The Following is for Educational Purposes Only(All copyrights belong to they're respective Holders,I do not claim or hold any copyright)
The AK-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm assault rifle, first developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is officially known as Avtomat Kalashnikova (Russian: Автомат Калашникова). It is also known as Kalashnikov, AK, or in Russian slang, Kalash.
Design work on the AK-47 began in the last year of World War II (1945). After the war in 1946, the AK-46 was presented for official military trials. In 1948 the fixed-stock version was introduced into active service with selected units of the Soviet Army. An early development of the design was the AKS (S—Skladnoy or "folding"), which was equipped with an underfolding metal shoulder stock. In 1949, the AK-47 was officially accepted by the Soviet Armed Forces and used by the majority of the member states of the Warsaw Pact.
The original AK-47 was one of the first assault rifles of 2nd generation, after the German StG 44. Even after six decades the model and its variants remain the most widely used and popular assault rifles in the world because of their durability, low production cost, availability, and ease of use. It has been manufactured in many countries and has seen service with armed forces as well as irregular forces worldwide. The AK-47 was the basis for developing many other types of individual and crew-served firearms. More AK-type rifles have been produced than all other assault rifles combined.
The "Pre History" of the Ak 47,
In the field of firearms, the Russian word "avtomat" was introduced around 1919 to describe an automatic rifle designed in 1916 by Vladimir Fyodorov as an emergency adaptation of his semi-automatic rifle designs, with the intent of providing a firearm capable of automatic fire that was more portable than the light machine guns then in service.The Fedorov Avtomat saw very limited action in World War I, but was used in larger numbers during the Russian Civil War, with about 3,200 having been built, the vast majority of them after 1919. The Fedorov Avtomat was chambered in 6.5×50mmSR Arisaka, one of the more common cartridges at the time.Some historians argue that in consequence, the Fedorov Avtomat was the first assault rifle to see combat;others have argued however that "this was more a case of accident than intention".The Fedorov Avtomat was withdrawn from service between 1925 and 1928 owing to its use of foreign ammunition, which the Soviet Union could not easily procure, although the stockpiled Fedorov Avtomats would be rushed back into service during the 1939-1940 war with Finland because of the general penury of individual automatic weapons in the Red Army. During World War II, it was replaced in Soviet service mostly by sub-machine guns, like the ubiquitous PPSh-41. Soviet attempts at creating a fully automatic rifle chambered in their powerful 7.62×54mmR rifle cartridge, like the AVS-36 or AVT-40 were basically unsuccessful.
During World War II, the Germans introduced the StG 44 (Sturmgewehr) in large numbers—about half a million were built. This gun, from which the English terminology "assault rifle" comes from, was chambered in a new intermediate cartridge, the 7.92×33mm Kurz.The Soviets captured an early prototype of the StG 44, a Mkb 42(H), and they were also given samples of the U.S. M1 Carbine, which was also developed for a less powerful round. Based on these developments, on July 15, 1943, the People's Commissariat for Armaments decided to introduce a Soviet intermediate cartridge. A team led by NM Elizarov (Н.М. Елизаров) was charged with the development of what eventually became the 7.62×39mm M43; the new cartridge went into mass production in March 1944.At the same meeting that adopted the new cartridge, the Soviet planners decided that a whole range of new small arms should use it, including a semi-automatic carbine, a fully automatic rifle, and a light machine gun. Design contests for these new weapons began in earnest in 1944.
Mikhail Kalashnikov began his career as a weapon designer while in a hospital after he was shot in the shoulder during the Battle of Bryansk.After tinkering with a submachine gun design in 1942 and with a light machine gun in 1943, in 1944 he entered a competition for a new weapon that would chamber the 7.62×41mm cartridge developed by Yelizarov and Syomin in 1943 (the 7.62×41mm cartridge predated the current 7.62×39mm M1943).[citation needed] In the 1944 competition for intermediate cartridge weapons, Kalashnikov submitted a semi-automatic, gas-operated carbine, strongly influenced by the American M1 Garand, but that lost out to a Simonov design, which was adopted as the SKS-45.
In the fully automatic weapon category, the specifications (тактико-технические требования - TTT) number 2456-43 passed down by the GAU in November 1943 were rather ambitious: the weapon was to have a 500–520 mm long barrel and had to weigh no more than 5 kg., including a folding bipod. Despite this, many Soviet designers participated in this category, Tokarev, Korovin, Degtyarev, Shpagin, Simonov, and Prilutsky are some of the more prominent names who submitted designs; Kalashnikov did not submit an entry for this contest. A gun presented by Sudayev, the AS-44 (weight: 5.6 kg, barrel length 505 mm), came up ahead in the mid-1944 trials. However subsequent field trials conducted in 1945 found it to be too heavy for the average soldier and Sudayev was asked to lighten his gun; his lightened variant (5.35 kg, 485 mm barrel) turned out to be less reliable and less accurate. In October 1945, the GAU was convinced to dispense with the built-in bipod requirement; Sudayev's gun in this variant, called OAS (облегченный автомат Судаева - ОАС), weighed only 4.8 kg. Sudayev however fell ill and died in 1946, preventing further development.
The experience gained from the reliability issues of the lightened Sudayev design convinced the GAU that a brand new competition had to be held, and for this round the requirements were explicitly stated: a wholesale replacement of the PPSh-41 and PPS-43 sub-machine guns was what they were after. The new competition was initiated in 1946 under GAU TTT number 3131-45. Ten designs had been submitted by August 1946.
Kalashnikov and his design team from factory number two in Kovrov submitted an entry. It was a gas-operated rifle which had a breech-block mechanism similar to his 1944 carbine, and a curved 30-round magazine. Kalashnikov's rifles (codenamed AK-1 and −2, the former with a milled receiver and the latter with a stamped one) proved to be reliable and the weapon was accepted to second round of competition along with designs by A. A. Dementyev (KB-P-520) and A. A. Bulkin (TKB-415). In late 1946, as the rifles were being tested, one of Kalashnikov's assistants, Aleksandr Zaitsev, suggested a major redesign of AK-1, particularly to improve reliability. At first, Kalashnikov was reluctant, given that their rifle had already fared better than its competitors. Eventually, however, Zaitsev managed to persuade Kalashnikov. The new rifle (factory name KB-P-580) proved to be simple and reliable under a wide range of conditions with convenient handling characteristics; prototypes with serial numbers one to three were completed in November 1947. Production of the first army trial series began in early 1948 at the Izhevsk factory number 524, and in 1949 it was adopted by the Soviet Army as "7.62 mm Kalashnikov assault rifle (AK)".
The AK-47 is best described as a hybrid of previous rifle technology innovations: the trigger mechanism,double locking lugs and unlocking racewayof the M1 Garand/M1 carbine, the safety mechanism of the John Browning designed Remington Model 8 rifle, and the gas system of the Sturmgewehr 44. Kalashnikov's team had access to all of these weapons and had no need to "reinvent the wheel", though he denied that his design was based on the German Sturmgewehr 44 assault rifle.Kalashnikov himself observed: "A lot of Russian Army soldiers ask me how one can become a constructor, and how new weaponry is designed. These are very difficult questions. Each designer seems to have his own paths, his own successes and failures. But one thing is clear: before attempting to create something new, it is vital to have a good appreciation of everything that already exists in this field. I myself have had many experiences confirming this to be so."There are claims about Kalashnikov copying other designs, like Bulkin's TKB-415 or Simonov's AVS-31.
There were many difficulties during the initial phase of production. The first production models had stamped sheet metal receivers. Difficulties were encountered in welding the guide and ejector rails, causing high rejection rates. Instead of halting production, a heavy machined receiver was substituted for the sheet metal receiver. This was a more costly process, but the use of machined receivers accelerated production as tooling and labor for the earlier Mosin–Nagant rifle's machined receiver were easily adapted. Partly because of these problems, the Soviets were not able to distribute large numbers of the new rifle to soldiers until 1956. During this time, production of the interim SKS rifle continued.
Once manufacturing difficulties had been overcome, a redesigned version designated the AKM (M for "modernized" or "upgraded" (in Russian: Автомат Калашникова Модернизированный [Avtomat Kalashnikova Modernizirovanniy]) was introduced in 1959. This new model used a stamped sheet metal receiver and featured a slanted muzzle brake on the end of the barrel to compensate for muzzle rise under recoil. In addition, a hammer retarder was added to prevent the weapon from firing out of battery (without the bolt being fully closed), during rapid or automatic fire.This is also sometimes referred to as a "cyclic rate reducer", or simply "rate reducer", as it also has the effect of reducing the number of rounds fired per minute during automatic fire. It was also roughly one-third lighter than the previous model.Both licensed and unlicensed production of the Kalashnikov weapons abroad were almost exclusively of the AKM variant, partially due to the much easier production of the stamped receiver. This model is the most commonly encountered, having been produced in much greater quantities. All rifles based on the Kalashnikov design are frequently referred to as AK-47s in the West, although this is only correct when applied to rifles based on the original three receiver types. In most former Eastern Bloc countries, the weapon is known simply as the "Kalashnikov" or "AK". The photo above at right illustrates the differences between the Type 2 milled receiver and the Type 4 stamped, including the use of rivets rather than welds on the stamped receiver, as well as the placement of a small dimple above the magazine well for stabilization of the magazine.
In 1974, the Soviets began replacing their AK-47 and AKM rifles with a newer design, the AK-74, which uses 5.45×39mm ammunition. This new rifle and cartridge had only started to be manufactured in Eastern European nations when the Soviet Union collapsed, drastically slowing production of this and other weapons of the former Soviet bloc.
The main advantages of the Kalashnikov rifle are its simple design, fairly compact size, and adaptation to mass production. It is inexpensive to manufacture and easy to clean and maintain. Its ruggedness and reliability are legendary.The AK-47 was initially designed for ease of operation and repair by glove-wearing Soviet soldiers in Arctic conditions. The large gas piston, generous clearances between moving parts, and tapered cartridge case design allow the gun to endure large amounts of foreign matter and fouling without failing to cycle. This reliability comes at a slight cost of accuracy, as the looser tolerances do not allow for precision and consistency.
The bore and chamber, as well as the gas piston and the interior of the gas cylinder, are generally chromium-plated. This plating dramatically increases the life of these parts by resisting corrosion and wear. This is particularly important, as most military-production ammunition (and virtually all ammunition produced by the Soviet Union and other Warsaw Pact nations) during the 20th century contained potassium chlorate in the primers. On firing, this was converted to corrosive and hygroscopic potassium chloride which mandated frequent and thorough cleaning in order to prevent damage. Chrome plating of critical parts is now common on many modern military weapons.[citation needed]
In addition to the USSR, the AK-47 and its variants were/are made in dozens of countries, with "quality ranging from finely engineered weapons to pieces of questionable workmanship."
The Colt AR-15 is a lightweight, 5.56 mm, magazine-fed, air cooled, semi-automatic rifle, with a rotating-lock bolt, actuated by direct impingement gas operation or long/short stroke piston operation. It is manufactured with the extensive use of aluminum alloys and synthetic materials.
The AR-15 was first built by ArmaLite as a small arms rifle for the United States armed forces.Because of financial problems, ArmaLite sold the AR-15 design to Colt. After modifications (Most notably: the charging handle was re-located from under the carrying handle like AR-10 to the rear of the receiver), the new redesigned rifle was subsequently adopted as the M16 Rifle.Colt then started selling the semi-automatic version of the M16 rifle as the Colt AR-15 for civilian sales in 1963 and the term has been used to refer to semiautomatic-only versions of the rifle since then.Although the name "AR-15" remains a Colt registered trademark, variants of the firearm are independently made, modified and sold under various names by multiple manufacturers.
As for the history for the Ar-15 ,It is based on the 7.62 mm AR-10, designed by Eugene Stoner, Robert Fremont, and L. James Sullivan of the Fairchild ArmaLite corporation.The AR-15 was developed as a lighter, 5.56 mm version of the AR-10. The "AR" in all AR pattern rifles stands for Armalite Rifle, and can be found on many of the company's firearms: AR-5 a .22 caliber rifle, the AR-7, another .22 caliber, the AR-17 shotgun, in addition to the AR-10 semi-automatic rifle.
1973 Colt AR-15 SP1 rifle with 'slab side' lower receiver (lacking raised boss around magazine release button) and original Colt 20 round box magazine
ArmaLite sold its rights to the AR-10 and AR-15 to Colt in 1959. After a tour by Colt of the Far East, the first sale of AR-15s was made to Malaysia on September 30, 1959, with Colt's manufacture of their first 300 AR-15s in December 1959.Colt marketed the AR-15 rifle to various military services around the world, including the U.S. Navy, Air Force, Army, and Marine Corps. The AR-15 was eventually adopted by the United States military under the designation M16. Colt continued to use the AR-15 trademark for its semi-automatic variants (AR-15, AR-15A2) which were marketed to civilian and law-enforcement customers. The original AR-15 was a very lightweight weapon, weighing less than 6 pounds with empty magazine. Later heavy-barrel versions of the civilian AR-15 can weigh upwards of 8.5 lb.
Today the AR-15 and its variations are manufactured by many companies and are popular among civilian shooters and law enforcement forces around the world due to their accuracy and modularity (for more history on the development and evolution of the AR-15 and derivatives see M16 rifle).
The trademark "AR15" or "AR-15" is registered to Colt Industries, which maintains that the term should only be used to refer to their products. Other AR-15 manufacturers make AR-15 clones marketed under separate designations, although colloquially these are sometimes referred to by the term AR-15.
Some notable features of the AR-15 include:
*Aircraft grade forged 7075-T6 aluminum receiver is lightweight, highly corrosion-resistant, and machinable.
*Modular design allows the use of numerous accessories such as after market sights, vertical forward grips, lighting systems, night vision devices,
laser- targeting devices, muzzle brakes/flash hiders, sound suppressors, bipods, etc., and makes repair easier
*Straight-line stock design eliminates the fulcrum created by traditional bent stocks, reducing muzzle climb.
