Johnson M-1941

     Notes: The roots of the M-1941 actually go back to 1934, before World War 2.  Near the end of the development of the M-1 Garand, a young US Marine lieutenant observing the testing process did recommend that the Marines adopt the M-1, but with the caveat that he believed that the clang of the clip when the last round was fired would become a liability, that the inability of the M-1’s clip to be topped off was another liability, and that he did not believe that the M-1 Garand could be quickly and efficiently mass-produced.  (In the first two respects, it did turn out that he was right.)  This young Marine, 1^st Lieutenant Maynard Johnson, in the finest spirit of American inventiveness, decided to design a rifle to alleviate what he felt were the Garand’s flaws.

     The M-1941 used recoil operation instead of the more complicated gas operation of the Garand.  This allowed for a rifle with fewer parts and simpler construction and field stripping.  The M-1941 proved to be adequate for accuracy, the operating system allowed for lower tolerances and proved more reliable in dirty conditions, was a considerably lighter weapon, had a greater magazine capacity, and the magazine, though internal, could be topped off at any time, either with chargers or by hand. 

     Unfortunately, the problems with the M-1941 began before World War 2, on the political side. Springfield, who designed the M-1 Garand, has a tremendous amount of pull with the Ordinance Board or the War Department, and didn’t want any sort of “interlopers” interfering with the adoption of the M-1 Garand or even supplementing it.  Complaints by the Ordinance Board were many, ranging from cost to the fact that the M-1941 could not use the standard US Army bayonet to everything in between.  This was happening even though shooters ranging from averages soldiers to match marksmen stated that the M-1 and M-1941 were at the least equal to each other.

     However, with the US entry into World War 2, it was in fact quickly discovered that indeed M-1 Garand production could not be ramped up quickly enough to fill the demand.  In addition, the US also needed to provide modern weapons for groups ranging from partisans in France and elsewhere to Allied forces whose troops had ended up here and there after their countries had been taken over by the Nazis or Japanese.  The M-1941 was therefore put into limited service with USMC special operations units, particularly their parachutists.  It was also used throughout World War 2 by the OSS and the partisans they were supplying, and by Dutch forces operating in the East Indies.  The Australians used a small number of them, as did some resistance fighters here and there in the Pacific theater.  There are also rumors that some small amounts of M-1941s were used by free French forces.

     But all was not rosy with the M-1941.  One of the problems with the M-1941 was its need for a non-standard bayonet, but this was considered a minor problem.  A worse problem with the bayonet was that it essentially unbalanced the M-1941, degrading accuracy for most shooters.  The M-1941 had a rather long part of its barrel which was exposed, not being inside the stock or a shroud, not otherwise being reinforced.  This part of the barrel could and did get bent, especially during drops by ParaMarines.  Though the ability to top off a magazine was appreciated, charging using the standard 5-round stripper clip of the time was quite difficult; the end of the clip did not quite fit into the M-1941.  The Marines replaced them with M-1 Garands and even M-1 Carbines as they became available; the major users of the M-1941 actually turned out to be the Dutch.  Total M-1941 production was about 70,000.  The Johnson enjoyed brief popularity on the civilian market after World War 2, but is now a collectors' item. (Just trying to get spare parts for the M-1941 is a big problem.)

POF P-308

     Notes: Patriot Ordnance Factory makes a number of firearms; many of them are AR-15 or AR-10-based, but operated by a gas piston system instead of direct gas impingement.  One of these is the P-308 series, chambered for 7.62mm NATO.  These rifles are available with 20, 16, 14, and 12-inch barrels (the latter available only to law enforcement and military concerns, as is automatic fire capability).  Common features include Vanadium alloy barrels that are twice as hard as Mil-Spec barrels and rated for automatic fire, chrome-lined barrels that have 10 times the thickness of chrome than Mil-Spec barrels, and a BC-A5 muzzle brake.  The all operating parts are treated with POF’s CROS (Corrosion Resistant Operating System).  Finishes may be of NP3, black nitrite, or black anodization.  The bolt carrier and bolt carrier area are nickel/Teflon coated.  Receivers are of aircraft-quality aluminum, and may or may not be flattop according to the buyer’s wishes.  The pistol grip and stock are ergonomic, with the stock being a sliding Vltor stock.  The handguards have four MIL-STD-1913 rails, as does the receiver if a flattop model; if flattop, the upper rail is a monolithic rail.

