U. S. very effectively in the 1903 Springfield and M1 Garand service rifles, the Browning automatic rifle, and the heavy and light models of the Browning machine guns.
.62mm NATO Ammunition History
Although the M1 Garand was very effective and highly praised during its service as the standard U. S. rifle in World War II and Korea, many infantrymen desired a lighter weapon with greater ammunition capacity and a select-fire capability. Many soldiers attemped to use the M1 Carbine as a replacement for the M1 Garand, but this proved unsatisfactory due to the inadequate power of the .30 Carbine ammuniton.
In September 1945, after conducting preliminary tests to improve the M1 rifle, the U. S. Ordnance Technical Committee turned its attention to the development of a new and lighter rifle cartridge that would replace the .30 Caliber M2 round. This interest in a new cartridge was influenced by the battlefield success of the German 7.9mm Kurz, and Soviet adoption of their Kalashnikov light assault rifles using the new 7.62 x 39mm Model 43 intermediate power ammunition. As the development of the new U. S. service rifle cartidge progressed, however, traditionalism took hold as U. S. Army participants began to feel that the intermediate power ammuniton, used by the Soviets and the Germans, were too limited in their effective combat ranges and power to satisfy U. S. infantry requirements. The result was a compromise. The Ordnance Technical Committee came up with a shortened version of the old .30 caliber M2 cartidge.
The new cartridge, designated the 7.62 x 51mm T65, was not an intermediate power round. Although shorter by a half inch than the old Caliber .30 M2 round, it still propelled a 147 grain bullet at a muzzle velocity of 2,800 fps (848 mps) -- essentially identical to the old .30 Caliber M2 round. Newly developed ball powder allowed the use of smaller cartridge case to produce pressures and velocities identical to the old full power .30 Caliber M2 round.
Final U. S. adoption of the new 7.62 x 51mm T65 cartridge depended upon the acceptance of the new round by members of the NATO alliance. During the early 1950's, the British conducted their own tests to determine the optimum rifle ammunition for their troops. They concluded that a .280 Caliber (7 mm) cartridge was the ideal rifle caliber. The proposed British cartridge was a true intermediate power cartridge based on German experience and Soviet developments. In 1953, after much political debate, the U. S. 7.62 x 51mm T65 round was finally adopted by the NATO Alliance as its standard rifle caliber cartidge. In 1957, after numerous trials, the U. S. finally adopted the M14 rifle as its new standard 7.62mm NATO caliber service rifle. The other members of NATO adopted either the German G3 or the Belgian FN FAL as their standard 7.62mm NATO caliber service rifles. In addition to the M14, the U.S. military M-60 machine gun used the 7.62mm round (see top photo).
7.62mm NATO Ammunition Description
Military 7.62mm ammunition is also known as .308 or 7.62x51mm for some non-miliary cartridges. The M80 or M59 Ball cartridges are intended for use against personnel and unarmored targets. 7.62-mm ammunition is percussion-primed generating chamber pressure of 50,000 psi for both the ball and the tracer. Bullet weight varies from 142 grains (.32 ounces) for the tracer to 150 grains (.34 ounces) for the Ball. Average muzzle velocity is 2,750 feet per second measured 78 feet from the muzzle. The following table summarize the ballistic data for the M59 Ball cartridge.
.62mm NATO Ammunition History
Although the M1 Garand was very effective and highly praised during its service as the standard U. S. rifle in World War II and Korea, many infantrymen desired a lighter weapon with greater ammunition capacity and a select-fire capability. Many soldiers attemped to use the M1 Carbine as a replacement for the M1 Garand, but this proved unsatisfactory due to the inadequate power of the .30 Carbine ammuniton.
In September 1945, after conducting preliminary tests to improve the M1 rifle, the U. S. Ordnance Technical Committee turned its attention to the development of a new and lighter rifle cartridge that would replace the .30 Caliber M2 round. This interest in a new cartridge was influenced by the battlefield success of the German 7.9mm Kurz, and Soviet adoption of their Kalashnikov light assault rifles using the new 7.62 x 39mm Model 43 intermediate power ammunition. As the development of the new U. S. service rifle cartidge progressed, however, traditionalism took hold as U. S. Army participants began to feel that the intermediate power ammuniton, used by the Soviets and the Germans, were too limited in their effective combat ranges and power to satisfy U. S. infantry requirements. The result was a compromise. The Ordnance Technical Committee came up with a shortened version of the old .30 caliber M2 cartidge.
The new cartridge, designated the 7.62 x 51mm T65, was not an intermediate power round. Although shorter by a half inch than the old Caliber .30 M2 round, it still propelled a 147 grain bullet at a muzzle velocity of 2,800 fps (848 mps) -- essentially identical to the old .30 Caliber M2 round. Newly developed ball powder allowed the use of smaller cartridge case to produce pressures and velocities identical to the old full power .30 Caliber M2 round.
Final U. S. adoption of the new 7.62 x 51mm T65 cartridge depended upon the acceptance of the new round by members of the NATO alliance. During the early 1950's, the British conducted their own tests to determine the optimum rifle ammunition for their troops. They concluded that a .280 Caliber (7 mm) cartridge was the ideal rifle caliber. The proposed British cartridge was a true intermediate power cartridge based on German experience and Soviet developments. In 1953, after much political debate, the U. S. 7.62 x 51mm T65 round was finally adopted by the NATO Alliance as its standard rifle caliber cartidge. In 1957, after numerous trials, the U. S. finally adopted the M14 rifle as its new standard 7.62mm NATO caliber service rifle. The other members of NATO adopted either the German G3 or the Belgian FN FAL as their standard 7.62mm NATO caliber service rifles. In addition to the M14, the U.S. military M-60 machine gun used the 7.62mm round (see top photo).
7.62mm NATO Ammunition Description
Military 7.62mm ammunition is also known as .308 or 7.62x51mm for some non-miliary cartridges. The M80 or M59 Ball cartridges are intended for use against personnel and unarmored targets. 7.62-mm ammunition is percussion-primed generating chamber pressure of 50,000 psi for both the ball and the tracer. Bullet weight varies from 142 grains (.32 ounces) for the tracer to 150 grains (.34 ounces) for the Ball. Average muzzle velocity is 2,750 feet per second measured 78 feet from the muzzle. The following table summarize the ballistic data for the M59 Ball cartridge.
7.62mm Cartridges Packaging
Cartridges for M-14 rifle use are inserted into five round stripper clips. Two stripper clips (10 rounds) are inserted into a cardboard tip-protector sleeve. Six sleeves are packed into each cloth bandoleer, a total of 60 rounds. Each bandoleer is also packed with a metal stripper clip guide, which helps speed load M-14 magazines.
7.62mm ammunition for use in machine guns is issued in metallic link belts using the M13 link. The standard ammunition mix for machine gun use (M-60) is four ball (M80) cartridges followed by one tracer (M62). The M13s have partially open loops with a positioning prong on one side that snaps into the extractor grooves of the cartridge to set the proper feed alignment. In operation, part of the bolt rides through the open loop of the link to force the cartridge out of the link and into the chamber for firing.
Standard ammunition cans are used to hold belts or bandoleers of 7.62mm ammunition, usually the .30 Cal. M19 / M19A1 Ammo Box.
http://www.olive-drab.com/od_firearms_ammo_762mm.php
.30-06 Military Ammo
The .30-06 cartridge was created for the M-1903 Springfield rifle, a decade before World War I. For the next six or seven decades, the same cartridge became the most widely used rifle and light machine gun ammunition, staying in service well into the 1970s.
.30-06 Military Cartridge History
Development of the .30-06 cartridge was motivated by the development of the pointed nose spritzer 7 x 57mm and 8 x 57mm Mauser cartridges by the Imperial German Army, a breakthrough in ballistic technology. When issued for the M-1903 Springfield rifle in 1906 the .30-06 was known as "Ball Cartridge, caliber .30, Model of 1906", replacing a short-lived, round-nosed ".30-03" cartridge originally intended for the Springfield rifle. The then-new spitzer technology (ie, the ability to make a pointed nose bullet) had obsoleted the ".30-03" design.