*Small caliber, accurate, lightweight, high-velocity round (.223/5.56x45mm)
*Easily adapted to fire numerous other rounds
*Front sight adjustable for elevation
*Rear sight adjustable for windage (most models) and elevation (some models)
*Wide array of optical aiming devices available in addition to or as replacements of iron sights
*Direct impingement gas system (as designed) with short or long stroke gas piston, or direct blowback operating systems available
*Synthetic pistol grip and butt stock that do not swell or splinter in adverse conditions (regulated in some states)
*Various magazine capacity, ranging from 10 to 30-round or more
*Ergonomic design that makes the charging handle, selector switch (which also engages the safety), magazine release, and bolt catch assembly
easy to access.
*4 MOA Accuracy as a MILSPEC standard
Semi-automatic AR-15s for sale to civilians are internally different from the full automatic M16, although nearly identical in external appearance. The hammer and trigger mechanisms are of a different design. The bolt carrier and internal lower receiver of semi-automatic versions are milled differently, so that the firing mechanisms are not interchangeable. This was done to satisfy United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) requirements that civilian weapons may not be easily convertible to full-automatic. In the late 1970s and early '80s, items such as the "Drop In Auto Sear" or "lightning-link," conversion to full automatic was very straightforward (sometimes requiring machining of the lower receiver with use of a lathe and M16 Bolt Carrier Group).Such modifications, unless using registered and transferable parts made prior to May 19, 1986, are illegal. (The Firearm Owners Protection Act in 1986 has redefined a machine gun to include individual components where a semi-automatic firearm can be converted to full-automatic based on a 1981 ATF ruling on machine gun parts.) Since 1993, The Bolt Carrier Groups used in AR-15 type rifles for civilians have employed additional measures to prevent modification to full auto. Colt AR-15's use a metal alloy wall separating the Fire Control group from the Sear, preventing use of such items.
Automatic variants have a three-position rotating selective fire switch, allowing the operator to select between three modes: safe, semi-automatic, and either automatic or three-round burst, depending on model. Civilian Colt AR-15 models do not have three-round burst or automatic settings; they can only be fired as a semi-automatic, and are therefore not selective fire weapons. In semi-automatic-only variants, the switch only functions to rotate between safe and fire. Some other manufacturers may mark their rifles with three-positions for collectors and re-enactors, though the guns will not fire in those modes. However weapons modified to full automatic using a lightning-link are capable of full automatic fire only—unless a special full automatic fire select mechanism and modified selector-switch is substituted.
Also the Operating Mechanism for the AR-15, The main mechanism of operation for the rifle is known as direct gas impingement. Gas is tapped from the barrel as the bullet moves past a gas port located above the rifle's front sight base. The gas rushes into the port and down a gas tube, located above the barrel, which runs from the front sight base into the AR-15's upper receiver. Here, the gas tube protrudes into a "gas key" (bolt carrier key) which accepts the gas and funnels it into the bolt carrier.
The bolt and bolt carrier together form a piston, which is caused to expand as the cavity in the bolt carrier fills with high pressure gas. The bolt is locked into the barrel extension, so this expansion forces the bolt carrier backward a short distance in line with the stock of the rifle to first unlock the bolt. As the bolt carrier moves toward the butt of the gun, the bolt cam pin, riding in a slot on the bolt carrier, forces the bolt to turn and unlock from the barrel extension. (The gas system only serves to unlock the bolt once the projectile has exited the barrel). Once the bolt is fully unlocked it begins its rearward movement along with the bolt carrier. The bolt's rearward motion extracts the empty cartridge case from the chamber, and as soon as the neck of the case clears the barrel extension, the bolt's spring-loaded ejector forces it out the ejection port in the side of the upper receiver. The bolt is much heavier than the projectile, and along with the recoil-spring pressure inside the stock buffer-tube performs the cartridge ejection function and chambers the following cartridge.
Behind the bolt carrier is a plastic or metal buffer which rests in line with a return spring that pushes the bolt carrier back toward the chamber. A groove machined into the upper receiver traps the cam pin and prevents it and the bolt from rotating into a closed position. The bolt's locking lugs then push a fresh round from the magazine which is guided by feed ramps into the chamber. As the bolt's locking lugs move past the barrel extension, the cam pin is allowed to twist into a pocket milled into the upper receiver. This twisting action follows the groove cut into the carrier and forces the bolt to twist and "lock" into the barrel's unique extension.
The AR-15 rifle is available in a wide range of configurations from a large number of manufacturers. These configurations range from short carbine-length models with features such as adjustable length stocks and optical sights, to heavy barrel models.
Due to the rifle's modular design, one upper receiver can quickly and easily be substituted for another. There are many aftermarket upper receivers that incorporate barrels of different weights, lengths and calibers. Some available calibers for the AR-15 platform are the .223 Remington/5.56x45mm, .45 ACP, 5.7x28mm, 6.5 mm Grendel, .338 Lapua, 6.8 mm Remington SPC, .50 Beowulf, .50 BMG, and .458 SOCOM. It is not recommended to chamber the 5.56x45 NATO into a rifle designated .223 Remington, due to the increased chamber pressure in the 5.56mm cartridges; the two calibers are similar, but not identical.
When installing a new complete upper receiver, particularly one designed to handle a different caliber of ammunition (i.e., other than .223 Remington or 5.56x45 mm NATO), some modification to the contents of the lower receiver may be required, depending on the particular conversion. For example, a conversion to 9 mm typically would involve the installation of a magazine well block (to accommodate a typical 9 mm magazine, such as Uzi or Colt SMG), replacing the .223 hammer with one designed for 9 mm ammunition, and depending on the original stock, replacing the buffer, action spring and stock spacer with those designed for the new 9 mm AR-15 configuration. The 9mm cartridge fires from an unlocked breech, or straight blow-back—rather than a locked breech, because the spring and bolt provide enough weight to allow this type of functioning. These guns do not utilize the direct gas impingement method of operation like the original.
Some AR-15's like the POF, LWRCI, H&K, Sturm Ruger, Sig Sauer, and Adams arms offerings replace the DGI (direct gas impingement) operating system with a short stroke/long stroke gas piston system. These guns usually have modified bolt carriers, gas keys, and gas blocks. When fired, DGI systems dump high pressure hot gas through the gas tube to the bolt carrier key and into the bolt carrier group. This can rapidly heat up the bolt carrier group and cause excessive fouling, one of the main complaints about the design. Gas piston operating systems alleviate these problems, but can be the cause of other issues such as bolt carrier tilt.
Some manufacturers offer upper and lower receivers machined from a solid billet (block) of aluminum as opposed to an aluminum forging. These include Sun Devil manufacturing, LAR Grizzly manufacturing, POF-USA, and Black Rain. This is usually done for added strength.
Upper receivers utilizing a monolithic rail system that combine a railed hand guard and upper receiver into one uninterrupted piece are made by companies like Colt's Manufacturing Company, Lewis Machine and Tool (LMT MRP), POF-USA, and VLTOR. This is done to provide a continuous uninterrupted rail section that runs along the top of the gun from the weapons charging handle to the front sight/gas block. This rail section is used for the mounting of sights, laser aiming devices, night vision devices, and lighting systems.
A side charging upper receiver has been developed by LAR Grizzly. The charging handle can be had in a left side, right side, or ambidextrous configuration. Since the charging handle is attached to the bolt carrier making it a reciprocating design, it can be utilized as a forward assist device as well.
Early models had a 1:14 rate of twist for the original 55 grain (3.6 g) bullets. This was changed to 1:12 when it was found that 1:14 was insufficient to stabilize a bullet when fired in cold weather. Most recent rifles have a 1:9 or 1:7 twist rate. There is much controversy and speculation as to how differing twist rates affect ballistics and terminal performance with varying loads, but heavier projectiles tend to perform better with faster rifling rates. Additionally, the various non .223 / 5.56 calibers have their own particular twist rate, such as 1:10, 1/11 and 1/12 for 6.8x43mm SPC, 1/10 7.62x39mm, and 1:12 for .308 Winchester.
Standard issue magazines are 20- or 30-round staggered-column magazines, traditional box magazines exist in 40- and 45-round capacities, and usable magazines have been constructed from a variety of materials including steel, aluminum, and high-impact plastics. Drum magazines with 90- and 100-round capacities exist, such as Beta C-Mags. Low-capacity magazines, usually of a 5- or 10-round capacity, are available to comply with some areas' legal restrictions, hunting, and because larger magazines can inhibit shooting from a bench rest. Surefire is now offering extended capacity magazines in 60- and 100-round capacity configurations. These magazines are a staggered column design.
Most AR15 rifles have a barrel threaded in 1⁄2-28" threads to incorporate the use of a muzzle device such as a flash suppressor, sound suppressor or muzzle brake.The initial design had three tines or prongs and was prone to breakage and getting entangled in vegetation. The design was later changed to close the end to avoid this and eventually on the A2 version of the rifle, the bottom port was closed to reduce muzzle climb and prevent dust from rising when the rifle was fired in the prone position. For these reasons, the US Military declared this muzzle device a compensator; but it is more commonly known as the "GI" or "A2" flash suppressor.
Some jurisdictions have banned or severely restrict usage of flash suppressors by law. In most of these areas, AR-15 shooters have installed muzzle brakes or compensators on their rifles.
The threaded barrel allows sound suppressors with the same thread pattern to be installed directly to the barrel, however this can result in complications such as being unable to remove the suppressor from the barrel.A number of suppressor manufacturers have turned to designing "direct-connect" sound suppressors which can be installed over an existing flash suppressor as opposed to using the barrel's threads.
Malfunction, With the plethora of manufacturers of complete weapons and aftermarket barrels, there is a potential hazard associated with chamber specifications. Both civilian (SAAMI) specification .223 Remington and 5.56 mm NATO are available. Though the external dimensions of the two cases are the same and both chambers typically accept both types of ammunition, the firing of military specification ammunition in civilian specification chambers can produce chamber pressures greater than the barrel is designed to handle. Internally the 5.56x45mm case wall is thicker, and the round itself is typically loaded to produce higher pressure than the .223. The most common result of firing military 5.56x45mm ammunition in a .223 Remington chamber is that the primer can be forced out of the case by chamber pressure, often resulting in the primer becoming lodged somewhere in the action of the rifle, and disassembly of the rifle is often necessary to remove the jammed primer.
A few AR-15 manufacturers incorporate the use of a hybrid chamber specification known as the Wylde chamber. Designed by and named after Bill Wylde of Greenup, IL, this chambering was designed to accurately shoot the military ball ammo of the day while still feeding reliably. Coincidentally, it shoots the longer 80 gr bullets commonly used in the sport of Highpower Rifle Competition very well and is one of the preferred chambers for that use. While the Wylde chamber allows for optimal seating depth of 80 grain bullets over .223 Remington and 5.56 NATO, it is capable of accepting both ammunition types. The Wylde chamber is used by many manufacturers who sell "National Match" configuration AR-15 rifle, barrels, and upper receivers. The type of chamber, manufacturer, and rifling twist in inches is typically found stamped into the barrel in front of the front sight assembly.
An additional point of concern in the design is the inertial firing pin. A lightweight firing pin rides in a channel inside the bolt unrestrained. When the bolt locks forward during loading, the firing pin typically rides forward and impacts the primer of the chambered round. In military specification ammunition and quality civilian ammunition, this is not normally enough to fire the round and only leaves a small "ding" on the primer. With more sensitive primers or improperly seated primers, this can cause a slamfire during loading.
Another type of malfunction, Hammer Follow, is also a potential problem for AR platform weapons. In one case, David Olofson, an Army Reservist with 16 years in the US Army, lent to a prospective buyer an AR-15 rifle which was found to malfunction in such a way that it would fire multiple rounds on a single trigger pull. After law enforcement intervention, David Olofson was charged with and found guilty of illegally transferring a machine gun and was sentenced to thirty months in prison.
The Mauser M 98 are a series of currently (2009) produced hunting bolt action rifles. Though the production of the controlled-feed Mauser M 98 bolt action system for the German military ceased at the end of World War II in 1945, the production of new Mauser M 98 and M 98 Magnum rifles for civil users has been resumed in 1999 in Isny im Allgäu, Germany by Mauser Jagdwaffen GmbH (Mauser Huntingweapons Ltd.), according to original drawings of 1936 and the respective Mauser patents. Mauser Jagdwaffen GmbH is a subsidiary of SIG Sauer.
The Mauser M 98 series are practically a contemporary civilian version adapted for hunting and other sporting purposes of the Karabiner 98k service rifle, which was one of the final developments in the long line of Mauser military rifles. Vaguely similar to the latter rifle in appearance, the M 98 is offered in many different hunting chamberings, not like the original service rifle.
As a modern civilian offspring of the Karabiner 98k service rifle the Mauser M 98 series offers several features and factory options, that are also typical for sporterised Mauser Karabiner 98k ex-service rifles, ranging from various technical departures from the basic Mauser service rifle it was based on to luxury wood grades, (gold) inlays, engravings and surface treatments like color case hardening. Some of the available options were originally developed and introduced by John Rigby & Co. on Rigby Mauser hunting rifles.
The M 98 controlled-feed bolt action system is a simple, strong, safe, and well-thought-out design that was originally patented by Paul Mauser on the 9th of September 1895 and inspired other military and hunting/sporting rifle designs that became available during the 20th and 21st century. A drawback of the M 98 system is that it can not be cheaply mass produced very easily. Some other bolt action designs (e.g. the Lee Enfield) also offer trained operators a significantly faster rate of fire. The basic Mauser M 98 version retails (2009) for approximately EUR 6,800, but the addition of (luxury) options can make these rifles much more expensive. For the Mauser M 98 series the M 98 bolt action system is machined out of one solid piece of high-grade steel. It also features a double square bridge for mounting a telescopic sight.
The M 98 system consists of a receiver that serves as the systems shroud and a bolt group of which the bolt body has three locking lugs, two large main lugs at the bolt head and a third safety lug at the rear of the bolt which serves as a backup in case the primary locking lugs failed. This third lug is a distinctive feature and was not present on previous Mauser bolt action designs. The two main locking lugs display a locking surface of 56 mm², whilst the third safety lug normally plays no part in locking the action to avoid asymmetric and hence unbalanced bolt thrust forces. The diameter of the receiver was also enlarged compared to previous Mauser receivers for additional strength and safety. The bolt handle is permanently attached to the bolt and on the Mauser M 98 series is turned-down for use with optical sights.