     POF makes its own magazines for the P-308, but the P-308 can also use AR-10 (both modern and original), M-1A, SR-25, and metric-pattern FAL magazines.

Remington (Enfield) US Service Rifle M-1917

    Notes: This is basically an Enfield No 2 (Pattern ’14) Rifle re-barreled for .30-06 Springfield ammunition. This was done to address an urgent World War 1 need for rifles and the resulting shortfall of M-1903s. Although the M-1917 was designated a “secondary standard rifle,” by the War Department, nearly twice as many US troops carried them into combat in World War I than the “primary standard” Springfield M-1903.  This is the weapon that Sergeant Alvin York used to such great effect in World War I when winning his Medal of Honor.

     Almost 2 million were used by US troops during World War 1, and almost 2.4 million were actually produced.  They were designed in England by Enfield, but the M-1917 was primarily built by Remington (who held the actual government contract), Winchester, and a subsidiary of Remington called Eddystone.  (The basis of the design in an Enfield rifle led to them being commonly called “Enfield” in the US, though almost none were actually made in Britain.) They went into storage after World War 1. Nearly 120,000 were sent to England during World War 2 to equip their Home Guard, where they were painted with a red band around the stock to distinguish them from No 2 Rifles since their chambering remained unchanged from .30-06 Springfield. Many others were refurbished and sent to US troops, particularly the US Navy, in the early stages of World War 2.  After 1946, most of these rifles were sold to US target shooters and hunters.

Rock River Arms LAR-8

     Notes: Called the LAR-10 in its early inceptions, the LAR-8 appears at first glance to be an enlarged AR-15.  Originally scheduled for market introduction in late 2006 or early 2007, Rock River Arms’ web site still says “Anticipated availability Summer 2007,” though apparently the LAR-8 is not as yet on the market except for pre-orders.

     The basic LAR-8 Standard comes in an A2 version, which essentially does look like an enlarged AR-15A2, complete with the AR-15A2-type stock and handguards, as well as the carrying handle and front sight raised post.  The A4 model has the carrying handle replaced by a MIL-STD-1913 rail, and the front sight post replaced by a gas block assembly that has a very short MIL-STD-1913 rail.  Optionally, the A4 version may have its handguards replaced by a Daniel Defense Lite Quad Rail handguard, with four MIL-STD-1913 rails.  In the case of both rifles, the barrels are made by Wilson Combat and are 20 inches long and tipped with an M-16A2-type flash suppressor.  The pistol grip has been modified to allow the use of an outer Hogue rubber shell.  The trigger unit is a two-stage match trigger.  Both can accept metric and English FAL-type magazines.

     The LAR-8 Mid-Length (both the A2 and A4) are virtually identical to their LAR-8 Standard counterparts, but use 6-position sliding stocks and 16-inch barrels.  The specialist LAR-8A4 Varmint (which would also serve equally well as a tactical marksman’s weapon) uses a 26-inch Wilson Combat Air-Gauged bull barrel made of stainless steel and free-floating, inside special ribbed aluminum handguards.  The receiver uses a MIL-STD-1913 rail instead of a carrying handle, with a corresponding short MIL-STD-1913 rail atop the gas block in case the shooter wishes to mount iron sights or other accessories.  The barrel has no flash suppressor, but instead is tipped by a target crown.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: These rifles do not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Rock River Arms LAR-458

     Notes: Essentially a heavy modification of the RRA CAR A4, the LAR-458 is modified to instead fire the .458 SOCOM cartridge.  It is intended primarily for short-range combat and entry teams.

