Editing M1903 Springfield (section)

==History==
{{More citations needed|section|date=August 2021}}

===Background===
During the 1898 [[Spanish–American War|war with Spain]], the [[Mauser Model 1893|Mauser M1893]] used by the Spanish Army gained a deadly reputation, particularly from the [[Battle of San Juan Hill]], where 750 Spanish regulars significantly delayed the advance of 15,000 US troops armed with outclassed [[Springfield Model 1892–99|Springfield Krag–Jørgensen]] bolt-action rifles and older single-shot [[Springfield model 1873]] [[Trapdoor mechanism|trapdoor]] rifles. The Spanish soldiers inflicted 1,400 casualties on the US in a matter of minutes. Likewise, earlier in the day, a Spanish force of 540 regulars armed with the same Mauser rifles, under Spanish general Vara Del Rey, held off General [[Henry Ware Lawton]]'s Second Division of 6,653 American soldiers and an independent brigade of 1,800 men for ten hours in the nearby town of [[Battle of El Caney|El Caney]], keeping that division from assisting in the attack on the San Juan Heights. A US Army board of investigation was commissioned as a direct result of both battles. They recommended replacement of the Krag.

The 1903 adoption of the M1903 was preceded by nearly 30 years of struggle and politics, using lessons learned from the recently adopted Krag–Jørgensen and contemporary German Mauser [[Gewehr 98]] bolt-action rifles. The design itself is largely based on the Mauser M1893 and its successive models up to the Gewehr 98 rifle. The M1903's forward receiver ring diameter is {{convert|1.305|in|mm|2|abbr=on}}, slightly over the  {{convert|33|mm|in|2|abbr=on}} ring diameter of the older "small ring" Mauser models and less than the "large ring" {{convert|35.8|mm|in|2|abbr=on}} Gewehr 98s. The US military licensed many of the Mauser Company's and other German patents, including the spitzer bullet, later modified into the .30-06 Springfield.<ref>The patent assigned by the [[US Patent Office]] to the [[Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken|Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken Aktien-Gesellschaft]] for an Improved Form for Projectiles for Hand-Firearms can be found under {{US patent|RE12927|US PAT No. RE12927}}.</ref> The M1903 not only replaced the various versions of the U.S. Army's Krag, but also the [[M1895 Lee Navy|Lee M1895]] and [[M1885 Remington–Lee]] used by the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps, as well as all remaining single-shot trapdoor rifles. While the [[Springfield Model 1892-99|Krag]] had been issued with barrel lengths of both 30-inch rifle and 22-inch [[carbine]] models, the Springfield was issued only as a short 24-inch-barrel rifle in keeping with current trends in Switzerland and Great Britain to eliminate the need for both long rifles and carbines.<ref>{{Cite EB1911|wstitle= Rifle |volume= 23 |last= Seton-Karr |first= Henry |author-link= Henry Seton-Karr | pages = 325&ndash;336; see page 328; first para, lines three and four |quote=and in 1903»the f short rifle ” was actually approved and issued generally.}}</ref>

The two main problems usually cited with the Krag were its slow-to-load magazine and its inability to handle higher chamber pressures for high-velocity rounds. The United States Army attempted to introduce a higher-velocity cartridge in 1899 for the existing Krags, but its single locking lug on the bolt could not withstand the extra chamber pressure. Though a [[stripper clip|stripper-clip]] or charger loading modification to the Krag was designed, it was clear to Army authorities that a new rifle was required. After the U.S. military's experience with the Mauser rifle in the [[Spanish–American War|1898 Spanish–American War]], authorities decided to adopt a stronger Mauser-derived bolt-action design equipped with a charger- or stripper clip-loaded box magazine.
[[File:Teddy on a white horse with a M1903.jpg|thumb|[[Theodore Roosevelt]] with an M1903]]

