The Swiss Firearms Appreciation Blog

I've been pressed for time lately, but I have been wanting to do this thread for a few months now. I apologize in advance if some parts seem a bit rough and ready. This is just an overview thread for some of the finest firearms to ever be used by any military. Often expensive and overbuilt, Swiss weapons are very accurate and reliable; if not always the most ergonomic. Also, many never even saw actual combat. They were meant as weapons of deterrant, and since Switzerland hasn't been invaded lately, it seems they fulfilled their purpose quite admirably.

Before we get started, just to be clear, I will be contracting some proper names in the below text.
Eidgenössische Waffenfabrik Bern = Bern
Schweizerische Industrie-Gesellschaft Neuhausen = SIG
Gewehrpatrone = GP
Infanteriegewehr Modell = Rifle Model
Pistole = Pistol (because I am lazy like that)

1889 Schmidt-Rubin Rifle
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(A standard 1889 rifle)

The straight pull rifle that started it all, the Schmidt-Rubin 1889 was only in front line service for a decade, but it would influence all Swiss military rifles to come later.

Starting in the early 1880s, the Swiss inventor Eduard Rubin began work on a new small diameter rifle cartridge. When smokeless powder made its debue, he incorporated it into his new design. The new cartridge, designated 7.5x53.5mm GP90 by the Swiss military was matched with a then new straight pull bolt action design by Rudolph Schmidt, to create a new military rifle. Design and development lasted from 1885 til 1888. It was officially adopted as the Schmidt-Rubin Rifle Model of 1889 by the Swiss military, however even before production was underway, many had concerns about the strength of the bolt's lockup. The rifle featured a large bolt body, which was simply pulled to the rear and than pushed forward again to operate the weapon. Its lugs were located near the rear and rotated themselves when the bolt moved. The rifle had a fixed 12 round magazine, with a complex magazine cutoff switch, which physically moved the magazine up and down. It had a31" long barrel, a common length for a late 19th century infantry rifle. The 1889 was heavy, but very accurate for its class. As with anything Swiss, the Schmidt-Rubin was made to a very high standard. Between 1889 and 1897, about 212,000 of these rifles were constructed by Bern.

Though the 1889 was produced in relatively large numbers and was the Swiss military's frontline service rifle for a time, work immediately began on an improved model. Even before it was officially adopted, Schmidt was asked in 1888 if it would be possible to move the lugs further forward on the bolt sleave. He said it was not practical and refused to entertain further thoughts on the matter. Many in the military still thought it could improve the rifle's performance, so in 1892, the task of redesigning the S+R's bolt system was assigned to Vogelsang instead, a military officer and engineer. He quickly discovered it would actually be an easy thing to simply relocate the lugs from the rear of the bolt sleave to the front.

This change only required a new type of sleave, firing pin, firing pin spring, and for the receiver to have new lug locking cuts machined. Also, the stock had to be slightly reshaped. In 1895, the altered S+R system was tested, and its benefits were immediately apparent. The redesign bolt gave tighter and stronger lockup to the receiver, which lead to fewer lugs breaking, improved accuracy, and even a slightly lighter action. In otherwords, there were several benefits, with no real detractions.
Schmidt was right about one thing at least. It was determined by the military that updating older 1889 rifles to the new pattern would not be practical or cost effective. So it was adopted with an entirely new pattern of rifle as the 1889/96. Just over 137,000 examples of the improved standard would be produced over a decade. Aside from the new locking lugs, the 1889/96 was virtually the same rifle as the original 1889. It continued to fire the 7.5mm GP90 cartridge and to feed from a fixed 12 round box magazine. Very few of these rifles survive today, at least in their original configuration.

The original Schmidt-Rubin rifle isn't common in the USA today, but with a bit of looking one can be uncovered without too much bother. They are interesting from a historical standpoint but since they can not fire the 7.5mm GP11 cartridge (safely), they have a very limited value as a shooter. Still an unique old first generation military smokeless powder long arm.

1893 Steyr-Mannlicher Carbine
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(A 1893 carbine manufactured by SIG)

The 1893 Carbine is one of the lesser known but more interesting Swiss militaryfirearms. Not many were made to begin with, and many were 'accidentally' damaged beyond repair by the soldiers they were issued to. So not all that many examples of this odd Swiss-Austrian hybrid exist today.

Even as it was being adopted, many shortcomings of the 1889 S+R were already recognized. One of these was the fact that its large bolt and overly long action were not well suited for use in a carbine. Thus in 1893, trials were held to select a new cavalry carbine, which could fire the new 7.5mm GP90 smokeless cartridge.
There were five main entries: two domestic designs from SIG, one from Mauser of Germany, and the Austrian Steyr-Mannlicher in both its straight pull and rotating bolt forms. The straight pull Steyr was selected, as it was felt to have the strongest action while remaining both short and light enough to satisfy the needs of the cavalry. It went into service as the Karabiner Model of 1893, with deliveries beginning in 1894.

The carbine had a 22" long barrel, which by today's standards is quite long, but back then wasn't unheard of and the Swiss prized accuracy over compactness anyway. It fired the same 7.5mm GP90 cartridge as the fullsized Swiss service rifle, and had a new pattern of detachable box magazine which held 6 rounds. It could be filled with standard S+R stripper clips and had no prevision to mount a bayonet. It had a round full length stock, which ended just shy of the muzzle. The front sight was protected; and the rear sight had a fixed close range notch, with an elevation flip-up long range sight.

From 1895 til 1900, SIG manufactured the 1893 under license; and it was produced by Bern from 1896 through 1905. In all, roughly 7,750 examples were turned out. Some sources say the number was much smaller, but they are incorrect and probably are only looking at production from one factory. No matter, either way the fact is not many were made.
Swiss soldiers quickly came to dislike and even hate the 1893. Chief among their complaints was that it was not accurate, at least not enough to meet their rather exacting standards. It was also felt its bolt was too complicated and too difficult to reassemble after cleaning. Honestly though, the Steyr's biggest shortcoming was it suffered from a rather serious case of "Not from here." Soldiers do tend to be more forgiving of domestic designs in most militaries. The 1893's unpopularity is why many were accidentally destroyed while out on maneuvers or during training. Some soldiers thought if their carbine was no longer operable, they would be issued a standard S+R rifle as its replacement. By World War I, most surviving 1893s had been retired from active military service and replaced with newer designs.

Today, the 1893 is not well known in the USA and finding one (at least for a reasonable price) can be a bit difficult. It is a very interesting carbine, and much lighter weight than other Swiss long arms. However, it has the same limitations as the 1889 rifle, since it can only safely fire the obsolete GP90 cartridge. So don't buy one, thinking to make it a frequent range partner, not unless you reload that is.

1900, 1906, & 1929 Luger Pistols
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(A 1906 Swiss Luger, manufactured in Germany by DWM)

As has been widely published today, Switzerland was the first nation to officially select George Luger's self-loading pistol for general military service. Furthermore, it was the first nation to adopt an automatic military sidearm of any kind at all.

As early as 1897, the Swiss military began examining automatic pistols, with an eye towards replacing all of its traditional revolvers then in service. The Mauser C-93 Borchardt was tested but found to be too large and heavy. It was also too expensive, even for the Swiss. The following year, the C-96 'Broomhandle Mauser' was considered too, but it just wasn't what they were looking for.

In 1899, George Luger was putting the finishing touches on his own self-loading pistol, which was a vastly improved version of the C-93. The Swiss took an immediate interest and ordered several of the new 'Luger' pistols for field trials. In 1901, it was adopted into military service as the Pistol Model of 1900. It was chambered for the 7.65x21mm Parabellum cartridge, and featured a 4.8" long barrel, detachable 8 shot magazine, checkered wooden grips; and both a manual thumb and automatic grip safeties. It used a toggle locked operating system and had a Single-Action trigger, with internal hammer.

The Model 1906 Luger was a product improved version, which replaced the 1900 in military service. Changes included a stronger extractor and more reliable main spring. Also, the scalloped toggle knobs of the 1900 were replaced with checkered round ones on the 1906, which were much easier to grasp. Finally, the Model 1906/29 was a further refinement, aimed mostly at lowering the production costs. It used grips made from bakelite rather than wood, and had fewer straw coloured small parts. Additionally, it had a redesigned safety catch, slightly reshaped grip profile, and an extended grip safety.

All approximately 5,100 1900 Lugers were manufactured for the Swiss by DWM in Germany. About 33,000 1906 pistols were purchased, with the first half made by DWM and the second made in Switzerland by Bern. Swiss production began in 1918, as Germany was no longer able to supply firearms due to the needs of its own military, then deeply engaged with the Great War. All 27,900 1906/29 pistols were made domestically, with production haulted in 1946.

The Luger was a standard issue sidearm in the Swiss military for nearly half a century. While it was officially replaced in 1949, many examples remained in active service until at least the late 1960s. It was well respected for being accurate and having a smooth trigger. It was reliable, at least when properly maintained.

Swiss Lugers, while not inexpensive, are pretty easy to find in the USA today. They are fantastic shooters, but be mindful of damaging an original matched part, such as a firing pin. I thought my German Luger was nice, until i owned a Swiss example and all I can say is 'wow.' Its just so much smoother and with a great trigger.

1911 Rifle
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(A converted 1896/11 rifle)

As early as 1903, it was recognized that the 7.5mm GP90 cartridge had limitations, and that a more modern cartridge with a spitzer type projectile would be advantagious. In 1907, Bern received a request from the military to design a new cartridge and rifle system.