     Other than the changes necessary to fire the .458 SOCOM cartridge (which were large and many in of themselves), the LAR-458 has a large number of sub-versions available, differing primarily in the stocks, handguards, pistol grips, and MIL-STD-1913 rails available.  For game purposes, the stocks may be primarily into fixed and 6-position sliding stocks; however, possible fixed stocks include a standard AR-15A2 stock, a shorter “entry stock,” the CAA Tactical Stock (which has compartments for accessories such as cleaning kits, batteries, etc.), and the ACE Skeleton stock. The handguards may be “generic” ribbed aluminum handguards or better Hogue versions.  (Both of these also contain free-float tubes for the barrel.)  The pistol grips may be standard AR-15A2, Hogue rubber, an ERGO grip, or an ERGO Target grip. The receiver is topped by a MIL-STD-1913 rail, but the buyer may elect to also buy a detachable carrying handle with an AR-15A2-type rear sight in it; the gas block also has a very short MIL-STD-1913 rail, and the buyer may also elect to buy a front sight to fit this rail if desired.  The trigger guard may be of standard size or a wider winter trigger guard.  The barrel is a 16-inch chrome-moly steel bull barrel, which may be tipped with a standard AR-15A2-type flash suppressor or a Vortex flash suppressor/muzzle brake.  Feed is from modified AR-15A2 magazines.

     There are some rumors floating around that the US Military (primarily special operations and the Coast Guard) have requested that Rock River Arms build some versions of the LAR-458 capable of automatic fire, though I have been unable as of yet to confirm this beyond mere rumors.  However, I have included automatic stats below, as a point of interest.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: The LAR-458 does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Springfield M-1 Garand

     Notes:  Perhaps more than any other weapon, the M-1 Garand is synonymous with the World War 2 US fighting man.  In 1932, it was the first semiautomatic rifle to be adopted by any country’s armed forces.  By the time manufacture had ended in the late 1950s, over 5.5 million had been made.  They were in regular service as late as the Vietnam War, and there are no doubt some still floating around, even in military service.  They were modified by several countries for both military and civilian use, including the US M-14 and the Italian BM-59 series.  The Garand is simple and tough, but by no means light.  Criticisms included the small magazine capacity (still larger than most personal weapons of the day), the inability to top off the rifle until it is completely empty, and the loud “clang” the weapon makes when the weapon empties and ejects the spent clip.  Other touches include a compartment in the stock, accessed through the butt, which is meant to hold a bottle of lubricating oil, a small grease pot, a pull-through tool for cleaning the barrel, and a two combination tools which performed six functions total (related to maintaining the rifle or clearing jams).  The Garand was produced by a large number of companies during World War 2, and later by the arms companies of several countries (both licensed and unlicensed). A common add-on modification was a muzzle device for the launching of old-style non-bullet-trap rifle grenades. The sights were surprisingly sophisticated, and finely-adjustable for elevation and windage using the rear sight. Though heavy, the Garand is very well-balanced.

     The New M-1 Garand is a faithful reproduction of the M-1 Garand rifle of World War 2 fame.  Many of the parts on the .30-06 models are in fact leftovers from unbuilt M-1s that have been packed in preservative all these years.  The stocks and barrels are always of new manufacture, and can fire old and new ammunition equally well.  Another version is converted to 7.62mm NATO.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: CivGov issued a number of these to their levies and troops after the collapse of central authority in the US; these rifles were actually manufactured in Virginia instead of Massachusetts, and most of the CivGov New M-1s were chambered for 7.62mm NATO.

Springfield M-1A

     Notes: This is basically a civilian model of the M-14 automatic battle rifle.  It is semiautomatic only, and comes in a variety of models with different barrel lengths.  Like the M-14, they are magazine fed instead of using the clips of the M-1 Garand.  Most versions of the M-1A differ only in barrel lengths, materials, and sight mounts; the Scout can mount the widest variety of accessories with its optional MIL-STD-1913 rail.  The SOCOM-16 is perhaps the most radical alteration; it has a chopped 16-inch barrel with a special muzzle brake, an enlarged military-aperture rear sight with MOA click adjustments for elevation and windage, a front sight with tritium insert, and a MIL-STD-1913 rail forward of the rear sight base.  The Springfield Squad Scout is a rifle developed for military and police use; it has an 18-inch barrel, beefy muzzle brake, and with other modifications necessary for the new barrel length.  It is equipped with a MIL-STD-1913 rail.