The versitile .30-06 cartridge was used during World War I not only for the M-1903 Springfield, but also for the .30 cal machine guns, the BAR, and for the .30 cal M-1917 Enfield. In 1940, when the M-1 Garand replaced the Springfield as the service rifle, the .30-06 continued to be the ammunition for the Garand as well as for the many models of light and medium machine guns. Machine gun usage included not only infantry weapons, but also models adapted for aircraft, for armored vehicles and naval vessels. Finally, in 1954 the .30-06 cartridge was officially replaced by the 7.62mm cartridge as the M-14 began to be phased in as the new service rifle. The .30-06 continued in service for machine guns and for the many .30 cal rifles that remained in use for snipers, ceremonial duties, and other uses well into the 1970s. Of course the .30-06 continues a strong presence in the civilian market.
Surplus .30-06 ammunition was plentiful in the U.S. market during the 1950s and 1960s, often packed in Garand clips still in their cloth bandoleers or even in Springfield stripper clips. Ball, armor piercing and tracer ammo was easy to find at very low prices -- some is still on the market in the 21st century. Note that ammunition loaded before 1950 or so has corrosive primers and careful cleaning of your weapon after firing is essential. U.S. military ammunition loaded after 1952 generally has non-corrosive primers except for some batches of Frankford Arsenal Match ammunition which may still use the old corrosive primers.
Ordnancemen loading belted .30-06 cartridges into SBD-3 at Naval Air Station, Norfolk, VA, September 1942.
.30-06 Military Cartridge Charactaristics
As issued in 1906 the rimless cartridge held a 150-grain spitzer, flat-base cupronickel jacketed bullet with 2700 fps muzzle velocity. In 1926, to improve machine gun effective range, the bullet was replaced by a 172-grain 9-degree boattail design with the same 2700 fps at the muzzle, designated the "Ball, caliber 30, M1." The velocity was reduced for a time to 2640 fps, but in 1938, as the gas-operated Garand came into service, the specs returned to the flat-base 150-grain loading, called the "Ball, caliber 30, M2" round. It was the M2 that accounted for most of the ammunition expended in World War II.
.30-06 Military Cartridge Nomenclature and Markings
The correct name for the most common military .30-06 cartridge is the "Ball, caliber 30, M2". This is the "regular" rifle round. However, there were many loads made for various military purposes, usually identifed by colored markings on the bullet tips. Here is a partial list of some of the more common ones:
http://www.olive-drab.com/od_firearms_ammo_30-06.php
M1903 Springfield Rifle
The U.S. Model 1903 and 1903A3 Springfield rifles are the greatest of all U.S. military issue bolt action rifles. The Springfield was originally fielded in the first decade of the 20th century and continues to be used today as ceremonial rifles.
M1903 Springfield Rifle History
During the Spanish-American War of 1898, it was recognized that the Spanish Mauser, Model of 1893, exhibited characteristics superior to the "trapdoor" Springfield and Krag rifles carried by the United States troops. The Mauser was superior from the standpoint of rapidity of loading and the ammunition it fired.
On August 15, 1900, Springfield Armory completed an experimental magazine rifle which they believed to be an improvement over the Krag. They fashioned a clip loading magazine rifle in which the cartridges were contained within the stock, preventing damage to an otherwise exposed magazine. The M1903 Springfield was the first US Army rifle to use stripper clips, which held five rounds together for easy loading. The full story on the .30-06 cartridge, developed for the Springfield but which became the Army's standard round for many firearms, is on the linked Olive-Drab.com page.
Rifle production was suspended in January 1905, after the Secretary of War received a letter from President Theodore Roosevelt criticizing the rod bayonet as being too delicate for combat. Subsequently the rod bayonet was abandoned in favor of the "Model 1905 Knife Bayonet."
By the time the United States entered World War I, approximately 843,239 standard service Model 1903 rifles had been manufactured. However this was insufficient to arm U.S.troops for an undertaking of the magnitude of World War I. During WW I, Springfield Armory produced over 265,620 Model 1903 rifles but the primary rifle of that war was the M1917 Enfield. During World War II, Remington Arms and Smith-Corona produced M1903 rifles. Production improvements for the war were recognized by a change in the rifle designation to M1903A3. Many milled parts were replaced by stampings and a less expensive stock was substituted. The rear sight was moved from the barrel to the receiver and changed to a peep sight (see photo above).
National Match and Sniper Use of the M1903 Springfield Rifle
During the 1920s and 1930s, the .30-caliber M1903 Springfield rifle served as the principle military service match rifle. In 1908, the M1903 became the official National Match (NM) rifle. By 1910, select rifles were test-fired and their barrels star-gauged for accuracy. In 1929, the NM rifle was modified with a Type-C stock in place of the non-pistol grip Type-S or "straight stock." In this new form, the NM rifle was designated as the M1903A1 National Match.
There are two models of the M1903 Springfield that were specially developed for use by combat snipers, each with its own Olive-Drab page:
�USMC Model 1941 Sniper Rifle
�M1903A4 Springfield
Replacement of the M1903 Springfield Rifle
Officially, the M1903 was rendered obsolete upon adoption of the M1 Garand in 1936. However, US Army expansion for World War II outstripped production so the Springfield remained in service. In the Pacific Theater, it was used to equip the Marine Corps as they waited for M1's. In the Army, one per Rifle Squad was standard for antitank grenade use. The sniper version of the Springfield performed extremely well and consequently had long service, used even in Vietnam. Other Springfields remained in other roles including, up to the present, as a ceremonial rifle.
M1903 Springfield Rifle Bayonets
The M1903 Springfield originally had a rod bayonet, replaced by the M-1905 bayonet in 1905. Later some Springfields used the shorter M-1 bayonet, designed for the M-1 Garand but which will fit the Springfield.
http://www.olive-drab.com/od_other_fire ... m1903.php3
The first standard NATO cartridge, the 7.62 x 51mm NATO, was developed by the United States as a successor to the .30 Caliber M2 round (30-06), which had served as the standard U. S. rifle cartridge since 1906.
The standard .30 Caliber M2 cartridge propelled a 150 grain projectile at a muzzle velocity of 2,800 fps (848 mps). It served the U. S. very effectively in the 1903 Springfield and M1 Garand service rifles, the Browning automatic rifle, and the heavy and light models of the Browning machine guns.
.62mm NATO Ammunition History
Although the M1 Garand was very effective and highly praised during its service as the standard U. S. rifle in World War II and Korea, many infantrymen desired a lighter weapon with greater ammunition capacity and a select-fire capability. Many soldiers attemped to use the M1 Carbine as a replacement for the M1 Garand, but this proved unsatisfactory due to the inadequate power of the .30 Carbine ammuniton.
In September 1945, after conducting preliminary tests to improve the M1 rifle, the U. S. Ordnance Technical Committee turned its attention to the development of a new and lighter rifle cartridge that would replace the .30 Caliber M2 round. This interest in a new cartridge was influenced by the battlefield success of the German 7.9mm Kurz, and Soviet adoption of their Kalashnikov light assault rifles using the new 7.62 x 39mm Model 43 intermediate power ammunition. As the development of the new U. S. service rifle cartidge progressed, however, traditionalism took hold as U. S. Army participants began to feel that the intermediate power ammuniton, used by the Soviets and the Germans, were too limited in their effective combat ranges and power to satisfy U. S. infantry requirements. The result was a compromise. The Ordnance Technical Committee came up with a shortened version of the old .30 caliber M2 cartidge.
The new cartridge, designated the 7.62 x 51mm T65, was not an intermediate power round. Although shorter by a half inch than the old Caliber .30 M2 round, it still propelled a 147 grain bullet at a muzzle velocity of 2,800 fps (848 mps) -- essentially identical to the old .30 Caliber M2 round. Newly developed ball powder allowed the use of smaller cartridge case to produce pressures and velocities identical to the old full power .30 Caliber M2 round.
Final U. S. adoption of the new 7.62 x 51mm T65 cartridge depended upon the acceptance of the new round by members of the NATO alliance. During the early 1950's, the British conducted their own tests to determine the optimum rifle ammunition for their troops. They concluded that a .280 Caliber (7 mm) cartridge was the ideal rifle caliber. The proposed British cartridge was a true intermediate power cartridge based on German experience and Soviet developments. In 1953, after much political debate, the U. S. 7.62 x 51mm T65 round was finally adopted by the NATO Alliance as its standard rifle caliber cartidge. In 1957, after numerous trials, the U. S. finally adopted the M14 rifle as its new standard 7.62mm NATO caliber service rifle. The other members of NATO adopted either the German G3 or the Belgian FN FAL as their standard 7.62mm NATO caliber service rifles. In addition to the M14, the U.S. military M-60 machine gun used the 7.62mm round (see top photo).