What the factory came up with was the 7.5x55mm GP11 round that we all know and love today. It offered better range, accuracy, and penetration than the older GP90 loading. Initially, nearly 136,000 1889/96 rifles were converted to fire the new round. In fact, fewer than 1,300 1889/96s were left in their original form. The process involved fitting a new barrel, withsimplified and improved sights already installed. Also, the fixed 12 round magazine was replaced with one which was detachable and held 6 cartridges. The new magazine featured a last-round bolt hold back follower, but the new pattern lacked a feed cutoff. A redesigned trigger guard was required to house the shorter magazine and a 'semi' pistol grip was grafted to the buttstock behind it. This modernized Schmidt-Rubin model was designated as the 1896/11 (aka 96/11).

Later, beginning in 1913, purpose built model 1911 rifles went into production. They were virtually identical to the 96/11, except they had a straighter buttplate and a few other minor cosmetic differences. About 127,000 would eventually be built, with main production haulted in 1919 when it was felt that the military had enough long rifles. No distinction was made between the two rifle variants firing the 7.5mm GP11 cartridge in Swiss service at the time. They were both equally accurate, durable, and reliable. The 1911 was superceded by a newer design in the early 1930s, but it was not officially retired until 1953. Even then, several soldiers hung onto their long rifles until at least the 1960s.

K-11 Carbine
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(A standard K-11 carbine)

The K-11 was the first carbine to go into large scale production, and which saw widespread use in the Swiss military. It was a shortened 1911, which directly lead into the more famous K-31 many know today. However, the K-11 was not the first S+R carbine variant.

After the 1893 Steyr carbine was seen to be a failure and the improved 1896 pattern rifle had gone into production, Swiss designers again considered how to make a carbine built around the S+R action. What they came up with was the 1889/1900. This so called 'Fortress Carbine' had a 23" long barrel and fed from a shortened 6 shot magazine. It used a shortened rifle type stock and handguard. Like all S+Rs before it, it fired the standard 7.5mm GP90 cartridge, and it used the improved 1896 bolt system. It was primarily issued to bicycle soldiers, artillery men, and yes; fortress guards. Just under 19,000 of these carbines were built, with production ending in 1904.
Next to come along was the 1905 Carbine, which was the model which officially replaced the 1893 Steyr. It too had a 22" barrel and used the 1896 action; but it also had a stock very similar to that of the 1893 and was fitted with the same rear sight. It used the same sling as the 1893 and had no bayonet lug. Between 1905 and 1911, just a bit under 8,000 examples of the model were manufactured. As they were put into service, 1893s were pulled out and retired.

In 1913 when 1911 rifle production began, a carbine version firing the new 7.5mm GP11 cartridge also appeared. Adopted as the Karabiner Model of 1911, or just K-11, the firearm had a 23" long barrel and was the same as the rifle version, except it had side sling mounts rather than bottom ones. Also, its front sight had large and thick protective ears. Just over 181,000 K-11s were manufactured, with the line officially haulted in 1933. In addition, most 1889/1900 and 1905 carbines were converted into K-11s.
As unpopular as the 1893 was among both soldiers and the general staff, the K-11 was conversely well received and appreciated. In fact by the 1920s, it was Switzerland's defacto standard issue long arm, even though officially the 1911 rifle remained as such. Soldiers liked its relatively short length and superb accuracy. It was durable and reliable, and fired a powerful modern cartridge. And it was Swiss to its core. Like the 1911, the K-11 wasn't officially retired until 1953, with thousands remaining in service for at least a decade.

Up until a few years ago, the 96/11, 1911, and K-11 were all relatively uncommon in the USA. One could find a K-31 much easier than any of its older cousins, but in the past 5 or 6 years, several batches of these firearms have at last been imported. So if one is wanting a Swiss straight pull rifle and wanting something a bit different, I highly recommend the 96/11. I like how it is an older design, updated to fire the GP11 cartridge. Just more history there I feel. Of course, the 1911 and K-11 are great too. All three are equally well made of course.

K-31 Short Rifle
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(A later production K-31 carbine)

The K-31 is without a doubt, the most famous Swiss military rifle in the USA today. This is of course thanks to the large numbers of surplus examples, which have been imported over the past two decades. The K-31 is often times mislabeled as a Schmidt-Rubin firearm, but in reality it used a different pattern of straight pull bolt.
The K-11 was so popular and such a success, that when the Swiss military announced in 1929, that it was looking for a new service rifle, it wanted something of similar size. The new rifle should be the same length as the K-11, but also as accurate as the 1911. It should also be less expensive and faster to produce than the Schmidt-Rubin pattern, while remaining a straight pull design. Naturally, it would need to be able to fire the full power 7.5mm GP11 cartridge.

The Bern factory undertook the project, assigning it to a team lead by Adolf Furrer. The first prototypes were delivered for field trials in 1931, and initial results were encouraging. Furrer's prototype prooved to be both more reliable and it met the military's accuracy requirements. It was also less expensive and complicated than the K-11/1911. After a few minor product improvements were incorporated into the design, it was officially adopted as the Karabiner Model of 1931, in 1932.
The K-31 had a totally new straight pull mechanism, which had its locking lugs at the very front of the bolt. Thus it was shorter and allowed for a shorter receiver. As a result, the carbine had a 25" long barrel, but the same overall length as the K-11. As an aside, with this barrel length, the K-31 is more a Short Rifle, than a true Carbine. To further contribute towards better accuracy, the K-31 had a free floated barrel, improved sights, and upgraded trigger. It fed from a new pattern of detachable 6 round magazine, which was both more reliable and more durable than the older one.

The carbine went into mass production in 1933, a process which continued for a quarter of a century. The design remained virtually unchanged from the beginning until the end, with the biggest switch being that in 1946, the wood of the furniture was changed from Walnut to Beech. By 1958 when the final K-31 rolled off the assembly line, over 528,000 examples had been turned out. Since the K-31 used a totally different bolt system from all earlier Swiss straight pull long arms, no older models could be converted to the new pattern though. It was a very successful design, and is known today as one of the finest military issue bolt actions of all time. The K-31's trigger is especially well regarded, as is it's great accuracy and low maintinance requirements. It was beloved by the vast majority of Swiss soldiers, many of whom purchased their issued carbine when retiring from the service. Though the K-31 was officially replaced in the late 1950s, many examples remained in active duety until the 1970s.

In the USA today, the K-31 is one of the finest GI military surplus rifles on the market, and it is a great value too. It is interesting from an engineering point of view, and pure pleasure to take to the range. Ontop of that, it fires one of the most accurate military cartridges ever adopted by anyone, anywhere.
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(Comparison of Bolts: 1889, 1911, & K-31)

P.49 Pistol
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(A commercial P210-2, same model as the military P49 pistol)

Among military collectors and accuracy shooters, the SIG P210 is a true legend. The P210-2 variant was Switzerland's standard issue military sidearm for nearly three decades. It was also used by many police departments and sold to civilians, in Switzerland and around the world.

Its development began in 1937, when SIG purchased production rights from the French firm of SACM for the Mle 1935-A Pistol. The 1935-A had actually been designed by a Swiss born engineer, Charles Gabriel Petter. Over a decade, SIG experimented with and perfected its own version of Petter's pistol, with the final product having only a passing similarity to the original. SIG's company name for the new series was P210, and the -2 variant in 9mm Parabellum was adopted into Swiss military service as the Pistol Model of 1949 (aka P49).

The P210 had both a milled/machined slide and frame, with internal slide guide rails. It was this feature which contributed so much to the pistol's accuracy, reliability, and tight fitment. In most other respects, it was a rather typical military pistol for its day, all be it one with exceptionally high quality and finish. It used a modified Browning tilting barrel locking system, Single-Action trigger, 8 shot magazine, 4.8" long barrel as standard, magazine disconnect safety, and manual thumb safety. Like the M1935-A, it had a very ergonomically shaped grip; but on the otherhand, it also had a rather stiff heel mounted mag catch. It was somewhat heavy, being made from all milled steel parts, but also quite durable and tough. It shouldn't come as a surprise, that the design was rather time intensive and resource consuming to manufacture. Thus, even the military P49 version came with a high price tag attached. SIG estimates that in all, when all variants and versions are added up, it produced a total of 350,000 P210 pistols.
As to variants, the P210-1 was intended for commercial sales and featured a high polished blued finish, wooden grips, and fixed sights. The P210-2 was the model adopted by the military as the P49, and it had a matt blued finish and bakelite grips. The -3 variant was very similar to the -1 and intended for law enforcment customers. The -4 was a -2 redesigned to meet the needs of the West German Boarder Guards, and had an M1935-A style loaded chamber indicator and lacked a lanyard ring. The -5 was the Sport version of the -1 with a longer barrel, wooden grips, and both an adjustable trigger and rear sight. The -6 was an upgraded -5 built on a heavier frame and with a new pattern of adjustable rear sight. The -7 was a dedicated .22 LR version of the P210. Finally, the -8 was the so-called 'Deluxe Sport' model, which was a -6 with a Browning style magazine release button located on the left side of the frame, behind the trigger guard.

The P49 was popular in Swiss military service as it was both more accurate and more durable than its predecessor. For the soldier it was issued to, it had few real shortcomings, however each pistol did cost the military a good bit. As with most Swiss firearms, many P49s remained in service for years after the design had been declared obsolete.

All I am going to say about buying a P210 in the USA today is you have to pay to play. If you have the money, finding one shouldn't be an issue. Its a nice pistol but its a lot of money too. Mine is my second most expensive handgun, behind my Japanese Baby Nambu. It cost me more than my Finnish L-35 Lahti or my WWI Colt M1911. Is one worth it? Only an individual can decide that. I am not turning loose of mine anytime soon though I can tell you.

STGW.57 (P57) Battle Rifle
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(A matching STGW.57 kit with original barrel, built on a HCI receiver)

The SIG SG510 was an interesting mix of old and new ideas, packaged in a wholely unique and unconventional way. It was the standard issue rifle of the Swiss military for over three decades, and is sometimes over glorified by American shooters today. To be sure it had many great features and qualities, but it was not without its faults and failings too. For one, it was nearly more of a light machinegun, rather than being a true battle rifle.