     While the SOCOM-16 is a good carbine-type M-1A, it does have some problems.  The forward position of the MIL-STD-1913 rail allowed optics to be mounted in a “Scout” type configuration, but was not a good position for telescopic or optical sights, and under sustained fire, the mounting block transferred heat directly to the rail and right to the optics, causing them to lose accuracy and zeroing.  It did not have the four-position MIL-STD-1913 rails that are becoming common (and useful) on modern SOPMOD-type weapons.  It had no folding stock.  Therefore, in 2005, the SOCOM II was designed to remedy these problems.  In addition to those improvements, the SOCOM II has a true pistol grip (with a compartment inside for small items), a single point sling, an actual pepperpot-type muzzle brake, and an adjustable cheekpiece for the collapsible stock (and the stock also has compartments for small items).  The result is a weapon similar to the US Navy SEALs’ Mk 14, Mod 0 EBR, but in a lighter package with a less complex stock. 

     McMillan makes a version of the M-1A that is very similar to the SOCOM II, but has several differences that give it more utility in some cases than the SOCOM II.  The MFS-14 uses a stock that is both sliding and folds to the left, and is also of a design where the sliding part is on a thick post while the buttstock is small and skeletonized.  The stock can also take a small vertical adjustment for use if the shooter is using optics or not. The buttstock also has a rubber recoil pad attached to it.  (Optionally, a simpler McMillan stock with adjustments for cheekpiece height, length of pull, and with a buttpad can be fitted.) The barrels may be 18 or 20 inches in length and its tipped with an M-14-type flash suppressor. They are hand-bedded and precision-fitted. The standard version is drilled and tapped for a scope mount atop the receiver; a handguard-length MIL-STD-1913 or Weaver rail is located below the handguard, while two very short lengths of rail are on each side of the handguards at the front of the handguards.  The drilling and tapping can take a MIL-STD-1913 or Weaver rail itself. The iron sights are standard M-14-type.  Most of the furniture other than the stock is polymer, including an ergonomic pistol grip. The trigger is two-stage.

     The McMillan M-3A is basically a souped-up version of the M-1A designed for the tactical sniper and designated marksman roles.  The M-3A, of course, features a McMillan synthetic stock (usually in olive drab), with an adjustable cheekpiece, butt adjustable to an extent for length of pull by spacers, and a recoil pad.  The stock is similar in profile to a standard M-1A stock, but a bit more ergonomic.  The M-3A has a full-length MIL-STD-1913 rail that extends from the back of the receiver to the front of the handguard, and a rail on either side of the handguard near the front, half the length of the handguard, that are slightly above the centerline of the handguard.  The 18-inch match-quality barrel is tipped by a slim-line muzzle brake, and the front and rear have flip-up iron sights for use in an emergency.  The cost of the M-3A below includes the cost of a telescopic sight.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: The M-1A Scout, Squad Scout, SOCOM-16, and SOCOM II, McMillan M-3A, and MFS-14 do not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.  The others are common weapons issued to CivGov and MilGov forces alike.

     Merc 2000 Notes: This is a common weapon of mercenary troops, particularly the full-sized M-1A and the M-1A Bush.  Most SOCOM IIs are made for semiautomatic fire only, but some police versions are made with automatic fire capability, and there are rumors of US military use of them.