7.62mm NATO Ammunition Description
Military 7.62mm ammunition is also known as .308 or 7.62x51mm for some non-miliary cartridges. The M80 or M59 Ball cartridges are intended for use against personnel and unarmored targets. 7.62-mm ammunition is percussion-primed generating chamber pressure of 50,000 psi for both the ball and the tracer. Bullet weight varies from 142 grains (.32 ounces) for the tracer to 150 grains (.34 ounces) for the Ball. Average muzzle velocity is 2,750 feet per second measured 78 feet from the muzzle. The following table summarize the ballistic data for the M59 Ball cartridge.
.62mm NATO Ammunition History
Although the M1 Garand was very effective and highly praised during its service as the standard U. S. rifle in World War II and Korea, many infantrymen desired a lighter weapon with greater ammunition capacity and a select-fire capability. Many soldiers attemped to use the M1 Carbine as a replacement for the M1 Garand, but this proved unsatisfactory due to the inadequate power of the .30 Carbine ammuniton.
In September 1945, after conducting preliminary tests to improve the M1 rifle, the U. S. Ordnance Technical Committee turned its attention to the development of a new and lighter rifle cartridge that would replace the .30 Caliber M2 round. This interest in a new cartridge was influenced by the battlefield success of the German 7.9mm Kurz, and Soviet adoption of their Kalashnikov light assault rifles using the new 7.62 x 39mm Model 43 intermediate power ammunition. As the development of the new U. S. service rifle cartidge progressed, however, traditionalism took hold as U. S. Army participants began to feel that the intermediate power ammuniton, used by the Soviets and the Germans, were too limited in their effective combat ranges and power to satisfy U. S. infantry requirements. The result was a compromise. The Ordnance Technical Committee came up with a shortened version of the old .30 caliber M2 cartidge.
The new cartridge, designated the 7.62 x 51mm T65, was not an intermediate power round. Although shorter by a half inch than the old Caliber .30 M2 round, it still propelled a 147 grain bullet at a muzzle velocity of 2,800 fps (848 mps) -- essentially identical to the old .30 Caliber M2 round. Newly developed ball powder allowed the use of smaller cartridge case to produce pressures and velocities identical to the old full power .30 Caliber M2 round.
Final U. S. adoption of the new 7.62 x 51mm T65 cartridge depended upon the acceptance of the new round by members of the NATO alliance. During the early 1950's, the British conducted their own tests to determine the optimum rifle ammunition for their troops. They concluded that a .280 Caliber (7 mm) cartridge was the ideal rifle caliber. The proposed British cartridge was a true intermediate power cartridge based on German experience and Soviet developments. In 1953, after much political debate, the U. S. 7.62 x 51mm T65 round was finally adopted by the NATO Alliance as its standard rifle caliber cartidge. In 1957, after numerous trials, the U. S. finally adopted the M14 rifle as its new standard 7.62mm NATO caliber service rifle. The other members of NATO adopted either the German G3 or the Belgian FN FAL as their standard 7.62mm NATO caliber service rifles. In addition to the M14, the U.S. military M-60 machine gun used the 7.62mm round (see top photo).
7.62mm NATO Ammunition Description
Military 7.62mm ammunition is also known as .308 or 7.62x51mm for some non-miliary cartridges. The M80 or M59 Ball cartridges are intended for use against personnel and unarmored targets. 7.62-mm ammunition is percussion-primed generating chamber pressure of 50,000 psi for both the ball and the tracer. Bullet weight varies from 142 grains (.32 ounces) for the tracer to 150 grains (.34 ounces) for the Ball. Average muzzle velocity is 2,750 feet per second measured 78 feet from the muzzle. The following table summarize the ballistic data for the M59 Ball cartridge.
7.62mm Cartridges Packaging
Cartridges for M-14 rifle use are inserted into five round stripper clips. Two stripper clips (10 rounds) are inserted into a cardboard tip-protector sleeve. Six sleeves are packed into each cloth bandoleer, a total of 60 rounds. Each bandoleer is also packed with a metal stripper clip guide, which helps speed load M-14 magazines.
7.62mm ammunition for use in machine guns is issued in metallic link belts using the M13 link. The standard ammunition mix for machine gun use (M-60) is four ball (M80) cartridges followed by one tracer (M62). The M13s have partially open loops with a positioning prong on one side that snaps into the extractor grooves of the cartridge to set the proper feed alignment. In operation, part of the bolt rides through the open loop of the link to force the cartridge out of the link and into the chamber for firing.
Standard ammunition cans are used to hold belts or bandoleers of 7.62mm ammunition, usually the .30 Cal. M19 / M19A1 Ammo Box.
http://www.olive-drab.com/od_firearms_ammo_762mm.php
.30-06 Military Ammo
The .30-06 cartridge was created for the M-1903 Springfield rifle, a decade before World War I. For the next six or seven decades, the same cartridge became the most widely used rifle and light machine gun ammunition, staying in service well into the 1970s.
.30-06 Military Cartridge History
Development of the .30-06 cartridge was motivated by the development of the pointed nose spritzer 7 x 57mm and 8 x 57mm Mauser cartridges by the Imperial German Army, a breakthrough in ballistic technology. When issued for the M-1903 Springfield rifle in 1906 the .30-06 was known as "Ball Cartridge, caliber .30, Model of 1906", replacing a short-lived, round-nosed ".30-03" cartridge originally intended for the Springfield rifle. The then-new spitzer technology (ie, the ability to make a pointed nose bullet) had obsoleted the ".30-03" design.
The versitile .30-06 cartridge was used during World War I not only for the M-1903 Springfield, but also for the .30 cal machine guns, the BAR, and for the .30 cal M-1917 Enfield. In 1940, when the M-1 Garand replaced the Springfield as the service rifle, the .30-06 continued to be the ammunition for the Garand as well as for the many models of light and medium machine guns. Machine gun usage included not only infantry weapons, but also models adapted for aircraft, for armored vehicles and naval vessels. Finally, in 1954 the .30-06 cartridge was officially replaced by the 7.62mm cartridge as the M-14 began to be phased in as the new service rifle. The .30-06 continued in service for machine guns and for the many .30 cal rifles that remained in use for snipers, ceremonial duties, and other uses well into the 1970s. Of course the .30-06 continues a strong presence in the civilian market.
Surplus .30-06 ammunition was plentiful in the U.S. market during the 1950s and 1960s, often packed in Garand clips still in their cloth bandoleers or even in Springfield stripper clips. Ball, armor piercing and tracer ammo was easy to find at very low prices -- some is still on the market in the 21st century. Note that ammunition loaded before 1950 or so has corrosive primers and careful cleaning of your weapon after firing is essential. U.S. military ammunition loaded after 1952 generally has non-corrosive primers except for some batches of Frankford Arsenal Match ammunition which may still use the old corrosive primers.
Ordnancemen loading belted .30-06 cartridges into SBD-3 at Naval Air Station, Norfolk, VA, September 1942.
.30-06 Military Cartridge Charactaristics
As issued in 1906 the rimless cartridge held a 150-grain spitzer, flat-base cupronickel jacketed bullet with 2700 fps muzzle velocity. In 1926, to improve machine gun effective range, the bullet was replaced by a 172-grain 9-degree boattail design with the same 2700 fps at the muzzle, designated the "Ball, caliber 30, M1." The velocity was reduced for a time to 2640 fps, but in 1938, as the gas-operated Garand came into service, the specs returned to the flat-base 150-grain loading, called the "Ball, caliber 30, M2" round. It was the M2 that accounted for most of the ammunition expended in World War II.
.30-06 Military Cartridge Nomenclature and Markings
The correct name for the most common military .30-06 cartridge is the "Ball, caliber 30, M2". This is the "regular" rifle round. However, there were many loads made for various military purposes, usually identifed by colored markings on the bullet tips. Here is a partial list of some of the more common ones:
http://www.olive-drab.com/od_firearms_ammo_30-06.php
M1903 Springfield Rifle
The U.S. Model 1903 and 1903A3 Springfield rifles are the greatest of all U.S. military issue bolt action rifles. The Springfield was originally fielded in the first decade of the 20th century and continues to be used today as ceremonial rifles.