===Advances in small arms technology===
In 1882, the bolt action [[M1885 Remington–Lee|Remington Lee rifle]] design of 1879, with its newly invented detachable box magazine, was purchased in limited numbers by the U.S. Navy. Several hundred M1882 Lee Navy models (M1882 Remington-Lee) were also subjected to trials by the U.S. Army during the 1880s, though the rifle was not formally adopted. The Navy adopted the M1885, and later different style Lee M1895 (a 6&nbsp;mm straight pull bolt), which saw service in the [[Boxer Rebellion]]. In Army service, both the M1885 and M1895 6&nbsp;mm Lee were used in the Spanish–American War, along with the .30-40 Krag and the .45-70. The Lee rifle's detachable box magazine was invented by [[James Paris Lee]], and was very influential on later rifle designs.{{Citation needed|date=April 2021}} Other advancements had made it clear that the Army needed a replacement. In 1892, the U.S. military held a series of rifle trials, resulting in the adoption of the .30-40 Krag–Jørgensen rifle. The Krag officially entered U.S. service in 1894, only to be replaced nine years later by the M1903.

===Development===
Thousands of Spanish Mauser M1893 rifles, surrendered by Spanish troops in Cuba, were returned to the US and extensively studied at [[Springfield Armory]], where it was decided that the Mauser was the superior design.

====U.S. rifle Model 1900 .30 prototype====
A prototype rifle was produced in 1900; it was very similar to rifle No. 5, the final Mauser M92 prototype in the U.S. Army rifle trials of 1892. This design was rejected, and a new design combining features of the M1898 Krag rifle and the Spanish Mauser M1893 was developed.

====U.S. rifle Model 1901 .30 prototype====
Springfield began work on creating a rifle that could handle higher loads around the turn of the 20th century. The Springfield Model 1901 prototype combined the [[Springfield Model 1892-99|Krag–Jørgensen]]'s cock-on-opening bolt, 30-inch barrel, magazine cutoff, stock and sights with the Mauser M1893's dual locking lugs, external claw extractor, and staggered-column magazine. Taking a cue from the Mauser [[Gewehr 98]], a large safety lug was added to the side of the bolt behind the extractor, which engaged the receiver bridge and prevented the bolt from moving rearwards. The bolt handle was also bent downwards, to make it faster to operate. The Model 1901 almost entered production. Springfield was sure enough that the Model 1901 prototype would be accepted that they began making some of the parts for it, but it was not accepted; further changes were asked for.

===Adoption===
Following then-current trends in service rifles, the barrel was shortened to 24 inches after it was discovered that a longer barrel offered no appreciable [[Terminal ballistics|ballistic]] advantage, and the shorter barrel was lighter and easier to handle. This "short rifle" also eliminated the need of a shorter carbine for mounted troops or [[cavalry]].<ref name=y03s/> A spike-type [[bayonet]] with storage in the forend of the stock was added to the design. This new design was accepted, type classified and officially adopted as the ''United States Rifle, Caliber .30, Model 1903'' and entered production in 1903. The M1903 became commonly known among its users as the "aught-three" in reference to the year, 1903, of first production.

Despite Springfield Armory's use of a two-piece firing pin and other slight design alterations, the M1903 was, in fact, a [[Mauser]] design, and after that company brought suit, the U.S. government was judged to pay $250,000 in royalties to Mauser Werke.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Sheehan|first1=John|title=Battlefield tack driver: the model 1903 Springfield in WWI|journal=Guns Magazine|date=1 October 2006|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Battlefield+tack+driver%3a+the+model+1903+Springfield+in+WWI.-a0150451303|access-date=22 April 2015}}</ref>

By January 1905, over 80,000 of these rifles had been produced at the federally-owned Springfield Armory. However, President [[Theodore Roosevelt]] objected to the design of the sliding rod-type bayonet used as being too flimsy for combat. In a letter to the [[secretary of war]], he said:

