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The weapon most intimately associated with the infantryman was his rifle. From the first day of basic training until he was required to turn in his equipment prior to his discharge from service, the rifle was his constant companion. In training and non-combatant situations, the rifle was often viewed as a burden to bear on forced marches or a magnet for dirt and grime when viewed during inspection by the all-seeing eyes of the first sergeant. In combat, however, the rifle was truly a matter of life and death to the infantryman.

M1903 Springfield: The standard service rifle at the time of the declaration of war was the “U.S. Magazine Rifle, Caliber .30, Model of 1903” Better known as the “Springfield ‘03” or “Springfield” or simply the “‘O3“. This was the replacement for the .30-40 Krag-Jorgenson bolt action magazine rifle of Spanish-American War fame. The Springfield used a modified Mauser action and was chambered for a .30-caliber rimless cartridge. The new cartridge was designated the “Model of 1906” and was soon more widely referred to as the “.30-06.” The new round had a muzzle velocity of 2,800fps. The M1903 weighed in at 8.69 pounds and had an overall length of 43.5-inches and a barrel length of 24-inches. Most external metal parts were rust blued. It used a 5-round charger to reload and was fitted with a magazine cutoff that allowed for single rounds to be loaded and fired, while maintaining the 5-rounds in the magazine for emergencies. The stock and hand guard were made of quality black walnut. The metal butt plate had a hinged door that held an oiler and thong case and other cleaning implements. Sling swivels were fitted to the lower band and stock. The M1907 leather sling was the standard issue and served well into World War Two. The M1903 rifle’s rear sight was a folding leaf adjustable for elevation and windage. It was mounted forward of the bolt. A removable stamped metal cover was also used to product the front sight from damage.
The ‘03 was made with a craftsmanship never before or since used for a military rifle. The rust bluing and quality walnut wood were equal to many fine sporting rifles. It was a superbly crafter and supremely accurate rifle. The ‘03 successfully competed against the finest target rifles of other countries in Olympic and other prestigious shooting events. There is no doubt that the US military entered World War One with the finest bolt action military rifle of all time. And that was the problem.
In order to meet the production demands of the sudden expansion of the military, the Springfield had to be modified for easier mass production. The checking on the trigger and stock was eliminated; the metallurgy of the receiver was changed from the old case-hardened to a stronger double heat-treated type. Parkerizing replaced bluing. A second reinforcement bolt (AKA the lug or stock screw) was added to strengthen the stock to withstand the shock of firing rifle grenades. The new modified version was known as the M1903 Mark I rifle. All told, the US entered the war with 600,000 ‘03s available, another 312, 878 were produced during the war with some 145,000 Mark I new production rifles built as well.

Two cartridge belts were issued for use: the M1910 cartridge belt was made of canvas and held ten pockets, each holding a single 5-round charger. The M1912 Cavalry Belt had a leather boot that held the ‘03 across the trooper’s shoulder and held nine pockets, each with a charger and a pistol magazine pouch holding two M1911 magazines.

M1917 “U.S. Enfield” Rifle: As splendid as the Springfield was, the 600,000 that were available at the start of the war, were just barely enough to arm the small prewar force. And while production was stepped up, it quickly became apparent that another source of rifle production would be needed. At the time, three plants were busy building the “Pattern 1914” rifle under British contract. This was a modified Mauser design re-chambered for the British .303 cartridge. During the three years of their contract, Winchester, Remington and the Midvale Steel & Ordnance Company produced 1,235,298 Pattern 1914 rifles by the end of the contract in July, 1917.
With three major factories, with a trained workforce, ready to produce weapons, the War Department was faced with the choice of converting the plants to build ‘03 rifles; to adopt the Pattern 1914 rifle as is; or to re-chamber the P14 rifle for the U.S. .30-06 and then adopt the weapon to be issued concurrently with the M1903 rifle.
The need for minimum amount of disruption resulted in the P14 being chambered for the .30-06. Minor changes to the sights and rifling had to be made, but the change over to the round was fairly simple.
The M1917 rifle weighed 8.18 pounds and had a 26-inch barrel and was 46.3-inches in overall length. It had a 6-round capacity, but could use the standard 5-round charger used with the M1903 rifle. There was no magazine cutoff. The rear sight was a folding leaf adjustment for elevation, but not windage and was mounted on the rear of the receiver. The stock was black walnut with an oil finish, all external metal parts were rust blued.
One major difference in the two rifles lay in the “crooked” appearance of the bolt handle.. When operated, this crook allowed the user to use his middle finger to fire the weapon, allowing for a more rapid reload.
To be sure, there were soldiers who hated the M1917, it weighed a pound more than the Springfield and was three inches longer. While not as accurate as the M1903, the M1917’s sights were superior for battle purposes. While not the preferred weapon, the M1917 was a sturdy, reliable and robust weapon. And in the end, the M1917 equipped 75% of the AEF.