Defend the home of freedom in brave hands. Since the initial 13 colonies were closely united to form a collective, the individual weapon carried by American soldiers has undergone a series of continuous changes, from flintlock , pistol, bolt-action rifle to assault rifle. American soldiers have experienced countless battles over generations. But the first line of defense they have has always been the rifle used in their hands.
During the War of Independence
Recruitment poster during the War of Independence
The earliest European settlers brought the missiles to the North American coast, but by the 18th century these Mars had been replaced by flint, which lit the powder with flint. During the War of Independence, these flintlocks armed the Volunteers and New World Army in Washington. When the War of Independence just broke out, mainland militias were eager to obtain weapons and equipment, and at this time American gun mechanics could only make a copy of British Brownbeth. Fortunately, Britain's rival France was eager to undermine British control of North American colonies (the French always held a grudge against the outcome of the Seven Years' War.) Therefore, in 1776, France began to secretly supply smoothbore guns and flintlocks to the US Continental Army. These muskets were manufactured in a military factory in France, just like the British Brownbeth. When the trigger is pulled, the flint strikes out a spark and ignites powder, firing a round shot put.
Charlville 1763, this special rifle was stamped with the "America" label by George Washington.
The year before the victory of the Battle of Saratoga in the United States, in February 1778, France officially recognized the independence of the United States, and by that year the French had provided 25,000 Chalville muskets to these colonial militias. George Washington quickly labeled the weapons as “US” to prevent theft. This is because muskets like Charleville do not have spiral groove rifling, which makes them accurate to about 100 yards. Moreover, they can also quickly load, and an excellent soldier can fire three rounds per minute. Throughout the war, the French continued to provide the United States with thousands of 1763 and 1766 Charleville muskets. These French muskets have had a significant impact on the design of American rifles and laid the foundation for American infantry weapons over the next 40 years.
1847 Mexico-Chapurtpek's storm during the American War
It was not until the 1890s, more than a decade after the United States gained independence that the United States generally adopted the 1795 locally-made rifle made by industrialist Eli Whitney. The 1795 rifle was designed to rely heavily on early French muskets, copying many of their characteristics. In the subsequent development of American muskets, including the 1812, 1816, 1822, 1835 and 1840 muskets produced by Springfield Armory, were filled with elements of French influence. The 1816 rifle was first used during the Mexican-American war, and some were even used in the early stages of the American Civil War. Although smoothbore remained the main weapon of American soldiers throughout the first half of the 19th century, the Army also developed weapons with rifled barrels, which had better accuracy and range but slower heavy loading time. Throughout the early 19th century, the United States experimented with rifle models like the 1814 and 1817 regular rifles, including the first breech rifle in the United States, which could be loaded on a cartridge at the back of the barrel rather than loading gunpowder and steel balls from the muzzle. This gun, 1819 Hall type, heralds the future direction of military rifles.
The Civil War period was in full swing
Soldiers from the Seventh Illinois armed with Henry rifles, taking a group photo with
The first firing rifle in the United States was launched in 1842. Bolts were born in Europe and used a mercury detonator to ignite gunpowder charges. This is even more than the old flint rifles in the wet weather, so many of the old rifles in the US Army arsenal have been modified with new firing systems. These early firing rifles were quickly replaced by rifles using Minnie. The Minnie is a conical bullet with an inflated hollow base. This means it can be loaded easily.When these new inventions emerged, the United States began to enter the bloodiest stage of conflict in its history, the American Civil War. The massive civil war means that every available rifle, even the old-fashioned rifle, will be put into use. The United States 1855 and 1861 were widely used in the civil war, and both sides imported hundreds of thousands of British 1853 artillery. The Battle of Hilo may have been the last large-scale use of a musket, when the 19th Western Infantry Regiment from Tenna used the old musket of the Type 1822. But it's not just the Southern Army that is using old-fashioned rifles. A federal official from Massachusetts recalled after the war: "Our old smoothbore rifle was replaced with an Enfield rifle, and although it was considered not as good as the new Springfield rifle (1861 model), it was still a good rifle, certainly better than any other gun we gave to the soldiers." Because of the greater range and higher accuracy of the rifle, any soldier who still carries an outdated rifle was at a serious disadvantage. The war also witnessed the emergence of the first viable breech loading and repeating rifles.
This special Henry rifle was given to President Abraham Lincoln, hoping that the federal government would purchase this gun to defend the Federation during the Civil War.
Northern unions have specially purchased thousands of repetitive rifles from some manufacturers. They also purchased 94,196 Spencer repeaters, but known for their firepower were Benjamin Tyler Henry's rifles (the northern government only purchased 1,731 at the time). Because there is a 16 round magazine under the barrel, the Confederate cursed it as ", that damn Yankee rifle, which can be installed on Sunday, and can be used for in a week."