<blockquote>I must say that I think that ramrod bayonet is about as poor an invention as I ever saw. As you observed, it broke short off as soon as hit with even moderate violence. It would have no moral effect and mighty little physical effect.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Kontis|first1=George|title=Are We Forever Stuck with the Bayonet?|journal=Small Arms Defense Journal|date=24 August 2011|url=http://www.sadefensejournal.com/wp/?p=531|access-date=22 April 2015}}</ref></blockquote>

All the rifles to that point consequently had to be re-tooled for a blade-type bayonet, called the "[[M1905 bayonet|M1905]]". The sights were also an area of concern, so the new improved Model 1904 sight was also added.<ref name=y03s>{{cite journal |last1=Canfield |first1=Bruce N. |year=2003 |title=100 Years Of The '03 Springfield |journal=[[American Rifleman]] |volume=151 |issue=March |pages=42–45&78 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Canfield |first1=Bruce N. |year=2006 |title=From Poor Invention To America's Best |journal=[[American Rifleman]] |volume=154 |issue=September |pages=59–61, 91–92&94 }}</ref>

The retooling was almost complete when it was decided another change would be made. It was to incorporate improvements discovered during experimentation in the interim, most notably the use of pointed ammunition, first adopted by the French in the 1890s and later other countries. The round itself was based on the .30-03, but rather than a 220-grain (14&nbsp;g) round-tip bullet fired at {{convert|2300|ft/s|m/s|abbr=on}}, it had a 150-grain (9.7&nbsp;g) pointed bullet fired at {{convert|2800|ft/s|m/s|abbr=on}}; the case neck was a fraction of an inch shorter as well. The new American cartridge was designated ''Cartridge, Ball, Caliber .30, Model of 1906''. The M1906 cartridge is better known as the [[.30-06 Springfield]] round, used in many rifles and machine guns, and is still a popular civilian cartridge. The rifle's sights were again re-tooled to compensate for the speed and trajectory of the new cartridge.

By the time of the 1916 [[Pancho Villa Expedition]], the M1903 was the standard issue service rifle of US forces. Some rifles were fitted with both the [[Warner & Swasey]] Model 1913 and 1908 "musket sights" during the campaign, "musket sights" being the vernacular at the time for telescopic sights. The Warner & Swasey Model 1913 musket sight continued in use after the Pancho Villa Expedition and during World War I, but was eventually deemed inadequate and had been removed from the US Army's inventory by the 1920s.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Canfield |first=Bruce |date=October 2016 |title= 1916: Guns On The Border |magazine=American Rifleman |publisher=National Rifle Association of America}}</ref>

The military tested several M1903 rifles with [[Hiram Maxim|Maxim]] [[Silencer (firearm)|suppressors]] starting in 1909, and requisitioned 500 in 1910 to be used for recruit training.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Crozier |first1=William |title=Report of Chief of Ordinance |journal=War Department, Annual Reports |date=1910 |page=611 |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.b2980505&view=1up&seq=611 |access-date=9 January 2024}}</ref> Anecdotal evidence indicates that some of the M1903 rifles during the Pancho Villa Expedition were fitted with Maxim suppressors, possibly making them the first suppressed rifles used in the field by the US military; however, during World War I American M1903s were not fitted with suppressors due to opposition from officers and the suppressor precluding the use of a bayonet.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Moss |first1=Matthew |last2=Tuff |first2=Vic |title=Springfield M1903 with a Maxim Silencer |url=https://armourersbench.com/2018/11/11/springfield-m1903-with-a-maxim-silencer/ |website=The Armourer's Bench |access-date=9 January 2024}}</ref>