Another distinctive feature of the M 98 system is the controlled-feed mechanism, consisting of a large, non-rotating claw extractor that engages the cartridge case rim as soon as the round leaves the magazine and firmly holds the cartridge case until the round is ejected by the ejector, mounted inside the receiver. Combined with a slight bolt retraction at the last stage of the bolt opening cycle, caused by the cammed surface on the rear receiver bridge, this results in a positive cartridge case extraction. The M 98 bolt action will cycle correctly irrespective of the way the rifle is moved or positioned during the bolt cycling action or if the cartridge has been fired or not. Only if the bolt is not brought back far enough, sharply enough, in a controlled round feed bolt action the cartridge case may not be cleanly ejected and a jam may result.
The bolt houses the firing pin mechanism that gets cocked when the bolt is opened and the cocking piece protrudes visually and tactilely from the rear of the bolt to indicate the action is cocked. This bolt sleeve lock was not present on previous Mauser bolt action designs and reduced firing pin travel and lock time.
The action features large gas relief holes and a gas shield on the bolt sleeve designed to protect the users head in case of a primer or cartridge rupture or detonation. When the action suffers a catastrophic failure it is designed to deflect the debris away from the operator's face.
The Mauser M 98 bolt group can be easily removed from the receiver simply by pulling out the bolt stop, located at the left wall of the receiver, and then by rotating and pulling the bolt out.
As standard the Mauser M 98 rifle features the traditional Mauser 98 three-position safety attached at the rear of the bolt which operating lever can be flicked from right (safety on, bolt locked) to middle (safety on, bolt can be opened for reloading), to left (ready to fire) but only when the rifle is cocked, otherwise the safety will not move. The safety secures the firing pin. The safety can only be released by firing the rifle with the safety set in the ready to fire position or by closing the cocked bolt with a previously pulled trigger that must be kept pulled back during the closing operation. Disengaging the safety by closing the bolt is only possible with the safety set in the ready to fire position. The safety catch lever is quite large, making it easy to operate but posing a problem for mounting telescopic sights very low above the receiver whilst retaining good operability of the safety catch leaver. The Mauser M 98 rifle series can also be ordered with an optional Mauser horizontal 3-position safety with locking lever to ensure good operability of the safety catch leaver with low mounted aiming optics.
The standard barrel length is 600 mm (23.62 in) for the M 98 and 620 mm (24.41 in) for the M 98 Magnum variant. Other barrel lengths are available upon request for the M 98 and M 98 Magnum variant, subject to availability. As an option the rifles can be ordered with an integral barrel. This is a barrel with a quarter rib, sight bases and a sling swivel mounting machined out of a solid barrel blank.
The internal magazine of the M 98 system consists of an integral box machined to match the cartridge for which the rifle was being chambered, with a detachable floorplate, that can hold up to 5 standard sized rifle cartridges. The magazine can be loaded with single rounds by pushing the cartridges into the receiver top opening. The magazine can be unloaded by operating the bolt (the safety should for safety reasons be set to the middle position for this) or in case of mechanical problems by opening the magazine floorplate. The Mauser M 98 internal magazine has a 5+1 magazine capacity in standard calibers and 4+1 in magnum calibers.
An express open sight with big rear sight and brass bead sight and single stage trigger are standard. A Rigby style diopter sight, a safari folding sight with white enamel inlay for rapid target acquisition or adverse light conditions and an express sight with two folding leaves zeroed for 50, 100 and 150 meters are available as options. The M 98 system can also be factory prepared for swing-off telescopic sight mounts (bases in square bridge) or complete mounts for telescopic sights with or without a mounting rail.
The standard hand-rubbed oil-finish walnut wood stock has a straight comb with German-style cheekpiece, a rubber recoil pad, steel pistol grip cap and rosewood forearm tip. These stocks come in 5 wood quality grades and an alternative Rigby-style cheekpiece can be ordered. Besides these options further customizing options like various extra luxury wood grades is possible.
The Mauser M 98 Magnum is a currently (2009) produced magnum variant of the modern M 98 line intended for big-game safari hunting. This Magnum variant exploits the fact that throughout the design's history, standard and enlarged versions of the Mauser M 98 system have been produced for the civil market. John Rigby & Co. commissioned Mauser to develop the M 98 magnum action over a hundred years ago. It was designed to function with the large sized cartridges normally used to hunt Big Five game and other dangerous game species. For this specialized type of hunting, where absolute reliability of the rifle under adverse conditions is very important, the controlled-feed M 98 system remains the standard by which other action designs are judged.The trouble for a hunter or guide is that used M 98 Magnum rifles are hard to come by. Most owners consider these rifles to represent the peak in dangerous game rifles development, and seldom sell them.
The currently produced Mauser M 98 Magnum rifles are offered in chamberings ranging from .375 Holland & Holland with a 5+1 magazine capacity, .338 Lapua Magnum, .416 Rigby, .450 Dakota, .458 Lott with a 4+1 magazine capacity to .500 Jeffery with a 3+1 magazine capacity. For the .500 Jeffery chambering an optional large Rigby-style magazine cover that increases magazine capacity to 4+1 is available. Other calibers are available upon request.
The Mosin–Nagant (Russian: Винтовка Мосина, ISO 9: Vintovka Mosina) is a bolt-action, internal magazine-fed, military rifle, developed by the Imperial Russian Army in 1882–1891, and used by the armed forces of the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union and various other nations.
During the Russo-Ottoman War of 1877–1878, Russian troops armed mostly with Berdan single-shot rifles suffered heavy casualties against Turkish troops with Winchester repeating rifles, notably at the bloody Siege of Plevna. This showed Russian commanders the need to modernize the Imperial Army. In 1882 the Russian Main Artillery Administration undertook the task of producing a magazine-fed, repeater rifle. After failing to adequately modify the Berdan rifle to meet the specified requirements, a "Special Commission for the testing of Magazine Fed Rifles" was formed to test new designs.
In 1889, three rifles were submitted for evaluation: Captain Sergei Ivanovich Mosin of the Imperial Army submitted his "3-line" caliber (.30 cal, 7.62 mm) rifle; Belgian designer Léon Nagant submitted a "3.5-line" design; and a Captain Zinoviev submitted another "3-line" design. (One "line" = 1/10".)
When trials concluded in 1891, the evaluators were split in their decision. The main disadvantages of Nagant's rifle were a more complicated mechanism and a long and tiresome procedure of disassembling (which required special instruments – it was necessary to unscrew two screws). Mosin's rifle was mainly criticized for its lower quality of manufacture and materials, resulting in a slightly larger number of stoppages. The Commission voted 14 to 10 to approve Nagant's rifle. However, the head of the Commission, General Chagin, ordered subsequent tests held under the Commission's supervision during which Mosin's rifle showed its advantages, leading to its selection over the Nagant.
Compared to the 1898 Mauser rifle which defined the modern bolt action, the 1891 Mosin has a commonality in that it uses two front locking lugs to lock up the action. However, the Mosin's lugs lock in the horizontal position, whereas the Mauser locks vertically. The Mosin bolt assembly is multi-piece whereas the Mauser is one piece. The Mosin uses interchangeable bolt heads like the Lee-Enfield. Unlike the Mauser, which uses a "controlled feed" bolt head in which the cartridge base snaps up under the fixed extractor as the cartridge is fed from the magazine, the Nagant has a "push feed" recessed bolt head in which the spring-loaded extractor snaps over the cartridge base as the bolt is finally closed. Like the Mauser, the Mosin uses a blade ejector mounted in the receiver. The Mosin bolt is removed by simply pulling it fully to the rear of the receiver and squeezing the trigger, while the Mauser has a bolt stop lever separate from the trigger.
Like the Mauser, the bolt lift arc on the Mosin–Nagant is 90 degrees, versus 60 degrees on the Lee-Enfield. The Mauser bolt handle is at the rear of the bolt body and locks behind the solid rear receiver ring. The Mosin bolt handle is similar to the Mannlicher: it is attached to a protrusion on the middle of the bolt body which serves as a bolt guide, and it locks protruding out of the ejection/loading port in front of a split rear receiver ring, also serving a similar function to Mauser's "third" or "safety" lug.
The rifling of the Mosin barrel is right turning (clockwise looking down the rifle) 4-groove with a twist of 1:9.5" or 1:10".
The 3-line rifle, Model 1891, its original official designation, was adopted by the Russian Military in 1891. There have been several variations from the original rifle, the most common being the M1891/30 (commonly referred to as "the 91/30" by shooters), which was a modernized design introduced in 1930. Some details were borrowed from Nagant's design. One such detail is the attachment of the magazine spring to the magazine base plate. In Mosin's original design the spring was not attached to the base plate and, according to the Commission, could be lost during cleaning. Another detail is the form of the clip that could hold five cartridges to be loaded simultaneously into the magazine.
Another detail is the form of the "interrupter", a specially designed part within the receiver, which helps prevent double feeding. The initial rifle proposed by Nagant lacked an interrupter, leading to numerous failures to feed. This detail was introduced in the rifle borrowing from Mosin's rifle. Although the form of the interrupter was slightly changed, this alteration was subsequently borrowed back by the Commission for the Model 1891 Mosin Nagant. During the modernization of 1930 the form of the interrupter was further changed, from a single piece to a two piece design, as the part had turned out to be one of the least reliable parts of the action. Only the clip loading cartridges and the attachment of the magazine spring to the magazine base plate in subsequent models were designed by Nagant. Considering the rifle could be easily loaded without using a clip, one cartridge after another, the magazine spring attached to the magazine base plate is the only contribution of Nagant to all rifles after 1930.
Despite the failure of Nagant's rifle, he filed a patent suit, claiming he was entitled to the sum the winner was to receive. It appeared that Nagant was the first to apply for the international patent protection over the "interrupter", although he borrowed it from Mosin's design initially. Mosin could not apply for a patent since he was an officer of the Russian army, and the design of the rifle was owned by the Government and had the status of a military secret. A scandal was about to burst out, with Nagant threatening he would not participate in trials held in Russia ever again and some officials proposing to expel Nagant from any further trials as he borrowed the design of the "interrupter" after it was covered by the "secrecy" status given in Russia of that time to military inventions and therefore violated Russian law. Taking into consideration that Nagant was one of the few producers not engaged by competitive governments and generally eager to cooperate and share experience and technologies, the Commission paid him a sum of 200,000 Russian rubles, equal to the premium that Mosin received as the winner. The rifle did not receive the name of Mosin in order not to provoke further debates with Nagant. This turned out to be a wise decision, as in 1895 Nagant's revolver was adopted by the Russian army as the main sidearm. However for the same reason and because of Nagant's attempts to use the situation for publicity, the "Mosin–Nagant" name appeared in the western literature (the rifle was never called this in Russia). The name is a misnomer from the legal point of view (taking into consideration the legal provisions of Russian law at that time, i.e. the law of the country to adopt the rifle) and from technical point of view, as none of the details borrowed from Nagant's design, even if removed, would prevent the rifle from firing. Moreover, from the technical point of view the rifle that came to be called "Mosin–Nagant" (or "Nagant–Mosin") is the design proposed by Mosin, as further amended by Mosin with some details being borrowed from Nagant's design.
Production of the Model 1891 began in 1892 at the ordnance factories of Tula Arsenal, Izhevsk Arsenal and at Sestroryetsk Arsenal. An order for 500,000 rifles was placed with the French arms factory, Manufacture Nationale d'Armes de Châtellerault.
By the time of the Russo-Japanese War in 1904, approximately 3.8 million rifles had been delivered to the Russian army. Initial reactions by units equipped with the rifle were mixed, but any adverse reports were likely due to improper maintenance and handling of the Mosin by infantrymen more familiar with the Berdan and who were not properly trained on the Mosin–Nagant.
Between the adoption of the final design in 1891 and the year 1910, several variants and modifications to the existing rifles were made.
With the start of World War I, production was restricted to the M1891 dragoon and infantry models for the sake of simplicity. Due to the desperate shortage of arms and the shortcomings of a still-developing domestic industry, the Russian government ordered 1.5 million M1891 infantry rifles from Remington Arms and another 1.8 million from New England Westinghouse in the United States.Remington produced 750,000 rifles before production was halted by the 1917 October Revolution. Deliveries to Russia had amounted to 469,951 rifles when the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk ended hostilities between the Central Powers and Russia. Henceforth, the new Bolshevik regime of Vladimir Lenin stopped payments to the American companies manufacturing the Mosin–Nagant (Russia had not paid for the order at any time throughout the Great War). With Remington and Westinghouse on the precipice of bankruptcy from Lenin's decision, the remaining 280,000 rifles were purchased by the United States Army. American and British expeditionary forces of the North Russia Campaign were armed with these rifles and sent to Murmansk and Arkhangelsk in the late summer of 1918 to prevent the large quantities of munitions delivered for Czarist forces from being captured by the Central Powers. Remaining rifles were used for the training of U.S. Army troops. Some were used to equip U.S. National Guard, SATC, and ROTC units. Designated "U.S. Rifle, 7.62mm, Model of 1916", these are among the rarest of American service arms. In 1917, 50,000 rifles were sent via Vladivostok to the Czechoslovak Legions in Siberia to aid in their attempt to secure passage to France.
Many of the New England Westinghouse and Remington Mosin–Nagants were sold to private citizens in the United States before World War II through the office of the Director of Civilian Marksmanship, the predecessor to the federal government's current Civilian Marksmanship Program.
Large numbers of Mosin–Nagants were captured by German and Austro-Hungarian forces and saw service with the rear-echelon forces of both armies, and also with the Imperial German Navy. Many of these weapons were sold to Finland in the 1920s.
During the Russian Civil War, infantry and dragoon versions were still in production, though in dramatically reduced numbers. The rifle was widely used by Bolsheviks, Black Guards and their enemies, the White Russians (counter-revolutionary forces). In 1924, following the victory of the Red Army, a committee was established to modernize the rifle, which had by then been in service for over three decades. This effort led to the development of the Model 91/30 rifle, which was based on the design of the original dragoon version. The barrel length was shortened by 3½ inches. The sight measurements were converted from Arshins to meters; and the front sight blade was replaced by a hooded post front sight less susceptible to being knocked out of alignment. There were also minor modifications to the bolt, but not enough to prevent interchangeability with the earlier Model 1891 and the so-called "Cossack dragoon" rifles.
