View source for M1903 Springfield

{{Short description|American bolt-action main battle rifle}}
{{Use American English|date=October 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox weapon
| name               = U.S. Rifle, Caliber .30, M1903
| image              = M1903 Springfield - USA - 30-06 - Armémuseum noBG.jpg
| image_size         = 300
| alt                = 
| caption            = 
| origin             = United States <!-- Country name -->
| type               = [[Bolt-action rifle]]
<!-- Type selection -->
| is_ranged          = yes
| is_bladed          = when needed
| is_explosive       = 
| is_artillery       = 
| is_vehicle         = 
| is_missile         = 
| is_UK              = 
<!-- Service history -->
| service            = {{ubl
  | 1903–1936 (as the standard U.S. service rifle)
  | 1936–1970s (as a U.S. Army sniper rifle)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/2019/01/18/the-1903-springfield-rifle/|title=The 1903 Springfield Rifle’s Storied Military History|author-first1=Christopher|author-last1=Miskimon|website=Warfare History Network|date=18 January 2019}}</ref>
}}
| used_by            = See ''[[#Users|Users]]''
| wars               = {{bulleted list
  | [[Philippine–American War]]
  | [[Banana Wars]]
  | [[Mexican Revolution]]
  | [[World War I]]
  | [[Siberian Intervention]]
  | [[Irish War of Independence]]
  | [[Irish Civil War]]
  | [[Coto War]]
  | [[World War II]]
  | [[Egyptian revolution of 1952]]
  | [[Greek Civil War]]
  | [[First Indochina War]]
  | [[Chinese Civil War]]
  | [[Indonesian National Revolution|Indonesian Revolution]]
  | [[Korean War]]
  | [[Cuban Revolution]]
  | [[Hukbalahap Rebellion]]
  | [[Algerian War]] (limited)
  | [[Vietnam War]] (limited)
  | [[Laotian Civil War]]
  | [[Bay of Pigs Invasion]]
  | [[Cambodian Civil War]]
}}
<!-- Production history -->
| designer           = 
| design_date        = {{start date|df=yes|1903}}
| manufacturer       = {{ubl
  | [[Springfield Armory]]
  | [[Rock Island Arsenal]]
  | [[Remington Arms Company]]
  | [[Smith Corona]]
}}
| unit_cost          = $41.35 (1938),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CFguAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA404|title = Second Deficiency Appropriation Bill for 1939|year = 1939}}</ref> equal to ${{Inflation|US|41.35|1938}} now
| production_date    = {{start date|df=yes|1903}}–{{end date|df=yes|1949}}
| number             = 3,004,079<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bowersweapons.com/US%20MODEL%201903%20RIFLE%20SERIAL%20NUMBER%20RANGES.htm |title=Springfield Armory US Model 1903 rifle serial number ranges |publisher=Bowers Firearms |access-date=8 October 2017 |archive-date=11 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181011141616/http://www.bowersweapons.com/US%20MODEL%201903%20RIFLE%20SERIAL%20NUMBER%20RANGES.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| variants           = See [[#Variants|Variants]]
<!-- General specifications -->
| spec_label         = 
| weight             = {{convert|8.7|lbs|kg|abbr=on}}
| length             = {{convert|43.2|in|mm|abbr=on}}
| part_length        = {{convert|24|in|mm|abbr=on}}
| width              = 
| height             = 
| diameter           = 
| crew               = 
| passengers         = 
<!-- Ranged weapon specifications -->
| cartridge          = {{ubl
  | [[.30-03 Springfield]]
  | [[.30-06 Springfield]]
}}
| cartridge_weight   = 
| caliber            = 
| barrels            = 
| action             = [[Bolt action]]
| rate               = User dependent; usually 15 to 30 rounds per minute
| velocity           = {{convert|2800|ft/s|0|abbr=on}}
| range              = {{cvt|100-300|yds|m}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cfspress.com/sharpshooters/pdfs/Operational-Requrements-For-An-Infantry-Hand-Weapon.pdf |title= Operation Requirements for An Infantry Hand Weapon |publisher= Operations Research Office}}</ref>
| max_range          = {{cvt|5,500|yds|m}} with .30 M1 ball cartridge
| feed               = 5- or 25-round (air service variant) internal [[Magazine (firearms)|box magazine]] fed with 5-round [[stripper clips]]
| sights             = {{ubl|Flip-up rear sight graduated to {{cvt|2,700|yds|m}}, blade post-type front sight|''M1903A3'': Aperture rear sight, blade type front sight.}}
<!-- Bladed weapon specifications -->
| blade_type         = [[Bayonet]]
| hilt_type          = 
| sheath_type        = 
| head_type          = 
| haft_type          = 
}}

The '''M1903 Springfield''', officially the '''U.S. Rifle, Caliber .30, M1903''', is an American five-round, non-removable, staggered-row box [[Magazine (firearms)|magazine]]-fed, [[bolt action|bolt-action]], [[repeating rifle|repeating]] [[service rifle|service]] rifle, used primarily during the first half of the 20th century.

The M1903 was first used in combat during the [[Philippine-American War]]{{Sfn|Thompson|2013|p=38}} and was officially adopted by the United States as the standard infantry rifle on 19 June 1903. It saw service in [[World War I]] and was replaced by the faster-firing [[Semi-automatic firearm|semi-automatic]] eight-round [[M1 Garand]] starting in 1936. However, the M1903 remained a standard-issue infantry rifle during [[World War II]], since the U.S. entered the war without sufficient M1 rifles to arm all troops. It also was used as a [[sniper rifle]] during World War II, the [[Korean War]], and the [[Vietnam War]]. It remains popular as a civilian firearm, collector's piece, a competitive shooting rifle and as a military drill rifle.

==History==

===Background===
[[File:M1903-Springfield-Rifle.jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|M1903 Springfield with loading clips]]

During the 1898 [[Spanish–American War|war with Spain]], the [[Mauser Model 1893|Mauser M1893]] used by the Spanish Army gained a deadly reputation, particularly from the [[Battle of San Juan Hill]], where 750 Spanish regulars significantly delayed the advance of 15,000 US troops armed with outclassed [[Springfield Model 1892–99|Springfield Krag–Jørgensen]] bolt-action rifles and older single-shot [[Springfield model 1873]] [[Trapdoor mechanism|trapdoor]] rifles. The Spanish soldiers inflicted 1,400 casualties on the US in a matter of minutes. Likewise, earlier in the day, a Spanish force of 540 regulars armed with the same Mauser rifles, under Spanish general Vara Del Rey, held off General [[Henry Ware Lawton]]'s Second Division of 6,653 American soldiers and an independent brigade of 1,800 men for ten hours in the nearby town of [[Battle of El Caney|El Caney]], keeping that division from assisting in the attack on the San Juan Heights. A US Army board of investigation was commissioned as a direct result of both battles. They recommended replacement of the Krag.<ref name="1903 Warfare History">{{cite news |last1=Miskimon |first1=Christopher |title=The 1903 Springfield Rifle’s Storied Military History |url=https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/the-1903-springfield-rifles-stories-military-history/ |access-date=17 July 2025 |work=Warfare History Network |issue=Late Spring 2013 |publisher=Sovereign Media and Homestead Communications |date=May 2013}}</ref>