During the late 1940s and early 1950s, several different automatic rifle prototypes were experimented with in Switzerland. In the end though, it was the AM55 designed by SIG's Rudolf Amsler, which came out on top and tested extensively by the military. It was inspired by both the German MG42 and STG.45(m), but it was a uniquely Swiss design. The original AM55 utilized a roller delayed blowback operating system and lacked a true gas system. It had traditional wooden furniture and fed from proprietary 20 round magazines. Like the K31 before it, it fired the standard 7.5mm GP11 cartridge. It had a 23" long medium heavy profile barrel.
Going on feedback and suggestions from the military, Amsler next designed the AM57 with a few minor but important changes. It fed from 24 round M25 LMG magazines, and had furniture made from rubber rather than wood. The standard issue version could launch rifle grenades without modifications, and had several other small updates to the internals. It was this version which was accepted into military service as Switzerland's next generation general issue rifle as the Sturmgewehr Model of 1957 (aka STGW.57, STG.57, and P57).

The STGW / P57 was a unique design as I have already said. It had many interesting features and enhancements as standard. It used a roller delayed blowback operating system, like the Spanish CETME and German G3. Not surprising since all three designs were based on DWM's latewar STG.45(m) prototype assault rifle. However, the P57 had a much more massive bolt than the G3, with larger rollers. The roller recesses weren't actually part of the receiver or trunion, as on an HK. Rather, they were separate pieces held on with a clip, and which could easily be replaced by a unit armorer. This was done to extend the rifle's service life. It used a clever extractor, which did double duety as the ejector. Brass wasn't just tossed out of the ejection port either. Rather, the ejector removed it from the bolt face with a sweaping motion, which caused it to exit the port rim first. This meant ejection wasn't as violaant and that a smaller ejection port could be used, which meant there was a smaller area for mud and snow to enter the receiver.

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(A STGW.57 bolt group)

As to the receiver itself, it was made with two stamped halves and two milled trunions, all held together by brazing and spot welds. This was done to try and reduce the firearm's cost; but in the end, it was still the most expensive rifle adopted by any military for general issue. The 23" long barrel had a fluted chamber for positive extraction, and intrigal grenade ring and combination muzzle brake / flash hider device. Most of the barrel was covered by a removable ventilated shroud, which carried the bayonet lug, forward sling slot, front sight, bipod, and handguard. The solid rubber handguard was finger grooved and short. The light bipod folded against the metal part of the shroud, and could be located in one of two positions by the press of a button. The rear position was used for single shot accurate aimed fire, and the forward position was used for automatic transversing areal fire. Both the front and rear sights could be folded when not in use and to protect the assemblies. The front sight was tool windage adjustable and housed a nightsight at its top. The rear aperture sight was micrometer elevation adjustable by hand. The sights were quite tall, with a heigh bore axis, but since they folded, they weren't prone to getting too banged up. There was a folding carry handle located at the top of the receiver, not unlike the one found on the FN FAL.
The buttstock was made from the same rubber as the handguard and had a straight-back comb, which helped reduce muzzle climb. It housed a massive bolt return mechanism, which acted as a recoil dampener too. The pistol grip was also straight and made of grooved polymer. It was hollow, with a sliding floorplate to allow access to a small storage compartment. The cocking handle was located on the right side of the receiver and did not move with the bolt group. It used the same 'beerkeg' shape as on earlier Swiss rifles, going all the way back to the original Schmidt-Rubin.

The P57 had several safety features. First, it had a large standard manual toggle to select Safe, Semi-Automatic, or Fully Automatic fire. Not terribly ergonomic, it was at least easy to find and operate. A loaded chamber indicator was located above the chamber, ontop of the receiver. To make the weapon drop-safe, it had a large trigger, with a rather heavy pull weight. As an aside, for use with winter gloves, it also had a fold down winter trigger on the right side of the lower housing. The standard 24 round magazine was made from machined aluminium to save on weight, and it rocked into the magwell not unlike an AK47. It could have either a metal or polymer follower. The magazine catch too was quite similar to that of the AK47, but it was smaller and with a serrated surface.

The weapon was easily field stripped without tools. Just press the release latch on the buttstock, rotate 45 degrees, and it comes off the receiver. Then press the button on the takedown pin, pull it out, and the lower housing comes off the receiver. Finally, pull back on the charging handle, it comes out of its rails, and the bolt group falls out of the back of the receiver. That's it for cleaning or general maintinance. The barrel shroud, along with all of its hardware, can easily be removed by taking out two standard slotted screws also.

The STGW.57 was officially adopted into military service and went into general production both in 1957. It was manufactured by SIG throughout the 1960s and into the 1970s. Additional rifles were sold as late as 1985, however these seem to have been assembled from older leftover parts and not newly made ones. The Swiss military purchased approximately 740,000 P57s. The rifle was to be replaced in Swiss military service by the early 1980s, but delays and budget cuts meant it remained as the nation's standard issue rifle until 1986. Even then, it took several years for it to be fully replaced and officially retired. Many soldiers opted to purchase their issued rifle when retiring from the service, so many civilian Swiss shooters own P57s converted to semi-auto only today.

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(SIG SG510-4 select fire military model)
For export and commercial sales, SIG designated the STGW.57 as the SG510-1. It was offered in both 7.5mm GP11 and 7.62mm NATO, with the majority of rifles sold in the NATO chambering. West Germany designated this model as the G2, and it was tested extensively in the late 1950s but ultimately lost out to the H&K G3. The SG510-2 was a lightweight version, and it is difficult to find much information out there on it. It seems to have been about 2.5 lbs lighter, with a slimmer barrel shroud, wooden furniture, and a lighter bipod which would later appear on the AMT. The SG510-3 was developed for the 7.62x39mm Russian cartridge and never went into mass production. It was entered into trials held in Finland in the early 1960s, but lost out to the Valmet M62. The SG510-4 was a shortened and lightened version, which was also slightly simplified to give it a lower cost. It was chambered for 7.62mm NATO, had a 20" barrel, and tangent sights. It was the standard infantry rifle of Chile for decades. Finally, the SG510-5 was a prototype chambered in 7.62x63mm (.30-06) requested by Mexico. It too never went into production though. In fact, of all of the export models, only the -4 was built and sold in large numbers.

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(Swiss SIG AMT semi-auto Rifle)
SIG manufactured two semi-auto rifles based on the SG510 also. The PE57 was basically a civilian legal SG510-1, right down to being chambered for the 7.5mm GP11 cartridge. Roughly 3,000 were built, with only 500 to 1,000 imported into the USA. The AMT was a Match Target Sporting rifle, developed from the SG510-4. Like the -4, it was chambered for 7.62mm NATO (most rifles were stamped .308 Win though) and had non-folding tangent sights. It had a 20" barrel with either a threaded muzzle or plain crown. It lacked the grenade ring, had a thinner shroud, and commercial grade Walnut furniture. It used a light bipod, which folded over the top, and most examples did not come with a carry handle. It fed from proprietary 20 round magazines. Internally it was very much an SG510, but externally it had a rather different appearance. SIG built roughly 4,000 AMTs, with the majority exported into the USA. Both the PE57 and AMT had previsions to accept a SIG designed scope mount.

Viewed as an infantry rifle, the STGW.57 comes accross as alright, but with a few notable shortcomings. It is long, large, and rather heavy. It also fires a full power rifle cartridge, whose design dates back to before World War I. Ergonomically, its sights are a bit tall, its handguard a bit short, its pistol grip a bit too straight, and its safety selector basically impossible to reach with the firing hand. However, that is looking at it as a standard rifle. I would suggest looking at it as a light machinegun, and then a lot of the design choices make more sense. It has a fullsized bipod, carry handle, and straight-line profile stock. Its sights, pistol grip, and handguard all seem more at home on an LMG too. Finally, its rather generous sized magazine allowed it to put a lot of led in the air quickly. In full-auto fire, its length and weight become benefits; not detractions. So the STGW.57 is more of an LMG than an assault/battle rifle? Just an interesting idea I thought. The weapon is far from perfect, but its cool factor today is off the chart!

Preban SIG AMTs are quite expensive in the USA today. They usually go for from between $5,000 and $6,500 depending on accessories and condition. PE57s bring even more, at between $7,000 and $9,000. Even rifles like my own, assembled from an original STGW.57 parts kit on an American made receiver can go for as much as $5,000 on Gunbroker. The demand is just so much higher than the supply unfortunately. I had to do many favours and several hours of unpaid helping out in order to get mine. It was totally worth it though. Seriously, I've not been this excited about a new firearm in years. Really, its nice to know that a gun can still make me feel this way. The thing is just so....different from anything else I've ever owned or even handled.

P.75 Pistol
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(A Swiss assembled P220, which is police surplus and the same model as the P75)

The SIG P210 had a lot going for it, but it really was rather large and heavy, and expensive. Also, by the 1970s, it was starting to appear a bit dated and old fashioned. Having been on the forefront of military smallarms technology for over a century, the Swiss very much wanted a more modern standard issue sidearm. Thus SIG went to work and in 1975, it introduced the P220 series.

For the new model, Sig partnered with J.P. Sauer und Sohn of West Germany. It was quite a leap forward from the P210 and an innovative pistol for its day. The P220 featured a Double / Single Action trigger, Sauer type frame mounted decocking lever, automatic firing pin safety, single-lug tilting locking system, and was built using cutting edge computer assisted technology. To save on weight, it had a machined aluminium alloy frame; and it had a 4.5" long barrel, to reduce its overall length. It was designed with mass production and cost in mind too. The P220's slide was constructed from stamped steel, which was folded and spot welded into its final shape. It had a simplified grip profile from the P210, which was nevertheless still quite ergonomic. Rather than wood, the P220 came standard with wrap-around grip panels made of checkered black polymer. J.P. Sauer manufactured all of the parts for the new pistol, and also performed final assembly on most. However, a relatively small number were assembled in Switzerland by SIG for both domestic military and law enforcement use. Sauer built all pistols intended for commercial sales though. This was done to avoid high Swiss labor costs, and to get around Swiss government restrictions on the export of current military issue firearms.