Finland was a Grand Duchy in the Russian Empire until 1917, so Finns had long used the Mosin–Nagant in service with the Tsarist military.The rifle was used in the short civil war there and adopted as the service rifle of the new republic's army. Finland produced several variants of the Mosin–Nagant, all of them manufactured using the receivers of Russian-made or (later) Soviet-made rifles. Finland also utilized a number of captured M91 and M91/30 rifles with minimal modifications. As a result, the rifle was used on both sides of the Winter War and the Continuation War during World War II. Finnish Mosin–Nagants were produced by SAKO, Tikkakoski, and VKT, with some using barrels imported from Switzerland and Germany. In assembling M39 rifles, Finnish armorers re-used octagonal receivers that dated back as far as 1894. Finnish rifles are characterized by Russian, French or American-made receivers stamped with a boxed SA, as well as many other parts produced in those countries and barrels produced in Finland, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium and Germany. The Finns also manufactured three-piece "finger splice" stocks for their Mosin–Nagant rifles.
In addition, the rifle was distributed as aid to Republican anti-Franco forces in the Spanish Civil War.Spanish Civil War Mosins can be readily identified by the wire sling hangers inserted in the slots in the forearm and buttstock meant to take the Russian "dog collars" for Russian-style slings, so the rifles could accept Western European-style rifle slings.
At the beginning of the war, the Mosin–Nagant 91/30 was the standard issue weapon of Soviet troops and millions of the rifles were produced and used in World War II by the largest mobilized army in history.
The Mosin–Nagant Model 1891/30 was modified and adapted as a sniper rifle from 1932 onwards with mounts and scopes from Germany at first and subsequently with domestic designs (PE, PEM) and from 1942 was issued with 3.5-power PU fixed focus scopes to Soviet snipers. It served quite prominently in the brutal urban battles on the Eastern Front, such as the Battle of Stalingrad, which made heroes of snipers like Vasili Zaitsev and Ivan Sidorenko. These sniper rifles were highly respected for being very rugged, reliable, accurate, and easy to maintain.[citation needed] Finland also employed the Mosin–Nagant as a sniper rifle, with similar success with their own designs and captured Soviet rifles. For example, Simo Häyhä is credited with killing 505 Soviet soldiers, many falling victim to his Finnish M/28-30 Mosin–Nagant rifle.Häyhä did not use a scope on his Mosin. In interviews Häyhä gave before his death, he said that the scope and mount designed by the Soviets required the shooter to expose himself too much and raise his head too high, increasing the chances of being spotted by the enemy.
In 1935–1936, the 91/30 was again modified, this time to lower production time. The octagonal receiver was changed to a round receiver.When war with Germany broke out, the need to produce Mosin–Nagants in vast quantities led to a further simplification of machining and a falling-off in finish of the rifles. The wartime Mosins are easily identified by the presence of tool marks and rough finishing that never would have passed the inspectors in peacetime. However, despite a lack of both aesthetic focus and uniformity, the basic functionality of the Mosins was unimpaired.
In addition, in 1938, a carbine version of the Mosin Nagant, the M38, was issued. The carbine used the same cartridge and action as other Mosins, but the barrel was shortened by eight inches to bring the weapon down to an overall length of 40 inches, with the forearm shortened in proportion. The idea was to issue the M38 to troops such as combat engineers, signal corps, and artillerymen, who could conceivably need to defend themselves from sudden enemy advances, but whose primary duties lay behind the front lines. Significantly, the front sight of the M38 was positioned in such a way that the Model 91/30's cruciform bayonet could not be mounted to the muzzle even if a soldier obtained one.
The slaughter of the rear area troops, and increase in urban combat, led directly to the development of the Model M44 Mosin. In essence, the M44 is an M38 with a slightly modified forearm and with a permanently mounted cruciform bayonet that folds to the right when it is not needed. In terms of handiness, the M44 was an improvement on the Model 91/30, particularly for urban warfare; but few M44s saw combat on the Eastern Front.
By the end of the war, approximately 17.4 million M91/30 rifles had been produced[citation needed].
The gun is thought(by who?)to be referenced in Hirsh Glick's "Zog Nit Keyn Mol", the well-known song of the World War II Jewish partisans, which includes the words "This song a people sang amid collapsing walls / With Nagants in the hand" (Yiddish: מיט נאַגאַנעס אין די הענט, mit naganes in di hent); though this refers to the Nagant revolver, not the Mosin rifle. In the USSR and Russia, the rifle always was called just "Mosin" not "Mosin–Nagant".
**Russian Variants**
*Model 1891 Infantry Rifle (Russian: пехотная винтовка образца 1891-гo года): The primary weapon of Russian and Red Army infantry from
1891 to 1930. Between 1891 and 1910 the following modifications were made to the design of the rifle:
*Changed sights.
*Inclusion of a reinforcing bolt through the finger groove (due to the adoption of a 147-grain pointed ('spitzer') round).
*Elimination of the steel finger rest behind the trigger guard.
*New barrel bands.
*Installation of slot-type sling mounts to replace the more traditional swivels.
*Dragoon Rifle (Russian: драгунская): Intended for use by Dragoons (mounted infantry). 64 mm (2.5 in) shorter and 0.4 kg (0.9 lb) lighter than the
M1891. The Dragoon rifle's dimensions are identical to the later M1891/30 rifle, and most Dragoon rifles were eventually reworked into
M1891/30s. Most such rifles, known to collectors as "ex-Dragoons", can be identified by their pre-1930 date stampings, but small numbers of
Dragoon rifles were produced from 1930 to 1932 and after reworking became impossible to distinguish from purpose-built M1891/30s.
*Cossack Rifle (казачья): Introduced for Cossack horsemen, it is almost identical to the Dragoon rifle but is sighted for use without a bayonet.
These rifles were also issued without a bayonet.
*Model 1907 Carbine: At 289 mm (11.4 in) shorter and 0.95 kg (2.1 lb) lighter than the M1891, this model was excellent for cavalry, engineers,
signalers, and artillerymen. It was stocked nearly to the front sight and therefore did not take a bayonet. It was produced until at least 1917 in
small numbers.
**Model 1891/30 (винтовка образца 1891/30-го года, винтовка Мосина): The most prolific version of the Mosin–Nagant. It was produced for
standard issue to all Soviet infantry from 1930 to 1945. Most Dragoon rifles were also converted to the M1891/30 standard. It was commonly
used as a sniper rifle in World War II. Early sniper versions had a 4x PE or PEM scope, a Soviet-made copy of a Zeiss design, while later rifles used
smaller, simpler, and easier-to-produce 3.5x PU scopes. Because the scope was mounted above the chamber, the bolt handle was replaced with
a longer, bent version on sniper rifles so the shooter could work the bolt without the scope interfering with it. Its design was based on the
Dragoon rifle with the following modifications:
*Flat rear sights and restamping of sights in metres, instead of arshinii.
*A cylindrical receiver, replacing the octagonal (commonly called "hex") receiver. Early production 91/30s (from 1930 to 1936) and converted Dragoon rifles retained the octagonal receiver. These rifles are less common and regarded as generally more desirable by collectors.
*A hooded post front sight, replacing the blade on previous weapons.
*Model 1938 Carbine: A carbine based on the M1891/30 design that was produced from 1939 to 1945 at the Izhevsk arsenal and in 1940 and 1944 at Tula. They were intended for use by second-echelon and noncombatant troops. Very few M38 carbines were made in 1945 and are highly sought after by collectors. Essentially a M1891/30 with a shortened barrel and shortened stock (the M38 is 40 inches (1,000 mm) in overall length versus 48 inches overall length for the Model 91/30), this carbine did not accept a bayonet and was in fact designed so that the standard Model 91/30 bayonet would not fit it. However many M38 carbines were fitted into M44 stocks by the Soviets as a wartime expedient. M38s in the correct M38 stock command a premium over M38s in M44 pattern stocks. The M38 was replaced by the M44 carbine in 1944.
*Model 1944 Carbine: This carbine was introduced into service in late 1944 (with 50,000 service-test examples produced in 1943) and remained in production until 1948. They were produced from 1943 to 1948 at the Izhevsk arsenal and only 1944 at Tula. Its specifications are very similar to the M1938, with the unique addition of a permanently affixed, side-folding cruciform-spike bayonet. A groove for the folded bayonet is inlet into the right side of the stock. These were in use not only by the Soviet Union, but also its various satellite nations.Many of these were counterbored post-war.
*Model 1891/59 Carbine: M1891/59s were created by shortening M1891/30 rifles to carbine length, with rear sight numbers partially ground off to reflect reduced range. These rifles are almost clones of the M38 except for the ground off M91/30 rear sight.The "1891/59" marking on the receiver suggests the carbines were created in or after 1959. It was initially thought that Bulgaria or another Soviet satellite country performed the conversions in preparation for a Western invasion that never came. Recent evidence suggests that the M91/59 was indeed produced in Bulgaria from Soviet-supplied wartime production M91/30s. Total production of the 91/59 is uncertain; figures as low as one million and as high as three million have appeared in the firearms magazines.
*Obrez: The sawed-off rifle. During the Russian Revolution and subsequent civil war, revolutionaries, various irregular forces and common criminals cut down the Mosin Nagant rifles to pistol size for easy concealment. Most of these rifle-cailber pistols did not have sights, being crudely made. After the Revolution, the numbers of Obrez bolt action pistols decreased as the Bolsheviks took over the imperial arsenals and gained access to stocks of Model 1895 Nagant revolvers. This unofficial Mosin variant is perhaps the rarest Mosin of them all. Obrez pistols are highly prized by collectors.
*OTs-48/OTs-48K: The OTs-48/OTs-48K (ОЦ-48К) sniper rifle was designed around 2000 in an attempt to make use of many surplus Mosin M1891/30 rifles which were still held in storage in Russia. Developed and manufactured "on order" by Central Design Bureau for Sporting and Hunting Arms (TSKIB SOO) in the city of Tula, this rifle is still in limited use by some Russian law enforcement agencies today.
There are many more variations of the Nagant Rifle,If you would like to know more please Contact Me.
The M2 Machine Gun or Browning .50 Caliber Machine Gun, is a heavy machine gun designed towards the end of World War I by John Browning. It is very similar in design to Browning's earlier M1919 Browning machine gun, which was chambered for the .30-06 cartridge. The M2 uses the much larger and much more powerful .50 BMG cartridge, which was developed alongside and takes its name from the gun itself (BMG standing for Browning Machine Gun). The M2 has been referred to as "Ma Deuce",as a GI phonetic slang or "the fifty" in reference to its caliber. The design has had many specific designations; the official designation for the current infantry type is Browning Machine Gun, Cal. .50, M2, HB, Flexible. It is effective against infantry, unarmored or lightly armored vehicles and boats, light fortifications and low-flying aircraft. The M2 has had the longest continuous service for a machine gun in the world.
The Browning .50 caliber machine gun has been used extensively as a vehicle weapon and for aircraft armament by the United States from the 1920s to the present. It was heavily used during World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and during the Iraq War and War in Afghanistan in the 2000s and 2010s. It is the primary heavy machine gun of NATO countries, and has been used by many other countries. The M2 has been in use longer than any other small arm in U.S. inventory except the .45 ACP M1911 pistol, also designed by John Browning.
The current M2HB is manufactured in the United States by General Dynamics and U.S. Ordnance for use by the United States government, and for U.S. Foreign Allies via FMS sales. FN Herstal has manufactured the M2 machine gun since the 1930s.U.S. Ordnance developed their M2 Quick Change Barrel system after years of manufacturing machine guns for the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. allies.
The United States did not have many machine guns when it entered World War I, and most were old technology. The machine gun was heavily used in World War I, and weapons of larger than rifle caliber were appearing. Both the British and French had large caliber machine guns. The larger rounds were needed to defeat the armor that was being introduced to the battlefield. Armor was also appearing in the skies. During World War I, the Germans introduced a heavily armored airplane, the Junkers J.I. The armor made aircraft machine guns using conventional rifle ammunition (such as the .30-06) ineffective.
Consequently, American Expeditionary Force's commander General John J. Pershing asked for a larger caliber machine gun.Pershing asked the Army Ordnance Department to develop a machine gun with a caliber of at least 0.50 inches (12.7 mm) and a muzzle velocity of at least 2,700 feet per second (820 m/s).U.S. Col. John Henry Parker, commanding a machine gun school in France, observed the effectiveness of a French 11 mm (0.43 in) incendiary armor-piercing round. The Army Ordnance Department ordered eight experimental Colt machine guns rechambered for the French 11-mm cartridge. The French had developed a prototype machine gun for an even larger caliber.
The French 11-mm round was not suitable because its velocity was too low. Pershing wanted a bullet of at least 670 gr (43 g) and a muzzle velocity of 2,700 ft/s (820 m/s). Development with the French round was dropped.
Around July 1917, John M. Browning started redesigning his .30 caliber machine for a larger caliber. Winchester worked on the cartridge, which was a scaled up version of the .30/06. Winchester initially added a rim to the cartridge because it wanted to use the cartridge in an anti-tank rifle, but Pershing insisted the cartridge be rimless.The first .50 machine gun underwent trials on 15 October 1918. It fired at less than 500 rounds per minute, and the muzzle velocity was only 2,300 ft/s (700 m/s). Cartridge improvements were promised.The gun was heavy, difficult to control, fired too slowly for anti-personnel, and was not powerful enough against armor.
While the .50 was being developed, some German anti-tank rifles and ammunition were seized. The German rounds had a muzzle velocity of 2,700 ft/s (820 m/s), an 800 gr (52 g) bullet, and could pierce 1 in (25 mm) at 250 yd (230 m).Winchester made the .50 caliber round have similar performance. Ultimately, the muzzle velocity was 2,750 ft/s (840 m/s).
Efforts by John M. Browning and Fred T. Moore resulted in the water-cooled Browning machine gun, caliber .50, M1921. An aircraft version was termed the Browning aircraft machine gun, caliber .50, M1921. These guns were used experimentally from 1921 until 1937. They had light-weight barrels and the ammunition only fed from the left side. Service trials raised doubts whether the guns would be suitable for aircraft or for anti-aircraft use. A heavy barrel M1921 was considered for ground vehicles.