The 1903 adoption of the M1903 was preceded by nearly 30 years of struggle and politics, using lessons learned from the recently adopted Krag–Jørgensen and contemporary German Mauser [[Gewehr 98]] bolt-action rifles.<ref name="Springfield NRA History">{{cite news |last1=Hacker |first1=Rick |title=The History of the 1903 Springfield Rifle |url=https://www.shootingillustrated.com/content/the-history-of-the-1903-springfield-rifle/ |access-date=17 July 2025 |work=Shooting Illustrated |publisher=[[National Rifle Association]] |date=6 April 2017}}</ref> The design itself is largely based on the Mauser M1893 and its successive models up to the Gewehr 98 rifle. The M1903's forward receiver ring diameter is {{convert|1.305|in|mm|2|abbr=on}}, slightly over the  {{convert|33|mm|in|2|abbr=on}} ring diameter of the older "small ring" Mauser models and less than the "large ring" {{convert|35.8|mm|in|2|abbr=on}} Gewehr 98s. The US military licensed many of the Mauser Company's and other German patents, including the spitzer bullet, later modified into the .30-06 Springfield.<ref>The patent assigned by the [[US Patent Office]] to the [[Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken|Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken Aktien-Gesellschaft]] for an Improved Form for Projectiles for Hand-Firearms can be found under {{US patent|RE12927|US PAT No. RE12927}}.</ref> The M1903 not only replaced the various versions of the U.S. Army's Krag, but also the [[M1895 Lee Navy|Lee M1895]] and [[M1885 Remington–Lee]] used by the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps, as well as all remaining single-shot trapdoor rifles. While the [[Springfield Model 1892-99|Krag]] had been issued with barrel lengths of both 30-inch rifle and 22-inch [[carbine]] models, the Springfield was issued only as a short 24-inch-barrel rifle in keeping with current trends in Switzerland and Great Britain to eliminate the need for both long rifles and carbines.<ref>{{Cite EB1911|wstitle= Rifle |volume= 23 |last= Seton-Karr |first= Henry |author-link= Henry Seton-Karr | pages = 325&ndash;336; see page 328; first para, lines three and four |quote=and in 1903»the f short rifle ” was actually approved and issued generally.}}</ref>

The two main problems usually cited with the Krag were its slow-to-load magazine and its inability to handle higher chamber pressures for high-velocity rounds. The United States Army attempted to introduce a higher-velocity cartridge in 1899 for the existing Krags, but its single locking lug on the bolt could not withstand the extra chamber pressure. Though a [[stripper clip|stripper-clip]] or charger loading modification to the Krag was designed, it was clear to Army authorities that a new rifle was required. After the U.S. military's experience with the Mauser rifle in the [[Spanish–American War|1898 Spanish–American War]], authorities decided to adopt a stronger Mauser-derived bolt-action design equipped with a charger- or stripper clip-loaded box magazine.<ref name="1903 NRA History">{{cite news |last1=Campbell |first1=Dave |title=The M1903 Springfield: A Look Back |url=https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/the-m1903-springfield-a-look-back/ |access-date=17 July 2025 |work=American Rifleman |issue=Historical Rifles |publisher=[[National Rifle Association]] |date=6 May 2020}}</ref>

===Advances in small arms technology===
[[File:Teddy on a white horse with a M1903.jpg|thumb|[[Theodore Roosevelt]] with an M1903]]

In 1882, the bolt action [[M1885 Remington–Lee|Remington Lee rifle]] design of 1879, with its newly invented detachable box magazine, was purchased in limited numbers by the U.S. Navy. Several hundred M1882 Lee Navy models (M1882 Remington-Lee) were also subjected to trials by the U.S. Army during the 1880s, though the rifle was not formally adopted. The Navy adopted the M1885, and later different style Lee M1895 (a 6&nbsp;mm straight pull bolt), which saw service in the [[Boxer Rebellion]]. In Army service, both the M1885 and M1895 6&nbsp;mm Lee were used in the Spanish–American War, along with the .30-40 Krag and the .45-70. The Lee rifle's detachable box magazine was invented by [[James Paris Lee]], and was very influential on later rifle designs.<ref name="Remington-Lee">{{cite news |last1=Canfield |first1=Bruce N. |title=The Remington-Lee Rifle: Ahead Of Its Time |url=https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/the-remington-lee-rifle-ahead-of-its-time/ |access-date=17 July 2025 |work=American Rifleman |issue=Historical Rifles |publisher=[[National Rifle Association]] |date=26 December 2020}}</ref> Other advancements had made it clear that the Army needed a replacement. In 1892, the U.S. military held a series of rifle trials, resulting in the adoption of the .30-40 Krag–Jørgensen rifle. The Krag officially entered U.S. service in 1894, only to be replaced nine years later by the M1903.<ref name="1903 Warfare History" />

===Development===
Thousands of Spanish Mauser M1893 rifles, surrendered by Spanish troops in Cuba, were returned to the US and extensively studied at [[Springfield Armory]], where it was decided that the Mauser was the superior design.

====U.S. rifle Model 1900 .30 prototype====
A prototype rifle was produced in 1900; it was very similar to rifle No. 5, the final Mauser M92 prototype in the U.S. Army rifle trials of 1892. This design was rejected, and a new design combining features of the M1898 Krag rifle and the Spanish Mauser M1893 was developed.

====U.S. rifle Model 1901 .30 prototype====
Springfield began work on creating a rifle that could handle higher loads around the turn of the 20th century. The Springfield Model 1901 prototype combined the [[Springfield Model 1892-99|Krag–Jørgensen]]'s cock-on-opening bolt, 30-inch barrel, magazine cutoff, stock and sights with the Mauser M1893's dual locking lugs, external claw extractor, and staggered-column magazine. Taking a cue from the Mauser [[Gewehr 98]], a large safety lug was added to the side of the bolt behind the extractor, which engaged the receiver bridge and prevented the bolt from moving rearwards. The bolt handle was also bent downwards, to make it faster to operate. The Model 1901 almost entered production. Springfield was sure enough that the Model 1901 prototype would be accepted that they began making some of the parts for it, but it was not accepted; further changes were asked for.

===Adoption===
Following then-current trends in service rifles, the barrel was shortened to 24 inches after it was discovered that a longer barrel offered no appreciable [[Terminal ballistics|ballistic]] advantage, and the shorter barrel was lighter and easier to handle. This "short rifle" also eliminated the need of a shorter carbine for mounted troops or [[cavalry]].<ref name=y03s/> A spike-type [[bayonet]] with storage in the forend of the stock was added to the design. This new design was accepted, type classified and officially adopted as the ''United States Rifle, Caliber .30, Model 1903'' and entered production in 1903. The M1903 became commonly known among its users as the "aught-three" in reference to the year, 1903, of first production.

Despite Springfield Armory's use of a two-piece firing pin and other slight design alterations, the M1903 was, in fact, a [[Mauser]] design, and after that company brought suit, the U.S. government was judged to pay $250,000 in royalties to Mauser Werke.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Sheehan|first1=John|title=Battlefield tack driver: the model 1903 Springfield in WWI|journal=Guns Magazine|date=1 October 2006|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Battlefield+tack+driver%3a+the+model+1903+Springfield+in+WWI.-a0150451303|access-date=22 April 2015}}</ref>

By January 1905, over 80,000 of these rifles had been produced at the federally-owned Springfield Armory. However, President [[Theodore Roosevelt]] objected to the design of the sliding rod-type bayonet used as being too flimsy for combat. In a letter to the [[secretary of war]], he said:

<blockquote>I must say that I think that ramrod bayonet is about as poor an invention as I ever saw. As you observed, it broke short off as soon as hit with even moderate violence. It would have no moral effect and mighty little physical effect.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Kontis|first1=George|title=Are We Forever Stuck with the Bayonet?|journal=Small Arms Defense Journal|date=24 August 2011|url=http://www.sadefensejournal.com/wp/?p=531|access-date=22 April 2015}}</ref></blockquote>

All the rifles to that point consequently had to be re-tooled for a blade-type bayonet, called the "[[M1905 bayonet|M1905]]". The sights were also an area of concern, so the new improved Model 1904 sight was also added.<ref name=y03s>{{cite journal |last1=Canfield |first1=Bruce N. |year=2003 |title=100 Years Of The '03 Springfield |journal=[[American Rifleman]] |volume=151 |issue=March |pages=42–45&78 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Canfield |first1=Bruce N. |year=2006 |title=From Poor Invention To America's Best |journal=[[American Rifleman]] |volume=154 |issue=September |pages=59–61, 91–92&94 }}</ref>

The retooling was almost complete when it was decided another change would be made. It was to incorporate improvements discovered during experimentation in the interim, most notably the use of pointed ammunition, first adopted by the French in the 1890s and later other countries. The round itself was based on the .30-03, but rather than a 220-grain (14&nbsp;g) round-tip bullet fired at {{convert|2300|ft/s|m/s|abbr=on}}, it had a 150-grain (9.7&nbsp;g) pointed bullet fired at {{convert|2800|ft/s|m/s|abbr=on}}; the case neck was a fraction of an inch shorter as well. The new American cartridge was designated ''Cartridge, Ball, Caliber .30, Model of 1906''. The M1906 cartridge is better known as the [[.30-06 Springfield]] round, used in many rifles and machine guns, and is still a popular civilian cartridge. The rifle's sights were again re-tooled to compensate for the speed and trajectory of the new cartridge.