Golden Age after Civil War
1865 After General Lee surrendered in Richmond, the Civil War was declared over. In the second half of the 19th century, technology made rapid progress, and small weapons were no exception. Many countries have begun to adopt rear loaders. But the United States did not keep up in time. It was not until the late 1870s that the U.S. Army was fully equipped. Developed by Elskin S. Alin in the Springfield Armory, this 1873 rear loader is known as the "Springfield trapdoor" for its articulation. The inside of the trap door is made of metal. 45-70 caliber magazines, widely used during the American Indian War. A well-trained soldier can fire 12 to 15 rounds per minute, which is a great improvement over the early rifles. The trapdoor was used for the first time in the Battle of Little Big Horn. An Indian scout under the Caster who survived the battle recalled: " I climbed out of the woods and fired many shots at the Sioux people, but they did not hit me. I was very happy to see the enemy die after I shot them. "But despite the increase in the firepower of the soldiers, the famous general Caster's army could not be saved. The Indians won both the Battle of Rothbard and the Battle of Little Big Horn, and the famous Civil War general George Custer was also defeated to death. The legendary Apaches hold trapdoor Springfield, and the two soldiers on the left hold Winchester rifles
18 The late 1960s and 1970s America, pioneers, cowboys and speculators began to advance westward, carrying a new weapon: Winchester rifles. The Winchester rifle was developed from the Henry rifle, and the models of 1873, 1886 and 1894 made it famous and became a symbol of the American West. But due to Winchester's high price and recognized fragile nature, the army insisted on using their version of the rear loader designed by Allen. Despite the best efforts of the Americans, they still couldn't keep up with the pace of the times. Not only because of the rapid changes in technology, but also because the United States' position in the world is changing rapidly. The U.S. military has grown from a small-scale force responsible for patroling the western region to an expeditionary force, and must always maintain its influence in Cuba, the Philippines, Central America and the Caribbean. However, to do this, the U.S. military desperately needs a new type of gun.
1903, the rise of US-made rifles
As the United States gradually becomes a world-class power, the US military has adopted a series of new types of rifles.In 1892, the increasingly outdated trapdoor Springfield was replaced by M1892 Crag Jorgensen. "Lag Jorgensen is far superior to any weapon loaded by a single firepower in the use of the U.S. military." Based on the Danish design, Krag Jorgensen was the first bolt-action rifle of the U.S. Army, which is supplied by an unusual 5-wheel rotating magazine, which is loaded through an unusual 5-wheel rotating magazine, which is loaded through an ammunition not through action but through a loading door on the right side of the rifle. The bolt-type rifle is manually operated. The rifleman uses the bolt to shoot out the used shell and then pushes the bullet into the chamber.
1898 U.S. Marine Corps using the Krague-Jorgensen rifle in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, new type of rifle can also fire a new smokeless cartridge. About 30-40 carats, no smoke column will be generated during launch. Due to equipment shortages, Krague and M1873 Springfield were used in the Spanish-American War and the subsequent Philippine-American War. In these conflicts, Kragg was found to have several serious shortcomings. First, it cannot load quickly. Instead, it must be loaded individually through loading doors one by one. A New York Times condemns the article that Crag was not as good as the Mauser gun used by the Spanish in many ways. The .30-40 Krague magazine also has poor ballistic performance compared to the magazines used by the Spanish, and these shortcomings force the army to find better magazines.
That's it, the development of a new type of rifle began at the turn of the century. After a series of failures, the result would be one of the most iconic weapons of the US military - Springfield M1903. In 1903, the Army accepted the concept of a universal rifle, which was first proposed by British Lee Enfield. This shortens the standard rifle, and infantry and cavalry can use the same model of rifle. The design of this new rifle is so close to that of the Spanish Mauser that the United States had to pay Mauser patent fees. The first Springfields used a 12-inch long "pole" bayonet that was stored under the barrel but was very fragile. So much so that President Theodore Roosevelt personally intervened and wrote to the Secretary of Military Equipment, saying that Springfield's bayonet was the worst invention he had ever seen! And personally called for it to be replaced as soon as possible. The redesigned M1903, which was formed in 1906, removed the unreliable bayonet and used a better bullet. The .30-06 became the standard rifle bullet and was not replaced until the 1950s. During World War I, the US Marines equipped with Springfield M1903s proved its value in France. In June 1918, during the battle near Bellowood, the offensive U.S. Marines were able to defeat the German counterattack with fierce, accurate rifle fire from 800 yards away. But when the troops were sent in 1917, the U.S. Army faced a gap of only 840,000 Springfield rifles, so even though the 1903 rifles were excellent, more rifles were needed to arm the rapidly expanding U.S. military. This time, the United States will turn to British design. Winchester, Remington and Eddiestone have all recently completed contracts to build the 1914 rifle for the UK. Rather than re-equip the factory to produce the M1903s, it is better to use the existing 1914 tool to produce a new type of rifle to fire 0.30 -06 rounds, which will be more efficient. The rifle made therefrom is called M1917, and by 1918, about 2,200,000 were manufactured. Since the rifle is only $30 in manufacturing and it is produced much faster than the slightly more complex M1903 rifle, up to 75% of the U.S. Expeditionary Forces in France are equipped with this gun.