M1903 Springfield Rifle History
During the Spanish-American War of 1898, it was recognized that the Spanish Mauser, Model of 1893, exhibited characteristics superior to the "trapdoor" Springfield and Krag rifles carried by the United States troops. The Mauser was superior from the standpoint of rapidity of loading and the ammunition it fired.
On August 15, 1900, Springfield Armory completed an experimental magazine rifle which they believed to be an improvement over the Krag. They fashioned a clip loading magazine rifle in which the cartridges were contained within the stock, preventing damage to an otherwise exposed magazine. The M1903 Springfield was the first US Army rifle to use stripper clips, which held five rounds together for easy loading. The full story on the .30-06 cartridge, developed for the Springfield but which became the Army's standard round for many firearms, is on the linked Olive-Drab.com page.
Rifle production was suspended in January 1905, after the Secretary of War received a letter from President Theodore Roosevelt criticizing the rod bayonet as being too delicate for combat. Subsequently the rod bayonet was abandoned in favor of the "Model 1905 Knife Bayonet."
By the time the United States entered World War I, approximately 843,239 standard service Model 1903 rifles had been manufactured. However this was insufficient to arm U.S.troops for an undertaking of the magnitude of World War I. During WW I, Springfield Armory produced over 265,620 Model 1903 rifles but the primary rifle of that war was the M1917 Enfield. During World War II, Remington Arms and Smith-Corona produced M1903 rifles. Production improvements for the war were recognized by a change in the rifle designation to M1903A3. Many milled parts were replaced by stampings and a less expensive stock was substituted. The rear sight was moved from the barrel to the receiver and changed to a peep sight (see photo above).
National Match and Sniper Use of the M1903 Springfield Rifle
During the 1920s and 1930s, the .30-caliber M1903 Springfield rifle served as the principle military service match rifle. In 1908, the M1903 became the official National Match (NM) rifle. By 1910, select rifles were test-fired and their barrels star-gauged for accuracy. In 1929, the NM rifle was modified with a Type-C stock in place of the non-pistol grip Type-S or "straight stock." In this new form, the NM rifle was designated as the M1903A1 National Match.
There are two models of the M1903 Springfield that were specially developed for use by combat snipers, each with its own Olive-Drab page:
�USMC Model 1941 Sniper Rifle
�M1903A4 Springfield
Replacement of the M1903 Springfield Rifle
Officially, the M1903 was rendered obsolete upon adoption of the M1 Garand in 1936. However, US Army expansion for World War II outstripped production so the Springfield remained in service. In the Pacific Theater, it was used to equip the Marine Corps as they waited for M1's. In the Army, one per Rifle Squad was standard for antitank grenade use. The sniper version of the Springfield performed extremely well and consequently had long service, used even in Vietnam. Other Springfields remained in other roles including, up to the present, as a ceremonial rifle.
M1903 Springfield Rifle Bayonets
The M1903 Springfield originally had a rod bayonet, replaced by the M-1905 bayonet in 1905. Later some Springfields used the shorter M-1 bayonet, designed for the M-1 Garand but which will fit the Springfield.
http://www.olive-drab.com/od_other_fire ... m1903.php3
Locksley
Well-Known Member
USMC Model 1941 Sniper Rifle
The USMC had their own sniper rifle based on the Springfield, in addition to the M1903A4 Springfield Rifle for snipers adopted by the Army. Building on successful experience with modified M1903 Springfields dating back to World War I, in November 1943 the USMC adopted an M1903-A1 mounted with the Unertl 8x telescopic sight for sniper use. The scope was marked "USMC SNIPER" and serialized from 1000 to 2775. The scope came with a Micarta carrying case.
USMC Model 1941 Sniper Rifle
The origin of the USMC Model 1941 Sniper Rifle was in 1929, when the Springfield National Match rifle was modified with a Type-C stock in place of the non-pistol grip Type-S "straight stock." In this new form, the NM rifle was designated as the M1903A1 National Match. In 1942, the Marine Corps chose the military version 8X Unertl telescopic target sight for use on the Springfield M1903A1 NM rifle, creating the "USMC Model 1941 Sniper Rifle." The rifle was issued to Marine Snipers on Bougainville and was used extensively and successfully by the Marines in the Pacific Theater of World War II as well as in Korea.
Selection of M1903A1 NM Rifles for the Marine Corps
Marine Corps selection of M1903A1 NM rifles for sniper use was made after test-firing. Most had star-gauged barrels but ordinary barrels were used if they performed well. After Unertl scope blocks were installed, trigger pulls were adjusted and the latest pattern components installed. These included parts received from the Springfield Armory that were then reworked by Marine armorers. There was no correlation between serial numbers and barrel dates.
Bolts were carefully fitted and electro-pen engraved with the rifle serial number, then blued. There is no conclusive evidence that suggests that all bolts were blued. Bright NM bolts have been observed on M1903A1 sniper rifles.
The hand guards were modified to fit the small front scope block. Once a M1903A1/Unertl rifle had undergone the prescribed modifications by a Marine armorer, the rifle earned the right to be called a "Model 1941 Sniper Rifle." Some Marine Corps armorers adopted signature methods that included chalking or pencil-marking initials and rifle serial numbers inside the hand guards and stamping their initials on the stock.
USMC Model 1941 Sniper Rifle Characteristics
This section compiled by Larry Reynolds as presented in USMC publication, "History of the M1903A1 Rifle" by Dieter Stenger, Curator of Ordnance. The USMC Model 1941 Sniper Rifle characteristics cited are:
http://www.olive-drab.com/od_other_fire ... 41usmc.php
M1903A4 Sniper Rifle
The Springfield U.S. Rifle, Cal. .30, M1903A4 (Sniper's) was developed in 1942, based on the accurate bolt-action Springfield M1903 rifle with an effective range of 600 yards (550m).
The Springfield Model M1904A4 sniper rifle was a modified M1903A3 Springfield rifle specifically designed for use as by snipers. The M1903A4 was used during World War II, playing a part in the Normandy invasion in June 1944, until it was replaced by the M1C and M1D model Garands. The M1904A4 was also used in Korea and to a very limited extent during the early years of the Vietnam war. It was replaced by the Remington 700/M21 Sniper Rifle.
The sniper rifle was made standard on 14 January 1943. According to Springfield Armory records, on 18 January 1943 Remington Arms was directed to divert from production 20,000 M1903A3 rifles for conversion to the U.S. Rifle M1903A4. Rifles #3407088-3427087 from the first "block" of numbers were diverted, and the first "03-A3" converted was delivered in February 1943.
On 20 June 1943 an additional 8,365 M1909A4 rifles were ordered. The number block for these rifles and possible future orders was 4922001-5784000. After this block had been used to 4997045, the receiver marking was changed to "03-A4" and a new series of numbers begun with Z4000000. In March 1944, with receiver Z4002290, production of the M1903A4 was ended with a total of 29,964 M-1903A4 rifles produced.
Depending on the date of manufacture, some of the M1903A4 rifles had stocks with straight grips while some were equipped with A1 type stocks with semi-pistol grips (called C-stocks). Markings on the A4 receiver confusingly said "MODEL 03-A3" but were moved so they are not covered by the scope mount.
The scope was mounted directly over the receiver magazine loading area, so the stripper clips cannot be used to fill the magazine. Cartridges had to be fed in one at a time.
The Field Manual for all the M1903 Springfield rifles is FM 23-10 and the Technical Manual is TM 9-270, 28 September 1943, or the later TM 9-1270 dated 20 January 1944 that covered all the M1903s. Interestingly, manuals continued to be produced as late as the "TM 9-1005-205-12 Operator�s and Organizational Maintenance including Repair parts and Special Tools list. Rifle, Caliber .30, M1903A4 (Sniper�s)" dated December 1970.
http://www.olive-drab.com/od_other_fire ... 1903a4.php
M1C and M1D Garand Sniper Rifles
The M1C and M1D .30 cal. Sniper Rifles were specially adapted for sniper use from the M1 Garand service rifle. The M1C and M1D sniper rifles served the U.S. Army and Marine Corps from late in WW II through the mid-1960s.