By the time of the 1916 [[Pancho Villa Expedition]], the M1903 was the standard issue service rifle of US forces. Some rifles were fitted with both the [[Warner & Swasey]] Model 1913 and 1908 "musket sights" during the campaign, "musket sights" being the vernacular at the time for telescopic sights. The Warner & Swasey Model 1913 musket sight continued in use after the Pancho Villa Expedition and during World War I, but was eventually deemed inadequate and had been removed from the US Army's inventory by the 1920s.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Canfield |first=Bruce |date=October 2016 |title= 1916: Guns On The Border |magazine=American Rifleman |publisher=National Rifle Association of America}}</ref>

The military tested several M1903 rifles with [[Hiram Maxim|Maxim]] [[Silencer (firearm)|suppressors]] starting in 1909, and requisitioned 500 in 1910 to be used for recruit training.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Crozier |first1=William |title=Report of Chief of Ordinance |journal=War Department, Annual Reports |date=1910 |page=611 |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.b2980505&view=1up&seq=611 |access-date=9 January 2024}}</ref> Anecdotal evidence indicates that some of the M1903 rifles during the Pancho Villa Expedition were fitted with Maxim suppressors, possibly making them the first suppressed rifles used in the field by the US military; however, during World War I American M1903s were not fitted with suppressors due to opposition from officers and the suppressor precluding the use of a bayonet.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Moss |first1=Matthew |last2=Tuff |first2=Vic |title=Springfield M1903 with a Maxim Silencer |url=https://armourersbench.com/2018/11/11/springfield-m1903-with-a-maxim-silencer/ |website=The Armourer's Bench |access-date=9 January 2024}}</ref>

===World War I and interwar use===
[[File:The US Army on the Western Front 1914-1918 Q70181.jpg|thumb|right|US Marines with M1903 rifles and bayonets in France, 1918]]
[[File:US WWI rifle periscope attachment.jpeg|thumb|An Elder-type [[Periscope rifle|periscope stock]] fitted to an M1903 (1918). Designed for [[trench warfare]], this enabled the shooter to fire over the parapet of a trench while remaining under cover and protected; the rifle is also fitted with a 25-round magazine.<ref name=ordnance332>{{cite journal|title=Bayonet|publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office|journal=Handbook of Ordnance Data|date=15 November 1918|page=[https://archive.org/details/handbookordnanc00unkngoog/page/n348 332]|url=https://archive.org/details/handbookordnanc00unkngoog|format=Digital|oclc=6316176|last1=Ordnance Dept|first1=United States. Army}}</ref>]]
By the time of US entry into [[World War I]], 843,239 M1903 rifles had been produced at Springfield Armory and the [[Rock Island Arsenal]] in Illinois. Pre-war production utilized questionable metallurgy. Some receivers constructed of single-heat-treated case-hardened steel were improperly subjected to excessive temperatures during the forging process, "burning" carbon  out of the steel and producing a brittle receiver.<ref>''Canfield'', February 2008, p. 13</ref> Documented evidence indicates that some early rifles were improperly forged, but actual cases of failure in use were very rare. Several cases of serious injury from receiver failure were documented, but the U.S. Army never reported any fatalities. Many failures were attributed to use of incorrect cartridges, such as the [[7.92×57mm Mauser]].<ref name=l&h>{{cite journal |last1=Canfield |first1=Bruce N. |year=2004 |title=U.S. M1903A1 Rifles |journal=[[American Rifleman]] |volume=152 |issue=January |page=20 }}</ref> Evidence also seems to suggest that improperly forged brass cartridge cases could have further exacerbated receiver failure.<ref>Lyon, Joseph: ''Some Observations On The Failure Of U.S. Model 1903 Rifle Receivers'' [http://m1903.com/03rcvrfail/]</ref>

[[Pyrometer]]s were installed in December 1917 to accurately measure temperatures during the forging process. The change was made at approximately serial number 800,000 for rifles made at Springfield Armory and at serial number 285,507 at Rock Island Arsenal. Lower serial numbers are known as "low-number" M1903 rifles. Higher serial numbers are said to be "double-heat-treated".<ref name=l&h/>

Toward the end of the war, Springfield turned out the Model 1903 Mark I. The Mark I has a cut on the left hand side of the receiver meant to act as an ejection port for the Pedersen device, a specialized insert that replaced the bolt and allowed the user to fire .30 caliber pistol cartridges semi-automatically from a 40-round detachable magazine. The stock was also slightly cut down on the left side to clear the ejection port. In all other respects, the Mark I is identical to the M1903. Temperature control during forging had been improved before Mark I production. The receiver alloy was toughened by addition of nickel after Mark I production.
[[File:American First World War Official Exchange Collection Q103350.jpg|thumb|right|Camouflage painted M1903 Springfield sniper's rifle with Warner & Swasey [[telescopic sight]] in France, May 1918]]

In 1926, after experiencing the effect of long-range German [[7.92×57mm]] rifle and machine gun fire during the war, the U.S. Army adopted the heavy, 174-grain, [[Boat tail (ballistics)|boat-tail bullet]] for its .30-06 cartridge, standardized as ''Cartridge, Ball, caliber 30, M1''.<ref name="Barnes, Frank C. 1989 p. 59">Barnes, Frank C., ''Cartridges of the World'', 6th ed., DBI Books Inc. (1989), p. 59</ref> M1 ammunition, intended primarily for long-range machine gun use, soon became known by Army rifle competition teams and marksmen for its considerably greater accuracy than the M1906 round; the new M1 ammunition was issued to infantrymen with the Springfield rifle as well as to machine gun teams.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Dunlap|first=Roy|title=Rifles|journal=Ordnance Went up Front: Some Observations and Experiences of a Sergeant of Ordnance, Who Served Throughout World War II with the United States Army in Egypt, the Philippines and Japan, Including Way Stations|date=1948|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vp8QAQAAMAAJ|oclc=777744849}}</ref> However, during the late 1930s, it became apparent that, with the development of mortars, high-angle artillery, and the .50 caliber [[M2 Browning]] machine gun, the need for extreme long-range, rifle-caliber machine-gun fire was decreasing. In 1938, the US Army reverted to a .30-06 cartridge with a 152-grain flat-base bullet, designated "[[M2 ball]]", for all rifles and machine guns.<ref name="Barnes, Frank C. 1989 p. 59" />

In the 1920s and the 1930s, M1903s were delivered to US allies in Central America including Cuba, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua. Costa Rican troops were equipped with Springfields during the [[Coto War]], and some rifles were captured by the opposing Panamanians.<ref name="Banana" /> The Cuban Springfields were used by [[Fulgencio Batista|Batista]] forces after WW2 and later by the [[Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces|Revolutionary Armed Forces]], for instance during the [[Bay of Pigs Invasion]].<ref name="Cuba">{{cite book|title=The Bay of Pigs: Cuba 1961|series = Elite 166|first=Alejandro |last=de Quesada |date=10 Jan 2009|isbn=9781846033230|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EE-1CwAAQBAJ|page= 60}}</ref>

The [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] acquired some M1903 rifles configured like [[National Rifle Association]] sporter models in response to the 1933 [[Kansas City Massacre]].<ref>Vanderpool, Bill "Bring Enough Gun" ''[[American Rifleman]]'' October 2013 pp. 80–85&115–116</ref>

In service, the Springfield was generally prized for its reliability and accuracy, though some problems remained. The precision rear aperture sight was located too far from the eye for efficient use, and the narrow, unprotected front sight was both difficult to see in poor light and easily damaged. The Marine Corps issued the Springfield with a sight hood to protect the front sight, along with a thicker front blade. The two-piece firing pin-striker also proved to be no improvement over the original one-piece Mauser design, and was a cause of numerous ordnance repairs, along with occasional reports of jammed magazine followers.<ref name="Dunlap, Roy 1948 p. 302" />