The version of the P220 adopted into Swiss military service as the Pistol Model of 1975 (P75) was chambered for the 9mm Parabellum cartridge and fed from a single stack 9 round magazine. It featured a heel mounted magazine catch, thin ribbed trigger, and low profile hammer.
While it has been years since the Swiss military has taken delivery of new P75s, the model is still today its official standard issue sidearm. It is well respected for many reasons, but does lack much of the mystique which came to surround the P49.

Its easy to find .45 ACP caliber P220s in the USA, and one can get a 9mm model if they look around for a bit. Mine is one of those marked Made in Switzerland. These came in as police surplus several years ago. They are out there and really don't bring crazy money or anything. I just thought it was interesting and unique when I found it, and not having a P220 or P225 at the time, i picked it up. I am glad I did. I like its early features, and it has a very smooth slide and trigger. The compact P225/P6 is another good choice, and a great little 9mm too.

STGW.90 (P90) Assault Rifle
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(Standard Swiss military issue STGW.90 assault rifle)

The P90 was Switzerland's attempt to adopt a modern small caliber assault rifle, which was both lighter and less expensive than the P57. I am not sure exactly how well they succeded there, but the result definitely was one of the finest assault rifles ever devised.
In 1978, the Swiss military decided to look into the possibility of adopting a small caliber, select-fire rifle to replace the full power and fullsized P57 battle rifle. The new design had to be accurate out to at least 300 meters, less expensive to manufacture, lighter, more compact, and more modular than the older design. Two versions were called for; a standard full length rifle for the infantry, and a so-called 'Headquaters' carbine for use in special situations.

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(SIG SG540 Prototype rifle)
SIG had already been working on a .223/5.56mm caliber assault rifle for some time by this point. In the 1960s, it released the SG530-1 prototype, which had both a gas piston and roller delayed bolt. Next, the SG540 came out. It kept the gas piston and switched to an AK47 style rotating bolt, with 2 large locking lugs. It featured an adjustable gas system, HK style drum diopter sights, fixed polymer buttstock, and lightweight bipod. Later, a version would be offered with a folding stock made from tubular steel. To allow it to be both easier and cheaper to mass produce, it was built with more stamped metal parts and even some made from investment castings. The SG540 actually went into limited production, with the French firm of Manurhin purchasing a manufacturing license.

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(SIG SG543 trials carbine)
In 1979, SIG submitted its latest assault rifle model for military trials. Actually, it submitted two versions. The SG541 had a rifle length barrel and gas system, and the SG543 was a compact carbine. The SIG design competed against the C42 submitted by Bern. It officially was selected for further development in 1983. At the same time, the 5.6mm GP90 cartridge was chosen as Switzerland's new service round. GP90 is very similar to 5.56mm NATO but just different enough not to be the same.
Originally, both the new rifle and cartridge were to go into service immediately; however, manufacturing complications and budget cuts drastically extended the process. In 1984, the SG541 received several design improvements and was redesignated as the SG550. The gas system was improved and made more corrosion resistant and a new pattern of skeletonized polymer stock was introduced. Also, a four way fire mode selector was made standard: safe, single, 3 rd burst, and full-auto. These changes were carried over to the SG543 too, and it became the SG551. Finally in 1986, the Swiss military took delivery of the first batch of the new rifles, which were officially designated as Sturmgewehr Model of 1990. It would take over a decade for the entire military to be so re-equipped though.

The P90 features typical Swiss quality and attention to detail. While definitely less time consuming and resource intensive to build than the P57, it is still one of the most expensive 5.56mm caliber military rifles in the world. Tuned for optimal functioning in the often fridgid Swiss Alps, it is highly reliable and durable. The SG550 has a long-stroke gas piston system and AK47 style rotating bolt. Despite this, it is quite accurate, especially at close to medium ranges. The standard rifle has a 21" long barrel, with intrigal flash hider and grenade ring. The inside of the flash hider is threaded to accept a blank firing device also. The gas system is adjustable with two settings, and under the gas block there is a P57 style bayonet lug. The light bipod is attached to the long polymer handguard, and fits into grooves on its underside when not in use. The upper and lower receivers are made from stamped and welded steel, and the barrel screws into a machined front trunion. The charging handle is very similar to the AK47's but is rubber coated and upswept. It does reciprecate with the bolt, and rides inside a channel protected by a rubber dustcover. The mag release is virtually the same as the one on the P57, as are the takedown pins. The fire mode selector is ambidextrous, and much better placed than on the P57. There is an automatic last-round bolt hold open device, and external release lever. The trigger is quite light and smooth, and it is adjustable too. The trigger guard is made of stamped steel and can be folded up to either side, to reach the trigger if wearing thick gloves. The pistol grip is made of ribbed polymer and has a small storage compartment inside. The buttstock has an inner frame made of steel, with an outer shell of polymer and a ridged rubber buttplate. It easily folds to the right side and locks into a tab on the side of the handguard. Most Swiss military P90s have dark green furniture, but many of the other variants come in black.

The P90 has HK style diopter sights, with a windage adjustable hooded front blade; and an elevation and windage adjustable rear drum with 3 apertures and a notch. Night sights are standard on all models, with a fold up front blade and two rear points as part of the drum's notch setting. Unlike the P57's sights, the ones on the P90 do not fold, however they have a much lower profile. This also means they are much closer to the bore's axis. The firearm feeds from translucent polymer magazines, with tabs on the side to lock multiple magazines together. The standard mag holds 20 rounds, and an extended 30 round version is available for special situations.

The P90 disassembles easily and without the need for tools. Just open the upper and lower receivers by removing the rear takedown pin, then press down on the release lever and pull out the charging handle. The bolt group will fall out the back of the upper receiver. Rotate the bolt to separate it from the carrier. To remove the gas system, press the spring loaded detent and rotate the gas adjuster until it pulls out. Then the gas piston and recoil spring assembly falls out the front of the gas tube. If you want to remove the tube itself for a cleaning, just press the detent again and rotate the end of the tube until it too pulls free of the gas block. If you want to completely separate the upper and lower receivers, just remove the front takedown pin and there you go. All in pieces. At this point the handguards will easily come off too, as they are held on by the lower receiver. The buttstock is attached with a single long pivit pin, which can be knocked out with a punch and light hammer, but this isn't required for cleaning.

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(SG55x Family Photo)
The standard rifle goes by several names and designations: STGW.90, P90, SG550, Fusil d'assaut 90, or more simply FASS90. Originally designed and manufactured by SIG, it has been built and sold by SAN since 2000. Many versions and variants exist today. The SG550-1 is the P90 designed for the 5.6mm GP90 cartridge with a 1 in 10 twist rate. The SG550-2 on the otherhand is meant to fire the standard 5.56mm NATO round and has a 1 in 7 twist rate. There is a DMR variant of the rifle, with scope, accurized barrel, fully adjustable trigger, adjustable stock, cheak rest, and more ergonomic pistol grip; all as standard features from the factory. The carbine version is designated as the SG551 and has a 14.3" barrel, shortened gas system and handguards, no bayonet lug, and can not fire rifle grenades. It too is made in -1 and -2 variants. The 'SWAT' carbine variant is designed for use in humid or wet environments, with a more corrosion resistant finish to many of its internal parts. The SG552 is out of production now, but was an even shorter submachinegun sized version. It had a 9" barrel, fixed charging handle, and redesigned recoil system with the spring in the back as in an AK47. Today, it has been replaced by the SG553, which has the same short barrel and gas tube, but uses a shortened SG550 recoil system and removable charging handle. The SG551, SG552, and SG553 have all been offered as 'Long Barrel' (LB) variants, capable of both mounting a bayonet and launching rifle grenades. Modern SG55x versions are offered either with fixed diopter sights or with a weaver rail and folding backup sights. Finally, most models are offered as a semi-auto only, with the 'SP' suffix added to the designation. For example, the SG550-2SP was the most popular civilian legal variant imported into the USA during the 1980s. A special carbine variant with an extended 16.1" barrel was very briefly exported to the USA in the late 1980s, designated as the SG551-2SP. Other SG551-2SPs though, such as those sold in Europe and to American law enforcement, had standard 14.3" carbine barrels.

The SG550-1 is still the standard issue rifle of the Swiss military today. It also uses many SG551-1 carbines and a few SG552-1 subcompacts when the need arrises. Law enforcement uses the series too, especially the SG551 carbine and the DMR version of the SG550 rifle. Adding up all versions and variants, it is estimated that over 600,000 SG55x firearms have been built in Switzerland to date, with production still on going.

The STGW.90 has prooven itself a fine standard issue firearm in the Swiss military. It is highly reliable and durable, and plenty accurate for its class. It is easy to clean and maintain. This is a heavy rifle to be firing a small diameter bullet, but the flip side is that it has low felt recoil and is very controllable in full-auto. The barrel makes it a bit long by modern standards, but at least it has an excellent folding stock too. Some dislike its ergonomics, mostly the placement of its safety selector and rock & lock magazines. The mags themselves are top notch though. They are very lightweight, durable, and easy to load by hand. The one part of the rifle that does seem substandard is the light bipod, which is frankly rather useless. One also should not forget that this firearm hasn't really been put through intensive, real world combat, as has the AK47, FN FAL, M16, HK G3, Steyr AUG, and many others. Still, the STGW.90 is a good fit for Switzerland.