M1C and M1D Sniper Rifles
The M1C and M1D Sniper Rifles were the sniper version of the semi-automatic "US Rifle, Cal. .30, M1", or M1 Garand, the standard U.S. service rifle in World War II. The formal nomenclature was U.S. Rifle, .30 Cal., M1C (Sniper's) and M1D (Sniper's).
The M1 Garand became the standard U.S. service rifle in 1936, but the former standard M1903 Springfield continued in use. The M1903A4 model Springfield was a bolt action sniper rifle that remained in use for years due to its superior performance.
The U.S. rifle M1C or M1D (Sniper's) is the standard U.S. rifle M1 with telescope M81, M82, or M84 mounted on the receiver and a cheek pad laced to the stock. The cone shaped flash hider M2 or prong flash hider T37 is furnished as an accessory with the M1C and M1D models. The 1952 Marine version of the M1C had a different scope and flash hider.
The M1C and M1D sniper versions of the M1 Garand were standardized in 1944. The M1C was used late in World War II and was the main sniper weapon for the U.S. Army in Korea. Few M1D models were produced before the end of World War II. Many standard M1s were converted to M1D during the Korean War, but few made it to that war. During the early years of the Vietnam War, the M1D was the official U.S. Army sniper rifle until it was replaced in the mid-1960s by the M-21 7.62mm Sniper Rifle.
M1C and M1D Sniper Rifles Development History
The demand for sniper rifles for Army infantry units led to tests of versions of the M1 equipped for the job. In June 1944, the test version M1E7, equipped with the M81 telescope, was standardized as U.S. Rifle, Caliber .30, M1C (Sniper's). A second version, using the M82 scope and designated M1E8 in testing, was adopted a few months later in September 1944, standardized as U.S. Rifle, Caliber .30, M1D (Sniper's). The M1C and M1D were different only in the telescope mounting system, as can be seen in the images above. The M1C scope mount required drilling and tapping of the reciever for the mounting screws, a process that had to be done in a shop.
The last design, the M1D with M84 scope, could be assembled without machine tools, a job that could be done in the field by a division armorer. The M1D barrel is fitted with a mounting block at the factory which serves as the base for the scope mount which is attached by a large knurled knob. This improved design was the main reason why the M1D eventually predominated, remaining in service through the 1970s.
The cheek pad is a leather cover with a pocket containing three felt inserts. It is laced together and attached to the stock with two screws, forming a cheek rest. It can be adjusted to the individual comfort of the sniper.
The technical manual is TM9-1275, "U.S. Rifles, Cal. .30 - M1, M1C (Sniper's) and M1D (Sniper's)" widely available on the Internet.
M1C Sniper Rifle 1952 USMC Version
Early in World War II, the Marine Corps adopted the USMC Model 1941 Sniper Rifle based on the M1903A1 with Unertl scope. The performance of the Model 1941 was excellent except for problems with the Unertl in humid climates such as the Pacific Theater. Basic satisfaction with the performance of that rifle and a shortage of the M1C, kept the Model 1941 in use during World War II and the early days of the Korean War.
Initially the USMC used M1C rifles transferred from the Army in Korea. In 1952, the Marines replaced the Model 1941 with modified M1C rifles mounting a Stith-Kollmorgen telescopic sight. That rifle was called the "USMC 1952" or "MC-52", although collectors sometimes incorrectly call it MC-1, a designation which properly refers only to the scope and mount.
The USMC 1952 sniper rifle was produced by Springfield Armory. Standard M1C rifles were each given a barrel, a Griffin & Howe mount, and the Kollmorgen scope. A bell shaped flash hider, different from the Army M2 flash hider, was produced to the USMC design for these rifles. Few if any of the USMC 1952 rifles made it to Korea before the armistice ending the conflict on 27 July 1953.
In 1966, during the Vietnam War, the USMC 1952 sniper rifle was replaced by the M40 sniper rifle, based on the Remington Model 700 bolt action rifle.
M-21 7.62mm Sniper Rifle
The M21 Sniper Rifle, based on the M14 rifle, was the primary Army sniper rifle of the Vietnam War and remained standard until replaced by the bolt-action M24 Sniper Weapon System beginning in 1988.
M-21 7.62mm Sniper Rifle
The M21 Sniper Rifle, based on the M14 rifle, was the primary Army sniper rifle of the Vietnam War and remained standard until replaced by the bolt-action M24 Sniper Weapon System beginning in 1988.
6th Battalion, 31st Infantry Sniper, identified as Sgt. Waldron, with M21 Sniper Rifle, Vietnam, 1969. Sergeant Adelbert F. Waldron, III had 109 confirmed kills to his credit, including a 900 meter kill of a Viet Cong sniper from a moving Riverine Boat on the Mekong River. Weapon is M-21 7.62mm Sniper Rifle.
More photos of the M-21 7.62mm Rifle are available at the linked page.
M21 7.62mm Sniper Rifle
The Rifle, 7.62mm, Sniper, M21 began as a the prototype XM21, developed jointly by the Army Weapons Command (Rock Island, IL), Combat Development Command (Ft. Benning, GA), and the Limited Warfare Agency (Aberdeen, MD). The XM21 was an accurized M14 National Match (NM) semi-automatic rifle equipped with a Leatherwood 3X-9X Adjustable Ranging Telescope (ART).
The Rock Island Arsenal converted 1,435 M14NM rifles to XM21 sniper rifles for initial fielding to Vietnam in 1969. The rifle originally had a hardwood stock, walnut impregnated with an epoxy, which was later replaced with a fiberglass stock. The XM21 was officially type classified M21 in 1975, though it had been informally called the M21 since December 1969. It was the primary Army sniper rifle of the Vietnam war and remained standard until formally replaced by the bolt-action M24 Sniper Weapon System beginning in 1988. The M21 remained in use in the Army and other services long after the introduction of the M24 (photo below).
Rifle, 7.62mm, Sniper, M21 in use in Afghanistan, 10 March 2004. Sniper is positioned on top of a HMMWV mounted Avenger Air Defense System. Thanks to Bob Pettit for discovering this U.S. Army photo.
The M21 was accurate to 750 yards (690m) due to hand-made improvements over the standard M14. The changes and upgrades included:
�The barrel was gauged and selected to ensure correct specification tolerances. The bore was not chromium plated.
�The receiver was individually custom fitted to the stock with a fiberglass compound.
�The firing mechanism was reworked and polished to provide for a crisp hammer release. Trigger weight was between 4.5 to 4.75 pounds.
�The suppressor was fitted and reamed to improve accuracy and eliminate any misalignment.
�The gas cylinder and piston were reworked and polished to improve operation and to reduce carbon buildup.
�The gas cylinder and lower band were permanently attached to each other.
�Other parts were carefully selected, fitted, and assembled.
The M21 is described in TM 9-1005-223-10 and other manuals for the M14 rifle, as well as in Appendix B of FM 23-10 "Sniper Training".
M21 Sniper Rifle Ammunition
The M21 Sniper Rifle used U.S. match grade M118 NATO 7.62mm cartridges, in five-round or 20-round magazines. The M21 can fire long-range ball, ball/tracer and armor piercing (AP) ammunition. Long-range ammunition is produced to stringent tolerances to ensure superior accuracy. AP ammunition enables snipers to penetrate hard cover, such as urban terrain and light armor. The AP (black tip) round can penetrate 20mm of hardened steel at 100 meters.
The long-range ball ammunition uses the M118 bullet, a special 173 grain boat-tailed ball bullet consisting of a lead slug with a gilding metal jacket. The tip of the bullet is not colored. The base of the cartridge is stamped with the year of manufacture and a circle that has vertical and horizontal lines, sectioning it into quarters. Its spread for a 10-shot group is no more than 12 inches at 550 meters (fired from an accuracy barrel in a test cradle).
M21 Sniper Rifle Scopes and Optics
The M21 sniper weapon system is equipped with National Match rear sights, normally replaced by the telescope.
The M21 Sniper Rifle was equipped with a Leatherwood 3X-9X Adjustable Ranging Telescope (ART). The ART telescope featured adjustable ranging between 300m and 900m. This adjustable ranging feature removed much of the guesswork from aiming at the target. The ART was ballistically matched with U.S. M118 NATO ammunition.