===World War II===
[[World War II]] saw new production of the Springfield at private manufacturers such as the [[Remington Arms]] and [[Smith-Corona]] Typewriter companies. Remington began production of the M1903 in September 1941, at serial number 3,000,000, using old tooling from the Rock Island Arsenal which had been in storage since 1919. The very early Remington-made rifles are almost indistinguishable from 1919-made Rock Island rifles. As the already worn tooling began to wear beyond use Remington began seeking Army approval for a continuously increasing number of changes and simplifications to both speed up manufacture and improve performance. The milled parts on the Remington M1903 were gradually replaced with stamped parts until, at about serial number 3,330,000, the Army and Remington recognized that a new model name was appropriate. Other features of the M1903, such as high-grade walnut stocks with finger grooves, were replaced with less expensive but serviceable substitutes. Most milled parts made by Remington were marked with an "R".<ref name=bnc2>{{cite journal |last=Canfield |first=Bruce N. |year=2015 |title=Wartime Remington M1903s? |journal=[[American Rifleman]] |volume=163 |issue=March |page=44 }}</ref>

Production of the M1903 was discontinued in favor of the M1903A3. The most noticeable visual difference in the M1903A3 was the replacement of the barrel-mounted rear sight with a smaller, simpler aperture rear sight mounted on the rear of the receiver which was designed by Remington;<ref>{{US-patent|2336108A}}</ref> it was primarily adopted in order to speed familiarization by soldiers already trained on the M1 Garand, which had a similar sighting system. However, the leaf spring providing tension to the elevation adjustment on the new aperture sight tended to weaken with continued use over time, causing the rifle to lose its preset range elevation setting.<ref name="Dunlap, Roy 1948 p. 302">Dunlap, Roy, ''Ordnance Went Up Front'', Samworth Press (1948), p. 302</ref> Other modifications included a new stamped cartridge follower; the rounded edges of the new design largely alleviated the "fourth-round jam" complaints of the earlier machined part.<ref name="Dunlap, Roy 1948 p. 302"/> All stock furniture was also redesigned in stamped metal.

In late 1942, Smith-Corona Typewriter Company began production of the M1903A3 at its plant in Syracuse, New York.<ref name="Brophy, William 1985 p. 187">Brophy, William, ''The Springfield 1903 Rifles'', Stackpole Books (1985), p. 187</ref> Smith-Corona parts are mostly identified by the absence of markings, except for occasions when time permitting during manufacture, on early to mid-production rifles, and also only on certain parts.

To speed up production, two-groove rifled barrels were adopted, and steel alloy specifications were relaxed under "war emergency steel" criteria for both rifle actions and barrels.<ref>Dunlap, Roy, ''Ordnance Went Up Front'', Samworth Press (1948), p. 362</ref> All M1903A3 rifles with two-groove "war emergency" barrels were shipped with a printed notation stating that the reduction in rifling grooves did not affect accuracy.<ref name="Dunlap, Roy 1948 p. 301">Dunlap, Roy, ''Ordnance Went Up Front'', Samworth Press (1948), p. 301</ref>  As the war progressed, various machining and finishing operations were eliminated on the M1903A3 in order to increase production levels.<ref name="Dunlap, Roy 1948 p. 301"/>

Original production rifles at Remington and Smith-Corona had a dark gray-black finish similar to the bluing of late World War I. Beginning in late 1943 a lighter gray-green parkerizing finish was used. This later finish was also used on arsenal repaired weapons.

It is somewhat unusual to find a World War I or early World War II M1903 with its original dated barrel. Most, if not all, World War II .30-06 ammunition used a corrosive primer which left corrosive salts in the barrel. If not removed by frequent and proper barrel cleaning, these residues could cause pitting and excessive wear. Cleaning was sometimes lax when fighting in the jungle on various Pacific islands, and the higher moisture levels compounded the corrosive action of the residue.<ref>{{Citation | last = Bishop | first = Chris| title = The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II | place = New York | publisher = Orbis Publishing Ltd | year = 1998 | isbn = 978-0-7607-1022-7}}</ref>

The M1903 and the M1903A3 rifles were used in combat alongside the M1 Garand by the US military during World War II and saw extensive use and action in the hands of US troops in Europe, North Africa, and the Pacific. The [[United States Marine Corps|US Marines]] were initially armed with M1903 rifles in early battles in the Pacific, such as the [[Battle of Guadalcanal]], but the jungle battle environment generally favored self-loading rifles;<ref>George, John (Lt Col), ''Shots Fired In Anger'', NRA Press (1981), p. 391: "Nearly every one [Marine] I talked to [on Guadalcanal] who used the Springfield in combat-without a scope-would have much rather been using a Garand."</ref> later Army units arriving to the island were armed with M1 Garands.<ref>George, John (Lt Col), ''Shots Fired In Anger'', NRA Press (1981), p. 391</ref> The [[U.S. Army Rangers]] were also a major user of the M1903 and the M1903A3 during World War II with the Springfield being preferred over the M1 Garand for certain commando missions.<ref name="1903 Warfare History" /> The US Army Military Police (MP) and the US Navy Shore Patrol also used M1903s and M1903A3s throughout the war.<ref name="M1903A3">{{cite news |last1=Laemlein |first1=Tom |title=A Second-Generation Springfield — The M1903A3 |url=https://www.thearmorylife.com/a-second-generation-springfield-the-m1903a3/ |access-date=17 July 2025 |work=The Armory Life |publisher=© [[Springfield Armory]] |date=30 November 2021}}</ref>

According to Bruce Canfield's ''U.S. Infantry Weapons of WW II'', final variants of the M1903 (the A3 and A4) were delivered in February 1944.<ref name=bnc2/> By then, most American combat troops had been re-equipped with the M1 Garand. However, some front-line infantry units in both the U.S. Army and Marine Corps retained M1903s as infantry rifles beyond that date and continued to use them alongside the M1 Garand until the end of the war in 1945. The Springfield remained in service for [[sniper]]s (using the ''M1903A4''), [[grenadier]]s (using a spigot type rifle [[22 mm grenade|22 mm]] with the M1 [[grenade launcher]] until the M7 grenade launcher was available for the M1 rifle in late 1943), and Marine [[scout sniper]] units.<ref name="M1903A3 grenade rifle">{{cite news |last1=Morgan |first1=Martin |title=At The Range: Remington M1903 and M1903A3 Rifles |url=https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/at-the-range-remington-m1903-and-m1903a3-rifles/ |access-date=17 July 2025 |work=American Rifleman |issue=Historical Rifles |publisher=[[National Rifle Association]] |date=5 November 2020}}</ref>

==== Sniper rifle====
[[File:American First World War Official Exchange Collection Q85303.jpg|thumb|233x233px|M1903 Springfield with a telescopic sight]]
The M1903A4, a variation of the M1903A3 was the U.S. Army's sniper rifle of choice during the Second World War. The only difference between receivers was that the model and serial number on the receiver were split on M1903A4 to make room for the Redfield [[scope mount]]. The Redfield scope mount removed the rear peep sight that was standard on the M1903A3. The scope used on the M1903A4 was a Weaver Model 330 or 330C, which was a 2.75x telescopic sight. The receivers were tested by Remington Arms and those that were deemed best, meaning those closest to design specifications were selected to become M1903A4s. The barrels were also selected specifically to be added to the M1903A4 rifle only if they were within almost exact specifications for the design. The front sight on the barrel was never installed on the A4 barrels, however, the notch for it was still in place.<ref name="Dunlap, Roy 1948 p. 302"/>  Barrel specifications were, in general, unchanged between the M1903A3 and M1903A4, however, the War Department did start installing barrels with two-groove rifling instead of four-groove, despite the lack of clear changes from the four-groove rifling that was the standard until 1942.<ref>George, John (Lt. Col.), ''Shots Fired In Anger'', NRA Press (1981), p. 392</ref> From its adoption in 1943 until the end of the war the M1903A4 was used extensively in every theater of operation by both the US Army and the USMC.<ref name="George, John 1981 p. 392-393">George, John (Lt. Col.), ''Shots Fired In Anger'', NRA Press (1981), p. 392–393</ref>

While the M1903A4 was a relatively accurate rifle with an effective range of about {{convert|600|yd|m}}, by some accounts it was inadequate as a sniper rifle. Its limitations on long-range targeting were due to limitations of both the Weaver scopes. The Weaver scopes (later standardized as the M73 and M73B1) had limited [[field of view]], were of low magnification, and were not waterproof and frequently fogged over or became waterlogged during humidity changes. The optional M81/82 scopes also had significant flaws; they most notably had less power (2.2x vs. 2.75x) and, like the other scopes on the M1903A4, had serious issues with the field of view.<ref name="Dunlap, Roy 1948 p. 302"/><ref name="George, John 1981 p. 392-393"/><ref>George, John (Lt. Col.), ''Shots Fired In Anger'', NRA Press (1981), p. 296–299</ref> The USMC and the US Army eventually switched to a large 8x scope that spanned the length of the rifle, designed by John [[Unertl Optical Company|Unertl]].