===World War I and interwar use===
[[File:The US Army on the Western Front 1914-1918 Q70181.jpg|thumb|right|US Marines with M1903 rifles and bayonets in France, 1918]]
[[File:US WWI rifle periscope attachment.jpeg|thumb|An Elder-type [[Periscope rifle|periscope stock]] fitted to an M1903 (1918). Designed for [[trench warfare]], this enabled the shooter to fire over the parapet of a trench while remaining under cover and protected; the rifle is also fitted with a 25-round magazine.<ref name=ordnance332>{{cite journal|title=Bayonet|publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office|journal=Handbook of Ordnance Data|date=15 November 1918|page=[https://archive.org/details/handbookordnanc00unkngoog/page/n348 332]|url=https://archive.org/details/handbookordnanc00unkngoog|format=Digital|oclc=6316176|last1=Ordnance Dept|first1=United States. Army}}</ref>]]
By the time of US entry into [[World War I]], 843,239 M1903 rifles had been produced at Springfield Armory and [[Rock Island Arsenal]]. Pre-war production utilized questionable metallurgy. Some receivers constructed of single-heat-treated case-hardened steel were improperly subjected to excessive temperatures during the forging process, "burning" carbon  out of the steel and producing a brittle receiver.<ref>''Canfield'', February 2008, p. 13</ref> Documented evidence indicates that some early rifles were improperly forged, but actual cases of failure in use were very rare. Several cases of serious injury from receiver failure were documented, but the U.S. Army never reported any fatalities. Many failures were attributed to use of incorrect cartridges, such as the [[7.92×57mm Mauser]].<ref name=l&h>{{cite journal |last1=Canfield |first1=Bruce N. |year=2004 |title=U.S. M1903A1 Rifles |journal=[[American Rifleman]] |volume=152 |issue=January |page=20 }}</ref> Evidence also seems to suggest that improperly forged brass cartridge cases could have further exacerbated receiver failure.<ref>Lyon, Joseph: ''Some Observations On The Failure Of U.S. Model 1903 Rifle Receivers'' [http://m1903.com/03rcvrfail/]</ref>

[[Pyrometer]]s were installed in December 1917 to accurately measure temperatures during the forging process. The change was made at approximately serial number 800,000 for rifles made at Springfield Armory and at serial number 285,507 at Rock Island Arsenal. Lower serial numbers are known as "low-number" M1903 rifles. Higher serial numbers are said to be "double-heat-treated".<ref name=l&h/>

Toward the end of the war, Springfield turned out the Model 1903 Mark I. The Mark I has a cut on the left hand side of the receiver meant to act as an ejection port for the Pedersen device, a specialized insert that replaced the bolt and allowed the user to fire .30 caliber pistol cartridges semi-automatically from a 40-round detachable magazine. The stock was also slightly cut down on the left side to clear the ejection port. In all other respects, the Mark I is identical to the M1903. Temperature control during forging had been improved before Mark I production. The receiver alloy was toughened by addition of nickel after Mark I production.[[File:American First World War Official Exchange Collection Q103350.jpg|thumb|right|Camouflaged M1903 Springfield sniper's rifle with Warner & Swasey [[telescopic sight]] in France, May 1918]]

In 1926, after experiencing the effect of long-range German [[7.92×57mm]] rifle and machine gun fire during the war, the U.S. Army adopted the heavy, 174-grain, [[Boat tail (ballistics)|boat-tail bullet]] for its .30-06 cartridge, standardized as ''Cartridge, Ball, caliber 30, M1''.<ref name="Barnes, Frank C. 1989 p. 59">Barnes, Frank C., ''Cartridges of the World'', 6th ed., DBI Books Inc. (1989), p. 59</ref> M1 ammunition, intended primarily for long-range machine gun use, soon became known by Army rifle competition teams and marksmen for its considerably greater accuracy than the M1906 round; the new M1 ammunition was issued to infantrymen with the Springfield rifle as well as to machine gun teams.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Dunlap|first=Roy|title=Rifles|journal=Ordnance Went up Front: Some Observations and Experiences of a Sergeant of Ordnance, Who Served Throughout World War II with the United States Army in Egypt, the Philippines and Japan, Including Way Stations|date=1948|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vp8QAQAAMAAJ|oclc=777744849}}</ref> However, during the late 1930s, it became apparent that, with the development of mortars, high-angle artillery, and the .50 caliber [[M2 Browning]] machine gun, the need for extreme long-range, rifle-caliber machine-gun fire was decreasing. In 1938, the US Army reverted to a .30-06 cartridge with a 152-grain flat-base bullet, now termed "[[M2 ball]]", for all rifles and machine guns.<ref name="Barnes, Frank C. 1989 p. 59" />