John M. Browning died in 1926. Between 1927 and 1932, Dr. S.H. Green studied the design issues and service needs. The result was a single receiver design that could be turned into seven types of .50 caliber machine guns by using different jackets, barrels, and other components. The new receiver allowed right or left hand feed. In 1933, Colt manufactured several prototype Browning machine guns (including what would be known as the M1921A1 and M1921E2). With support from the Navy, Colt started manufacturing the M2 in 1933.
A variant without a water jacket, but with a thicker-walled, air-cooled barrel was designated the M2 HB (HB for Heavy Barrel). The added mass and surface area of the heavy barrel compensated somewhat for the loss of water-cooling, while reducing bulk and weight: the M2 weighs 121 lb (55 kg) with a water jacket, but the M2 HB weighs 84 lb (38 kg). Due to the long procedure for changing the barrel, an improved system was developed called QCB (quick change barrel). The lightweight "Army/Navy" prefixed AN/M2 "light-barrel" version of the Browning M2 weighing 60 pounds (27 kg) was also developed, and became the standard aviation machine gun of the World War II-era for American military aircraft of nearly every type.
The Browning M2 is an air-cooled, belt-fed machine gun. The M2 fires from a closed bolt, operated on the short recoil principle. The M2 fires the .50 BMG cartridge, which offers long range, accuracy and immense stopping power. The closed bolt firing cycle made the M2 usable as a synchronized machine gun on aircraft before and during World War II, as on the early versions of the Curtiss P-40 fighter.
The M2 is a scaled-up version of John Browning's M1917 .30 caliber machine gun (even using the same timing gauges).
The M2 has varying cyclic rates of fire, depending on the model. The M2HB (heavy barrel) air-cooled ground gun has a cyclical rate of 450-575 rounds per minute.The early M2 water-cooled AA guns had a cyclical rate of around 450–600 rpm.The AN/M2 aircraft gun has a cyclic rate of 750–850 rpm; this increases to 1,200 rpm or more for AN/M3 aircraft guns fitted with electric or mechanical feed boost mechanisms.These maximum rates of fire are generally not achieved in use, as sustained fire at that rate will wear out the bore within a few thousand rounds, necessitating replacement. The M2HB has slow fire mode for less than 40 rounds per minute, and rapid fire mode for more than 40 rounds per minute; these modes use 5-7 round bursts with different length pauses between bursts.
The M2 has an effective range of 1,830 metres (2,000 yd) and a maximum effective range of 2,000 metres (2,200 yd) when fired from the M3 tripod. In its ground-portable, crew-served role as the M2HB, the gun itself weighs in at a hefty 84 pounds (38 kg), and the assembled M3 tripod another 44 pounds (20 kg). In this configuration, the V-shaped "butterfly" trigger is located at the very rear of the weapon, with a "spade handle" hand-grip on either side of it and the bolt release the center. The spade handles are gripped and the butterfly trigger is depressed with one or both thumbs. Recently new rear buffer assemblies have used squeeze triggers mounted to the hand grips, doing away with the butterfly triggers.
When the bolt release is locked down by the bolt latch release lock on the buffer tube sleeve, the gun functions in fully automatic mode. Conversely, the bolt release can be unlocked into the up position resulting in single-shot firing (the gunner must press the bolt latch release to send the bolt forward). Unlike virtually all other modern machine guns, it has no safety (although a sliding safety switch has recently been fielded to USMC armorers for installation on their weapons and is standard-issue for the U.S. Army for all M2s). Troops in the field have been known to add an improvised safety measure against accidental firing by slipping an expended shell casing under the butterfly trigger. The upgraded M2A1 has a manual trigger block safety.
Because the M2 was intentionally designed to operate in many configurations, it can be adapted to feed from the left or right side of the weapon by exchanging the belt-holding pawls, and the front and rear cartridge stops (three-piece set to include link stripper), then reversing the bolt switch. The operator must also convert the top-cover belt feed slide assembly from left to right hand feed as well as the spring and plunger in the feed arm. This will take a well trained individual less than two minutes to perform.
The charging assembly may be changed from left to right hand charge. A right hand charging handle spring, lock wire and a little know how are all that are required to accomplish this. The M2 can be battle ready and easily interchanged if it is preemptively fitted with a retracting slide assembly on both sides of the weapon system. This eliminates the need to have the weapon removed from service to accomplish this task.
The TAR-21 (or simply Tavor) is an Israeli bullpup assault rifle chambered for 5.56×45mm NATO ammunition with a selective fire system, selecting between semi-automatic mode and full automatic fire mode. It is named after Mount Tabor, while "TAR-21" stands for "Tavor Assault Rifle – 21st Century". Since 2009, it has been selected as the standard issued weapon of the Israeli infantry. The MTAR-21 (Micro Tavor) was recently selected as the future assault rifle of the Israeli Defense Forces, and some infantry division are being issued with the rifle, replacing the larger, standard TAR-21.
The TAR-21 uses a bullpup design. Bullpup rifles are configured in a layout in which the bolt carrier group is placed behind the pistol grip; this shortens the overall length but does not sacrifice barrel length. The TAR-21 provides carbine length, but rifle muzzle velocity. The bullpup design is also used to minimize the silhouette of soldiers and to maximize effectiveness in turning corners in urban warfare.
The TAR-21 has ejection ports on both sides of the rifle so it can easily be reconfigured for right or left-handed shooters. However, this process requires partial disassembly, so it cannot be quickly reconfigured while the rifle is in use.
The TAR-21 design was created by Zalmen Shebs, with the express purpose of creating a weapon more suited to urban combat than the M16/M4 carbine. It is based on advanced ergonomics and composite materials in order to produce a more comfortable and reliable rifle. The TAR-21 is waterproof and lightweight. The weapon has a built in laser and MARS red dot sight, but the TAR-21 can also be mounted with an array of different sights such as a holographic weapon sights, night vision systems and other electronic devices.
The TAR-21 accepts standard STANAG magazines. It can also be mounted with the M203 grenade launcher. Its ambidextrous fire mode selector above the pistol grip has a semi-automatic mode and a fully automatic mode.
Externally, the IMI Tavor TAR 21 along with the Singaporean ST Kinetics SAR 21 and the South African Vektor CR-21 (all minus the foregrip) as with most other bullpup designs bears only a superficial appearance/resemblance to the Austrian Steyr AUG, although the advent of the bolt action bullpup Thorneycroft carbine in 1901 preceded the Steyr AUG (in production since 1978) by almost eighty years.
The Tavor assault rifle comes in different variations:
* TAR-21 – standard version intended for multirole infantry.
*GTAR-21 – standard version with notched barrel, to accept an M203 40 mm under-barrel grenade launcher.
*CTAR-21 – compact short barrel version intended for commandos and special forces.
*STAR-21 – designated marksman version with folding under-barrel bipod and Trijicon ACOG 4× magnification sight.
*Zittara – Indian locally produced version of the MTAR-21 Micro Tavor modified to use the local 5.56×30mm MINSAS cartridge
manufactured by the Ordnance Factories Board.
The Micro Tavor (MTAR-21), also designated X95 and sometimes called Tavor-2, is a stand-alone extremely compact weapon specifically designed for special forces units, as well as military personnel who are normally not issued long assault rifles.
With the use of a relatively simple conversion kit, the MTAR-21 can be converted from a 5.56 mm assault rifle to a 9 mm submachine gun loaded with 20, 25, and 32-round magazines. A suppressor can also be added to the weapon, as part of the 9 mm conversion kit. An integrated grenade launcher is currently being developed for the Micro Tavor. In November 2009, the Micro Tavor was selected as the future standard infantry weapon of the IDF.
It comes in a number of variants (including)
*X95 (5.56mm, compact assault rifle/carbine with 330mm/13" barrel)
*X95L (5.56mm, compact assault rifle/carbine with 419mm/16.5" barrel)
*X95 SMG (9mm, SMG with 330mm/13" barrel)
*X95R (5.45x39mm,compact assault rifle/carbine with 330mm/13" barrel)
*X95S (9mm, integrated silencer with 275mm/10.8" barrel,
and a rate of fire of~1200rds/min)
The semi-automatic Tavor Carbine (TC-21) has been conceived for civilian customers, and as a police patrol carbine for those countries, or law enforcement agencies, where full-automatic firearms are issued only to SWAT-like units. A semi-automatic Tavor carbine was first seen at the 2002 SHOT Show, when agreements were announced between IMI and the Barrett Firearms Company to manufacture the Tavor in both its military and civilian variants in the United States.This was probably done in order to allow Israel to procure the Tavor using United States military aid money, since, according to American military assistance agreements, said funds must be spent to purchase US-manufactured equipment. The agreement between IMI and Barrett was never finalized, and the semi-automatic Tavor carbine as shown at the 2002 SHOT Show was never manufactured, although that specific design has recently resurfaced. The current Tavor Carbine, made in Israel by IWI, has been designed with slightly shortened barrel, otherwise being identical to the standard TAR-21 assault rifle. As of 2008, it is available for civilian customers to purchase in Canada.The Canadian civilian version comes standard with the Mepro reflex sight and a slightly longer barrel to meet the Canadian requirement for non-restricted semi-automatic centerfire rifles to have a barrel length of at least 470 mm.
According to an interview with Michael Kassnar of Trans World Arms at the SHOT Show 2012, Trans World Arms is planning to bring the civilian version of Tavor to market around September–October 2012 time frame.
IWI has started a new US subsidiary, which is manufacturing the Tavor for US sales, with a market date of April 2013. Several distributors now have Tavors on order and are taking pre-orders from FFL dealers. Multiple versions are for sale, with two barrel lengths (16.5" and 18"). The longer barrel is likely to meet NFA requirements for overall length with the muzzle device removed.
The Remington Model 870 is a U.S.-made pump-action shotgun manufactured by Remington Arms Company, LLC. It is widely used by the public for sport shooting, hunting, and self-defense. It is also commonly used by law enforcement and military organizations worldwide.
The Remington 870 was the fourth major design in a series of Remington pump shotguns. John Pedersen designed the fragile Remington Model 10 (and later the improved Remington Model 29). John Browning designed the Remington Model 17 (which was later adapted by Ithaca into the Ithaca 37), which served as the basis for the Remington 31. The Model 31 was well liked,but struggled for sales in the shadow of the Winchester Model 12. Remington sought to correct that in 1949 by introducing a modern, streamlined, rugged, reliable, and relatively inexpensive shotgun – the 870. It was an adaptation of the Remington 11–48 autoloader, itself an adaptation of the John Browning-designed Remington 11.
Sales of the 870 have been steady. They reached 2 million guns by 1973 (ten times the number of Model 31 shotguns it replaced). By 1996, spurred by sales of the basic "Express" models, which were added as a lower-cost alternative to the original Wingmaster line, sales topped seven million guns. On April 13, 2009, the ten millionth Model 870 was produced, and the 870 holds the record for best-selling shotgun in history.
The 870 features a bottom-loading, side ejecting receiver, tubular magazine under the barrel, dual action bars, internal hammer, and a bolt which locks into an extension in the barrel. The action, receiver, trigger system, safety catch and slide release catch of the Remington Model 870 shotgun are similar to those used on the Remington Model 7600 series pump-action centerfire rifles and carbines. The basic trigger group design was first used in the automatic 11–48. 20 gauge stocks will also interchange. Several parts of the 870 will interchange with the semi-automatic Remington 1100 and 11–87.
The original 870 models were offered with fixed chokes. In 1986 Remington introduced the new Remington "Rem Choke" system of screw-in chokes (also fitted to Remington model 1100 auto-loading shotguns at the same time). Initially, the Rem Chokes were offered on barrel lengths of 21", 26" and 28". It was not offered on 30" barrels, deer guns, target guns or as a retrofit.
Production 870s for over 30 years had a design whereby a user could fail to press a shell all the way into the magazine when loading such that the shell latch did not engage the shell, and such actions could tie up the gun.This was caused by the shell which slipped out of the magazine under the bolt in the receiver to bind the action, requiring rough treatment of the action or even disassembly to clear by the uninitiated. The potential issue was resolved with the introduction of the "Flexi Tab" carrier. Guns with this modification can be identified by the "U"-shaped cut-out on the carrier, visible from below the gun. The cut-out allows the carrier to flex when the shell presses on it without binding the action.
There are hundreds of variations of the Remington 870 in 12, 16, 20, 28 gauges and .410 bore. From the original fifteen models offered, Remington currently produces dozens of models for civilian, law enforcement, and military sales. 870 variants can be grouped into:
*Express – Matte blue/black bead-blasted with laminated hardwood or synthetic stocks and chambered for 2 3/4" and 3" 12 or 20 gauge shotshells. All Expresses have been chambered in 3" in 12 and 20 gauge, but markings have varied.
*Marine – Nickel plated with synthetic stocks.
*Mark 1 - adopted by the United States Marine Corps in the late 1960s and saw service into the 21st century. The Model 870 Mark 1 has a 21 inches (53 cm) barrel with an extended magazine increasing total capacity to 8 rounds, and was fitted with an adapter allowing use of the standard M7 bayonet for the M16 rifle.
*MCS (Modular Combat Shotgun) – A new modular version of the M870 which can be quickly modified with different barrels, magazine tubes, and stocks for different purposes, such as urban combat and door breaching.
*Police – Blued or Parkerized steel with satin walnut, stained hardwood, or synthetic stocks. These models feature a stronger sear spring and magazine spring, and they receive extra care and inspections during assembly. The Police models also often have an extended tube magazine.
*Super Mag – Chambered for 3½" 12 gauge shotshells.
*Wingmaster – Blued steel with high gloss or satin walnut stocks. They have been offered in Skeet, Trap, and field configurations. Originally the basic Wingmaster was chambered for 2 3/4" rounds and came with a fixed choke, and the 3" chambered versions were designated Magnum models. Models built after 1986 offer the RemChoke Interchangeable choke tube system, and the 12 and 20 gauge versions are chambered in 3" for either 2 3/4" or 3" shells. Prior to the introduction of the "Police" model 870, altered Wingmasters were popular among law enforcement.