==== Foreign users====
Various US allies and friendly irregular forces were equipped with the weapon. The [[Brazilian Expeditionary Force]] (FEB), operating in the 5th Army in Italy, was equipped with M1903 rifles. In August 1943, the [[Free French Forces]] of General [[Charles de Gaulle]] were re-equipped by the United States, primarily with M1903 Springfield and [[M1917 Enfield rifle]]s. The M1903 became one of the primary rifles used by French forces until the end of the war, and was afterwards used in [[Indochina]]<ref name="Viet Minh">{{cite book|title=French Foreign Légionnaire vs Viet Minh Insurgent: North Vietnam 1948–52|series=Combat 36|first=Martin |last=Windrow|date=20 Sep 2018|publisher=Osprey Publishing|isbn=9781472828910|page=22}}</ref> and by local militia and security forces in French Algeria.<ref name="Algeria">{{cite magazine|language=fr|magazine=Gazette des Armes|issue=220|date=March 1992|title=L'armement français en A.F.N.|pages=12–16|url=http://fr.1001mags.com/parution/gazette-des-armes/numero-220-mars-1992/page-14-15-texte-integral|access-date=8 October 2018|archive-date=17 December 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221217220157/http://fr.1001mags.com/parution/gazette-des-armes/numero-220-mars-1992/page-14-15-texte-integral|url-status=dead}}</ref> Large numbers of M1903 rifles were sent to China.<ref name="Chinese Army">{{cite book|title=The Chinese Army 1937–49: World War II and Civil War|series=Men-at-Arms 424|first=Philip |last=Jowett|date=10 Jul 2005|isbn=9781841769042|publisher=[[Osprey Publishing]]|page=19}}</ref> The M1903 rifles captured by the Germans were designated ''Gewehr 249(a)''.<ref>{{cite book|last=Ball|first=Robert W. D.|title=Mauser Military Rifles of the World|year=2011|location=Iola|publisher= Gun Digest Books|isbn=9781440228926 |page= 420}}</ref>

During the Korean War, South Korean Marines used the M1903A3.<ref>{{cite book|last=부|first=창옥|title=한국 전쟁 수첩: 어느 학도병 의 참전 일기
|year=2012|location=경기 고양시|publisher= 한그루 미디어|isbn=9791195158027 |page= 6}}</ref> [[File:South Koreans Marines m1903a3.png|thumb|South Korean marine armed with M1903 rifle, 20 September 1950]]

===Korean War===

The M1903A4 was slowly phased out during the Korean war by the Army, but saw extensive use in the Marine Corps in the form of the M1941 Sniper rifle.<ref name="1903 Warfare History" /> This new rifle was simply equipped with a very long and powerful Unertl 7.8x (as compared to the  M73B1 2.5X telescopic sights issued with the army's M1903A4) variant type scope. It was used in situations when the range to the target simply exceeded that of the Marines' M1C and M1D sniper rifles, which were effective to about {{convert|500|yd}}. In some rare cases, kills from up to {{convert|1000|yd}} were reported by Marines using the M1941 sniper rifles.  Marine Corps armorers continued to rebuild some M1903 sniper rifles as late as the early stages of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.<ref name="M1941">{{cite news |last1=Norell |first1=James |title=USMC Sniper Rifles: Hands On History |url=https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/usmc-sniper-rifles-hands-on-history/ |access-date=17 July 2025 |work=American Rifleman |publisher=[[National Rifle Association]] |date=18 March 2011}}</ref>

===Post–Korean War service===
After the Korean War, active service (as opposed to drill) use of the M1903 was rare. Still, some M1903A4s remained in sniper use as late as the Vietnam War; and technical manuals for them were printed as late as 1970.<ref name=y03s/> The U.S. Navy also continued to carry some stocks of M1903A3s on board ships for use as anti-mine rifles.

===Today===
[[File:USMC-120801-M-VG714-002.jpg|thumb|M1903 Springfield with 8x [[Unertl Optical Company|Unertl]] scope used during a vintage sniper rifle match in 2012.]]

Due to its balance, the M1903 is still popular with various military drill teams and color guards, most notably the [[United States Army Drill Team|U.S. Army Drill Team]].<ref name="1903 Warfare History" /> M1903 rifles (along with the M1 Garand, M1917 Enfield and M14 rifles) are also common at [[high school]] [[Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps]] (JROTC) units to teach weapons handling and military drill procedures to the cadets.<ref name="Springfield NRA History" /> JROTC units use M1903s for regular and inter-school competition drills, including elaborate exhibition spinning routines. Exhibition teams often use fiberglass stocks in place of wooden stocks, which are heavier and more prone to breaking when dropped. JROTC Color Guards still favor wooden stocks over fiberglass because of their weight characteristics and appearance. The M1903 is the standard parade rifle of the [[Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets]], which has over six hundred M1903s, very few of which are still fireable. [[The Summerall Guards]] of [[The Citadel]] also use the M1903 Springfield for their silent drill performances.

[[U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps]] color guard rifles bear many similarities to the 1903 Springfield, although they are non-functional replicas with a plugged bore.<ref name=":1">{{cite news |title=Sea Cadets ready for drills with shiny new rifles |url=https://www.readingeagle.com/2016/08/28/sea-cadets-ready-for-drills-with-shiny-new-rifles/ |access-date=17 July 2025 |work=Reading Eagle |publisher=© MediaNews Group |date=19 August 2021}}</ref>

In 1977, the U.S. Army located a rather large cache of unissued M1903A3 rifles which were demilitarized and then issued to JROTC units as a replacement for their previously issued [[M1 Garand]] and [[M14 rifle|M14]] rifles, which were then returned to Army custody due to concerns about potential break-ins at high school JROTC armories.

For safety reasons, the JROTC M1903s are demilitarized to make them permanently unable to fire by plugging the barrel by inserting a very cold steel rod which became too tight to remove after [[Thermal expansion|expanding when warmed]] to room temperature, or having it filled with lead, soldering the bolt and welding the magazine cutoff switch in the "off" position.

==Specifications==
[[File:Caliber 30 Springfield Rifle.JPG|thumb|Diagram of the .30 Springfield rifle]]

The US rifle, Model of 1903 is {{convert|44+7/8|in|m}} long and weighs {{convert|8|lb|11|oz|kg|abbr=on}}. A bayonet can be attached; the [[M1905 bayonet]] blade is {{convert|16|in|mm|abbr=on}} long and weighs {{convert|1|lb|kg}}. From 1906, the rifle was chambered to fire the .30 [[caliber]] M1906 [[cartridge (weaponry)|cartridge]] (.30-06 cartridge), later the M1 (1926) and M2 ball (1938) rounds. There were four standard types of cartridge:

* ''Ball'': consists of a brass case or shell, primer, a charge of smokeless powder, and the bullet. The bullet has a sharp point called a [[Spitzer (bullet)|spitzer]], and is composed of a lead core and a jacket of [[cupro-nickel]] (later gilding metal), and in the M1906 design, weighs 150&nbsp;[[Grain (measure)|grains]] (9.7&nbsp;g). The bullet of the M1906 cartridge, when fired from the rifle, has an initial velocity of {{convert|2700|ft/s|m/s|abbr=on}}.
* ''Blank'': contains a paper cup instead of a bullet. It is dangerous up to {{convert|33|yd|m|abbr=on}}.
* ''Guard'': has a smaller charge of powder than the ball cartridge, and five [[cannelure]]s encircle the body of the shell at about the middle to distinguish it from ball cartridges. It was intended for use on guard or in riot duty, and it gives good results up to {{convert|200|yd|m|abbr=on}}. The range of {{convert|100|yd|m|abbr=on}} requires a sight elevation of {{convert|450|yd|m|abbr=on}}, and the range of {{convert|200|yd|m|abbr=on}} requires an elevation of {{convert|645|yd|m|abbr=on}}.
* ''Dummy'': this is tin-plated and the shell is provided with six longitudinal corrugations and three circular holes. The primer contains no percussion composition. It was intended for drill purposes to accustom the soldier to the operation of loading the rifle.