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(A police surplus Swiss SG551-2SP SWAT carbine, with 2" muzzle extension and modern sling)

Preban Swiss made SG550s bring at least $8,000 in the USA today, with most going for closer to $10,000. As for preban SG551s? since so few were brought in, they go for even more, say approximately $12,000. This is why the American SIG556 and SIG551-A1 clones look so damn attractive to most people in the market for something like an STGW.90. Afterall, they use the same internal parts, even if they are US, rather than Swiss made. The differences are mostly external: furniture, barrel profile, sights, etc.
I purchased my own Swiss SG551-2SP SWAT a year ago, when a batch of police surplus carbines were available. It cost about half of what a preban would have, and best of all is exempt from 922(r). Luckly, I had a buyer for a couple of high end firearms I was hoping to move at the time, so I was able to swing it....just. I am glad I did though. Only about 100 were sold, and since its already surplus, I don't feel bad about firing it. I see no reason to have such a fine rifle and not be able to shoot and enjoy it. Do I wish it was an SG550? well maybe...probably, but I am still very happy with what I got. It really completes my Swiss military issue firearms collection.

My Marine's Reising Johnson Blog

Lets take a look at two lesser known, but very interesting U.S. military firearms from World War II. Might as well just jump right in!

M1941 Johnson Self-Loading Rifle
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(my M1941 Johnson rifle in untouched condition with generic WWII sling)

U.S. Service: 1941-1945
weight: 9.5 lb
length: 45.9"
barrel Length: 22"

The M1941 was the brainchild of Melvin Johnson; and more than that, really he was its sole designer. It has often been reported that the M1941 Johnson lost out to the M1 Garand when the US military was conducting trials to select its first standard self-loading service rifle. This is simply not true. In fact, the M1 Garand had already been adopted before more than a very few basic prototypes of Johnson's rifle had been created. That said, around 1940 when many were critical of the Garand, some believed that the Johnson should be adopted to either suppliment or replace it. Johnson himself only aspired to see his creation accepted as a "substitute standard", though he did hold out hope that the U.S. Marine Corps would select it as its general issue rifle as he was a Captain in the USMC Reserves.

Melvin Johnson's rifle used a unique short-recoil operating system, with an eight lug rotating bolt. When it was fired, the pressure would force the barrel to travel rearward for a short distance, which would then allow the bolt to unlock. The bolt would complete its travel rearward, ejecting the spent cartridge and stripping a fresh one from the magazine. Meanwhile, the barrel returned to its forward position on spring pressure. This arrangement had no gas system of any kind. It was designed so that the rifle could fire a wide range of ammunition types and loadings, and to avoid the long OP rod found in the Garand. Also, the barrel assembly was quick-removable via a spring loaded release catch.

In 1936, Johnson had a few prototypes manufactured at a small machineshop. These firearms were very simple and were built just to test the concept of his self-loading system. He applied for his first patent in April of that year, which was a full three months after the Garand had been adopted as the M1. From there, Johnson contracted with Marlin Arms to build for him several more prototypes; some of which fed from standard M1918 BAR magazines. It was also around this time that he began showing his design to those in the military, taking it to Quantico and Aberdeen. The Marines seemed rather impressed, while the Army was not terribly kean. During one of its very first endurance tests at Fort Benning, the rifle fired 4,000 rounds with 86 malfunctions. The Army blamed the design, however Johnson himself showed that the ammunition and BAR magazines (both supplied and loaded by the Army) were defective and thus at the root of the problems. The early BAR version was again tested in 1938, this time at Aberdeen. Again, it did not perform satisfactrally; and again Johnson blamed the magazine used, saying it was wornout/defective.

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(illistration of the Johnson cylindrical magazine)

In 1939, the Johnson Rifle's now familiar 10 round cylindrical magazine was introduced. It was designed by Johnson shortly after the Benning test and was inspired by the old M1896 Krag. Many at the time did not especially like the M1 Garand's 8 shot, en-bloc fed magazine. It was necessary though, as the Army was insistant that the magazine be flush with the bottom of the stock. The cylindrical design not only held two more cartridges and did not require a special clip, it could also be topped-off in the field with either loose rounds or standard M1903 strippers. More prototypes were built, this time by Taft-Peirce who assisted Johnson in developing effective mass production techniques for his rifle.

Around the same time, an article in American Rifleman by F.C. Ness was published. It discussed a private range session, which pitted a standard production M1 Garand against a prototype Johnson Rifle, and concluded by favouring the Johnson. The test was conducted by USMC Captain George Van Orden, who was a friend of Captain Johnson's. In a followup article, Ness himself took both rifles to the range, and he too favoured the Johnson rifle. While he was not a friend of the designer, Ness was an early apponant of the M1 Garand, so it is difficult to view him as a non-biast evaluator either.

In December of 1939, a cylindrical magazine equipped Johnson was tested, again by the Army at Aberdeen. They really ran it through its paces too. It fired 5,000 rounds in an endurance test, and another 1,200 to test for accuracy. Over an eleven day period, the rifle was dropped, jumped on, filled with sand, rolled in the dirt, and tossed into mud. In all, this most recent and updated prototype had 22 failures/stoppages. The Ordnance Department sent a report to Johnson early in the next year. It praised his rifle's overall reliability, accuracy, quick-removable barrel, unique internal magazine, disassembly procedure, and ability to endure dirt and mud. The review board thought the rifle was a half pound too heavy and did not like the fact it could not take the standard US military blade bayonet. Also, it had concerns over the durability of the magazine, relatively short handguard, reliability of the manual safety, and quality of the trigger group. Despite this mostly positive report, the Army opted to forego any further testing. Nevertheless, the Johnson by this time had gained several supporters scattered throughout every branch of the military. Many in the public were also in favour of the rifle, and even wrote to their Congressmen.

In 1940 with continuing mixed feelings surrounding the M1 Garand, Congress pressured the Army to re-examine the Johnson. In May, four Garands were tested against a single Johnson prototype at Fort Belvoi. Several Congressmen and Senators attended the firing demonstration too. It was concluded that both rifles had proes and cons, and were therefore roughly equally well suited for military use. However, the M1 Garand was already in full scale production, so the Army decided to stick with it.Once more, it declared it had no further interest in the Johnson Rifle. The USMC however, was not so quick to make a decision. At that time, it had not yet officially adopted the Garand and was still relying on the M1903 bolt action rifle. In November, it conducted its own trials, pitting the two designs against each other. The results were very close, with the Garand slightly outperforming the Johnson; but again remember it was still a prototype, while the Garand was by that time fully developed and in fullscale production. Nevertheless, the Marines decided to not adopt any semi-automatic rifle of any type at the time.

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(stock photograph of a Dutch contract M1941 Rifle)

Back in August of that same year, the Dutch Netherlands government in exile ordered 10,200 rifles from Mr. Johnson at a unit cost of $125. These firearms were to be sent to the nation's colonies in the East Indies. So finally, Johnson had a major order, but there was one problem...he did not actually have a factory to build them in. Oh and he had zero prior experience in either large-scale manufacturing or managing a factory of workers. After negotiations, he purchased the abandoned Cranston building, reworking it into the Johnson Automatic Rifles Co...and creating a workforce from scratch too.

The Dutch M1941 featured the patented Johnson recoil operating system, cylindrical 10 round magazine, and 8 lug rotating bolt. It had a protected front sight blade, small bayonet lug (which accepted a lightweight spike bayonet), 22" long quick-removable barrel, fully adjustable peep rear sight mounted on the receiver, and manual safety located in front of the trigger. It was fitted with a wooden stock, which could house a cleaning kit (though the buttplate had to be unscrewed), short wood forearm, and ventilated barrel shroud. It took a standard US GI sling; either leather or cotton. The sheet metal magazine assembly could be easily removed for cleaning, via two pins. It had a single stage trigger, a somewhat unique feature for a military rifle of the day. It fired the standard .30-06 Springfield cartridge, designated as 7.62x63mm by the Dutch.
By April of 1941, actual production of the rifle was ready to begin, and it received the Dutch military designation of M1941. However, only a few rifles had been successfully delivered to the East Indies before the Imperial Japanese Army overran the Dutch colonies. As a result, hundreds of M1941 rifles were never shipped out and were left setting on a San Francisco dock.

In October of 1941, Mr. Johnson loaned 23 M1941 rifles to the USMC for further testing. Most were used during jump trials (along side the M55 Reising as it happened), where they prooved very successful as a paratrooper's weapon. The removable barrel allowed it to be made compact for a jump, and could be installed in seconds once the soldier hit the ground. While the USMC Paratroopers did officially adopt the LMG version of the M1941, they never did so with the rifle. After war broke out and since they were there on the dock already, it seems the Marines just helped themselves to around 750 M1941s. They would take these rifles into combat all over the Pacific, where they were generally well regarded. For example, at least 100 were used to good effect at Guadalcanal. The Marine Raiders had another two dozen with them when they went onto Gavatu as well. It was later used during the invasion of Bougainville, and at the same time during the Choiseul Island raid. The rifle was also used to good effect by Marine snipers on multiple occasions.

In 1942 the war forced the USMC to finally adopt a semi-automatic rifle and it selected the M1 Garand for logistical reasons. A year earlier, the M1's performance had been greatly enhanced when the original gas trap gas system was replaced with a short-stroke piston. Ironically though, the M1941 saw actual combat first. The Marine Paratroopers continued to use their Johnsons until they were disbanded in early 1944. Most Johnsons were pulled from frontline service and were replaced with the much more standard M1 Garand. Still, at least a handful of the M1941s were used on Iwo Jima in March of 1945. Some even remained with the Marine Raiders until the end of the war and made it back to the USA.