Arms manufacturer, Norinco, of the People's Republic of China has made unlicensed copies of the Remington 870 as the design is no longer under patent protection. The most common of these designs are the Norinco HP9-1 and M-98, the difference being that the HP9-1 has either a 12.5" or 14" barrel, whereas the M-98 has an 18.5" barrel. In the United States, where most Norinco products are specifically non-importable,this shotgun was imported and sold under the names Norinco Hawk 982 and Interstate Hawk 982.
The Model 700 series of firearms are bolt-action rifles manufactured by Remington Arms since 1962.All are based on the same centerfire bolt action.They often come with a 3, 4 or 5-round internal magazine depending on caliber, some of which have a floor-plate for quick-unloading, and some of which are "blind," (with no floor-plate). The rifle can also be ordered with a detachable box magazine. The Model 700 is available in many different stock, barrel and caliber configurations. It is a development of the Remington 721 and 722 series of rifles, which had been introduced in 1948.
The Remington 700 action is designed for mass production.It is a manually operated bolt action with 2 forward dual-opposed lugs. The bolt face is recessed, fully enclosing the base of the cartridge, The extractor is a C-clip sitting within the bolt face. The ejector is a plunger on the bolt face actuated by a coil spring. The bolt is of 3-piece construction, brazed together (head, body and bolt handle). The receiver is milled from round cross-section steel.
The Remington 700 comes in a large number of variants, with different stocks, barrel configurations, metal finishes and calibers.
In addition there are three lengths of action (not including the Model Seven's lightweight action, which is even shorter than the 'standard' short action). There is the short action for cartridges up to 2.800 in (71.12 mm) in overall length like the .308 Winchester cartridge family, the standard action for cartridges up to 3.340 in (84.84 mm) in overall length like the .30-06 Springfield and .300 Winchester Magnum cartridge families and the long action for magnum calibers exceeding 3.340 in (84.84 mm) in overall length like the .300 Remington Ultra Magnum and .375 Holland & Holland cartridge families.
To these can be added various magazine configurations; a blind magazine which has no floorplate, a conventional magazine with detachable floorplate and a detachable box magazine. There are standard consumer versions as well as versions designed for military and police use. Some variants come with bipods, slings and other accessories.
There are several variants of the consumer version of the Model 700, including:
*Model 700
*Model 700ADL
*Model 700BDL
*Model 700CDL
*Model 700 Safari
Remington also produces the Mountain LSS model with a stainless steel barrel and laminated stock. Heavy barrel versions with laminated stocks like the Model 700 SPS varmint are available for varmint hunting. The Model 700 ADL was replaced as the most economical Model 700 by the Model 700 SPS (Special Purpose Synthetic) in newer production.The 700CDL is usually higher priced than the 700BDL, but has a longer barrel in comparison.
Remington produced a 700 ML muzzleloading rifle from 1996 onwards. The EtronX electronic primer ignition system was implemented in the Model 700 EtronX introduced in 2000.
There are two main models of the 700P(Police Model) – the standard 700P with a 26" heavy barrel and the 700P Light Tactical Rifle (LTR) which has a 20" fluted heavy barrel. Both rifles also come (optionally) in a Tactical Weapons System (TWS) package, complete with telescopic sights, a bipod, and carrying case.
The 700P series appears to have been influenced by the designs, features, and success of the M24 Sniper Weapon System and the M40 series, with one feature of the Model 700P series being the heavier and thicker barrel for increased accuracy and reduced recoil. The rifle was chambered for .308 Winchester cartridge as well as the .223 Remington, .243 Winchester, 7 mm Remington Magnum, .300 Winchester Magnum, .300 Remington Ultra Magnum, and .338 Lapua Magnum. The 700P has a 26" barrel, an aluminium block bedded in its stock, which is made by HS Precision.
The police version (700P) is also marketed to private citizens and is very popular with shooters and hunters who like the "government issue" appearance as well as the handling and accuracy. Remington also sells the standard, U.S. Army-issue Leupold Mark IV M3 10x40 mm telescopic sight used by the Army's M24 as an optional feature. Remington offers similarly styled, less expensive versions under the Special Purpose Synthetic (or SPS) name. They are similar in most respects to the 700P but lack the H-S Precision stock. The SPS Varmint has the 26" heavy barrel and the SPS Tactical has the 20" heavy barrel.
Both the U.S. Army's M24 Sniper Weapon System and U.S. Marine Corps' M40 sniper rifles are built from the Remington Model 700 rifle, in different degrees of modification, the main difference being the custom fitted heavy contour barrel. The M24 and the M40 use the long action bolt-face. The reason for this is that the M24 was originally intended to chamber the longer .300 Winchester Magnum round. The M40 however was not intended to be chambered in the more powerful .300WinMag round, yet the Marine Corps intention was to migrate to the .300WinMag cartridge. The Marine Corps delantency has lead to a change in migratory direction, the current goal is for the M40 to become a rifle chambered in .338 Lapua Magnum.
The United States Army’s Joint Munitions and Lethality Contracting Center has awarded Remington a Firm Fixed Price (FFP) Indefinite Delivery/ Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) contract (W15QKN-10-R-0403) for the upgrade of up to 3,600 M24 Sniper Weapon Systems (SWS) currently fielded to the Army pending type classification as the “M24E1”. The major configuration change for this system is the caliber conversion from 7.62mm NATO (.308 Winchester) to .300 Winchester Magnum to provide soldiers with additional precision engagement capability and range. The contract is for a five (5) year period and has guaranteed minimum value of $192K with a potential value of up to $28.2 million.This award follows a full and open competitive evaluation lasting 9 months, which began with the release of the Army’s Request for Proposal (RFP) on 13 January 2010. The program will be executed under the authority of Project Manager Soldier Weapons, Picatinny Arsenal, NJ, and managed by its subordinate unit, Product Manager Individual Weapons. In 2009 the U.S. Army has changed the weapon name from M24E1 to the XM2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle.
On 20 October 2010, CNBC televised a program, Remington Under Fire: a CNBC Investigation, reporting that the trigger mechanism used prior to 2007 on the model 700 could fire without the trigger being squeezed. The report stated that Remington has received thousands of customer complaints since the firing mechanism was introduced in the 1940s, and that nearly two dozen deaths and hundreds of injuries had been attributed to inadvertent discharges of 700 series rifles. Through internal Remington documents, the program showed that on multiple occasions, the company considered recalling the product.
The inventor of the firing mechanism, Merle "Mike" Walker, 98 years old at the time of the documentary, told CNBC he proposed what he called a safer trigger in 1948 while the product was still in the testing stage. Walker said his enhanced design was rejected because of the added cost, 5 1/2 cents per gun(adjusted by inflation: 0.53$).Critics of the documentary countered that every incident featured on the program involving loss of life was the result of firearms mishandling where owners pointed their rifles at other human beings.Remington responded with the website Remington Model 700 Network which gives direct rebuttals to the program, and their perspective on the incidents the program makes claims about.Remington dismisses the allegations, pointing out that in every case either trigger mechanisms of the rifles were adjusted or altered beyond recommended specifications,rifles were poorly maintained and left to rust, or the misuser of the rifle admitted to police they might "possibly" have pulled the trigger.
Though Remington has since changed to a new, cheaper, trigger mechanism design, the original Walker trigger continues in production to meet the needs of the US military and buyers of custom rifles.
The Ruger 10/22 is a semi-automatic rimfire rifle chambered in .22 Long Rifle. It has a removable 10-round rotary magazine which allows the magazine to fit flush with the bottom of the stock. Higher capacity magazines are also available. A magnum version, chambered for the .22 WMR cartridge, was made from 1998 to 2007, and a .17 HMR version, the 10/17 was announced in 2004,but was only listed in the catalog for two years.The standard version has been in production since 1964.
The 10/22 was immediately popular upon its release, being one of the first modern rifles chambered in .22 which was designed as a quality adult gun (with adult ergonomics) and not a cheap "youth rifle". However, its easy handling characteristics, negligible recoil and inexpensive ammunition nonetheless make it ideal for young or inexperienced shooters. It is very popular for small-game hunters and those who want an inexpensive rifle firing inexpensive ammunition for target and plinking use.This popularity has led to many after-market modifications being available to improve performance, augment the rifle's looks, or increase its magazine capacity, leading the 10/22 to be one of the most customizable firearms made.Custom manufacturers also make "clones" of the 10/22, which are similar in design (most parts will interchange) but built to much higher specifications and costs. The 10/22 barrel uses a unique attachment method where the barrel is screwed rather than pinned into the frame (the barrel is not threaded, but attachment involves two screws), making removal and replacement of the barrel (which would require a gunsmith's work with most other rifles) very easy. This, when combined with the simple construction of the rest of the components, means that the average person can easily replace any part in the gun with nothing more than a screwdriver, a hex key and simple punches.
The 10/22 is available in a wide variety of configurations. As of 2012, there are six basic Ruger 10/22 models, not counting distributor exclusives which come in numerous variations and combinations.In addition there are variations in stock, finish, and other features for each model, such as hardwood, laminated wood, and synthetic stocks. The discontinued 10/22 International model was fitted with a Mannlicher stock. Standard barrel lengths are 20" in the 10/22 Rifle, 181⁄2" in the 10/22 Carbine, and 161⁄8" in the 10/22 Compact Rifle which is also fitted with a shorter stock. The 10/22 Target model is available with a 20" bull barrel with no iron sights.There is also a 22" stainless barreled version, without a barrel band around the stock, of which Wal-Mart is the exclusive dealer.[citation needed] Production of this model has been discontinued. In April 2012, the new "Takedown" stainless version was introduced. The "Takedown" model has an 18.5" stainless barrel and a synthetic black stock, which are able to separate into two sub-assemblies for ease of transport with a backpack-style transport case. All .22 LR versions use an aluminum receiver, while the discontinued .22 Magnum version used a steel receiver with integral scope bases.
10/22 Carbine-Standard model with 18.5" barrel. Offered with hardwood or black synthetic stocks, a stainless steel receiver with black synthetic and model fitted with LaserMax laser sight.
10/22 Takedown-On March 28th, 2012 Ruger introduced the 10/22 Takedown model.This model disassembles into barrel and action/buttstock components easily. It is shipped in a backpack style case that has room for the rifle, ammunition, and accessories. As of May 2012, it is priced approximately 40% higher than the basic carbine models.
10/22 Target-Target shooting model with heavy 20" barrel.
10/22 Compact-Compact rifle with 16.12" barrel.
10/22 Sporter-Model with 18.88" barrel and walnut stock.
10/22 Tactical-Model with 16.12" fitted with flash suppressor. Also offered with 16.12" heavy target barrel with Hogue OverMolded stock fitted with bipod.
In 2009, Ruger released the SR-22 Rifle model, a 10/22 receiver embedded in an outer receiver that mimics the dimensions of an AR-15 style rifle such as their own SR-556. The SR-22 Rifle uses standard 10/22 rotary magazines, as opposed to the tall box magazines used by most AR-15 style rimfire rifles.The positions of the magazine release, the safety and the charging handle are all more similar to a standard 10/22 than an AR-15. The SR-22 Rifle competes directly with other AR-15 style rimfire rifles such as those made by Colt and Smith & Wesson.
The 22 Charger pistol, introduced in late 2007, is a handgun based on the 10/22 action. The 22 Charger comes with a black laminated wood pistol stock with forend, a 10" (254 mm) matte blued heavy barrel, a bipod, and a Weaver style scope base in lieu of iron sights. Overall length is just under 20" (508 mm), making it quite large for a handgun. As it has an included bipod it is likely to be used from a shooting bench or table. The bipod attaches to a sling swivel on the stock fore-end, and is easily removable. Due to technical features, such as the magazine being outside the pistol grip, the Charger is not legally available in some U.S. states. As of 2013, The Ruger Charger was discontinued.
In 2009 Ruger also announced the Target Tactical Rifle model, a hybrid of the 10/22T and Ruger M77 Hawkeye Tactical rifle.
The AWC Ultra II version of the Ruger 10/22 is integrally-suppressed and features a shortened barrel. The sound suppressor encloses a ported stainless barrel and is made of 300 series stainless steel having a 1" diameter which closely resembles a bull barrel. The barrel length is 16.5" with an overall weapon length of 34 1⁄2" and the weight is 6 lbs. Due to the integral suppressor, this model is a Title II weapon in the U.S.
A wide variety of aftermarket modification kits are offered for the 10/22, including conversions to bullpup configuration and cosmetic alterations to replicate the appearance of weapons like the M1 Carbine, Thompson submachine gun, AR-15, and AK-47.
There are many types of magazines for the Ruger 10/22. The standard 10/22 ships with a black 10 round rotary magazine. Ruger has also produced a clear, polycarbonate 40th anniversary edition 10 round magazine as well as a five round rotary magazine (for states that restrict magazine capacities). In 2011-2012 Ruger came out with the Ruger BX-25, a 25 round box magazine with a black composite frame and steel feed lips. Aftermarket options include 25, 30, and 50 round box magazines; 50 round tear-drop-shaped rotary magazines, and a 50 round drum magazines.
The standard 10-round 10/22 magazine stores the cartridges in a rotary fashion, rather than stacked, as seen in a box magazine. This allows the magazine to fit flush into the rifle without protruding from the stock at the natural balance point for one handed carry. The action of the rifle strips a cartridge from the magazine with each shot, allowing the next cartridge to feed into place.
Care should be taken not to use all magazines interchangeably. The owners manual for the 10/22 Magnum model states, "Do not attempt to use standard 10/22 magazines in the 10/22 Magnum rifles or load 22 short, long, or long rifle ammunition into the 22 magnum. They will not function correctly and are unsafe to use in 22 Magnum rifles." It goes on to say, "Never attempt to use 22 Long Rifle ammunition in Ruger 10/22 Magnum rifle magazines. The cartridges have a smaller case diameter and can split or burst when fired in the larger magnum chamber, releasing hot powder gasses and particle fragments out of the action at high speed, possibly resulting in injury to the shooter or bystanders."
The Marlin Model 336 is a lever-action sporting rifle and carbine made by Marlin Firearms. Since its introduction in 1948, it has been offered in a number of different calibers and barrel lengths, but is commonly chambered in .30-30 Winchester or .35 Remington, using a 20- or 24-inch barrel. The rifle is currently produced by Remington Arms.
