There are many things one might attribute to the success of an empire and this case the United States of America. A civil society tolerant of many different cultures, healthy economy, or the availability of resources could all be contributing factors, but another consideration could also be the ability of the citizens to arm and protect themselves. The rifle figures prominently in this aspect in America’s past as it was used for hunting, personal protection, and most of all for subduing enemies in the advent of war.

Useful and deadly

For American settlers trying to fend off raids by Indians upon their farms and town the musket was the best standoff weapon for being able to strike out at the aggressor from a long distance either discouraging the attacker or giving the rifleman several more attempts at killing the enemy before they were able to get to him. The musket was the first long rifle used by not only the married man or farmer who had a family to feed and protect but by the Continental Army as well. Though there have been many arguments about accuracy and effectiveness it was the rifle and whoever used it the best that decided the outcome of a battle.

In familiar hands

What made the American rifleman exceptional was that he most likely grew up using a weapon at an early age out of necessity. He had to be accurate enough to shoot deer, ducks, geese, grouse, and even bears. To live in the woods without a rifle would have been unthinkable. As opposed to the British soldier who probably grew up in a town and was trained by the King’s army, an American was most likely a natural at his gun. It has often been observed that the British were often harassed and even discouraged by the long range accuracy of Minutemen snipers or Continental Army marksmen who would shoot officers in the course of battle causing disarray among the British units in the fog of conflict.

Tactics and proficiency

General Washington required every soldier enlisted in his army to be able to get off three shots per minute and to even improve upon that as he became more experienced. As was the European tactic of massed fire between opposing armies. Several volleys would be fired as each round would be exchanged by a firing line who would aim on command, fire, reload, as they next line fired and then reloaded as the first line once again volleyed. This increased the rate of fire and accuracy when a line of rifleman saturated their shots into a precise target which usually mean facing off at 100 years or less, after longer range cannon had sufficiently softened up the enemy. Many have debated that the musket was merely the extension of the bayonet which would end up being the ultimate result of close quarter fighting, but it was the rifle that took most of the casualties prior to hand to hand combat.

Formidable use

What devastated the British when up against inferior Colonial resistance were the guerrilla tactics used by Washington’s army. Superior long range firing imposed serious losses upon the British before they could overwhelm the Americans with greater numbers. In battles such as Bunker Hill the British army could lose 600 men in one afternoon against the hated Militiamen and Continental Army regulars. That was a rate of attrition that the British could not afford to maintain and expect to win against the 13 Colonies. In the battle of Lexington and Concord which officially began the Revolutionary War it was the brilliant marksmanship by the Colonial volunteers who were first routed at Concord with only a single line of riflemen to Lexington where the British were forced to stage an organized retreat. In their attempt to storm an ammunitions storage instead the British took casualties all the way back to Boston being harassed by the accurate gunfire of the Americans as they withdrew through the woods. That battle resonated a long time for the soldiers of the 13 Colonies when times were tough and future prospects appeared bleak.

Early specs

The musket rifle of the time fired a .69 mini ball at a force of 1000 feet per second but by 100 yards the elevation of the shot might drop 18 inches. To make the matter worse there was no sighting on the weapon so that all the rifleman could do was to look down the length of the smooth bore barrel and get the best aim his own eyesight could attain and fire! Being struck by a mini ball within that distance guaranteed a serious wound that could smash the skull, shiver the bone in an arm or leg, or lodge into the upper torso through the ribs. Medical methods at this point in time were barbaric and resulted in many amputations and infections as surgeons were more valued for their speed in removing a bullet before the patient died of shock or bled to death first. Antiseptics and general anesthesia were virtually unknown.

Evolution

By the time the Civil War had ended the musket had transformed into more sophisticated weapon such as the single shot cavalry Spencer Rifle or the Carbine with a threaded barrel and 50 caliber streamlined, dome shaped bullet. This enabled the rifle to fire accurately at a target more than 300 yards away. The Winchester was also invented which could fire several shots in a row without reloading from lever action underneath the trigger.  This repeating rifle proved devastating. This weapon revolutionized battle tactics and personal protection. Though not as accurate as the Spencer at 200 yards the Remington unleashed a rapid fire capability. Custer’s last stand at the Little Big Horn was not just being outnumbered 10 to 1 by the unified Native American Indian tribes, having divided his men into 3 smaller regiments, but it was the speed of the Winchester’s rate of fire that the tribal warriors possessed that overwhelmed the US Cavalry who were using single shot 50 caliber rifles and short range six gun revolvers.

The deadly choice

One of the myths of the Old West was the Hollywood recreation of the High Noon gunfight with two Cowboys standing in the middle of the street in some dusty town waiting to see which one had the fastest draw. Most deadly contests were settled by the “Bushwhack” with the outlaw hiding with his rifle and killing his victim at a longer range. Most settlers, lawmen, and outlaws died from an ambush. Even though as time went on and pistols became more reliable, accurate, and had longer ranges it was the rifle that was the weapon of choice among foot soldiers in battle with the handgun being simply an officer’s weapon for his own protection since it was his job to direct his men and not become a casualty and see that the mission was properly executed.

An old but effective design

The bolt action Springfield rifle would become the weapon of choice for the US Army being used in the Spanish American War, action in the Philippines under General Pershing, and from World War I to the Korean Conflict. Even by that time there were weapons such as the M-1, the M-14, the Thompson Machine Gun, and the BAR, still the Springfield proved to be cheap, abundant, and reliable as part of the Marine Corps arsenals though slower in its rate of fire. All armies from Germany to Great Britain had their versions of bolt action rifles supplied to their troops.

The game changer

However the most revolutionary rifle to be introduced on the field of battle and still in use by many armies in the world over today was the Garand M-1 Rifle that according to General George Patton won the war for the US Army and US Marines. Why? The M-1 a semi-automatic firing weapon with an 8 round clip that could easily be reloaded with another clip in seconds in the heat of battle. The Germans were frustrated and driven back by the rate of fire that came from the American GI firing his Garand M-1,thirty caliber, long rifle capable of 1000 yards in distance, having a high rate of fire, being incredibly accurate, light weight, and very dependable under battle conditions. With a population of American males who still lived off hunting or used rifles for sport prior to World War II this made for a deadly combination for the foot soldiers of the AXIS forces to contend with.

Outclassing its contemporaries

At one point in World War II in 1944 during a desperate battle a German general demanded why an entire convoy has been stopped as they hastily tried to resupply their weary fighting units. The answer was that a single American rifle squad brandishing the Garand M-1 were taking a critical toll on their Nazi foes preventing the supply line from moving. As American enlistees arrived in England prior to the D-Day invasion on the shores of France the legendary British commandos noticed the fire power, sheer accuracy, and rate of fire that their Allies were getting with the M-1 rifle and were immediately envious. With the reputation of their own Enfield rifle at stake, the British politely requested M-1’s for their elite troops as well after seeing what the M-1 could do. Today it is the most popular rifle among civilian enthusiasts.

Summation

General George S. Patton called it "the greatest battle implement ever devised". Garand’s design of the M-1 rifle would remain in action throughout World War II, the Korean War, and into Vietnam as a trusted battlefield rifle before being retired for the redoubtable M-16 which is still in use today. The rifle has remained a symbol of strength and independence in American history helping the forces of good to overcome our enemies and remain a free society. To own and use firearms is a 2^nd Amendment right to all American citizens that gives many people today the security of personal protection from criminals as liberal lawmakers see fit to hamper the capacity of the police and allow violent convicted lawbreakers to receive lighter sentences. The rifle provides an excellent source of recreation for those who enjoy competition or hunting. The rifle is part of the American heritage.