M1 Garand
The M1 Garand rifle, if history could talk, would have a lot to say. Created in 1936, the M1 Garand rifle was the first semi-automatic rifle to be generally issued to the infantry in any nation, officially replacing the Springfield M1903 rifle. The M1 Garand was used heavily until 1963 when it began to fade out and by 1966, the popularity had faded.
With three great wars to its name, the M1's resume is impressive. From World War II to the Korean War, to the Vietnam War, the M1 Garand rifle has never let us down. Designed by John C. Garand, who worked at the US Army's Springfield Armory, began with a .30 caliber primer-operated breech. In May 1934 75 M1 rifles went to field trials, numerous problems were reported, forcing John Garand to modify it. On November 7, 1935 the M1 was cleared for procurement and was standardized on January 9, 1936. And finally on July 21, 1937, the first production model was proof-fired, function-fired, and fired for accuracy.
In 1941 production of the M1 Garand finally ramped up to 600 a day, and by the end of that year the army was fully equipped. The M1's semi-automatic operation gave the US forces a significant advantage in firepower and shot-to-shot response time over individual enemy infantrymen in battle. The M1 proved its value through World War II and the Korean War, so much so the Japanese tried to duplicate it only to fall short. By the time the Vietnam War began there were still some M1s left, only to eventually be replaced by the M14. Despite the popularity of the M14, the M1 Garand rifle continued to serve into the 70's, being seen in photos of the Ohio Army National Guard troops at the Kent State Shootings in May of 1970.
Today, the M1 is still used by drill teams, including the U.S. Marine Corps Silent Drill Team, the Norwegian Royal Guards Drill Team, almost all Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) and Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) teams of all branches. Modern Drill Team M1s are permanently disabled by having a metal rod welded into the barrel, and fiberglass stocks replacing the wooden stocks.
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Rifle, Caliber .30, M1
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| Type |
Battle rifle |
| Place of origin |
United States |
| Service history |
| In service |
1936–1963 |
| Used by |
See Known operators |
| Wars |
World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War (limited) |
| Production History |
| Designer |
John C. Garand |
| Designed |
1932 |
| Number built |
5.4 million approx |
| Variants |
M1C/D sniper rifles |
| Specifications |
| Weight |
9.5 lb (4.3 kg) to 13.2 lb (6 kg) |
| Length |
43.6 in (1,107 mm) |
| Barrel length |
24 in (610 mm) |
| Cartridge |
.30-06 Springfield (7.62x63mm);7.62x51mm NATO (U.S. Navy & some commercial variants) |
| Action |
Gas-operated, rotating bolt |
| Rate of fire |
16–24 rounds/min effective |
| Muzzle velocity |
2,800 ft/s (853 m/s) |
| Effective range |
500 yd (457 m) |
| Feed system |
8-round "en bloc" clip internal magazine |
| Sights |
Aperture rear sight, barleycorn-type front sight |
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