The rifle is a magazine-fed clip-loader and can fire at a rate of 20 shots per minute. Each [[stripper clip]] contains five cartridges, and standard issue consisted of 12 clips carried in a cloth bandoleer. When full the [[bandoleer]] weighs about {{convert|3|lb|14|oz|kg|abbr=on}}. Bandoleers were packed 20 in a box, for a total of 1,200 rounds. The full box weighs {{convert|100|lb|kg|abbr=on}}.

The bore of the rifle is 0.30&nbsp;inches (7.62&nbsp;mm) in diameter. It was then rifled 0.004&nbsp;in (0.1&nbsp;mm) deep, making the diameter from the bottom of one groove to the bottom of the opposite groove 0.30787 in (7.82&nbsp;mm) of the barrel.

The M1903 rifle included a rear sight leaf that can be used to adjust for elevation and windage. This type of rear sight was previously designed by [[Adelbert R. Buffington]] of the U.S. Army Ordnance Department. The M1905 rear sight was calibrated to match the trajectory of [[.30-06 Springfield#Cartridge, ball, caliber .30, Model of 1906 (M1906)|M1906 service ammunition]] and offers several sighting options. When the leaf and slider are down, the battle sight notch appears on top. This was set for {{convert|547|yd|m|0|abbr=on}} for the down position of the slide, and is not adjustable. When the leaf is raised its range slider can be adjusted to a maximum range of {{convert|2850|yd|m|0|abbr=on}}. The .30-06 Springfield M1906 service ammunition long-range performance was originally overstated. When the M1906 cartridge was developed, the range tests had been done to only {{convert|1800|yd|m|0|abbr=on}}; distances beyond that were estimated, but the estimate for extreme range was wrong by almost 40 percent.<ref>{{harvnb|Hatcher|1966|p=20}}<!-- Hatcher says 38 percent: 3400 yd actual * 1.38 = 4692 yd would match 4700 yd claim--></ref> The external ballistic discrepancy at long-ranges became evident during World War I. The M1905 rear sight can also be adjusted for windage.

The M1903A3 introduced a ramp-type rear [[aperture sight]] adjustable both for elevation and windage. It can be adjusted from {{convert|100|to|800|yd|abbr=on}}. This new sightline also lengthened the sight radius.<ref>[http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/ref/TM/PDFs/TM9-1270-Ordnance-Maintenance-US-Rifles-Cal-30-M1903-M1903A1-M1903A3-and-M1903A4.pdf TM9 1270 Ordnance Maintenance US Rifles Cal 30 M1903 M1903A1 M1903A3 and M1903A4]</ref>

A feature inherent to the M1903 and not found on the [[Gewehr 98|Mauser M98]] is the cocking piece, a conspicuous knob at the rear of the bolt, allowing the rifle's striker to be released without dry firing, or to cock the rifle if necessary, for example to attempt a second strike on a round that failed to fire. This was implemented from the U.S. model of the Krag–Jørgensen rifle.

==Variants==
[[File:Rifle Springfield M1903.jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|M1903]]
[[File:Rifle Springfield M1903A3.jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|M1903A3]]
[[File:Rifle Springfield M1903A1.jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|M1903 with 'scant' [[Stock (firearm)|stock]]]]
[[File:Rifle Springfield M1903A4 with M84 sight.jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|M1903A4 with Type C stock and M84 sight]]

There were four main variants given official nomenclature, though there are a number of important sub-variants:

*''M1903 (1903)'': developed for the [[.30-03]] (also known as the .30-45) cartridge. Used original Type S [[Stock (firearm)|stock]].
**''M1903 bullpup (1903)'': experimental [[bullpup]] conversion for the USMC.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/bc/86/2a/bc862a8a8759f2c76af076277d428f22.jpg |title=Photo |publisher=s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com |access-date=2020-06-02}}</ref>{{Failed verification|date=March 2020}} 
**''M1903 (1905)'': changed from a rod type bayonet to the knife type Model 1905 bayonet and to the improved Model 1905 sight.
**''M1903 (1906)'': modified again to specifically fire the new M1906 [[.30-06 Springfield|.30-06]] cartridge ("ball cartridge, caliber 30, Model of 1906").
**''M1903 NRA (1915–1917)'': sold to [[National Rifle Association]] members and stamped "NRA" on the forward tang of the trigger guard.<ref>Canfield, Bruce N. ''[[American Rifleman]]'' (September 2008) pp. 72–75</ref>
**''M1903 air service (1918)'': issued to aircrew with permanent 25-round magazine and modified Type S stock forend designed as backup if a plane's machine gun jammed in combat.<ref>{{Citation|last=Forgotten Weapons|title=Fight! Othais vs Ian on the Air Service 1903 Springfield!|date=2017-11-28|url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dugp6lVQ2BE| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211117/dugp6lVQ2BE| archive-date=2021-11-17 | url-status=live|access-date=2017-11-29}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
**''M1903 Mark I (1918–1920)'': modified with an ejection port on the left side of the receiver for specific use with the Pedersen device.
**''M1903 NM (1921–1940)'': selected rifles produced at Springfield Armory for National Match shooting competition. Production barrels were measured with star-gauges, and those meeting specified tolerances were stamped with an asterisk shaped star on the muzzle crown. These barrels were fitted to selected receivers with hand-fitted and polished parts. The bolt was left unblued while the receiver and barrel were finished with a black Parkerizing process. Some bolts have the safety direction reversed to prevent it from striking the nose of a right-handed shooter and those made from 1924 to 1929 have the knurled cocking piece removed to decrease lock time. Early rifles used the type S stock until the type C stock became standard in 1929. Rifles made for sale to NRA members (priced at $40.44) were drilled and tapped for a Lyman 48 receiver sight and had either a type B (or NB) stock with no grasping grooves and a noticeable drop at the heel for a long pistol grip, or a special National Match stock with a high comb and pistol grip. Total production was 28,907. Most were issued to service teams and 25,377 were reconditioned at Springfield Armory after one year of match use. Reconditioned rifles have a large gas-escape port drilled into the left side of the receiver.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Norell |first1=James O.E. |year=2003 |title=U.S. M1903A1 Rifles |journal=[[American Rifleman]] |volume=151 |issue=July |pages=38–41 }}</ref>
**''M1903 Bushmaster carbine (1940s)'': the [[Gun barrel|barrel]] and stock were cut down to {{convert|18|in|mm}} for easier use in Panama; 4,725 such rifles were made. It was a training rifle and saw no action. After World War II most were dumped into the ocean and surviving pieces are rare.
**''M1903 with "scant" stock (1942)'': in late 1941, before the M1903A3 was standardized, Army ordnance wanted to standardize on a pistol-grip stock for all M1903 rifles. There were thousands of stock blanks that had been sized for the old straight stock. They were not deep enough for the full pistol grip of the Type C stock, so they were modified to allow a "scant" grip that was the largest grip they could form. These "scant" stocks would only fit on a M1903, and would not fit an 03A3. Springfield only rebuilt existing M1903 rifles using this stock in 1942 and marked the cut-off seat with a small "s".
[[File:1930 Springfield 1903A1.JPG|thumb|Springfield M1903A1]]
*''M1903A1 (1929–1939)'': changed from a straight stock to a pistol grip type stock (Type C stock). The pistol grip stock was conducive to improved marksmanship and was fitted to National Match rifles until World War II. Pistol grip stocks became standard for later M1903 production and were subsequently fitted to older rifles. The Army considered any rifle with a pistol grip stock an M1903A1, but M1903 receiver markings were unchanged.<ref name=bnc>{{cite journal |last1=Canfield |first1=Bruce N. |year=2007 |title=U.S. M1903A1 Rifles |journal=[[American Rifleman]]|issue=January |page=38 }}</ref>
*''M1903A2 (1930s–1940s)'': basically a stripped A1 or A3 used as a subcaliber rifle with artillery pieces.
*''M1903A3 (1942–1944)'': sights were changed to an aperture (peep) system mounted on the receiver, and the rifle was modified for easier production with stamped metal parts and somewhat different grip and stock (late model Type S stock; no finger grooves).
**''M1903 (modified) (1941–1942)'': transition production of M1903 rifles by Remington Arms until the M1903A3 design was implemented involved modification of various parts creating a hybrid between the M1903 and M1903A3.<ref name=bnc2/>
*''M1903A4 (1942)'': an M1903A3 modified to be a sniper rifle using an M73 or M73B1 2.5× Weaver [[telescopic sight]] and different stock, and omitting the iron sights. USMC versions instead used the 8x Unertl scope.