In the 1920s and the 1930s, M1903s were delivered to US allies in Central America including Cuba, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua. Costa Rican troops were equipped with Springfields during the [[Coto War]], and some rifles were captured by the opposing Panamanians.<ref name="Banana" /> The Cuban Springfields were used by [[Fulgencio Batista|Batista]] forces after WW2 and later by the [[Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces|Revolutionary Armed Forces]], for instance during the [[Bay of Pigs Invasion]].<ref name="Cuba">{{cite book|title=The Bay of Pigs: Cuba 1961|series = Elite 166|first=Alejandro |last=de Quesada |date=10 Jan 2009|isbn=9781846033230|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EE-1CwAAQBAJ|page= 60}}</ref>

The [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] acquired some M1903 rifles configured like [[National Rifle Association]] sporter models in response to the 1933 [[Kansas City Massacre]].<ref>Vanderpool, Bill "Bring Enough Gun" ''[[American Rifleman]]'' October 2013 pp. 80–85&115–116</ref>

In service, the Springfield was generally prized for its reliability and accuracy, though some problems remained. The precision rear aperture sight was located too far from the eye for efficient use, and the narrow, unprotected front sight was both difficult to see in poor light and easily damaged. The Marine Corps issued the Springfield with a sight hood to protect the front sight, along with a thicker front blade. The two-piece firing pin-striker also proved to be no improvement over the original one-piece Mauser design, and was a cause of numerous ordnance repairs, along with occasional reports of jammed magazine followers.<ref name="Dunlap, Roy 1948 p. 302" />

===World War II===
[[World War II]] saw new production of the Springfield at private manufacturers such as the [[Remington Arms]] and [[Smith-Corona]] Typewriter companies. Remington began production of the M1903 in September 1941, at serial number 3,000,000, using old tooling from the Rock Island Arsenal which had been in storage since 1919. The very early Remington-made rifles are almost indistinguishable from 1919-made Rock Island rifles. As the already worn tooling began to wear beyond use Remington began seeking Army approval for a continuously increasing number of changes and simplifications to both speed up manufacture and improve performance. The milled parts on the Remington M1903 were gradually replaced with stamped parts until, at about serial number 3,330,000, the Army and Remington recognized that a new model name was appropriate. Other features of the M1903, such as high-grade walnut stocks with finger grooves, were replaced with less expensive but serviceable substitutes. Most milled parts made by Remington were marked with an "R".<ref name=bnc2>{{cite journal |last=Canfield |first=Bruce N. |year=2015 |title=Wartime Remington M1903s? |journal=[[American Rifleman]] |volume=163 |issue=March |page=44 }}</ref>

Production of the M1903 was discontinued in favor of the M1903A3. The most noticeable visual difference in the M1903A3 was the replacement of the barrel-mounted rear sight with a smaller, simpler aperture rear sight mounted on the rear of the receiver which was designed by Remington;<ref>{{US-patent|2336108A}}</ref> it was primarily adopted in order to speed familiarization by soldiers already trained on the M1 Garand, which had a similar sighting system. However, the leaf spring providing tension to the elevation adjustment on the new aperture sight tended to weaken with continued use over time, causing the rifle to lose its preset range elevation setting.<ref name="Dunlap, Roy 1948 p. 302">Dunlap, Roy, ''Ordnance Went Up Front'', Samworth Press (1948), p. 302</ref> Other modifications included a new stamped cartridge follower; the rounded edges of the new design largely alleviated the "fourth-round jam" complaints of the earlier machined part.<ref name="Dunlap, Roy 1948 p. 302"/> All stock furniture was also redesigned in stamped metal.