Eventually, the Dutch military did receive most of the rifles it had ordered. It was even able to issue them to its troops in East Asia, as it had originally planned to do. Soon after the war, the Chilean Army purchased 1,000 rifles, requiring them to be chambered for the 7x57mm Mauser cartridge. The M1941 was produced in blocks beginning with 0000 and ending with 9999. Then a prefix would be added to continue the series. An exact production number is unknown today. Estimates range from 21,500 up to around 26,000. It is clear though that the 'B' block was the final prefix. In 1946, the Cranston factory bought back roughly 100 M1941s from the USMC. It refurbished these, but kept them in true military configuration. These were sold on the civilian market in the late 1940s. Then in 1949, Johnson Automatic Rifle Co. went out of business and its assets were sold off. Mr. Johnson himself went to work for Armalite for a few years in the 1950s, before dieing in 1965, at the young age of 55.

In the 1950s, Winfield Arms purchased 16,000 surplus Johnsons from the Dutch government and imported them back into North America. Some were left in military configuration, but many were turned into sporting rifles with the addition of a new stock, barrel, and polished blued finish (not to mention target sights, different calibers, and removal of the bayonet lug). Most of the ones found in the USA today came from Winfield. Even those left in military configuration were often reparkerized and had their furniture refinished or replaced.

Also in the 1950s, it seems that the then young nation of Israel got its hands on some M1941 rifles. This probably occurred when it obtained the M1941 LMG, which is a historical fact today. Finally, it seems that some of the Cuban Freedom Fighters trained for the Bay of Pigs invasion were either given, or obtained for themselves an unknown number of Johnsons. And, that was about it for the weapon's entire military service. Honestly pretty remarkable if you think about it. Mr. Johnson first thought of his operating system in 1935, and by 1941, he had a military grade rifle ready for fullscale production. He basically designed the M1941 single handedly, even doing most of the marketing, testing, promoting, and financial backing himself. Feeling he hadn't done enough still, he then bought a factory, found skilled labor to staff it, and managed to obtain tooling and materials to build rifles at a time when resources were extremely restricted due to the war. Most importantly though, the end product was a very capable and viable military rifle. True maybe it was not better than the M1 Garand, but it was close to its equal. Plus if you compare the M1941 to other military semi-automatics of the day, it was clearly superior to some such as the German G41 or Russian SVT38. Oh and Mr. Johnson did all of this with no formal education in engineering or business management. He was a young lawyor, and reserve Marine officer; not exactly fields which would have prepaired him to develop a cutting edge military firearm. If nothing else, even if you don't much like the rifle; you have to admire the man behind it.


M50 Reising Submachinegun
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(my M50 carbine built from an original kit on a semi-only receiver tube. Shown with both types of magazine and extended compensator.)

U.S. Service: 1941 - 1953
Weight: 6.8 lb (M50) 6.2 lb (M55)
Length: 34.3" (M50) 31.3"/22.3" (open/folded M55)
Barrel length: 11.0" (M50) 10.0" (M55)
RPM: 500 to 550

Eugene Reising was a gunsmith and smallarms designer of considerable note in the USA back in the 1930s. As a young man he was an understudy to John Browning, and even worked on the team at Colt responsible for final development of the M1911 pistol. After WWI, he worked on several designs for the civilian sporting/hunting market. In 1938, Reising decided to develop a submachinegun to compete with the M1928 Thompson, which was at that time the only weapon of its type available on the American market. Or for that matter, one of the very few SMGs available in the world period. It was reliable and durable, but also very expensive to produce and rather heavy. Reising thought he could do better and could create a more affordable and lighter alternative for both law enforcement and military customers. Also as he was a target shooter and sportsman himself, he hoped to engineer something with greater accuracy. With decades of firearms experience already under his belt, he set to work on the eve of the second great war.

In June of 1940, Reising was granted a patent for his new SMG design. Next he submitted a prototype to Harrington & Richardson for evaluation and possible production. It was soon accepted and a licensing agreement was signed between the two parties. Reising's new design went into production as the H&R M50 in March of the following year. The basic fixed stock M50 was soon joined by the folding stock M55, and later by the semi-automatic only M60 Carbine. in the autumn of 1941, the Marine Corps Paratrooper division became the first military unit to field test the new SMG (which it did along side the M1941 Johnson).

By the standards of the era, the Reising SMG had a lot to recommend it. It was much less expensive and much easier to mass produce compared to the Thompson. The Reising was made from many stamped steel parts, and was built on a simple tube type machined receiver. This also made it considerably lighter than the Thompson by as much as 4 lbs. It had better balance too. It was select fire and fired from a closed bolt. It utilized a lever-delayed blowback operating system, with separate firing pin striker. This contributed to greater range and accuracy. The Reising had a unique cocking method. There was a cutout on the underside of the forestock, and the user put a finger inside to retract the charging piece. This had the advantages of being out of the way and not requiring the user to remove his off hand from the forearm or trigger guard. Interestingly, in 1941 the M55 was the most compact, lightest, and most accurate production SMG in the world. Finally, the Reising was a fraction of the price. Where as the Thompson came to market at around $200, the Reising's introductary price was only $62. After manufacturing was streamlined and H&R received a few large orders, the price dropped down to as low as $50 per SMG. So when WWII began, the M50 was all set to take the SMG world by storm.

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(an M55 Reising SMG)

The three variants were very similar and were built mostly from the same parts. The M50 was the basic/standard model. It featured a 11.0" ribbed barrel with Cutts style compensator, and was installed in a traditional looking full length rifle stock. The M55 was identical, except its barrel lacked the compensator, so it was a bit shorter at 10". It was installed in a wood forend, with pistol grip and simple wire folding buttstock. The M60 used the same receiver, but it lacked the automatic fire assembly. It had a 18" (the legal minimum length for civilians in the USA at the time) smooth barrel, and came with either an M50 stock or a special sporter version which was longer and might lack sling swivels. There was also the M65, a so-called Reising Trainer chambered for .22 LR and based on the M60.

In late 1941 and early 1942, the US Army, Navy, and Marine Corps all tested the new SMG. It was during this time that its shortcomings started to reveal themselves. After trials at Aberdeen, the Army immediately rejected the M50. A board said the weapon was not reliable enough or durable enough to meet its needs. The Navy and Marine Corps though could not afford to be as picky. Both needed more SMGs, and neither had the budget to purchase more Thompsons. The Reising was evaluated at Quantico, where the staff concluded it was acceptable if kept clean and well maintained. Both branches adopted the M50 as a substitute standard and also purchased smaller numbers of the M55 and even M60. The U.S. Coast Guard also selected the weapon to be carried on its boats. The exact numbers of the initial orders are unknown today, but they were for tens of thousands to be sure. The new SMG was also purchased in small numbers to equip guards stationed to protect American factories and other key installations.

The Marines first took the M50 into combat on Guadalcanal in August of 1942. At the same time, it was in use by Marine Raiders on Tulagi and Tanambogo. The M55 went in with Marine Paratroopers on Gavutu; again during the same time period. Originally when supplies were limited, they were issued mostly to officers and Non-Coms. This was a harsh prooving ground, and many weapons failed there including the Reising. However soldiers did begin to complain about some issues which were clearly design flaws. Then when the SMG was used in other Solomon Island campeigns, its reputation as undependable became common knowledge. To be sure the vulcanic sands there were hell on even bolt actions such as the M1903A3, but the Reising's performance was simply unacceptable. Some soldiers even resorted to throwing their M50s into the sea so they could be issued something, anything else. So what was so wrong with a seemingly good design from a respected firearms inventor?

The Reising's action was simply too complicated, with overly tight tolerances, and there were too many small pins and springs. This made it highly succeptable to dust, dirt, sand, and mud; all of which were in great supply in the Pacific. This also meant that disassembling for cleaning (and reassembling afterwards) was time consuming and required a good deal of attention to make sure no small part was lost. The situation was further complicated by the fact that many parts were hand fitted at the factory, and thus parts from one SMG could not be used in another. Parts commonality has been a standard in the US military since as far back as the Civil War. It was a true requirement for any WWII issue weapon.

There were some specific issues as well. For one, the long and thin firing pin could rather easily break and as it was made from bare steel, it was prone to premature rusting. A screw driver was required to remove the takedown pin. On the original SMG, the mag catch had to be pulled rather than pushed to release the magazine. This is obviously not terribly ergonomic or quick. Many of the stamped parts were made of too thin/weak metal, and they would bend easily during hard use. The barrel compensator was also made of thin steel, and its ribs could easily break off. While the cocking method was innovative, it did lead to a few issues of its own. For one, due to where the front sling swivel was placed, the sling could fall in such a way that it blocked the cocking slot. Not a big deal to a civilian user but it did cause some soldiers to waste precious seconds trying to charge their weapon in a fire fight. Also, the cocking piece reciprocated with the bolt, so if a stray finger slipped into the slot it would get banged up pretty good. Additionally, the first Reisings had a blued finish, which would rust when exposed to even small amounts of salt water or other moisture. Specific to the M55, the folding stock was a simple piece of wire, which was not sturdy at all. The latch itself was weak and even could sometimes fold due to recoil.

However, of all of the Reising's issues, it was its magazine that was the largest and most detramental. The Thompson used a double stack, double feed pattern which was both easy to load and quite reliable. Originally, it had a 20 rounder and later an extended 30 round model came into use. These in addition to the Thompson's drum obviously. The Reising though came out with a double stack, single feed type mag, and only the one size of 20 rounds was available. So it was both of an inferior design and lower capacity. Further, the mag lacked a bolt hold open device and was more difficult to load fully. If it became damaged, dented, or even dirty; it would cease to function properly.