The ART is based on a commercially procured telescopic scopesight, modified for use with the sniper rifle. This scope has a modified reticle with a ballistic earn mounted to the power adjustment ring on the ART I. The ART II has a separate ballistic cam and power ring. The ART is mounted on a spring-loaded base mount that is adapted to fit the M21.
Recommended Books about Sniper Rifles
�Ultimate Sniper : An Advanced Training Manual For Military And Police Snipers
�FM 23-10: Sniper Training
Find More Information on the Web
There are many fine websites that have additional information on this topic, too many to list here and too many to keep up with as they come and go. Use this Google web search form to get an up to date report of what's out there.
For good results, try entering this: m21 sniper. Then click the Search button.
http://www.olive-drab.com/od_other_fire ... le_m21.php
M-14 7.62mm Rifle
The M-14 rifle was a direct successor to the World War II M-1 Garand, upgraded with selective automatic fire. It was heavy and of traditional design, not destined to last long as the standard service rifle. Warfare was changing and in Vietnam the M-14 was replaced by the M-16, a weapon better adapted to counterinsurgency war in the jungle or urban environments. The M-14 continues in service for limited roles.
U.S. Rifle, Caliber 7.62MM, M-14
The M-14 rifle is a magazine-fed, gas operated shoulder weapon, designed primarily for semi-automatic fire of the NATO 7.62 mm cartridge. After World War II the Army began the search for a lightweight replacement for the M-1 Garand and the M-1918A2 BAR. The Army selected the M-14 rifle in 1957.
In January 1968, the U.S. Army designated the 5.56mm M16 as the Standard rifle, and the M14 became a Limited Standard weapon. The M16 also replaced the M-14 as the Table of Organization rifle for the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. Production of the M-14 rifle was halted in 1964 after 1,380,874 were procured.
During the Vietnam War and continuing until the late 1980s, the M-21 7.62mm Sniper Rifle was produced from an accurized M14 National Match (NM) rifle equipped with a Leatherwood 3X-9X Adjustable Ranging Telescope (ART).
The USMC DMR (Designated Marksman Rifle) is another sniper version of the M14, hand built at Weapons Training Battalion, Quantico, VA. It is capable of precise, semi-automatic fire out to 1,000 yards with M118LR special ball 7.62mm ammunition. The DMR is equipped with a fixed ten power scope attached to its modular M1913 MIL-SPEC rail, a fiberglass stock adjustable for length of pull and with an ambidextrous, adjustable cheek piece, a 1/12 twist stainless steel barrel with six lands and grooves, a detachable twenty round box magazine, and a removable bipod.
After its replacement by the M16 as the standard Army and USMC rifle, the M-14 was used primarily in the Competition in Arms program, or for drill and ceremonial purposes. The M14 returned to combat service in Iraq and Afghanistan, refurbished and updated to mission standards as part of a program instituted by the U.S. Army to provide small teams with designated marksman support.
Marine with M-14, Vietnam, 1965.
The M-14 was basically an improved M-1 Garand, and performed well as an infantry rifle. The M-14 had an effective range of 500 yards (460m), using a standard NATO 7.62mm cartridge in a 20-round magazine. Some M-14s were equipped with a bipod for use as a squad automatic weapon. However, the M-14 displayed an erratic dispersion pattern, excessive recoil, and muzzle climb when fired as an automatic rifle.
�M-14A1. The Army designed the model M-14A1 to overcome the problems noted with the M-14, but it was too light to become a truly successful replacement for the M-1918 series BAR, and production of the M-14A1 was halted in 1963. The M-14A1 featured a full pistol grip and a folding forward hand grip.
�M-14 National Match (1959) was used in the semi-automatic mode only. The M-14NM had special sight parts and barrels selected especially for accuracy.
Bayonet: The M-14 rifle used the M-6 bayonet, not interchangable with any other bayonet or rifle.
Thanks to SPC Johnathan Howard of the 42nd ID Eng Bde (Fwd) RROC for help with this page.
http://www.olive-drab.com/od_other_fire ... e_m14.php3
M-24 7.62mm Sniper Rifle
The M24 Sniper Weapon System was fielded in 1988, replacing the M21 Sniper Rifle.
The M24 was prototyped and tested by the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit Custom Firearms Shop, Ft. Benning, GA. "Sniper" is Army terminology for the role, also called called Sharpshooter by the Air Force and Designated Marksman by the Navy.
M24 Sniper Weapon System (SWS)
The M-24 Sniper Weapon System (SWS) rifle is a 7.62mm, 6-shot (one round in the chamber and five rounds in the magazine) bolt action rifle. The entire system consists of the rifle, optics, cleaning kit, cases, operator's manual and support equipment. Snipers must attend and pass special training before being assigned the role and being issued an M24 SWS rifle. The United States Army Sniper School is located at Camp Robinson in Arkansas, attended by individuals from all the services. Sniper training has been held in Iraq, Korea and other locations where U.S. troops are deployed.
The M24 Sniper Weapon System, fielded in 1988, represents a return to bolt-action sniper rifles by the U.S. Army from the semi-automatic M21. As in the U.S. Marine Corps M40A1, the M24 uses the Remington 700 receiver group which has been modified to use the cal. .300 (7.62mm) Winchester Magnum round. The stock is made of a composite of Kevlar, graphite and fiberglass synthetic with an aluminum bedding block and adjustable butt plate. It is issued in black and camo patterns. A detachable bipod can be attached to the stock's fore-end.
The M24's stock butt plate can be adjusted by up to two inches. The operator may adjust the trigger pull force from a minimum of 2 pounds to a maximum of 8 pounds. The manual is TM 9-1005-306-10, Operator's Manual for 7.62 mm M24 Sniper Weapon System (SWS), 23 June 1989.
http://www.olive-drab.com/od_other_fire ... le_m24.php
The USMC had their own sniper rifle based on the Springfield, in addition to the M1903A4 Springfield Rifle for snipers adopted by the Army. Building on successful experience with modified M1903 Springfields dating back to World War I, in November 1943 the USMC adopted an M1903-A1 mounted with the Unertl 8x telescopic sight for sniper use. The scope was marked "USMC SNIPER" and serialized from 1000 to 2775. The scope came with a Micarta carrying case.
USMC Model 1941 Sniper Rifle
The origin of the USMC Model 1941 Sniper Rifle was in 1929, when the Springfield National Match rifle was modified with a Type-C stock in place of the non-pistol grip Type-S "straight stock." In this new form, the NM rifle was designated as the M1903A1 National Match. In 1942, the Marine Corps chose the military version 8X Unertl telescopic target sight for use on the Springfield M1903A1 NM rifle, creating the "USMC Model 1941 Sniper Rifle." The rifle was issued to Marine Snipers on Bougainville and was used extensively and successfully by the Marines in the Pacific Theater of World War II as well as in Korea.
Selection of M1903A1 NM Rifles for the Marine Corps
Marine Corps selection of M1903A1 NM rifles for sniper use was made after test-firing. Most had star-gauged barrels but ordinary barrels were used if they performed well. After Unertl scope blocks were installed, trigger pulls were adjusted and the latest pattern components installed. These included parts received from the Springfield Armory that were then reworked by Marine armorers. There was no correlation between serial numbers and barrel dates.
Bolts were carefully fitted and electro-pen engraved with the rifle serial number, then blued. There is no conclusive evidence that suggests that all bolts were blued. Bright NM bolts have been observed on M1903A1 sniper rifles.
The hand guards were modified to fit the small front scope block. Once a M1903A1/Unertl rifle had undergone the prescribed modifications by a Marine armorer, the rifle earned the right to be called a "Model 1941 Sniper Rifle." Some Marine Corps armorers adopted signature methods that included chalking or pencil-marking initials and rifle serial numbers inside the hand guards and stamping their initials on the stock.
USMC Model 1941 Sniper Rifle Characteristics
This section compiled by Larry Reynolds as presented in USMC publication, "History of the M1903A1 Rifle" by Dieter Stenger, Curator of Ordnance. The USMC Model 1941 Sniper Rifle characteristics cited are:
http://www.olive-drab.com/od_other_fire ... 41usmc.php
M1903A4 Sniper Rifle
The Springfield U.S. Rifle, Cal. .30, M1903A4 (Sniper's) was developed in 1942, based on the accurate bolt-action Springfield M1903 rifle with an effective range of 600 yards (550m).
