US Rifle, Cal. .30, M1917 Enfield
By the time that the United States entered World War I, approximately 843,239 standard service M-1903 Springfield 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 additional Model 1903 rifles, and the War Department contracted for production of the M-1917 Enfield Rifle to help aid American troops.
US Rifle, Cal. .30, M1917 Enfield.
Originally developed at the Royal Small Arms Factory located at Enfield Lock, in Middlesex on the outskirts of London, the so-called P-14 used the .303 British cartridge. Some of these British rifles were being manufactured in the U.S. in World War I prior to the entry of the U.S. into the war. When the Ordnance department looked for additional production capacity, they decided to modify the Enfield for the U.S. standard .30-06 cartridge as a way to quickly get more rifle production. The M-1917 Enfield was the result.
Display case with US Rifle, Cal. .30, M1917 Enfield mounted over US Rifle, Cal. .30, M1903 Springfield
National Infantry Museum, Fort Benning, GA.
The U.S. modified Enfield Rifle, with Model 1917 Bayonet, was used to equip more American infantrymen than were armed with the standard, well-proven U.S. Model 1903. Sergeant Alvin York used a weapon like this one in the action which resulted in his being awarded the Medal of Honor.
The breech loading, bolt-action rifle used a 5-round clip. Some 2,200,000 of these a very sturdy, highly accurate, and very heavy rifles were produced for the U.S. government at a cost of less than $30.00 each.
Model 1917 Bayonet
The M-1917 Enfield was provided with a bayonet that is similar but not identical to the M-1905 bayonet used with the M-1903 Springfield rifle. For more information, see the Olive-Drab page on the M-1917 bayonet.
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