Springfield M-14

     Notes: In the early 1950s, NATO began to adopt a common cartridge for rifles and light machineguns, the 7.62mm NATO round.  Most of NATO decided to adopt the FN FAL or variants of it, but the Defense Department didn’t like the FAL, partially because it was “not invented here,” and partially because they though US designers could come up with something better.  Unfortunately because of politics and sheer government bumbling, an updated version of the M-1 Garand called the M-14 was selected for issue.  Though Springfield designed and originally was the sole producer of the M-14, several other manufacturers have since built the M-14, most notably Fulton Armory.  Production of the original M-14 stopped in 1964, as the US military transitioned to the M-16, but public demand led Springfield and Fulton to resume production of a version of the M-14 capable of only semiautomatic fire in 1974, and since then numerous variants have been built by a number of companies. Most US Navy ships carry several M-14s in their armories; these are used to shoot floating mines in the water to detonate them before they can hit the ship. (These are designated M-14 SMUDs, for Stand-off Munition Disruption). The 3^rd Infantry Regiment (Old Guard) retain a number of immaculately-kept M-14s for ceremonial purposes; these weapons are typically well-polished, but still in working order (though they are not the weapons the Old Guard trains with when conducting tactical training).  In addition, the M-14 is still used by a number of ceremonial honor guard units, including the US Air Force (modified to disallow semiautomatic or automatic fire, as they are used for rifle salutes at funerals), US military academies, and various military colleges around the US.  These may or may not be in working order, but will always look great.  The M-21 sniper rifle and its more developed version, the M-25, are modified forms of the M-14. The M-1A is also a variant of the M-14.

     The M-14, as originally designed, differs from the M-1 Garand primarily in its caliber, automatic fire ability, larger magazine, and shorter gas cylinder and 22-inch barrel.  In addition, the M-14 had better chroming for the bore and chamber as well as a long flash suppressor at the muzzle.  The M-14, though accurate at long range, proved to be far too light for automatic fire, and in US Army and Marine use, they tended to be locked to disallow automatic fire.  A later variant of the M-14, the M-14A1, was weighted to be heavier, used a straight stock, and an integral bipod; though touted as a replacement for the M-14 and the BAR, it proved to still be too light as an automatic rifle, and too heavy as a personal weapon.  For a short time, it was used as a squad automatic weapon, but it too quickly passed from use by US troops.   

     Other modifications of the M-14 proved to be far more successful; the M-21 and M-25 sniper rifles are accurized and modified M-14s, and recent modifications have produced Designated Marksman Weapons for the USMC, US Army special operations, combat engineers, and Israeli forces.  Recent pictures taken in Afghanistan and Kosovo sometimes show US soldiers using the M-14, M-21, M-25, and various other modified M-14s.

     A fairly recent modification of the M-14 is Springfield’s M-14K.  This was essentially the first attempt at a carbine variant of the M-14 (many others have been produced since its introduction in the late 1980s).  It is externally virtually identical to a standard M-14, but instead of a 22-inch barrel, it uses a 16-inch or 13.3-inch barrel.  The standard rate of fire of an M-14 is 750 rounds per minute; the M-14K uses a modified gas system from the M-60 machinegun and thus has a rate of fire reduced to about 600 rpm.  (This unfortunately has no real effect by the Twilight 2000 v2.2 rules.) 

     The US Navy SEALs and Marine Recon units discovered in Afghanistan that they needed a rifle with more punch and range then the M-16/M-4 series with which they were largely armed.  This led, in part, to the development of the SCAR, but the SEALs decided they needed such a weapon right away instead of waiting the years it would take to develop the SCAR; the SEALs were already using the M-14 for such purposes, but they weren’t happy with it.  The M-14 series was essentially obsolete, being large, heavy, and unable to use the large range of optics and accessories developed since the M-14’s inception.  NSWC Crane therefore came up with the Mk 14, Mod 0 EBR (Enhanced Battle Rifle).  This version of the M-14, at first glance, is barely recognizable as an M-14 variant.  The EBR has its wooden furniture replaced with the Sage International Stock System; this stock is built of lightweight aircraft-grade aluminum alloy, and incorporates a collapsible stock, four-position MIL-STD-1913 rails around the handguard, a polymer pistol grip, a forward handgrip, and in addition allows the 18.5-inch barrel to free-float.  The front of the handguard has a mount for bipods of various makes.  The stock also allows the receiver to sit lower, facilitating aiming from any position, and provides a straight in-line configuration.  The receiver also has a fifth MIL-STD-1913 rail on top.  The barrel is tipped with a Vortex muzzle brake, with the front sight moved to gas cylinder lock ring.  The buttplate has a thick rubber cushion to further cut felt recoil.  The M-14’s standard bolt stop (which, like most modern semiautomatic and automatic weapons, holds the bolt open when the magazine is empty), has been replaced with a “slap” type paddle, like that of the M-16 series, making reloading just a bit faster.  A civilian/police version of the EBR is also manufactured (by Fulton Armory); this version is identical to the EBR except that it is capable only of semiautomatic fire.