In late 1942, Smith-Corona Typewriter Company began production of the M1903A3 at its plant in Syracuse, New York.<ref name="Brophy, William 1985 p. 187">Brophy, William, ''The Springfield 1903 Rifles'', Stackpole Books (1985), p. 187</ref> Smith-Corona parts are mostly identified by the absence of markings, except for occasions when time permitting during manufacture, on early to mid-production rifles, and also only on certain parts.

To speed up production output, two-groove rifled barrels were adopted, and steel alloy specifications were relaxed under "war emergency steel" criteria for both rifle actions and barrels.<ref>Dunlap, Roy, ''Ordnance Went Up Front'', Samworth Press (1948), p. 362</ref> All M1903A3 rifles with two-groove "war emergency" barrels were shipped with a printed notation stating that the reduction in rifling grooves did not affect accuracy.<ref name="Dunlap, Roy 1948 p. 301">Dunlap, Roy, ''Ordnance Went Up Front'', Samworth Press (1948), p. 301</ref>  As the war progressed, various machining and finishing operations were eliminated on the M1903A3 in order to increase production levels.<ref name="Dunlap, Roy 1948 p. 301"/>

Original production rifles at Remington and Smith-Corona had a dark gray-black finish similar to the bluing of late World War I. Beginning in late 1943 a lighter gray-green parkerizing finish was used. This later finish was also used on arsenal repaired weapons.

It is somewhat unusual to find a World War I or early World War II M1903 with its original dated barrel. Most, if not all, World War II .30-06 ammunition used a corrosive primer which left corrosive salts in the barrel. If not removed by frequent and proper barrel cleaning, these residues could cause pitting and excessive wear. Cleaning was sometimes lax when fighting in the jungle on various Pacific islands, and the higher moisture levels compounded the corrosive action of the residue.<ref>{{Citation | last = Bishop | first = Chris| title = The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II | place = New York | publisher = Orbis Publishing Ltd | year = 1998 | isbn = 978-0-7607-1022-7}}</ref>

The M1903 and the M1903A3 rifles were used in combat alongside the M1 Garand by the US military during World War II and saw extensive use and action in the hands of US troops in Europe, North Africa, and the Pacific. The [[United States Marine Corps|US Marines]] were initially armed with M1903 rifles in early battles in the Pacific, such as the [[Battle of Guadalcanal]], but the jungle battle environment generally favored self-loading rifles;<ref>George, John (Lt Col), ''Shots Fired In Anger'', NRA Press (1981), p. 391: "Nearly every one [Marine] I talked to [on Guadalcanal] who used the Springfield in combat-without a scope-would have much rather been using a Garand."</ref> later Army units arriving to the island were armed with M1 Garands.<ref>George, John (Lt Col), ''Shots Fired In Anger'', NRA Press (1981), p. 391</ref> The [[U.S. Army Rangers]] were also a major user of the M1903 and the M1903A3 during World War II with the Springfield being preferred over the M1 Garand for certain commando missions. {{Citation needed|date=June 2022}} The US Army Military Police (MP) and the US Navy Shore Patrol also used M1903s and M1903A3s throughout the war

According to Bruce Canfield's ''U.S. Infantry Weapons of WW II'', final variants of the M1903 (the A3 and A4) were delivered in February 1944.<ref name=bnc2/> By then, most American combat troops had been re-equipped with the M1 Garand. However, some front-line infantry units in both the U.S. Army and Marine Corps retained M1903s as infantry rifles beyond that date and continued to use them alongside the M1 Garand until the end of the war in 1945. The Springfield remained in service for [[sniper]]s (using the ''M1903A4''), [[grenadier]]s (using a spigot type rifle [[22 mm grenade|22 mm]] with the M1 [[grenade launcher]] until the M7 grenade launcher was available for the M1 rifle in late 1943), and Marine [[scout sniper]] units.

