Special Report
The Oldest Rifle Still in Use by the US Military Was Put Into Service 120 Years Ago
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This article was written with the assistance of A.I. technology, and has been edited and fact-checked by Colman Andrews.
The M1903 Springfield, a bolt-action rifle, was put into service in 1903. Designed and manufactured by the Springfield Armory, it is the oldest rifle still in use by the U.S. military – and one of the oldest firearms still in use anywhere today.
It was originally designed as a replacement for the aging M1892 Krag-Jørgensen rifle. The Krag-Jørgensen had been the standard rifle of the U.S. military for about a decade, but was starting to show its age. The M1903 Springfield was an updated design that incorporated many of the latest technologies of the time, such as a magazine cut-off and a windage-adjustable rear sight.
A reliable and accurate rifle, easy to maintain and repair, the M1903 Springfield saw action in World War I and World War II, and later, on a more limited basis, in the Korean and Vietnam wars.
It was finally phased out of regular U.S. military service in 1957, but it remains in use for ceremonial purposes by the Tomb Guard, the soldiers who stand guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. It is also still used actively by other military forces around the world.
Click here to see a list of the US military’s oldest weapons still in use.
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