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(an early production M50 with blued finish & original features)

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(and a late production M50 with parkerized finish & other improvements)

When reports of the issues came back to H&R, it did attempt to improve the M50. A number of changes were introduced in 1942 and 1943. For one, the finish was changed from bluing to milspec parkerization to better resist rust. A new pattern of mag catch was designed which could either be pulled or pushed to drop the magazine. The stamped trigger guard was made stronger and attached with a third screw. The single piece recoil guide was replaced with a two piece design, which improved reliability and prooved to be more durable. The small screw type takedown pin was replaced with a larger one with a checkered edge. It could be removed with either a screw driver or by hand (if not tightened down too much at least). A few improvements were also introduced, which included a drift adjustable front sight, more secure rear sight, a selector with raised edges to improve traction, and a switch from 28 to 14 barrel ribs for strength and to speed up production. All of these changes were positive and improved the weapon's reliability and handling, so what about the largest issue, the magazine? H&R did attempt to address this, and the results were mixed. What it did was to simply convert the double stack, single feed design into a single stack, single feed. This was done by pressing vertical ribs into each side of the body and using a flat follower. The new pattern of magazine was much more reliable. It also only held 12 rounds, which was not terribly useful in single shot, and downright pointless for full automatic. The new magazine was parkerized, rather than blued as was the case with the original. The M60 received the same upgrades as the other models. Also, some late production carbines had a dimpled magwell designed to only accept the 12 round magazine. Today collectors often refer to the earlier blued guns as "commercial" and the later parkerized ones with the upgrades as "military," however this is not true and the military used both styles along with everyone else.

By the latter half of 1943, the Marine Corps began withdrawing the some 80,000 M50 and M55 SMGs it owned from frontline service. Most of the time, the SMG was replaced by the then new M1 Carbine (and M1A1 for the M55). Also, larger numbers of the Thompson were becoming available thanks to the wartime simplified M1 variant. The Navy continued to carry the M50 onboard many of its vessels, where it was kept clean and seldom called upon anyway. After it decided it no longer could use the SMG, the Marine Corps gave thousands to guard units stationed state-side. When H&R had additional orders ready to ship and was told the Marines wouldn't take them, they were rerouted to the Lend-Lease program. Thousands were sent to Canada, Russia, and other Allied nations. The O.S.S. even acquired a few M55s for use behind enemy lines, where its compact size and lightweight were appreciated. Also where heavy firepower was not required and the weapon could be kept away from mud and saltwater.

After the war, the U.S. government sold off most of its remaining Reisings as surplus to local law enforcement at very low prices. It is worth noting that when used as a police sidearm, the M50 was much more appreciated and earned a solid reputation. Not surprising really, as a police officer is called upon to use an automatic weapon rarely, especially back in the 1950s. That and he has more time to clean and maintain it, compared to a Marine under fire in a foxhole.

In 1945, H&R ceased manufacturing of both the M50 and M55 after approximately 120,000 had been produced. M60 semi-automatics continued to be built and offered in the company's catalogue until 1949; where the line ended at around carbine number 3,000. At that time, H&R sold off its remaining inventory of Reisings to police departments and the prison system; offering very low prices just to clear everything out. The company dropped the entire series, and it began to disassemble the production line.

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(my old H&R M60 Carbine, which I sold awhile back. As far as I know, it was used by a local P.D. back in the day.)

However, the machines were not idle long. H&R soon realised there was a demand for a low cost SMG; both from domestic and overseas customers. So it put the Reising back into limited production. From 1950 through 1957, around 5,500 additional M50 and M55s were built. The company's last run for the Reising was a batch of 2,000 semi M60 Carbines for a foreign buyer, which was completed in the early 1960s. Even then, the firearm's story wasn't quite over yet.

In 1986, the H&R factory closed its doors and everything it still had left pertaining to the Reising was purchased by Numrich. Among the various parts and documents, Numrich found some registered, transferable receiver tubes. It built these up into working select-fire SMGs and sold them to the public throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s. The Numrich Reisings were built mostly with original H&R parts, though some newly made components such as stocks and sling swivels were also used.

In the end, the best one could say would be that the SMG was modestly successful. Eugene Reising was a skilled gunsmith, designer, and was very familiar with firearms. However, for most of his career he worked with sporting and hunting type guns. So when he designed his SMG, he applied those principles, making something that was highly refined, accurate, and lightweight. He did not think much about durability, parts interchangibility, ease of disassembly, or the ability to operate without regular maintenance. He came up with something that was very well suited for law enforcement and civilian use, but was very far from what any military could honestly call acceptable.



So there you have it folks, cheers.

The Last American Battle Rifle: the Springfield M14 Appreciation Blog

Development & Adoption:
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(a prototype M14 rifle)

The father of the Springfield M14 was the M1 of the same arsenal. The M1 was the brainchild of John Garand who originally designed it with a detachable box magazine, but for a few different reasons in the 1930s, the US military wanted a rifle with a fixed magazine which was flush with the stock/receiver. Thus the M1 Garand ended up with the internal 8 round en-bloc system instead. However, it was soon realised during WWII that a detachable 10 or 20 round magazine would actually be an asset for the M1 Garand. No doubt the Soviet SVT40's fielding had something to do with the military's realization that a removable magazine could be a workable feature.
In October of 1944, the Ordnance Department began a new program to transform the M1 Garand into a replacement for the M1918A2 BAR. It was hoped to create a select-fire weapon, with both a detachable box magazine and light bipod. After the war, new experimental models continued to be tested for both infantry and LMG roles.
One such design was the T20 developed by John Garand himself. Another was the T25, a similar rifle using a .30-06 cartridge shortened down to the length of a .300 SAvage. This shorter round became known as the T65 .30 light rifle cartridge and would ultimately evolve into .308 Winchester, which in turn became the military's 7.62x51mm NATO round. It had virtually the same ballistics as .30-06 but was half an inch (12mm) shorter and 10% lighter weight. This meant it fed more reliably in automatic firearms and was easier for soldiers to carry. Designer Lloyd Corbett would develop the T20 into first the T37, and later the T44. It was designed to fire the new T65 cartridge during the early 1950s. At first the new T44 prototype just used leftover T20 receivers modified accordingly, but later examples were built with dedicated shortened T44 receivers.
In 1954, the US military officially announced its desire to replace the aging M1 Garand rifle. The new firearm had to be lighter than the Garand, but retain its accuracy and range. Also, it should feature select fire capabilities, and it should simplify supply legistics by replacing multiple firearms then in service. Many manufacturers struggled to come up with possible contenders for the new service rifle and the large government contract. In 1956, trials began and there were really only three serious competitors; the T44E4 (the Springfield rifle which would become the M14), T47 (an improved T25 design), and the T48 (an FN FAL produced domestically by H&R and featuring wood furniture and the ability to be loaded via stripper clips). The trials lasted until 1957, and both the T44 and T48 successfully completed all requirements. As we all know, the T44 was chosen over the T48, not because the T44 did better, but because it was a more conservative design and an American one. Basically, the brass wanted to stick with what they already knew; the M1 Garand. The M14 was never exactly like the M1, but close enough, especially in terms of operation and handling. One of the pitches to the military claimed that since the M14 was derived from the M1 Garand, that much of the tooling already at Springfield and many of the parts could be utilized in its production. In the end though, at the very most, only 25% of the Garand's parts would work with the M14, most of which were small pins and springs. Also, as it turns out Springfield needed virtually all new tooling to build the M14 anyway.

I am a fan of the FN FAL so i want just to put this in right now. Originally the FAL was designed around a British cartridge, the .280. This cartridge was very similar to what today we might call a 6.5mm or 6.8mm Spl. So basically the Brits and FN were way ahead of their time with the FAL's original chambering. The US military didn't like the idea of going to a 'weaker' cartridge though. So a deal was struck in 1952. FN would rework the FAL to fire America's .30 light rifle cartridge and the US military would adopt the FAL. This would mean all of NATO would use the same infantry rifle and caliber. Well, FN held up their end of the deal, but as we know, the US did not. Instead the M14 was adopted. Just a side-note but one i had to drop in because one of the bigger complaints about the FAL is its caliber.

the U.S. Rifle, cal. 7.62mm, M14:
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(a military M14 infantry rifle)

The standard M14 measured 46.5" long and had a 22" barrel. It weighed around 11 lbs, 8 ozs loaded. It fired between 700 and 750 rounds per minute and was effective out to 500 yards (460 meters). It used an M1 Garand pattern bolt and short-stroke gas piston system. It was the first American service rifle to be able to fire single shots or automatically since the WWI era original M1918 BAR. Most M14s had a lightweight "GI" profile barrel, though some medium weight National Match type barrels were used by specialists. Originally, the stock was made from walnut, later from berch, and finally from fiber glass. The earliest handguards were ventilated wood, which was soon switched to fiber glass. In the end, the vents were removed and a stronger, solid handguard made standard. The rear sight was adjustable for both windage and elevation, and the front was adjustable for windage only. The flash hider, bayonet lug, and front sight base were all a single piece unit which slid onto the barrel and was tightened down with a castle nut. The M14's standard magazine was made from steel and held 20 cartridges. The weapon could also be 'topped off' with stripper clips thanks to a guide mounted to the top of the receiver. The rifle's buttplate henged and could be flipped up to use as a shoulder rest when a soldier was firing prone.

Service & Early Retirement:
In 1958, Springfield Arsenal began creation of the M14 production line and the first units were shipped to the military by the summer of the following year. Four companies were tasked with construction: Springfield, Harrington & Richardson, Winchester (Olin Mathieson Chemical Corp.), and Thompson-Ramo-Wooldridge. Initially, production was slow and deadlines continually had to be pushed back. Most soldiers did not actually get the new rifle until 1960 or 1961. Some did not even receive their new M14s until 1962. The M14 was a fine rifle, well made with forged parts and an attractive walnut or berch stock. That was part of the problem though. It took considerable time to build an M14 and a good number of parts had to be cut or assembled by hand. This at a time when many other militaries were going to stamped metal weapons such as the Cetme, G3, or AKM. 1961-1963 was the short hayday of the new battle rifle.

The military hoped the new M14 would replace four different weapons systems then currently in the field: the M1 Garand rifle, the M1 carbine, the M1918A2 BAR LMG, and the M3A1 'Greasegun' SMG. It was an adequate replacement for both the M1 Garand and carbine, but it was still too light to be used as an LMG, and was damn heavy to be used as an SMG. The military quickly learned there is no one-size-fits-all weapon.

