Your Favorite US Military Rifle?

[CountryGent]

What is your all time favorite United States military rifle? Why so? Are any part of your collection?

Rules of the game:

• It can be any rifle adopted and issued by at least one branch of the armed forces of the United States of America (Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force and Coast Guard).
• Any time period you wish, from 1776 to the present moment.
• It must be a rifle or carbine. (No submachine-guns, shotguns, pistols, bat bombs, or Davy Crockett tactical nukes.)
• The design may be of American origin, not, or a combination of American and foreign design.
• Any ignition system, propellant type, action type, feed system, et al. is fine, assuming the aforementioned.

Enjoy!

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[Andy54Hawken]

1817 "Common Rifle"
1841 "Mississippi Rifle"
1873 Springfield "Trapdoor Rifle"
1903A3 rifle...Remington made.

All four work well...and handle well.
No one makes a replica of the 1817...the 1841 is available as a replica...some better / closer to the originals than others.
Originals are nice..but few and far between...and spendy.

At one time both the '73 and 03A3 were commonly seen at gun shows and the like...not so much nowadays.
Both make for a fun shooting and hunting rifle.
Andy

Springfield 1873 "Trapdoor" Rifle.

• Andy54Hawken
• Jun 21, 2020

1873 "Trapdoor" Rifle

 

[TTSX]

I'm a big fan of the M1 Garand and the M14. Own one M1 and a couple M1As. They feel like the last "real" rifles before all the polymer stuff of today.

I also like the M82A1. Pretty impressive to make a man portable, shoulder fired .50 caliber at the time

 

[Oro]

1966-67 vintage XM177e1, Colt 609

I have a replica/tribute build in progress.

ETA: why? (Missed that request before): I used to have an early '90s Colt SP1 LW Sporter, spiritual successor to this gun. 16" bbl, slab-side lower, A1 upper, etc. Lovely gun, superb handling.

This military model is the UR-Commando version, pretty much, of all subsequent CAR models and the M4. My build is going to have a 16" Lw barrel, mid length gas, and slip-over flash hider to give the look but not require a stamp, and have better ballistics and functionality.

 

[JRuby]

1903-A3 sporterized

 

[TTSX]

1903-A3 sporterized

Really? What do you like about the sporterized version as compared to the military version?

 

[JRuby]

Really? What do you like about the sporterized version as compared to the military version?

Lighter and can put a quality scope on it easier. I have two and they are a couple of my favorite rifles to hunt with.

 

[aasbra]

M1 Garand. I only have one, should have bought more when they were available for a good price 20+ years ago. Favorite as they are fun to shoot.

 

[Nosferatu]

Winchester 1886

 

[CountryGent]

I have to go with the M1 Carbine family, both from a historical standpoint and a practical one.

Historical
Images of Americans duking it out with the dying Reich, island hopping in the Pacific, keeping readiness in an oft tense Cold War, trying to maintain order in a tumultuous civil rights fight, etc. often depicted the little, unassuming carbine. It has been carried and used by countless American men and women, in the armed forces, in law enforcement, or private citizens enjoying some recreation shooting along with a tool to defend hearth and home. The M2 variant was a step towards the now standard of a light, select-fire, intermediate cartridge, rifle/carbine. And the M3, while not all that successful, was early work in night vision.

Practical
For just plinking fun, they're hard to beat. And as a defensive tool, particularly out in the sticks, a light, handy, decently accurate, semi-auto or select-fire, carbine, with 15 or 30 rounds on tap, spitting lead in (roughly) the magnum revolver range of potency isn't bad. Good quality ammunition, while not inexpensive, can be had. Surplus, cheaper fodder is, alas, now more hit and miss. Also, due to the size and weight, it can be wielded effectively by folks of smaller stature. Anyway, I just like'm.

However, this respond wouldn't be complete without a nod to the M1 Garand. Much of what was said above also applies.

 

[JO JO]

M14 / M1a ,

 

[Juniper9mm]

M1 Carbine - War Baby

I've had most WW II manufacturers apart from Irwin Pederson, Rock-Ola and IBM. Got out of collecting them long ago, but would like to acquire a good honest Inland again. My second is the 1903-A3, which I've had a couple in the past, and also would not mind adding another honest example.

J9

 

[Provincial]

Winchester Model 1894 saddle ring carbine, 30 WCF. Issued to the "Spruce Corps" during WWI, and stamped "US" and the "flaming bomb."

 

[Mikej]

M1 Garand, and it's little feisty cousin, M1 Carbine. With what little I know, I'd say the Ought-3 and 03-A3 were just other mass produced bolt guns, in my eyes, but of course, better, because.. 'Merica!! And to me the Garand and .30 Carbine were literal works of art. I marvel at the innards of those two rifles every time I have them apart. What an incredible feat that was for those men at that time to come up those machines.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Favorite US military rifle I actually was issued , carried and used , as it was intended for....My M21.
Andy

 

[solv3nt]

Favorite US military rifle I actually was issued , carried and used , as it was intended for....My M21.
Andy

I didn't know they had front stuffers made in the M21 form

 

[Andy54Hawken]

I didn't know they had front stuffers made in the M21 form

That would be an ungodly mess for sure....
Andy

 

[Creeker]

The 1903 Springfield.

 

[GI JEW 555]

M24. Prefer it over the m110 but also a work horse.

 

[Pepe-lepew]

My favorite for shooting is the 1903a3 when it has a pistol grip C-stock. After that it would be the M1 rifle closely followed by the M16A2.

My favorite for all around use is the M4 carbine.