There are two main other types, various training types, and competition versions such as the [[National Match]] types. Aside from these there are some other civilian versions, experimental versions, and other miscellaneous types. Due to the duration of its service, there is also a range of smaller differences among ones from different periods and manufacturers.

In military use it was outnumbered by the [[M1917 Enfield]] for much of the war. Also, during World War II many remained in use early on, especially in the Pacific (generally replaced as M1s became available), in addition to service (along with other weapons) as a sniper rifle and to launch [[rifle grenade]]s.

*''Bannerman Springfield'': After the outbreak of World War I in 1914, Scottish-born [[military surplus]] magnate [[Pollepel Island#Bannerman's Castle|Francis Bannerman VI]] assembled 1,000 M1903 rifles from surplus parts which were rebored to accept [[.303 British]] ammunition. He presented these to the [[British Army]] together with bayonets, pouches and webbing as a patriotic gesture. However, the conversion was not a success and it was found that rimmed .303 cartridges would not feed properly from the magazine.<ref>Ian D. Skennerton, ''The Lee Enfield: A Century of Lee-Metford & Lee-Enfield Rifles & Carbines'', Arms & Militaria Press 2007,  {{ISBN|978-0-949749-82-6}} (p. 162)</ref> The rifles were stamped "DP," i.e., fit for "drill purposes" only, and presented to the [[City of London]]'s [[Volunteer Training Corps]], who were otherwise without any weapons.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archive.org/details/nationalguarding00fost|title=The National guard in the great war, 1914–1918|first=Alfred Edye Manning|last=Foster|date=2 June 1920|publisher=London : Cope & Fenwick|via=Internet Archive}}</ref>

=== Automatic conversion ===
In 1904 the US Government authorized Springfield to sell the M1903 to inventors, this measure was taken to assist the private firearms industry which in return should improve the capabilities of the military.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2020-12-28 |title=Headspace-Operated Prototype Rifle - Yeah, it's as Weird as it Sounds… |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfuwgVCh79M |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=archive.is |archive-date=28 December 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20201228210257/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfuwgVCh79M |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref>

* Headspace-Operated Prototype Rifle<ref name=":0" />
* Experimental [[Blowback (firearms)#Primer actuated|primer-actuated]] conversion made in 1921.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUzL6clu-90 |title=Experimental Primer-Actuated Semiauto Springfield 1903 |date=2016-09-03 |last=Forgotten Weapons |access-date=2025-04-12 |via=YouTube |archive-date=12 April 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250412214300/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUzL6clu-90 |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref>

==In popular culture==
[[Ernest Hemingway]] used an M1903 to shoot big game, including [[lion]]s, on his first African [[safari]] in 1933. His experiences during the safari is the subject of ''[[Green Hills of Africa]]'', published in 1935.<ref>{{Cite web|title=.30-06 in Africa|url=https://safariclub.us/blog/30-06-africa|website=Safari Club International}}</ref>

An M1903A4 is used by Private Daniel Jackson in the film ''[[Saving Private Ryan]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Eger|first=Chris|title=The Allied Sniper Rifles of WWII (Video)|url=https://www.guns.com/news/2014/06/06/the-allied-sniper-rifles-of-wwii-video|website=Guns.com}}</ref><!--
The subject of this article has appeared in popular cultural contexts such as films, video games, novels, strip cartoons, and the like. These are mostly trivial mentions, and listing them adds no value to the encyclopedic treatment of the subject.
Before adding items to this section, please read [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Military history/Content guide#Popular culture]]. Additions that appear to be insignificant and/or are not attributed to a reliable source WILL be removed.
If an item you have added has been removed and you wish to contest its removal, please start a discussion on this article's talk page proposing that it be restored. -->

==Users==
[[File:M1903 Springfield Users.png|thumb|A map with M1903 Springfield users in blue|222x222px]]

* {{flag|Austria}}: Equipped with 470 M1903A4s used as a marksman rifle. Called "Zielfernrohrgewehr 03" in Austrian service.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Urrisk |first=Rolf M. |title=Die Bewaffnung des österreichischen Bundesheeres, 1918-1990 |date=1990 |publisher=H. Weishaupt Verlag |isbn=978-3-900310-53-0 |edition=1. Aufl |location=Graz}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Hufnagl |first=Wolfdieter |title=Jagdkommando: Sondereinheiten des österreichenischen Bundesheeres |last2=Benz |first2=Martin |date=2001 |publisher=Motorbuch-Verl |isbn=978-3-613-02079-5 |edition=2. Aufl |location=Stuttgart}}</ref>
*{{flag|Brazil}}<ref>{{cite book|last1=Maximiano|first1= Cesar|last2=Bonalume|first2= Ricardo N|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6q6HCwAAQBAJ|title=Brazilian Expeditionary Force in World War II|publisher=[[Osprey Publishing]]|year= 2011|isbn=9781849084833|series=Men at Arms 465|pages=10, 16–17, 44}}</ref>
*{{flag|Cambodia}}{{sfn|Thompson|2013|p=63}}
*{{flag|Canada}}{{sfn|Thompson|2013|p=63}}
*{{flag|China}}{{sfn|Thompson|2013|p=63}}
*{{flag|Costa Rica}}<ref name="Banana"/>
*{{flag|Cuba}}{{sfn|Thompson|2013|p=63}}
*{{flagcountry|Ethiopian Empire}}: Received after World War II.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Scarlata|first=Paul|date=1 Mar 2009|title=Ethiopian military rifle cartridges: Part 2: from Mauser to Kalashnikov.|url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Ethiopian+military+rifle+cartridges%3A+Part+2%3A+from+Mauser+to...-a0195134991|magazine=[[Shotgun News]]}}</ref>
*{{flag|France}}{{sfn|Thompson|2013|p=63}}<ref name="Indochina">{{cite book|title=The French Indochina War 1946–54|series=Men-at-Arms 322|first= Martin |last=Windrow|isbn=9781855327894 |date=15 Nov 1998|page=41|publisher=[[Osprey Publishing]]}}</ref>
* {{flag|Nazi Germany}}: Captured rifles from American soldiers designated the Gewehr 249(a). Captured rifles from Commonwealth soldiers designated the Gewehr 249(e).
*{{flag|Greece}}{{sfn|Thompson|2013|p=63}}
* {{flag|Haiti}}: Issued to [[Gendarmerie of Haiti|Gendarmerie]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Military rifle cartridges of Haiti. - Free Online Library |url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Military+rifle+cartridges+of+Haiti.-a0242017608 |access-date=2022-12-14 |website=www.thefreelibrary.com}}</ref>
* {{flag|Honduras}}: Equipped with 2,083 M1903s in 1950.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TH88DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA287|first=Robert H. |last=Holden|title= Armies without Nations: Public Violence and State Formation in Central America, 1821–1960 |location=Oxford and New York|year= 2004|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|isbn=9780198036517 |page=287}}</ref>
* {{flagicon image|Flag of Italian Committee of National Liberation.svg}} [[Italian resistance movement|Italian Partisans]]: Supplied to partisans operating in the vicinity of American troops.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Gianluigi |first1=Usai |last2=Riccio |first2=Ralph |title=Italian partisan weapons in WWII |date=28 January 2017 |publisher=Schiffer Military History |isbn=978-0764352102 |page=167}}</ref>
*{{flag|Japan}}: Captured during World War II. Used by [[National Police Reserve]] after the war.{{citation needed|date=December 2020}}
*{{flagcountry|Kingdom of Laos}}<ref>{{cite book|title=The War in Laos 1960–75|series=Men-at-Arms 217|first=Kenneth |last=Conboy|date=23 Nov 1989 |publisher=Osprey Publishing|isbn=9780850459388|page=15}}</ref>
* {{flag|Netherlands}}: Used by the [[Netherlands Marine Corps]] during the [[Indonesian National Revolution]].<ref name="ArmsControl">{{cite book|title=The Control of local conflict : a design study on arms control and limited war in the developing areas|volume=3|last1=Bloomfield|first1= Lincoln P.|last2=Leiss|first2=Amelia Catherine<!--|last3=Legere|first3= Laurence J.|last4= Barringer|first4= Richard E.|last5=Fisher|first5= R. Lucas|last6= Hoagland|first6= John H.|last7=Fraser|first7= Janet|last8=Ramers|first8=Robert K-->|publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Center for International Studies|url=https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA324492.pdf#page=85|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804022404/https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA324492.pdf#page=85|url-status=live|archive-date=4 August 2020|date=30 June 1967|hdl=2027/uiug.30112064404368|pages=80, 89}}</ref>
*{{flag|New Zealand}}<ref name="Brophy, William 1985 p. 149">Brophy, William, ''The Springfield 1903 Rifles'', Stackpole Books (1985), p. 149</ref>
*{{flag|Nicaragua}}<ref name="Banana">{{cite book|title=Latin American Wars 1900–1941: "Banana Wars," Border Wars & Revolutions|series=Men-at-Arms 519|publisher=Osprey Publishing|first= Philip |last=Jowett|date= 28 Jun 2018|isbn=9781472826282 |pages=15, 17, 45|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8LJeDwAAQBAJ}}</ref>
*{{flag|North Vietnam}}<ref name="NVA">{{cite book|last=Rottman|first=Gordon L.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iC21CwAAQBAJ|title=North Vietnamese Army Soldier 1958–75|date=10 Feb 2009|publisher=[[Osprey Publishing]]|isbn=9781846033711|series=Warrior 135|page=21}}</ref>
* {{flag|Peru}}<ref>{{cite web|first=Dan|last= Reynolds|title=The Mauser Rifles of Peru |website=carbinesforcollectors.com|access-date=22 January 2019|url=https://carbinesforcollectors.com/riflesofperu1.html}}</ref>
*{{flag|Philippines|1936}}{{sfn|Thompson|2013|p=63}}
*{{flagcountry|Republic of China (1912-1949)|name=Republic of China}}<ref name="NVA" /><ref name="Chinese Army" />
*{{flagcountry|Republic of China|name=Republic of China (Taiwan)}}<ref name="Brophy, William 1985 p. 150">Brophy, William, ''The Springfield 1903 Rifles'', Stackpole Books (1985), p. 150</ref>
*{{flag|South Korea}} : Equipped with 216 M1903A3s before the [[Korean War]]. The number in service peaked at 3,611 in 1951, and was reduced to 393 by the end of the war. The military also received 100 and 109 M1903A4s in 1952 and 1953, respectively.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bak |first=Dongchan |url=http://medcmd.mil.kr/user/imhc/upload/pblictn/PBLICTNEBOOK_202105270240172800.pdf |title=Korean War : Weapons of the United Nations |publisher=Ministry of Defense Institute for Military History |date=March 2021 |isbn=979-11-5598-079-8 |location=Republic of Korea |pages=23–25 |language=Korean |access-date=2022-06-27 |archive-date=2022-09-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220920170621/http://medcmd.mil.kr/user/imhc/upload/pblictn/PBLICTNEBOOK_202105270240172800.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>
*{{flag|South Vietnam}}<ref name="Indochina"/>
*{{flag|Thailand}}{{sfn|Thompson|2013|p=63}}
*{{flag|United Kingdom}}<ref name="Brophy, William 1985 p. 149"/>
*{{flagu|United States}}: Used among [[Junior ROTC]] and [[United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps]].{{sfn|Thompson|2013|p=63}}<ref name=":1" />

