Editing Springfield Armory (section)

===Early 20th century===
[[File:Springfield Armory's experimental shop in Bldg. 28 , ca 1923.jpg|thumb|right|280px|Bldg. 28's experimental shop, where [[John Garand]] developed the predecessor to the [[M1 Garand]] and the later production model, {{circa|1923}}]]
[[File:Armory mechanical presses in the mid-20th century, Springfield Armory.jpg|290px|left|thumb|Mechanical presses producing [[cold-formed steel]] parts for weaponry in the mid-20th century]]

During the [[Spanish–American War]], it was recognized that the Spanish [[Mauser Model 1893]], exhibited characteristics superior to the [[Springfield Model 1873|"trapdoor" Springfield]] and [[Springfield Model 1892-99|Krag–Jørgensen]] rifles carried by the United States troops. On August 15, 1900, Springfield Armory completed an experimental magazine rifle which they believed to be an improvement over the Krag. They fashioned a clip loading magazine rifle in which the cartridges were contained within the stock, preventing damage to an otherwise exposed magazine. It was approved for production in as [[M1903 Springfield rifle|the Model 1903]]. [[Mauser]] later sued for patent infringement and won royalties from Springfield.<ref>{{cite web|title=Battlefield tack driver: the model 1903 Springfield in WWI.|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Battlefield+tack+driver:+the+model+1903+Springfield+in+WWI.-a0150451303|work=The Free Library|access-date=13 September 2010}}</ref>

By the time that [[April 1917#April 6, 1917 (Friday)|the United States entered World War I]], approximately 843,239 standard service Model 1903 rifles had been manufactured. However, this was insufficient to arm U.S. troops for an undertaking of the magnitude of World War I. During the war Springfield Armory produced over 265,620 Model 1903 rifles. In addition, the War Department contracted for production of the [[M1917 Enfield Rifle]] to help aid American troops. These, along with the additional 47,251 rifles produced by the [[Rock Island Arsenal]] and the weapons already in service, were enough to supply the war effort. During [[World War I]] the Springfield Armory produced ≈25,000 [[M1911 pistol]]s before all facilities were dedicated to production of [[M1903 rifle]]s.

In 1919, when [[John Garand]] was 31, he came to Springfield, where he worked to develop a [[semi-automatic rifle]]. Over the next five years many designs were submitted for the rifle, but none met the army's rigid specifications. In 1924, Garand offered a design that was approved for further testing. This was the famous M1, or "[[M1 Garand|Garand rifle]]" as it came to be known. The army adopted the rifle in 1936, and production began the next year. This began what was to become the greatest production effort in the armory's history: during the entire production history of the M1 rifle, the Springfield Armory produced over 4.5 million of them.

The M1's accuracy and durability in battle earned it high praise. General [[Douglas MacArthur]] reported on the M1 to the Ordnance Department during heavy fighting on Bataan that "Under combat conditions it operated with no mechanical defects and when used in foxholes did not develop stoppages from dust or dirt. It has been in almost constant action for as much as a week without cleaning or lubrication."<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hatcher |first1=Julian S. |title=The Book of the Garand: Development of Semiautomatic Rifles |date=1948 |publisher=Infantry Journal Press |location=Washington, DC}}</ref> Further testament to the M1s role in combat was given by another well-respected military officer, General [[George S. Patton|George S. Patton, Jr.]], who reported to the Army Ordnance Department on January 26, 1945, "In my opinion, the M1 Rifle is the greatest battle implement ever devised."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Metesh |first1=T. Logan |title=Patton & The Garand |url=https://www.thearmorylife.com/patton-and-the-garand-greatest-battle-implement-ever-devised/ |website=The Armory Life |date=28 December 2020 |access-date=1 October 2021}}</ref>