==== Sniper rifle====
[[File:American First World War Official Exchange Collection Q85303.jpg|thumb|233x233px|M1903 Springfield with a telescopic sight]]
The M1903A4, a variation of the M1903A3 was the U.S. Army's sniper rifle of choice during the Second World War. The only difference between receivers was that the model and serial number on the receiver were split on M1903A4 to make room for the Redfield [[scope mount]]. The Redfield scope mount removed the rear peep sight that was standard on the M1903A3. The scope used on the M1903A4 was a Weaver Model 330 or 330C, which was a 2.75x telescopic sight. The receivers were tested by Remington Arms and those that were deemed best, meaning those closest to design specifications were selected to become M1903A4s. The barrels were also selected specifically to be added to the M1903A4 rifle only if they were within almost exact specifications for the design. The front sight on the barrel was never installed on the A4 barrels, however, the notch for it was still in place.<ref name="Dunlap, Roy 1948 p. 302"/>  Barrel specifications were, in general, unchanged between the M1903A3 and M1903A4, however, the War Department did start installing barrels with two-groove rifling instead of four-groove, despite the lack of clear changes from the four-groove rifling that was the standard until 1942.<ref>George, John (Lt. Col.), ''Shots Fired In Anger'', NRA Press (1981), p. 392</ref> From its adoption in 1943 until the end of the war the M1903A4 was used extensively in every theater of operation by both the US Army and the USMC.<ref name="George, John 1981 p. 392-393">George, John (Lt. Col.), ''Shots Fired In Anger'', NRA Press (1981), p. 392–393</ref>

While the M1903A4 was a relatively accurate rifle with an effective range of about {{convert|600|yd|m}}, by some accounts it was inadequate as a sniper rifle. Its limitations on long-range targeting were due to limitations of both the Weaver scopes. The Weaver scopes (later standardized as the M73 and M73B1) had limited,field of view, were  of low magnification, and were not waterproof and frequently fogged over or became waterlogged during humidity changes. The optional M81/82 scopes also had significant flaws; they most notably had less power (2.2x vs. 2.75x) and, like the other scopes on the M1903A4, had serious issues with the field of view.<ref name="Dunlap, Roy 1948 p. 302"/><ref name="George, John 1981 p. 392-393"/><ref>George, John (Lt. Col.), ''Shots Fired In Anger'', NRA Press (1981), p. 296–299</ref> The USMC and the US Army eventually switched to a large 8x scope that spanned the length of the rifle, designed by John [[Unertl Optical Company|Unertl]].

==== Foreign users====
Various US allies and friendly irregular forces were equipped with the weapon. The [[Brazilian Expeditionary Force]] (FEB), operating in the 5th Army in Italy, was equipped with M1903 rifles. In August 1943, the [[Free French Forces]] of General [[Charles de Gaulle]] were re-equipped by the United States, primarily with M1903 Springfield and [[M1917 Enfield rifle]]s. The M1903 became one of the primary rifles used by French forces until the end of the war, and was afterwards used in [[Indochina]]<ref name="Viet Minh">{{cite book|title=French Foreign Légionnaire vs Viet Minh Insurgent: North Vietnam 1948–52|series=Combat 36|first=Martin |last=Windrow|date=20 Sep 2018|publisher=Osprey Publishing|isbn=9781472828910|page=22}}</ref> and by local militia and security forces in French Algeria.<ref name="Algeria">{{cite magazine|language=fr|magazine=Gazette des Armes |issue=220 |date=March 1992|title=L'armement français en A.F.N.|pages=12–16|url=http://fr.1001mags.com/parution/gazette-des-armes/numero-220-mars-1992/page-14-15-texte-integral}}</ref> Large numbers of M1903 rifles were sent to China.<ref name="Chinese Army">{{cite book|title=The Chinese Army 1937–49: World War II and Civil War|series=Men-at-Arms 424|first=Philip |last=Jowett|date=10 Jul 2005|isbn=9781841769042|publisher=[[Osprey Publishing]]|page=19}}</ref> The M1903 rifles captured by the Germans were designated ''Gewehr 249(a)''.<ref>{{cite book|last=Ball|first=Robert W. D.|title=Mauser Military Rifles of the World|year=2011|location=Iola|publisher= Gun Digest Books|isbn=9781440228926 |page= 420}}</ref>