     Today, the M-14 is again being issued, usually in a heavily-reworked form as an SDM (Squad Designated Marksman) rifle.  This need was made obvious by the much longer engagement ranges found in the Afghanistan theater of operations.  Though the SDM version is not up to the standards of the M-21 sniper version of the M-14, virtually all that remains of the original M-14 in most cases is the action, and the barrel itself being retained depending upon its condition.  The SDM version is first accurized, with the action being tuned and the trigger group being either tuned or replaced by a more precise trigger group.  Again, depending upon the condition of the barrel, the barrel may be replaced by one which is better-made, and the barrel is usually bedded in a free-floating manner.  Alternately, a 22-inch or 18-inch match-quality heavy barrel may be used. Muzzle brakes on the match-quality barrels may be removed and replaced by suppressors. The stock is totally replaced by a synthetic stock system, usually made by McMillan or Vltor, which has a MIL-STD-1913 rail ahead of the action and three sets of short MIL-STD-1913 rails at the front of the handguards.  The buttstock is sliding and adjustable for length of pull and cheek height, as well as having a padded butt.  The lower MIL-STD-1913 rail usually has a folding light alloy bipod adjustable for height and cant; the lower MIL-STD-1913 rail is longer than those on the sides of the handguard, and a vertical foregrip behind the bipod is a common add-on accessory. The standard M-14 iron sights are retained.  The receiver is typically topped by a scope of moderate power, generally adjustable and in the neighborhood of 3-6x.

     The US Marines use a rifle with a similar function, called the M-14 DMR (Designated Marksman Rifle).  This version is equipped with a McMillan Tactical M2A fiberglass stock, which has a true pistol grip and a buttstock with an adjustable cheekpiece.  The M-14 DMR uses a 22-inch match-grade Krieger or Rock Creek barrel, tipped with the OPS muzzle brake; this may be removed and replaced with an OPS 12^th-Model suppressor.  The M-14 DMR has a MIL-STD-1913 rail mounted over the action, normally topped with an Unertl 10x scope (the same as used on the M-40 series), a Leupold Mark 4 TS-30.xx 12x scope, or one of several night vision scopes.  Under the handguard at the front is a Harris S-L bipod adjustable for height and cant. The Marines are currently in the process of replacing the M-14 DMR with the M-39 Enhanced Marksman Rifle (EMR), which is essentially a Marine version of the M14 Mod 0 EBR, though equipped with the barrel of the M-14 DMR and the addition of the Harris bipod. The M-39 has been lightened considerably over the M-14 DMR.

     The US Coast Guard uses a version of the M-14, the M-14 Tactical, which is equipped with the same stock as on the Mk 14 Mod 0 EBR, a 22-inch match-quality barrel, and a Smith Enterprise Muzzle Brake.