1919, a US military guard room in Germany. This US soldier was equipped with the M1917 rifle
00 October 1918. Sergeant Alvin York won the Congress Medal of Honor in the attack of Meuse Argony. His M1917 rifle suppressed more than 30 German soldiers. He kept firing, and the smooth firing of M1917 and York's excellent technology allowed him to suppress the German machine gun positions and captured 132 German prisoners of war alone.
The greatest combat tool ever was born
Two U.S. infantry soldiers are conducting a comparison of M1 Garland (top) with the old Springfield M1903 shooting
In the period between the two world wars, American light weapons designers became more creative. In the early 1930s, French-Canadian gun designer John Cantius Garland developed a new type of rifle that uses propellant gas in ammunition to power long-stroke gas pistons. When it was introduced in 1937, this new operating system allowed infantry to fire 30 rounds per minute unprecedentedly, a firepower that Springfield M1903 riflemen could not dream of. The new rifle M1 Garland is arguably the most iconic rifle of the US military. It was praised by General George S. Patton as the "HTM11's greatest combat tool ever" and proved to be one of the best infantry rifles in World War II. From France to Okinawa, from North Africa to the Philippines, Semi-Auto Garland provides good firepower support for American soldiers on battlefields around the world.
John Garland and M1 Garland rifle
In addition, in the 1940s and 1950s, Garland also served with the 0.30 caliber M1 carbine, which is a lighter single weapon. In January 1945, Lieutenant Audi Murphy climbed onto a burning tank and fired with a machine gun with a caliber M2.50. Both the M1 rifle and the carbine were loved by soldiers, and the army had been using both rifles even during the Vietnam War, even after the army was equipped with the next generation of rifles for a long time.
The end of the steel age, the arrival of the plastic age
The successor of the M1 equipped by the US Marine Corps, M14
M1 Garland was eventually replaced by the M14 in 1960. This new rifle, whose bloodline is largely derived from Garland, because its receiver, bolts and sights are almost the same as the M1. The M14 is one of the standard model rifles with the shortest service life of the U.S. military, but it continued to serve in many other positions for a long time after it was replaced. The M14 fires a new 7.62x51mm ammunition and is equipped with a larger 20 round magazine. It was first seen to be applied to actual combat in the early days of the United States' intervention in the Dominican Civil War and the Vietnam War in 1965.
US Soldiers and M16A1 in South Vietnam
Medal of Honor winner and captain Robert Modrejewski of the 3rd Battalion of the Marine Corps described the M14 as a rifle: "You can throw it into the mud and bury it in the soil." You can throw away the magazine, the bullet will get dirty, but it can still fire. "
Because its large caliber M14 has found new characters as sniper and designated sharpshooter rifles with enhanced versions were developed until the early 21st century. But the M14 will be the last rifle of wood and steel issued to Army soldiers. Its replacement is the M16, which evolved from the AR-10 designed by Eugene Stone, using new space-age materials such as plastic and aluminum, making it much lighter than previous individual weapons. It is no exaggeration to say that the M16 is very light, very different from the M14, and the soldiers joked that it was produced by Mattel Toys. Its black receiver and controllable high firing rate make it different from the M14 and the Soviet AK-47.
However, the introduction of "black rifles" was not smooth, and many problems were encountered. In 1965, troops fighting in Vietnam reported that they had been stuck under harsh conditions and soldiers had to dismantle weapons on the battlefield. Because the barrel of the rifle was not chromed and equipped with the correct cleaning tools, the propellant powder used in the M16 ammunition had changed, causing these failures. A major investigation project was launched in late 1966. After the improved M16A1 arrived on the battlefield in early 1967, confidence in the rifle in the hands began to grow slowly. It is said that a Vietnamese prisoner of war once said: "What we fear the most is the B-52 and the new black rifle. ”
Following Vietnam, the M16 and the shorter M4 carbine are widely used in the conflicts between Grenada , Somalia , Iraq and Afghanistan .In various climates and environments with huge spans, the M16 remains an important weapon in the history of American rifles.
2009 A US soldier was using an M4 rifle in the battleground of Afghanistan in 2009. Many people have spent millions of dollars in recent years trying to develop a gun that could replace the M4, but this rifle still appears to continue in service for decades to come. In 2010, the U.S. Army introduced the improved M4A1, which could potentially extend the M4's life with the recent failure of the temporary combat service rifle program. The future of small-weapon technology may depend on casing, retractable ammunition launches, and the U.S. Army is currently exploring the next-generation class weapon program, but the technology will still take years. However, Lexington and Concord's militia would definitely be extremely surprised by the M4 of the modern soldier. Today, the firepower of war is far beyond the capability of a rifle. Now, missiles, tanks, drones and jets have become the focus of people's attention. But for 240 years, rifles have been the most trusted weapon for soldiers, and this situation is unlikely to change in the near future.
