Editing Springfield Armory (section)

===Late 20th century===
The last small arm developed by the Armory was the [[M14 rifle]], which was, essentially, a highly modified version of the M1 Garand.  The M14 was produced from 1959 to 1964 and was the U.S. Army's primary combat rifle until being replaced by the [[M16 rifle]] gradually from 1964 to 1970. The M14 has evolved over the years into a more modern sniper rifle—the [[M21 Sniper Weapon System|M21]].

By the time the U.S. was involved in the [[Vietnam War]], Springfield Armory developed not only rifles but [[machine gun]]s for ground and air use, [[grenade launcher]]s, and associated equipment. Many weapons were not manufactured at the Armory, but plans and specifications were drawn up for the use of private contractors who built them elsewhere, representing an economic shift toward the American private arms industry.
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