Marine and Army units first took the new rifle into actual combat in 1961. Over the next two years, the entire military was rearmed with the M14 and it began to see more and more time in the field. In 1963, the first production contracts were completed and enough rifles had been put into general circulation to satisfy the military's immediate needs. Then though, the Vietnam War heated up, and the M14 was called on to go into heavy combat.
Honestly, it did not take long for the rifle's shortcomings to become quite apparent. While perhaps a good rifle for a different environment such as Europe; the M14 prooved to be less than ideal in the jungle. Its power and range were well liked, but it was felt to be too heavy and long. Most engagesments were fought under 150 yards, so the range aspect was most often lost anyway. The fully automatic feature was basically useless, so much so that most rifles were fitted with a lock which restricted them to semi-automatic. This was done by the military to prevent the wasting of ammo and for reasons of safety. The weapon really was uncontrollable in full-auto by all but the most skilled soldiers. If it was fired for more than a few mags without a break, it could overheat. Also, Vietnam's rain and humidity played hell with the rifle's wooden stock. It would swell and deform, which resulted in decreased accuracy and reliability. It made field stripping for basic cleaning much more time consuming and difficult. In the end, many questioned if the M14 was really even an improvement over the M1 Garand.

Not to get into the politics of it all, but by 1962-1963, some in the military began to realise and admit the M14 was perhaps a mistake. A new up and coming upstart, the M16 was gaining some pretty great reviews in the field most notably from 'Project Agile'. The M16 was many things the M14 was not: lightweight, compact, low recoiling, and just better suited for jungle warfare. It was also faster to produce and much less expensive per unit. The Hitch Report compared the M14 to the AK47, M16, and M1 Garand. It found the M14 to rank lower than the others, and concluded that the M16 was the superior combat rifle. The M14 would have been perfect in the Korean War, but it was too heavy and long for a soldier in Vietnam, and its long range was wasted there. Abruptly in mid 1963, all future orders for M14s were cancelled. If one believes this was a mistake, blame one of the M16's biggest proponents Robert McNamara. TRW's second run would be the last order completed for the US military. These rifles were built in 1964 and delivered in 1965. The M14 was phased out in favour of the XM16E1/M16A1 in Vietnam from 1965 through 1967. At the time, some soldiers did try and hang onto their M14s as long as possible. They trusted the weapon's reliability and traditional layout. It was what they were familiar with and had trained on afterall. Nevertheless, by 1968, its status was officially changed from standard issue to limited standard. The M14 would continue to be the issued rifle in Europe and for training in the USA until 1970. The Navy would continue to store the weapon onbord its vessels. It was most often employed as a line thrower. Of course M14s would remain in military stockpiles and would be used from time to time, but the glory days of the battle rifle were limited to less than a decade during the 1960s. In total, the four factories built 1,380,874 rifles. The M14 would have the second shortest service life of any US infantry rifle, right behind the Springfield M1892/96/98 Krag. The M14 was the last battle rifle in general service with the US military.
The M14 was not used on mass by many other militaries. Most NATO members and allies opted for either the FN FAL or HK G3. In 1967, Taiwan purchased the M14 production line from the United States, and from 1969 til the early 1980s, it produced over 1,000,000 of its own rifles. Named the Type 57, the Taiwanese copy of the M14 was virtually the same as the original American US GI model. It would be the largest user of the rifle outside of the USA.

the M14E2 / M14A1:
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(standard production model M14A1 rifle)

An LMG version of the M14 was tested during the mid 1950s as the T44E5, and the project got as far as it being type classified as the M15 in 1957. Basically the M15 was an M14 with a heavier barrel, extended magazine, bipod, and shoulder rest buttplate. It was designed to provide offensive suppressive fire when partnered with infantry rifles. The buttplate would end up as a standard feature on the M14 and the bipod would reappear on the M14A1 some years later. The project was scrapped in December of 1959, when tests showed the M15 to be no more effective at being an LMG, than a standard M14 if fitted with the same bipod.

While the M15 was dead, the military still desired an LMG to replace the old M1918A2 BAR. The M14 was simply too light, and had too much muzzle climb and was too uncomfortable for most soldiers to operate in full-automatic. In 1962, the M14-USAIB was an unofficial upgrade aimed at turning the platform into an LMG. The project involved many individuals and chief among them was US Army Captain Gosney, who worked on the project for years. The M14-USAIB had a pistol grip stock formed from several pieces, commercial type rubber recoil pad, muzzle compensator, the earlier ventilated handguard for cooling, and forward folding foregrip made from wood. it was fitted with a modified M2 bipod and the standard M14 sling. It was fitted with the selector switch to allow it to fire in automatic.

The Army brass soon took notice and ordered further development. Several improvements were suggested, such as a redesigned foregrip made from metal, which folded to the rear with a slim profile and that could be adjusted to fit the shooter's reach. It also wanted a rear sling swivel which could rotate 90 degrees to the left, so the weapon could be slung sideways. Other improvements the designers came up with included a stronger forearm, stronger and simpler henged buttplate, more durable rubber recoil pad, and a more secure compensator. It was given the longer M1918 BAR's sling, modified with a second hook intended to be clipped to the base of the foregrip. They changed how the stock was manufactured too. The new pattern was carved from the same blank as the normal M14, and then had a pistol grip dovetailed and cemented in place. It was stronger and easier to manufacture compared to the original M14-USAIB stock. In November of 1963, the new pattern was officially classified as M14E2, and four prototypes were sent off for testing.
The military's testing board was favourably impressed with the new pattern, and in 1964, TRW and Winchester were tasked with converting 8,350 M14 rifles into M14E2 LMGs. However, the program experienced delays and difficulties, so Springfield was ordered to step in and complete the order, which it did. A short time later, M14E2s had been delivered to soldiers fighting in Vietnam and were pressed into combat.

Feedback from soldiers on the new LMG was generally encouraging. At least, it was much better in the LMG role than the standard M14. They reported tighter groups and improved controllability in fully-automatic. This came at the cost of over a full pound added to the weapon's weight. The M14E2 weighed in at 12 lbs 12 ozs empty. The straight-line stock with pistol grip and muzzle compensator further helped tame the recoil. The folding foregrip was useful and easy to deploy, but time in the field quickly illistrated it was simply not quite strong enough for continuous heavy use. The M14E2's most disappointing component was the M2 bipod. It was not especially durable either and since it locked to the gasblock, it could effect the weapon's accuracy. Also, when folded its feet could damage the furniture. Finally, since the M14E2 used the exact same barrel as the M14, it could just as easily overheat and did not have any prevision to be quickly swapped out in the field. Only the ventilated handguard allowed for slightly faster cooling. All in all, the M14E2 was a good effort at transforming the platform into an LMG; but in the end, it was only partially successful.

Still, it was good enough that the military ordered roughly 2,000 additional conversions; and in 1966, the M14E2 was officially standardized on as the M14A1. As an aside, the vast majority of stocks were made from berch, which is stronger than walnut. Only a few hundred of the earlier stocks were carved from walnut. The M14A1 would serve on longer in Vietnam than the original M14. Of the roughly 10,000 built, a very high percentage went to Vietnam, where they all were well used. Some were still in theatre when the bulk of US troops were pulled out in 1972, while others had already been replaced by the M60. When combined with the M16A1, the M14A1 provided heavy suppressive firepower and extended a unit's effective range. The two firearms were very different from each other, and complimented one and other surprisingly well. While the M14E2 could only fire 300-350 continuous rounds maximum before it would overheat, it was excellent for penetrating dence vegetation and light armor. If nothing else, it kept the enemy heads down while the troops with M16s picked them off with aimed single shots.

Tech Specs:
Development - 1954-1958
produced - 1959-1964
Total production - 1,380,874
served - 1959-1970 general issue; til today in sniper/marksman roles
weight - 11 lbs 8 oz (12 lb 12 oz for M14E2)
length - 46.5"
barrel - 22"
Sights - Aperture rear sight, "barleycorn" front sight
Rate Of Fire - 700-750 RPM
Effective Range - 500 y

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(My M14 Clone)
A 1995, Springfield Armory Inc. build using all GI parts. It is in a GI walnut stock, with Sparrow faux M14 selector lock. Recently, I replaced the neutered FSB assembly with one that still had the bayonet lug intact.

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(My M14E2 clone)
A custom build on a Hahn rewelded H&R receiver, with an H&R parts kit. It is fitted into a NOS M14E2 stock from Treeline, with foregrip and buttplate from FredsM14stocks. Also kitted with a Fulton stabilizer, Springifled M2 bipod, and original M14E2 sling.

the Springfield Armory Inc. M1A:
With Springfield Arsenal's closing in 1968, the name came up for grabs. Elmer Balance of San Antonio, Texas appropriated the name 'Springfield' legally and changed his company's name to Springfield Armory Inc. around 1970 and moved to Devine, TX. The next step was to create a semi-auto only receiver for an M14 clone that the ATF would allow for civilian sales. It came to pass and in 1971, the new Springfield began offering the semi-auto M1A rifle. At this time, M1As were built from all surplus military M14 parts except the receiver and some semi specific parts. From the beginning, the M1A's receiver was investment cast; never forged.
In 1974, the company was sold to the Reese family and relocated to Geneseo, Illinois. From there, the M1A has been altered, upgraded, and more models offered. Use of GI parts has waxed and waned over the years as parts became available. At various times barrels and bolts were not around so commercial ones had to be used. In the mid 1980s, Springfield purchased a large number of parts kits and for about a decade rifles produced had a great many GI parts in them. Many of these parts began to dry up around 1996-1999 and by 2000, most M1As were made of commercial parts. Once in a while a GI trigger will be found or something, but Springfield has no more barrels, bolts, stocks, or op-rods.