During the Korean War, South Korean Marines used the M1903A3.<ref>{{cite book|last=부|first=창옥|title=한국 전쟁 수첩: 어느 학도병 의 참전 일기
|year=2012|location=경기 고양시|publisher= 한그루 미디어|isbn=9791195158027 |page= 6}}</ref> [[File:South Koreans Marines m1903a3.png|thumb|South Korean marine armed with M1903 rifle, 20 September 1950]]

===Korean War===

The M1903A4 was slowly phased out during the Korean war by the Army, but saw extensive use in the Marine Corps in the form of the M1941 Sniper rifle.{{citation needed|date=June 2024}} This new rifle was simply equipped with a very long and powerful Unertl 7.8x (as compared to the  M73B1 2.5X telescopic sights issued with the army's M1903A4) variant type scope. It was used in situations when the range to the target simply exceeded that of the Marines' M1C and M1D sniper rifles, which were effective to about {{convert|500|yd}}. In some rare cases, kills from up to {{convert|1000|yd}} were reported by Marines using the M1941 sniper rifles.  Marine Corps armorers continued to rebuild some M1903 sniper rifles as late as the early stages of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.{{citation needed|date=June 2024}}

===Post–Korean War service===
After the Korean War, active service (as opposed to drill) use of the M1903 was rare. Still, some M1903A4s remained in sniper use as late as the Vietnam War; and technical manuals for them were printed as late as 1970.<ref name=y03s/> The U.S. Navy also continued to carry some stocks of M1903A3s on board ships for use as anti-mine rifles.

VC jungle made shotgun made to look like a 03 Springfield, takes a modifed .50 cal round filled with rocks or metal pieces during Vietnam War.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NVA VietCong 17 |url=https://lkmilitary.com/nva-vietcong-17.html |access-date=2025-05-09 |website=lkmilitary.com}}</ref>

===Today===
[[File:USMC-120801-M-VG714-002.jpg|thumb|M1903 Springfield with 8x Unertl scope used during a vintage sniper rifle match in 2012.]]

Due to its balance, the M1903 is still popular with various military drill teams and color guards, most notably the [[United States Army Drill Team|U.S. Army Drill Team]].{{citation needed|date=November 2012}} M1903 rifles (along with the M1 Garand, M1917 Enfield and M14 rifles) are also common at [[high school]] [[Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps]] (JROTC) units to teach weapons handling and military drill procedures to the cadets. JROTC units use M1903s for regular and inter-school competition drills, including elaborate exhibition spinning routines. Exhibition teams often use fiberglass stocks in place of wooden stocks, which are heavier and more prone to breaking when dropped. JROTC Color Guards still favor wooden stocks over fiberglass because of their weight characteristics and appearance. The M1903 is the standard parade rifle of the [[Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets]], which has over six hundred M1903s, very few of which are still fireable. [[The Summerall Guards]] of [[The Citadel]] also use the M1903 Springfield for their silent drill performances.

[[U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps]] color guard rifles bear many similarities to the Springfield.{{Clarify|reason=Are these just M1903s, or are they a separate rifle?|date=May 2021}}

In 1977, the U.S. Army located a rather large cache of unissued M1903A3 rifles which were demilitarized and then issued to JROTC units as a replacement for their previously issued [[M1 Garand]] and [[M14 rifle|M14]] rifles, which were then returned to Army custody due to concerns about potential break-ins at high school JROTC armories.

For safety reasons, the JROTC M1903s are demilitarized to make them permanently unable to fire by plugging the barrel by inserting a very cold steel rod  which became too tight to remove after [[Thermal expansion|expanding when warmed]] to room temperature, or having it filled with lead, soldering the bolt and welding the magazine cutoff switch in the "on" position.