     The AWC Systems Technology G2 is a bullpup sniper version of the M-14.  The G2 is used by several unnamed US government agencies, and is equipped with the synthetic bullpup stock made by McMillan specially for this rifle, a heavy stainless steel 16-inch Krieger match-quality barrel tipped by a flash suppressor, and a special scope mount above the action above the pistol grip and trigger, designed not only to cope with the need for a raised optics mount, but for the harsh conditions in which the rifle is expected to be used.  Some G2s are equipped with MIL-STD-1913 rails instead of this special scope mount, though optics are still mounted on a raised mount that attaches to the rail. The flash suppressor can be removed and replaced with a suppressor. Less than 100 of these rifles were built, and only one of them was built with automatic fire capability (designated the G2FA); deliveries are believed to be complete.  Since a full-auto version exists, stats are given below for a Burst recoil factor. The stock and receiver are inside a tough polymer material. Mystery still shrouds the G2, and the weight given below is an estimate.

     Other than the US, M-14s were used by Israel, Taiwan, and South Korea, and in some cases, still are.  Like the M-16, examples of the M-14 captured in Vietnam have found their way around the world, most notably in Central America in Sandinista hands.  In 2001, some 40,000 M-14s were given to Lithuania by the US; rumors say this was in return for certain intelligence activities.  They were also very successful on the civilian market.  The M-14K was reportedly tested by US, Israeli, and some other countries’ military forces; though there are rumors of limited combat use by special ops units, they are not officially being used by any country.  They are somewhat popular among civilians, though. 

     Twilight 2000 Notes: The M-14 became a widely issued weapon again during the Twilight War; in addition to certain applications by special operations forces, the M-14 was issued out to both MilGov and CivGov militia units, and issued as a personal weapon to some military units raised late in the war.  South Korea and Taiwan also issued M-14s to civilians and military alike, and the Israelis converted a lot of theirs to sniper and DMR rifles.  The EBR is not available in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Springfield M-1903

     Notes:  When smokeless powder was introduced at the turn of the century, the US Army adopted the Krag-Jorgensen.  It soon proved to be a bust as a service rifle, and despite vast sums of money poured into its acquisition and development, it was unceremoniously dropped a few years later.  A Mauser-action type weapon was adopted, and a modified Krag bullet known as the .30 Caliber M1903 Springfield was designed to be fired from it.  (This is what I am calling in these pages the .30-06 Springfield, since the flat-nosed M1903 bullet was replaced by a round-tipped bullet in 1906.)  There were 6 major versions of the M-1903.

     The immediate ancestor of the M-1903 was the M-1901; it was regarded as an experimental design, and produced on the same production line as the Krag.  Though some 5000 M-1901’s were ordered from the War Department, only 100 were actually built, since it was realized that building the M-1901 and the Krag on the same production line was essentially untenable.  The M-1901 was chambered for what was then an experimental new cartridge (the .30-03), and used a modified Mauser action.  They used a 30-inch barrel with a rod-type bayonet, and were fed by internal magazines which could be loaded with a stripper clip or individually.  They used tangent-leaf rear sights and blade front sights.

     The original M-1903 was designed for the M-1903 bullet and was a conventional Mauser-action rifle, though a bit shorter in the barrel than most Mauser designs of the time.  It has a standard hunting stock with no grip.  They were essentially M-1901s with the barrel reduced to 24 inches and the sights adjusted accordingly, along with a change in the lug for the bayonet and improvements in the action.  The bayonet was later replaced with a sword-type bayonet in 1905, with an appropriately-modified lug.  About a month later, the rear sight was modified; though it was still a tangent-leaf design, it was re-graduated out to 2400 yards, and the sights were given protective ears.  In 1906, the M-1903 rifle was rechambered for the new .30-06 bullet, along with another modification of the rear sights.  In 1910, a flute was cut into the top of the receiver and barrel shroud to improve the sight line.  In 1918, special heat treatment was given during production to the receiver and action to further improve reliability.  In 1928, the receiver composition was changed to nickel-steel.  All these are identical for game purposes, with the exception of early M-1903’s firing the .30-03 round.

      The M-1903 was partially-replaced in late 1919 with the M-1903A1, which merely replaced the stock with one that had a semi-pistol grip.  The M-1903A1 was not produced in quantity, since the War Department already had a great surplus of straight-wristed stocks. For game purposes, the M-1903A1 is otherwise identical to late-model M-1903s.