The Model 336 is a direct development of the Marlin Model 1893 rifle which was produced from 1893 to 1936.Based on the patents of L.L. Hepburn, the Model 1893 incorporated a new locking bolt system and a two-piece firing pin.In 1936, with only minor changes to the stock, forearm, and sights, the Model 1893 was redesignated the Model 1936 (soon renamed the Model 36).All of these firearms featured a solid-top receiver made of forged steel and incorporated side ejection of fired cartridges.Compared to the Winchester 94, then the predominant lever-action hunting rifle, the Model 36 was somewhat heavier with a simpler internal mechanism and a full pistol grip-type buttstock in contrast to the Winchester 94's straight grip stock.
In 1948, the Model 36 was replaced by the Model 336, which incorporated the patents of Thomas R. Robinson, Jr., a Marlin employee.Sold under both the Marlin and Glenfield brands, the Model 336 has been in continuous production from 1948 to the present day, and is currently produced by Remington Firearms under the Marlin brand.
While most production variants of the Model 336 feature a full pistol-grip walnut stock, 20 inch barrel and full length tube magazine, other versions of the 336 have been frequently offered by Marlin over the years, including barrel lengths of 16.25-inch, 18-inch, 22-inch and 24-inch barrels, half-length magazines, and models with straight grips and/or hardwood (birch) stocks.
An evolution of the Model 36 rifle, the Model 336 is easily distinguished from its predecessors by its open ejection port machined into the side of the receiver. Design improvements include a stronger and simpler round-profile chrome-plated breech bolt, a redesigned cartridge carrier, an improved extractor, and coil-type main and trigger springs in place of the flat springs used in earlier Marlin rifles.Like its predecessors, the receiver and all major working parts of the Model 336 are constructed of steel forgings.
With its solid, flat top receiver and side ejection of fired cartridges, the Marlin 336 is well suited to use with a rifle scope. From the late 1950s onward, the Model 336 saw increased sales among the growing number of American hunters who preferred telescopic sights over traditional iron sights. In 1956, Marlin also incorporated its proprietary Micro-Groove rifling system into the Model 336 and other centerfire Marlin rifles. This rifling system, which used an increased number of relatively shallow rifling grooves, cut down production time and significantly extended the service life of machine tooling.According to Marlin, the Micro-Groove system provides very uniform bore dimensions and a very smooth bore finish designed to improve accuracy, prevent gas leakage, and reduce bore fouling.
The Model 336 is designed to be easily dismantled for cleaning. Removal of the lever pivot screw with a common screwdriver, allows field stripping of the lever arm, bolt, and ejector for maintenance.Unlike many lever action designs, the Model 336 can be cleaned from the breech, much like a bolt-action rifle.This in turn avoids cleaning wear to the muzzle caused by cleaning rods and tools.
The Model 336 is ranked the #2 all-time leader in U.S. high-powered sporting rifle sales, after the Winchester Model 1894.Since 1948, over 6 million Model 336 rifles have been produced.
Other Models Based on the 336 Action are:
Marauder, Trapper, Model 336Y
Marlin has made short carbine versions of the Model 336 over the years, including the Model 336 Marauder, Trapper and the Model 336Y (Y standing for "Youth Model"). Usually featuring a short 16- or 18-inch barrel, these carbines are considerably shorter and lighter than the standard 20" carbine. The Model 336Y also featured a short buttstock to enable use by younger shooters.
The Glenfield .For many years, Marlin produced a less-expensive Glenfield line of Model 336 rifles for retail at mass merchandise and department stores including J.C. Penney Sears, Roebuck & Company, Western Auto, K-Mart and Wal-Mart. Marlin sold these rifles as the Glenfield Models 30, 30A, 30AS or 30AW. Other Model 336 production rifles were stamped with names chosen by the retailer, such as the J.C. Higgins (Sears) Model 45 and Model 50, the Montgomery Ward Western Field Model 740-A EMN, the J.C. Penney Foremost Model 3040, and the K-Mart Model 30TK. Mechanically identical to the Model 336, these mass market rifles were typically fitted with lower-cost hardwood (birch) stocks and forearms, and some metal finishing operations were eliminated in the interest of lowering unit cost.By marketing a less-expensive version of the same rifle under a different name to mass merchandising stores, Marlin protected its customer base of small specialty gun dealers.By 1983, most of Marlin's mass merchandise retailers were in a position to insist on name-brand firearms, and the Glenfield line was dropped. However, Marlin continued to offer a less expensive version of the Model 336, variously called the Model 336W or Model 30AW, originally sold only to the Wal-Mart chain. Fitted with a hardwood stock and lower-cost sights, these rifles were frequently offered as part of a special package with a inexpensive rifle scope, sling, or other options. The Marlin Model 30AW package included a 3-9x32 factory-mounted scope and padded sling, but was otherwise identical to the Marlin Model 336W.Marlin also offers an XLR line of rifles in several calibers, all based on the Model 336 lever action design. The Model 336XLR features stainless construction, a 24-inch barrel, and a grey/black wood laminate stock.Model 336SS The Model 336M, a Model 336 carbine made largely of stainless steel, was introduced in 2000. It was replaced a year later by the Model 336SS, a 20" carbine offered only in .30-30 caliber. The Model 336SS features a forged stainless steel receiver, barrel, lever, and trigger. The magazine tube, springs, and loading gate are also fabricated from stainless, while other metal parts are nickel-plated steel.Introduced in 1965, the Model 444 Marlin uses the Model 336 lever action mechanism, including the signature open ejection port machined into the side of the receiver, but is chambered for the .444 Marlin cartridge.At its introduction, the Model 444 was the most powerful lever action rifle on the market.With a muzzle energy of more than 1.5 tons, the Model 444 was intended for the largest North American game animals.The Model 444 holds 4 cartridges in the magazine and one in the chamber, and was originally fitted with a 24-inch barrel and a straight grip buttstock.Early Model 444 rifles utilized a 1 in 38" rifling twist and were handicapped by a lack of suitable bullet weights. In addition, nearly all existing bullets for the .444 had been originally designed solely for use in handguns; used in the Model 444, the bullets tended to break up at higher rifle velocities. A new 265-grain bullet greatly improved the utility of the Model 444 as a hunting rifle, and other bullet weights have since been introduced. In 1971, Model 444's barrel length was reduced to 22 inches, and the rifle's buttstock was changed to a full pistol-grip design. Later production rifles received a change in barrel twist to 1 in 20 inches to stabilize longer and heavier bullets.In 1963, Marlin added the .44 Magnum cartridge as an optional chambering in the Model 336T carbine, which featured a straight grip, a 20-inch round tapered barrel, and a full-length magazine. However, the rifle experienced continuing problems in loading and chambering the short .44 Magnum cartridge, and in 1964 Marlin abruptly dropped the .44 Magnum option.
Marlin was well aware of continued demand for a lever-action carbine in .44 Magnum caliber, and began searching for a replacement. In 1969, Marlin introduced the New Model 1894 in .44 Magnum/.44 Special caliber.The New Model 1894 is not based on the Model 336 mechanism, instead, it uses the old short-receiver Model 1894 action incorporating the flat-profile bolt, which received minor improvements before being reintroduced in .44 Magnum caliber.The decision to use the original Model 1894 action, a design originally designed to accommodate pistol-length cartridges such as the .38-40 and .44-40, proved a complete success.In keeping with its predecessor, the New Model 1894 was given a straight grip buttstock instead of the pistol-grip style version fitted to the Model 336.Since 1979, other calibers have been introduced for the Model 1894, including .38 Special/.357 Magnum, .41 Magnum, and the .45 Long Colt under the Models 1894C, 1894S, and 1894CS.A cross-bolt safety was added in 1984.The Model 1894 is particularly popular with cowboy action shooting enthusiasts, as well as shooters who desire to carry a shoulder arm and a revolver in the same caliber.Introduced in 1972 and named in honor of the Marlin Model of 1895 (produced from 1895–1917), the current (New) Model 1895 rifle offered in .45-70 caliber utilizes the same Model 336 receiver design and lever action mechanism used in the Marlin Model 444.The New Model 1895 is also available in the more modern .338 Marlin Express.The .45-70 was originally a black powder cartridge and most factory ammo is loaded moderately for safety in older rifles, including the original Model of 1895. With increasing numbers of modern .45-70 rifles built with high strength actions (including the current Model 1895, the Ruger No. 1 single shot, the Browning BLR or the Siamese Mauser conversions), handloaders and specialty ammunition makers like Hornady, Buffalo Bore and Garrett produce high intensity .45-70 loadings that may equal or exceed the power of the .444 Marlin. Some approach the power of the .458 Winchester Magnum and are effective against dangerous game up to and including elephants.Use of such loadings in older .45-70 firearms is dangerous and should not be attempted; for that reason, Marlin introduced the .450 Marlin, a belted version of the .45-70 cartridge that will not chamber in older .45-70 rifles. However, many .45-70 Model 1895 owners chose to use the traditional .45-70 loads for deer-sized game with the option of using the high intensity .45-70 loads for more dangerous game. The 1895M lever-action rifle chambered in .450 Marlin was offered from 2000 until 2009 and is no longer in production.One recent innovation growing in popularity is the "Guide Gun" concept. The name most probably originates from the types of longarms favored by Alaskan hunting and wilderness guides as a defense against attacks by bears. The Guide Gun concept consists of a handy, short-barreled (usually 16-19") lever action in a large caliber such as .45-70 or .450 Marlin with a 3/4 length magazine tube. Usually custom-made by a skilled gunsmith, these guns are usually fitted with either open sights (such as ghost rings or express sights), a reflex sight, holographic sight or a long eye-relief scope mounted on a scout rail. Marlin New Model 1895 actions are frequently used to build this type of firearm. In an attempt to capitalize on this trend, Marlin began offering custom versions of their New Model 1895 action beginning with the now-discontinued Models 1895SDT and 336SDT. Current "Guide Gun" models include the Models 1895G, 1895GS, and 1895SBL.Aside from existing Marlin models, the basic Model 336/Model 1895 receiver and lever action mechanism has enjoyed some popularity as a platform for various wildcat caliber conversions. These custom rifles are increasingly popular in the western United States, Canada, and Alaska where encounters with grizzly bears and other potentially dangerous animals can be expected. Some of these wildcat cartridge conversions include the .450 Alaskan, .457 Wild West Magnum, .50 Alaskan, and the .510 Kodiak Express.Of the conversions mentioned both the .450 Alaskan and the .457 Wild West Magnum do not require new barrels, but simply a chamber reaming and the required action modifications (referred to as "action lengthening"). The .510 Kodiak Express is the most powerful wildcat conversion available for the Marlin at 5,000+ ft-lbs.Both the .50 Alaskan and .510 Kodiak Express require a new barrel to be installed on the rifle.The .45-90 Sharps (also called .45-90 WCF or simply .45-90) has occasionally been used in converted Marlin 1895 rifles. The .45-90 conversion involves modifications to the action that increase the bolt travel and action timing (to adjust when a round is ejected, and when a new round lifts to enter the chamber), and the chamber in the barrel is reamed to .45-90 specifications. The case of a .45-90 is more than a quarter inch longer than the .45-70. The limitations on bolt travel of a converted Model 336 rifles are generally limit its case overall length (COL) to 2.85 inches. The 2.85 COL allows all bullets that work with the .45-70 action to be used in the converted .45-90. The .45-90 converted 1895 actions have the same pressure limitations as the .45-70 actions.
The M1 Garand (officially designated as United States Rifle, Caliber .30, M1, later simply called Rifle, Caliber .30, M1, also abbreviated as US Rifle, Cal. .30, M1) is a semi-automatic rifle chambered for the .30-06 Springfield rifle cartridge. It was the first standard-issue semi-automatic rifle.Called "the greatest battle implement ever devised" by General George S. Patton,the Garand officially replaced the bolt-action M1903 Springfield as the standard service rifle of the United States Armed Forces in 1936 (although the switch-over wasn't instantaneous) and was subsequently replaced by the selective fire M14, starting in 1957. During World War II, the M1 gave U.S. forces a distinct advantage in firefights against their Axis enemies, as their standard-issue rifles were slower-firing bolt-action rifles. The M1 continued to be used in large numbers until 1963 and to a lesser degree until 1976. Like its predecessor, the M1 originated from the Springfield Armory.
The M1 is an air-cooled, gas-operated, clip-fed, semi-automatic, shoulder-fired weapon. This means that the air cools the barrel; that the power to cock the rifle and chamber the succeeding round comes from the expanding gas of the round fired previously; that it is loaded by inserting an en-bloc (i.e., it goes into the rifle's action and functions as part of the rifle) metal clip (containing eight rounds) into the receiver; and that the rifle fires one round each time the trigger is pulled.After the eight rounds have been shot, the empty clip automatically ejects with an audible "ping" noise.
The M1 was the standard-issue service rifle of the U.S. forces in World War II, the Korean War, and also saw service to a limited extent in the Vietnam War. Most M1 rifles were issued to U.S. forces, though many thousands were also lent or provided as foreign aid to America's allies. The Garand is still used by drill teams and military honor guards. It is also widely sought by the civilian population as a hunting rifle, target rifle, and military collectible. Although the name "Garand" is frequently pronounced /ɡəˈrænd/, according to experts and people who knew John Garand, the weapon's designer, /ˈɡærənd/ ('rhymes with "errand"') is preferred.It is available for American civilian ownership through the Civilian Marksmanship Program.
Though the U.S. Army became interested in self-loading rifles with the Bang and Murphy-Manning of 1911, and there were pre-production models in 1916,the M1's origin properly dates to 1919, when armies around the world were realizing standard rifle cartridges were more powerful than necessary for typical engagement ranges, leading to heavier rifles than really required. The Army trials in the 1920s had a .256 inch minimum caliber requirement, compared to the .30-06 then standard.
Canadian-born Garand went to work at the United States Army's Springfield Armory and began working on a .30 caliber primer-operated breech. In the summer of 1924, twenty-four rifles, identified as "M1922", were built at Springfield. At Fort Benning during the summer of 1925, they were tested against models by Berthier, Hatcher-Bang, Thompson, and Pedersen, the latter two being delayed blowback types.This led to a further trial of an improved "M1924" Garand against the Thompson, ultimately producing an inconclusive report.As a result, the Ordnance Board ordered a .30-'06 Garand variant. In March 1927, the Cavalry Board reported trials between the Thompson, Garand, and '03 Springfield had not led to a clear winner. This led to a gas-operated .276 model (patented by Garand on 12 April 1930).