==See also==
* [[Captured US firearms in Axis use in World War II]]
* [[Lee–Enfield|Lee–Enfield rifle]] – Contemporary British Army rifle
* [[List of U.S. Army weapons by supply catalog designation]]
* [[Springfield Model 1922|Springfield M1922]] – A [[cadet rifle]], designed to mimic the M1903 Springfield rifle for training purposes
* [[Springfield rifle]] – For all other "Springfield" rifles
{{s-start}}
{{succession box
| title = United States Army rifle
| years = 1903-1936
| before = [[Springfield Model 1892–99]]
| after =[[M1 Garand]]
}}
{{s-end}}

==References==

===Citations===
{{Reflist}}

===General sources===
* Ball, Robert W. D., ''Springfield Armory Shoulder Weapons 1795–1968''. Norfolk, VA: Antique Trader Books, 1997. {{ISBN|0-930625-74-9}} {{OCLC|39273050}}
* {{cite magazine|author=Canfield, Bruce N. |title='Low Number' M1903 Springfields |magazine=American Rifleman |date=February 2008}}
* {{cite book |last1=Hatcher |first1=Julian S. |title=Hatcher's Notebook |year=1966|orig-date=1962 |publisher=Stackpole Books |isbn=978-0-8117-0795-4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yESNUKSg5aMC |language=en}}
* {{cite book |last1=Thompson |first1=Leroy |title=The M1903 Springfield Rifle |date=19 February 2013 |publisher=Bloomsbury USA |isbn=978-1-78096-011-1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=S-c6vgAACAAJ |language=en}}
* ''Engineer Field Manual'', War Department, Document No. 355, 1909.
* ''Manual for Noncommissioned Officers and Privates of Infantry of the Army of the United States'', War Department, Document No. 574, 1917.
* "Bushmaster '03 Carbine", ''American Rifle'' magazine, April 2005, p.&nbsp;40.
* ''U.S. Infantry Weapons of World War II.'' Bruce N. Canfield, Andrew Mowbray Publishers, 1994.
* ''Operation Requirements for an Infantry Hand Weapon''. Norman Hitchman, Operations Research Office, 1952

==External links==
{{Commons category|Springfield M1903}}
* [http://m1903.com/ M1903.com]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130418083932/http://www.cgsc.edu/carl/docrepository/FM23_10.pdf FM 23-10 Basic Field Manual: U.S. Rifle Caliber .30, M1903, 20 September 1943]
* [https://archive.org/details/TM9-2701943 (1943) TM 9-270 U.S. Rifle, Cal. .30, M1903A4 (Sniper's) Characteristics and Operation and Use of Telescopic Sight]
* [http://www.90thidpg.us/Reference/Reference.html 90th Infantry Division Preservation Group] – Reference manual page including several M1903 manuals
* [http://www.theodoreroosevelt.com Account of Theodore Roosevelt's Safari: Springfield]
* [https://www.cfspress.com/sharpshooters/pdfs/Operational-Requrements-For-An-Infantry-Hand-Weapon.pdf]
* [https://smallarmsreview.com/tribute-to-william-edward-anthony/ Springfield M1903 spigot mortar]
* [https://patents.google.com/patent/US1487801A/en US1487801A – Firearm]
* [https://www.forgottenweapons.com/ria-experimental-semiauto-springfield-1903-primer-actuated-rifle-video/ Experimental Semiauto Springfield 1903 Primer-Actuated Rifle]
* [https://forum.enlisted.net/en/t/springfield-prototype-rifles/145913 Springfield Prototype Rifles]
* [https://www.sandboxx.us/news/these-are-the-weirdest-springfield-m1903-variants/ These are the weirdest Springfield M1903 variants]

{{Clip-fed firearms}}
{{WWIUSInfWeaponsNav}}
{{WWIIUSInfWeaponsNav}}

[[Category:.30-06 Springfield rifles]]
[[Category:7.62 mm rifles]]
[[Category:Bolt-action rifles of the United States]]
[[Category:Clip-fed firearms]]
[[Category:Cold War firearms of the United States]]
[[Category:Rifles of the Cold War]]
[[Category:Sniper rifles of the United States]]
[[Category:Springfield firearms]]
[[Category:Weapons of the Philippine Army]]
[[Category:World War I infantry weapons of the United States]]
[[Category:World War II firearms of the United States]]
[[Category:World War II rifles]]
[[Category:Weapons and ammunition introduced in 1903]]
[[Category:World War II infantry weapons of Brazil]]