The Springfield Model M1904A4 sniper rifle was a modified M1903A3 Springfield rifle specifically designed for use as by snipers. The M1903A4 was used during World War II, playing a part in the Normandy invasion in June 1944, until it was replaced by the M1C and M1D model Garands. The M1904A4 was also used in Korea and to a very limited extent during the early years of the Vietnam war. It was replaced by the Remington 700/M21 Sniper Rifle.
The sniper rifle was made standard on 14 January 1943. According to Springfield Armory records, on 18 January 1943 Remington Arms was directed to divert from production 20,000 M1903A3 rifles for conversion to the U.S. Rifle M1903A4. Rifles #3407088-3427087 from the first "block" of numbers were diverted, and the first "03-A3" converted was delivered in February 1943.
On 20 June 1943 an additional 8,365 M1909A4 rifles were ordered. The number block for these rifles and possible future orders was 4922001-5784000. After this block had been used to 4997045, the receiver marking was changed to "03-A4" and a new series of numbers begun with Z4000000. In March 1944, with receiver Z4002290, production of the M1903A4 was ended with a total of 29,964 M-1903A4 rifles produced.
Depending on the date of manufacture, some of the M1903A4 rifles had stocks with straight grips while some were equipped with A1 type stocks with semi-pistol grips (called C-stocks). Markings on the A4 receiver confusingly said "MODEL 03-A3" but were moved so they are not covered by the scope mount.
The scope was mounted directly over the receiver magazine loading area, so the stripper clips cannot be used to fill the magazine. Cartridges had to be fed in one at a time.
The Field Manual for all the M1903 Springfield rifles is FM 23-10 and the Technical Manual is TM 9-270, 28 September 1943, or the later TM 9-1270 dated 20 January 1944 that covered all the M1903s. Interestingly, manuals continued to be produced as late as the "TM 9-1005-205-12 Operator�s and Organizational Maintenance including Repair parts and Special Tools list. Rifle, Caliber .30, M1903A4 (Sniper�s)" dated December 1970.
http://www.olive-drab.com/od_other_fire ... 1903a4.php
M1C and M1D Garand Sniper Rifles
The M1C and M1D .30 cal. Sniper Rifles were specially adapted for sniper use from the M1 Garand service rifle. The M1C and M1D sniper rifles served the U.S. Army and Marine Corps from late in WW II through the mid-1960s.
M1C and M1D Sniper Rifles
The M1C and M1D Sniper Rifles were the sniper version of the semi-automatic "US Rifle, Cal. .30, M1", or M1 Garand, the standard U.S. service rifle in World War II. The formal nomenclature was U.S. Rifle, .30 Cal., M1C (Sniper's) and M1D (Sniper's).
The M1 Garand became the standard U.S. service rifle in 1936, but the former standard M1903 Springfield continued in use. The M1903A4 model Springfield was a bolt action sniper rifle that remained in use for years due to its superior performance.
The U.S. rifle M1C or M1D (Sniper's) is the standard U.S. rifle M1 with telescope M81, M82, or M84 mounted on the receiver and a cheek pad laced to the stock. The cone shaped flash hider M2 or prong flash hider T37 is furnished as an accessory with the M1C and M1D models. The 1952 Marine version of the M1C had a different scope and flash hider.
The M1C and M1D sniper versions of the M1 Garand were standardized in 1944. The M1C was used late in World War II and was the main sniper weapon for the U.S. Army in Korea. Few M1D models were produced before the end of World War II. Many standard M1s were converted to M1D during the Korean War, but few made it to that war. During the early years of the Vietnam War, the M1D was the official U.S. Army sniper rifle until it was replaced in the mid-1960s by the M-21 7.62mm Sniper Rifle.
M1C and M1D Sniper Rifles Development History
The demand for sniper rifles for Army infantry units led to tests of versions of the M1 equipped for the job. In June 1944, the test version M1E7, equipped with the M81 telescope, was standardized as U.S. Rifle, Caliber .30, M1C (Sniper's). A second version, using the M82 scope and designated M1E8 in testing, was adopted a few months later in September 1944, standardized as U.S. Rifle, Caliber .30, M1D (Sniper's). The M1C and M1D were different only in the telescope mounting system, as can be seen in the images above. The M1C scope mount required drilling and tapping of the reciever for the mounting screws, a process that had to be done in a shop.
The last design, the M1D with M84 scope, could be assembled without machine tools, a job that could be done in the field by a division armorer. The M1D barrel is fitted with a mounting block at the factory which serves as the base for the scope mount which is attached by a large knurled knob. This improved design was the main reason why the M1D eventually predominated, remaining in service through the 1970s.
The cheek pad is a leather cover with a pocket containing three felt inserts. It is laced together and attached to the stock with two screws, forming a cheek rest. It can be adjusted to the individual comfort of the sniper.
The technical manual is TM9-1275, "U.S. Rifles, Cal. .30 - M1, M1C (Sniper's) and M1D (Sniper's)" widely available on the Internet.
M1C Sniper Rifle 1952 USMC Version
Early in World War II, the Marine Corps adopted the USMC Model 1941 Sniper Rifle based on the M1903A1 with Unertl scope. The performance of the Model 1941 was excellent except for problems with the Unertl in humid climates such as the Pacific Theater. Basic satisfaction with the performance of that rifle and a shortage of the M1C, kept the Model 1941 in use during World War II and the early days of the Korean War.
Initially the USMC used M1C rifles transferred from the Army in Korea. In 1952, the Marines replaced the Model 1941 with modified M1C rifles mounting a Stith-Kollmorgen telescopic sight. That rifle was called the "USMC 1952" or "MC-52", although collectors sometimes incorrectly call it MC-1, a designation which properly refers only to the scope and mount.
The USMC 1952 sniper rifle was produced by Springfield Armory. Standard M1C rifles were each given a barrel, a Griffin & Howe mount, and the Kollmorgen scope. A bell shaped flash hider, different from the Army M2 flash hider, was produced to the USMC design for these rifles. Few if any of the USMC 1952 rifles made it to Korea before the armistice ending the conflict on 27 July 1953.
In 1966, during the Vietnam War, the USMC 1952 sniper rifle was replaced by the M40 sniper rifle, based on the Remington Model 700 bolt action rifle.
M-21 7.62mm Sniper Rifle
The M21 Sniper Rifle, based on the M14 rifle, was the primary Army sniper rifle of the Vietnam War and remained standard until replaced by the bolt-action M24 Sniper Weapon System beginning in 1988.
M-21 7.62mm Sniper Rifle
The M21 Sniper Rifle, based on the M14 rifle, was the primary Army sniper rifle of the Vietnam War and remained standard until replaced by the bolt-action M24 Sniper Weapon System beginning in 1988.
6th Battalion, 31st Infantry Sniper, identified as Sgt. Waldron, with M21 Sniper Rifle, Vietnam, 1969. Sergeant Adelbert F. Waldron, III had 109 confirmed kills to his credit, including a 900 meter kill of a Viet Cong sniper from a moving Riverine Boat on the Mekong River. Weapon is M-21 7.62mm Sniper Rifle.
More photos of the M-21 7.62mm Rifle are available at the linked page.
M21 7.62mm Sniper Rifle
The Rifle, 7.62mm, Sniper, M21 began as a the prototype XM21, developed jointly by the Army Weapons Command (Rock Island, IL), Combat Development Command (Ft. Benning, GA), and the Limited Warfare Agency (Aberdeen, MD). The XM21 was an accurized M14 National Match (NM) semi-automatic rifle equipped with a Leatherwood 3X-9X Adjustable Ranging Telescope (ART).
The Rock Island Arsenal converted 1,435 M14NM rifles to XM21 sniper rifles for initial fielding to Vietnam in 1969. The rifle originally had a hardwood stock, walnut impregnated with an epoxy, which was later replaced with a fiberglass stock. The XM21 was officially type classified M21 in 1975, though it had been informally called the M21 since December 1969. It was the primary Army sniper rifle of the Vietnam war and remained standard until formally replaced by the bolt-action M24 Sniper Weapon System beginning in 1988. The M21 remained in use in the Army and other services long after the introduction of the M24 (photo below).