During the spring of 1928, both Infantry and Cavalry Boards ran trials with the .276 Pedersen T1 rifle, calling it "highly promising" (despite its use of waxed ammunition,shared by the Thompson).On 13 August 1928, a Semiautomatic Rifle Board carried out joint Army, Navy, and Marine Corps trials between the .30 Thompson, both cavalry and infantry versions of the T1 Pedersen, "M1924" Garand, and .256 Bang, and on 21 September, the Board reported no clear winner. The .30 Garand, however, was dropped in favor of the .276.
Further tests by the SRB in July 1929, which included rifle designs by Browning, Colt-Browning, Garand, Holek, Pedersen, Rheinmetall, Thompson, and an incomplete one by White,led to a recommendation that work on the (dropped) .30 gas-operated Garand be resumed, and a T1E1 was ordered 14 November 1929.
Twenty gas-operated .276 T3E2s Garands were made and competed with T1 Pedersen rifles in Spring 1931. The .276 Garand was the clear winner of these trials. The .30 caliber Garand was also tested, in the form of a single T1E1, but was withdrawn with a cracked bolt on 9 October 1931. A 4 January 1932 meeting recommended adoption of the .276 caliber and production of approximately 125 T3E2s. Meanwhile, Garand redesigned his bolt and his improved T1E2 rifle was retested. The day after the successful conclusion of this test, Army Chief of Staff General Douglas MacArthur personally disapproved any caliber change, in part because there were extensive existing stocks of .30 M1 ball ammunition.On 25 February 1932, Adjutant General John B. Shuman, speaking for the Secretary of War, ordered work on the rifles and ammunition in .276 caliber cease immediately and completely and all resources be directed toward identification and correction of deficiencies in the Garand .30 caliber.
On 3 August 1933, the T1E2 became the Semi-Automatic Rifle, Caliber 30, M1.In May 1934, 75 M1s went to field trials; 50 were to infantry, 25 to cavalry units. Numerous problems were reported, forcing the rifle to be modified, yet again, before it could be recommended for service and cleared for procurement on 7 November 1935, then standardized 9 January 1936.The first production model was successfully proof-fired, function-fired, and fired for accuracy on July 21, 1937.
Production difficulties delayed deliveries to the Army until September 1937. Machine production began at Springfield Armory that month at a rate of ten rifles per day,and reached an output of 100 per day within two years. Despite going into production status, design issues were not at an end. The barrel, gas cylinder, and front sight assembly were redesigned and entered production in early 1940. Existing "gas-trap" rifles were recalled and retrofitted, mirroring problems with the earlier M1903 Springfield rifle that also had to be recalled and reworked approximately three years into production and foreshadowing rework of the M16 rifle at a similar point in its development. Production of the Garand increased in 1940 despite these difficulties,reaching 600 a day by 10 January 1941,and the Army was fully equipped by the end of 1941.
Following the outbreak of World War II in Europe, Winchester was awarded an "educational" production contract for 65,000 rifles,with deliveries beginning in 1943.The British Army looked at the M1 as a possible replacement for its bolt-action Lee-Enfield No.1 Mk III, but it was rejected when rigorous testing suggested that it was an unreliable weapon in muddy conditions.
The M1's semiautomatic operation gave United States forces a significant advantage in firepower and shot-to-shot recovery time over individual enemy infantrymen in battle (German, Italian, and Japanese soldiers were usually armed with bolt-action rifles).General George S. Patton called it "the greatest implement of battle ever devised."The impact of faster-firing infantry small arms in general soon stimulated both Allied and Axis forces to greatly augment issue of semi- and fully automatic firearms then in production, as well as to develop new types of infantry firearms.
Much of the M1 inventory in the post-World War II period underwent arsenal repair or rebuilding. While U.S. forces were still engaged in the Korean War, the Department of Defense determined a need for additional production of the Garand, and two new contracts were awarded. During 1953–56, M1s were produced by International Harvester and Harrington & Richardson.A final, very small lot of M1s was produced by Springfield Armory in early 1957, using finished components already on hand. Beretta also produced Garands using Winchester tooling.
The M1 proved an excellent rifle throughout its service in World War II and the Korean War. Surplus M1 rifles also armed many nations allied to the United States postwar, including West Germany, Italy, Japan, Denmark, Greece, Turkey and the Imperial State of Iran. Following the Korean War, Garands were loaned to South Korea. Some Garands were still being used in the Vietnam War in 1963; despite the M14's official adoption in 1957, it was not until 1965 the changeover from the M1 Garand was completed in the active-duty component of the Army (with the exception of the sniper variants, which were introduced in World War II and saw action in Korea and Vietnam). In other components of the armed forces, such as the Army Reserve, Army National Guard and the Navy, Garands continued to serve into the 1970s or longer.
Some military drill teams still use the M1, including the U.S. Marine Corps Silent Drill Team, the Norwegian Royal Guards Drill Team, the United States Air Force Academy Cadet Honor Guard,[28] almost all Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) and some Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) teams of all branches of the U.S. military. The Greek Army Evzones (presidential) Guard still uses M1s, and it was used as a training rifle in the Greek army even in the late 1990s.
The M1 rifle is a gas-operated, semi-automatic, clip-fed rifle.By modern standards, the M1's feeding system is archaic, relying on clips to feed ammunition, and is the principal source of criticism of the rifle. Officials in Army Ordnance circles demanded a fixed, non-protruding magazine for the new service rifle. At the time, it was believed that a detachable magazine on a general-issue service rifle would be easily lost by U.S. soldiers (a criticism made of British soldiers and the Lee-Enfield 50 years previously), would render the weapon too susceptible to clogging from dirt and debris (a belief that proved unfounded with the adoption of the M1 Carbine), and that a protruding magazine would complicate existing manual-of-arms drills. As a result, inventor John Garand developed an "en bloc" clip system that allowed ammunition to be inserted from above, clip included, into the fixed magazine. While this design provided the requisite flush-mount magazine, the clip system increased the rifle's weight and complexity, and made only single loading ammunition possible without a clip.
Garand's rifle was originally chambered for the .276 Pedersen cartridge,charged by means of 10-round clips. Later, it was chambered for the then-standard .30-06 Springfield. With this new cartridge, the M1 had a maximum effective range of 440 yards (400 m), with the capability of inflicting a casualty with armor-piercing ammunition well beyond 875 yards (800 m). Because of the larger diameter of the .30-06 cartridge, the modified clip held only eight rounds.Garand's original design for the M1 used a complicated gas system involving a special muzzle extension gas trap, later dropped in favor of a simpler drilled gas port. Because most of the older rifles were retrofitted, pre-1939 gas-trap M1s are very rare today and are prized collector's items.In both systems, expanding gases from a fired cartridge are diverted into the gas cylinder. Here, the gases met a long-stroke piston attached to the operating rod. The operating rod was therefore pushed rearward by the force of this high-pressure gas. Then, the operating rod engaged a rotating bolt inside the receiver. The bolt was attached to the receiver via two locking lugs, which rotated, unlocked, and initiated the ejection of the spent cartridge and the reloading cycle when the rifle was discharged. The operating rod (and subsequently the bolt) then returned to its original position.
The weight of the M1 varies between 9.5 pounds (4.31 kg) and 10.2 pounds (4.63 kg) unloaded (depending on sling type and stock wood density)—a considerable increase over the previous M1903 Springfield. The length was 43.6 inches (1,107 mm). The rifle is fed by an "en bloc" clip which holds eight rounds of .30-06 Springfield ammunition. When the last cartridge is fired, the rifle ejects the clip and locks the bolt open. Clips can also be manually ejected at any time. The "en-bloc" clip is manually ejected by pulling the operating rod all the way to the rear, and then depressing the clip latch button. Much criticized in modern times, the en-bloc clip was innovative for its era. The concept of a disposable box magazine had not been embraced, and en-bloc clips were cheap and reliable. Contemporary rifles with the ability to easily top off a magazine included the Johnson M1941, the obsolete Krag-Jørgensen and the Lee-Enfield No1 and No4.
The rifle's ability to rapidly fire powerful .30-06 rifle ammunition also proved to be of considerable advantage in combat. In China, Japanese banzai charges had previously met with frequent success against poorly trained Chinese soldiers armed with bolt-action rifles. Armed with the M1, U.S. infantrymen were able to sustain a much higher rate of fire than their Chinese counterparts. In the short-range jungle fighting, where opposing forces sometimes met each other in column formation on a narrow path, the penetration of the powerful .30-06 M2 cartridge enabled a single U.S. infantryman to kill up to three Japanese soldiers with a single round.The Garand's fire rate in the hands of a trained soldier, averaged out to 40–50 accurate shots per minute at a range of 300 yards, made it the single fastest-firing service rifle during World War II, until the StG 44 was adopted as the German service rifle in 1944 (in practice, the bolt-action K98k remained the German service rifle).
Ejection of an empty clip created a distinctive metallic "pinging" sound. In World War II, reports arose in which German and Japanese infantry were making use of this noise in combat to alert them to an empty M1 rifle in order to 'get the drop' on their American enemies. The information was taken seriously enough that U.S. Army's Aberdeen Proving Ground began experiments with clips made of various plastics in order to soften the sound, though no improved clips were ever adopted.According to former German soldiers, the sound was inaudible during engagements and not particularly useful when heard, as other squad members might have been nearby ready to fire.The M1 Garand was one of the first self-loading rifles to use stainless steel for its gas tube, in an effort to prevent corrosion. As the stainless metal could not be parkerized, the gas tubes were given a stove-blackening that frequently wore off in use. Unless the gas tube could be quickly repainted, the resultant gleaming muzzle could make the M1 Garand and its user more visible to the enemy in combat.The M1 Garand was designed for simple assembly and disassembly to facilitate field maintenance. It can be field stripped (broken down) without tools in just a few seconds.
M1 Garand reliability can be improved by lightly polishing the feed ramps and certain surfaces on the bolt and operating rod with Simichrome and rouge. The greatest improvement that can be made to an M-1 is to glass bed the stock, which increases accuracy.
The Garand is loaded with a full clip of eight rounds. Once all eight rounds are expended, the bolt will be automatically locked back and the clip ejected (with a distinct metallic ping), readying the rifle for the insertion of a fresh clip of ammunition.Compared to contemporary detachable box magazines, the M1's "en bloc" clip is light, simple, and only has to be oriented with the rounds pointing forward prior to charging the rifle (the clips have no top or bottom).
Once the clip is inserted, the bolt snaps forward on its own as soon as thumb pressure is released from the top round of the clip, chambering a round and leaving it ready to fire.Although it is not absolutely necessary, the preferred method is to place the back of the right hand against the operating rod handle and press the clip home with the right thumb; this releases the bolt, but the hand restrains the bolt from slamming closed on the operator's thumb (resulting in "M1 thumb"); the hand is then quickly withdrawn, the operating rod moves forward and the bolt closes with sufficient force to go fully to battery. Thus, after the clip has been pressed into position in the magazine, the operating rod handle should be released, allowing the bolt to snap forward under pressure from the operating rod spring. The operating rod handle may be smacked with the palm to ensure the bolt is closed.
The M1's safety catch is located at the front of the trigger guard. It is engaged when it is pressed rearward into the trigger guard, and disengaged when it is pushed forward and is protruding outside of the trigger guard.Contrary to widespread misconception, partially expended or full clips can be easily ejected from the rifle by means of the clip latch button.It is also possible to load single cartridges into a partially loaded clip while the clip is still in the magazine, but this requires both hands and a bit of practice. In reality, this procedure was rarely performed in combat, as the danger of loading dirt along with the cartridges increased the chances of malfunction. Instead, it was much easier and quicker to simply manually eject the clip, and insert a fresh one,which is how the rifle was originally designed to be operated.Later, special clips holding two or five rounds became available on the civilian market, as well as a single-loading device which stays in the rifle when the bolt locks back.
In battle, the manual of arms called for the rifle to be fired until empty, and then recharged quickly. Due to the well-developed logistical system of the U.S. military at the time, this wastage of ammunition was generally not critical, though this could change in the case of units that came under intense fire or were flanked or surrounded by enemy forces.The Garand's en-bloc clip system proved particularly cumbersome when using the rifle to launch grenades, requiring removal of an often partially loaded clip of ball ammunition and replacement with a full clip of blank cartridges.
It is recommended that very slow burning powders and heavy bullets not be used in the Garand. This is an issue especially important to handloaders, as the pressure curve of slower propellants can put too much pressure on the gas piston, bend the operating rod, and adversely affect the Garand's accuracy. The Garand is best used with bullets of about 150 grains weight, as in "Ball, Caliber 30, M2" ammunition. However, there are several adjustable gas cylinder plugs available that vent excess gas out of the gas cylinder, reducing the pressure on the operating rod.
Both official and aftermarket accessories were plentiful for the Garand rifle. Several different styles of bayonets fit the rifle: the M1905 and M1942, both with 16-inch (406 mm) blades; the Model 1905E1 with shortened 10-inch (254 mm) blade; the M1 with 10-inch (254 mm) blade; and the M5 bayonet with 6.75-inch (152 mm) blade.
Also available was the M7 grenade launcher that fitted onto the end of the barrel.It was sighted using the M15 sight, which fit just forward of the trigger. A cleaning tool, oiler and greasepots could be stored in two cylindrical compartments in the buttstock for use in the field. Because of the limitations of the Garand's clip-loading magazine, the rifle proved less than ideal for use in launching 22 mm rifle grenades, and the M1903 Springfield was retained for use in that role long after grenade launchers for the Garand became available.
The M1907 two-piece leather rifle sling was the most common type of sling used with the weapon through World War II. In 1943 a khaki canvas sling was introduced that gradually became more common.Another accessory was the winter trigger, said to have been developed during the Korean War. It consisted of a small mechanism installed on the trigger guard, allowing the soldier to remotely pull the trigger by depressing a lever just behind the guard. This enabled the shooter to fire his weapon while using winter gloves, which could get "stuck" on the trigger guard or not allow for proper movement of the finger.