M1903 Springfield

The M1903 Springfield was the standard infantry rifle of the US Army during the Great War and Second Great War. The Springfield was a bolt-action rifle, firing the standard .30-06 cartridge. It weighed eight pounds and eleven ounces. Ammunition for the Springfield was loaded in five-round clips. Overall, the Springfield was a reliable infantry weapon with an effective range of around six hundred yards.

During the Great War, the Springfield compared favorably with it's Confederate counterpart, the Tredegar. Both performed at about the same level on the battlefield. The Springfield was often fitted with a bayonet for close combat.

However, by the Second Great War, the Springfield was far outclassed by the new standard infantry weapon of the Confederate States Army, the Tredegar Automatic Rifle. The Tredegar Automatic Rifle fired at full automatic, giving the average Confederate soldier far more firepower than his US counterpart. Despite this firepower gap, the US Army had yet to develop an automatic rifle of it's own by the end of 1943. Instead, US infantrymen used captured Tredegar Automatic Rifles or submachine guns in order to narrow the firepower gap. Springfields were used by Confederate forces during the Battle of Pittsburgh due to ammunition shortages.

In conclusion, the Springfield was a fine weapon in it's time. However, when its time was over, it proved to be more of a burden than a blessing.