Rifle, 7.62mm, Sniper, M21 in use in Afghanistan, 10 March 2004. Sniper is positioned on top of a HMMWV mounted Avenger Air Defense System. Thanks to Bob Pettit for discovering this U.S. Army photo.
The M21 was accurate to 750 yards (690m) due to hand-made improvements over the standard M14. The changes and upgrades included:
�The barrel was gauged and selected to ensure correct specification tolerances. The bore was not chromium plated.
�The receiver was individually custom fitted to the stock with a fiberglass compound.
�The firing mechanism was reworked and polished to provide for a crisp hammer release. Trigger weight was between 4.5 to 4.75 pounds.
�The suppressor was fitted and reamed to improve accuracy and eliminate any misalignment.
�The gas cylinder and piston were reworked and polished to improve operation and to reduce carbon buildup.
�The gas cylinder and lower band were permanently attached to each other.
�Other parts were carefully selected, fitted, and assembled.
The M21 is described in TM 9-1005-223-10 and other manuals for the M14 rifle, as well as in Appendix B of FM 23-10 "Sniper Training".
M21 Sniper Rifle Ammunition
The M21 Sniper Rifle used U.S. match grade M118 NATO 7.62mm cartridges, in five-round or 20-round magazines. The M21 can fire long-range ball, ball/tracer and armor piercing (AP) ammunition. Long-range ammunition is produced to stringent tolerances to ensure superior accuracy. AP ammunition enables snipers to penetrate hard cover, such as urban terrain and light armor. The AP (black tip) round can penetrate 20mm of hardened steel at 100 meters.
The long-range ball ammunition uses the M118 bullet, a special 173 grain boat-tailed ball bullet consisting of a lead slug with a gilding metal jacket. The tip of the bullet is not colored. The base of the cartridge is stamped with the year of manufacture and a circle that has vertical and horizontal lines, sectioning it into quarters. Its spread for a 10-shot group is no more than 12 inches at 550 meters (fired from an accuracy barrel in a test cradle).
M21 Sniper Rifle Scopes and Optics
The M21 sniper weapon system is equipped with National Match rear sights, normally replaced by the telescope.
The M21 Sniper Rifle was equipped with a Leatherwood 3X-9X Adjustable Ranging Telescope (ART). The ART telescope featured adjustable ranging between 300m and 900m. This adjustable ranging feature removed much of the guesswork from aiming at the target. The ART was ballistically matched with U.S. M118 NATO ammunition.
The ART is based on a commercially procured telescopic scopesight, modified for use with the sniper rifle. This scope has a modified reticle with a ballistic earn mounted to the power adjustment ring on the ART I. The ART II has a separate ballistic cam and power ring. The ART is mounted on a spring-loaded base mount that is adapted to fit the M21.
Recommended Books about Sniper Rifles
�Ultimate Sniper : An Advanced Training Manual For Military And Police Snipers
�FM 23-10: Sniper Training
Find More Information on the Web
There are many fine websites that have additional information on this topic, too many to list here and too many to keep up with as they come and go. Use this Google web search form to get an up to date report of what's out there.
For good results, try entering this: m21 sniper. Then click the Search button.
http://www.olive-drab.com/od_other_fire ... le_m21.php
M-14 7.62mm Rifle
The M-14 rifle was a direct successor to the World War II M-1 Garand, upgraded with selective automatic fire. It was heavy and of traditional design, not destined to last long as the standard service rifle. Warfare was changing and in Vietnam the M-14 was replaced by the M-16, a weapon better adapted to counterinsurgency war in the jungle or urban environments. The M-14 continues in service for limited roles.
U.S. Rifle, Caliber 7.62MM, M-14
The M-14 rifle is a magazine-fed, gas operated shoulder weapon, designed primarily for semi-automatic fire of the NATO 7.62 mm cartridge. After World War II the Army began the search for a lightweight replacement for the M-1 Garand and the M-1918A2 BAR. The Army selected the M-14 rifle in 1957.
In January 1968, the U.S. Army designated the 5.56mm M16 as the Standard rifle, and the M14 became a Limited Standard weapon. The M16 also replaced the M-14 as the Table of Organization rifle for the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. Production of the M-14 rifle was halted in 1964 after 1,380,874 were procured.
During the Vietnam War and continuing until the late 1980s, the M-21 7.62mm Sniper Rifle was produced from an accurized M14 National Match (NM) rifle equipped with a Leatherwood 3X-9X Adjustable Ranging Telescope (ART).
The USMC DMR (Designated Marksman Rifle) is another sniper version of the M14, hand built at Weapons Training Battalion, Quantico, VA. It is capable of precise, semi-automatic fire out to 1,000 yards with M118LR special ball 7.62mm ammunition. The DMR is equipped with a fixed ten power scope attached to its modular M1913 MIL-SPEC rail, a fiberglass stock adjustable for length of pull and with an ambidextrous, adjustable cheek piece, a 1/12 twist stainless steel barrel with six lands and grooves, a detachable twenty round box magazine, and a removable bipod.
After its replacement by the M16 as the standard Army and USMC rifle, the M-14 was used primarily in the Competition in Arms program, or for drill and ceremonial purposes. The M14 returned to combat service in Iraq and Afghanistan, refurbished and updated to mission standards as part of a program instituted by the U.S. Army to provide small teams with designated marksman support.
Marine with M-14, Vietnam, 1965.
The M-14 was basically an improved M-1 Garand, and performed well as an infantry rifle. The M-14 had an effective range of 500 yards (460m), using a standard NATO 7.62mm cartridge in a 20-round magazine. Some M-14s were equipped with a bipod for use as a squad automatic weapon. However, the M-14 displayed an erratic dispersion pattern, excessive recoil, and muzzle climb when fired as an automatic rifle.
�M-14A1. The Army designed the model M-14A1 to overcome the problems noted with the M-14, but it was too light to become a truly successful replacement for the M-1918 series BAR, and production of the M-14A1 was halted in 1963. The M-14A1 featured a full pistol grip and a folding forward hand grip.
�M-14 National Match (1959) was used in the semi-automatic mode only. The M-14NM had special sight parts and barrels selected especially for accuracy.
Bayonet: The M-14 rifle used the M-6 bayonet, not interchangable with any other bayonet or rifle.
Thanks to SPC Johnathan Howard of the 42nd ID Eng Bde (Fwd) RROC for help with this page.
http://www.olive-drab.com/od_other_fire ... e_m14.php3
M-24 7.62mm Sniper Rifle
The M24 Sniper Weapon System was fielded in 1988, replacing the M21 Sniper Rifle.
The M24 was prototyped and tested by the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit Custom Firearms Shop, Ft. Benning, GA. "Sniper" is Army terminology for the role, also called called Sharpshooter by the Air Force and Designated Marksman by the Navy.
M24 Sniper Weapon System (SWS)
The M-24 Sniper Weapon System (SWS) rifle is a 7.62mm, 6-shot (one round in the chamber and five rounds in the magazine) bolt action rifle. The entire system consists of the rifle, optics, cleaning kit, cases, operator's manual and support equipment. Snipers must attend and pass special training before being assigned the role and being issued an M24 SWS rifle. The United States Army Sniper School is located at Camp Robinson in Arkansas, attended by individuals from all the services. Sniper training has been held in Iraq, Korea and other locations where U.S. troops are deployed.
The M24 Sniper Weapon System, fielded in 1988, represents a return to bolt-action sniper rifles by the U.S. Army from the semi-automatic M21. As in the U.S. Marine Corps M40A1, the M24 uses the Remington 700 receiver group which has been modified to use the cal. .300 (7.62mm) Winchester Magnum round. The stock is made of a composite of Kevlar, graphite and fiberglass synthetic with an aluminum bedding block and adjustable butt plate. It is issued in black and camo patterns. A detachable bipod can be attached to the stock's fore-end.
The M24's stock butt plate can be adjusted by up to two inches. The operator may adjust the trigger pull force from a minimum of 2 pounds to a maximum of 8 pounds. The manual is TM 9-1005-306-10, Operator's Manual for 7.62 mm M24 Sniper Weapon System (SWS), 23 June 1989.
http://www.olive-drab.com/od_other_fire ... le_m24.php