     The M-1903A2 was not really a rifle in the normal sense; instead, it was designed to be fitted into the breeches of artillery pieces to allow for low-cost training.

     The M-1903A3 was introduced as an emergency measure to provide arms for World War 2; the primary changes were ones that facilitated mass production, such as some sheet-metal stampings and the replacement of the graduated sight by a simple aperture sight.  In addition, the M-1903A3 returned to the straight-wristed stock, which was also easier to produce.  At first, the recoil bolts were replaced with pins, but this led to a marked decrease in reliability and bolt were quickly returned to.  The bolt lug was changed to allow it to use the bayonet of the M-1 Garand.  Amazingly enough, the M-1903A3 was in production until 1944.

     The M-1903A4 was a sniper rifle based on the M-1903 used by the US Marines as late as Vietnam.  They were generally reworked from the best-behaved rifles off of the production line, and fitted with a scope mount.  They had backup aperture-type sights sights, but were primarily designed to be fitted with a Redfield Model 330C 2.5x scope.  These versions used pistol-grip wrists and a bent-down bolt handle in order to not interfere with the scope; some had bayonet lugs, and some were produced without them at the request of snipers.

     As I said, there were 6 major versions.  The M-1903 Mark I was an experimental “trench broom” weapon.  It was modified to accept the “Pederson Device,” allowing the bolt-action M-1903 to be converted to automatic fire.  Though over 100,000 of these weapons were built, they proved to be unwieldy and fragile in tests.  The were mostly converted back to the original M-1903 specifications; unfortunately, the ejection port could not be filled properly, and since the whole project was classified until after World War 2, many troops were puzzled by the holes in the receivers of their weapons.  It is doubtful many of these weapons still exist, but they are presented here as an interesting “what-if.”

     The M-1903 (Modified) was a version built by Remington for the British early in World War 2 to augment their supply of Enfield rifles.  Production was slow, partially due to worn-out tooling provided by the War Department (which quickly had to be replaced), and partially due to US Government interference, as Roosevelt did not want the US to be seen to be too-overtly aiding the British early in the war (before the US officially entered the war).  The primary difference was a re-chambering to .303 British, but the gas escape hole on the right side was omitted, and the rear sight was also modified.  The finger grooves on the fore-end were also omitted, and a few stamped and welded parts were also included to speed production (mostly on non-working parts including the magazine floorplate, trigger guard, sling swivels, barrel bands, and magazine follower).  About 365,000 were produced by 1942, when production ended.

     Numerous civilian versions have been built over the years (mostly conforming to the various models of the M-1903, and differing only in finishes, markings, production methods, sights, etc.  These are identical to the various models of the M-1903 for game purposes.

Stoner SR-25

     Notes: This is basically an AR-15 rechambered for 7.62mm NATO and with the carrying handle replaced by a Picatinny Rail and the normal barrel mounting replaced with one offering a floating barrel.  There are several variants, including the base weapon, two match versions for sharpshooters, a carbine, a “Sporter” version meant for civilians, and a short assault rifle version.  The two match versions are furnished with a 6x telescopic sight.  These weapons have been showing up in military hands more and more lately, often in a highly modified form, in pictures taken in Afghanistan.

     After extensive use in Afghanistan and Iraq by US Navy SEALs, the SR-25 was modified by Knight Armament Corporation (who had inherited the design of the SR-25), and it became the Mark 11 Mod 0 Rifle.  This is an enhanced version of the SR-25, and is designed for the spotter of a sniper team.  The Mark 11 Mod 0 is covered under the Knight Armament Corporation Mk 11 Mod 0/M-110 entry in US Sniper Rifles G-L.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: In the Twilight 2000 world, these weapons were most popular in civilian hands; military versions were provided primarily to government militia sniper teams. 

     Merc 2000 Notes: The SR-25 series is popular among civilians, mercenaries, military, and criminals alike.