What if instead of adopting the self loading M1 Garrand as it's standard infantry rifle in the 1930's the United States military keeps using the bolt action M1903 Springfield? The reasons for the change aren't important, maybe they just couldn't afford it because of the Depression, but what are the effects? during the war there are probably more American servicemen killed and maybe there's a greater issue of the M1 Carbine and squad automatic weapons like the BAR, but what about post war? I can't see the post war US Army waiting until the M14 comes into service in the late 50's like OTL, more likely they'd want an SLR or even an assault rifle by 1950, so what would they look at?
United States Military uses the M1903 as it's standard rifle in WW2?
- Thread starter Landshark
- Start date
Obergruppenführer Smith
Banned
Just use the money rolling off the presses to manufacture whatever semiauto rifle they had.
Obergruppenführer Smith
Banned
As far as we know, it could just be that the program itself was completed but they never bothered to actually change over. In that case, Garand or whoever would have had a decade to prepare for that day of mobilization.
Fearless Leader
Donor
I'd wager that without the M1 there would be a much larger push to seriously upgrade the BAR at an earlier point than OTL. IIRC they were thinking of upgrading the BAR but couldn't come up with significant improvements prior to the outbreak of hostilities.
marathag
Banned
They didn't try very hard
https://www.forgottenweapons.com/light-machine-guns/fn-model-d-bar/
The FN Model D was the most fully developed variant of the venerable Browning Automatic Rifle. Introduced in 1932 by Fabrique Nationale (with whom Browning had collaborated extensively prior to his death in 1926), the FN-D had a number of significant improvements over the standard BAR. It used a pistol grip instead of a traditional stock, a shorter quick-change barrel, improved rate-reducing mechanism, and simplified disassembly procedure. The locking system of the gun and general receiver design remained identical to the standard BAR.
Fearless Leader
Donor
They didn't try very hard
https://www.forgottenweapons.com/light-machine-guns/fn-model-d-bar/
The FN Model D was the most fully developed variant of the venerable Browning Automatic Rifle. Introduced in 1932 by Fabrique Nationale (with whom Browning had collaborated extensively prior to his death in 1926), the FN-D had a number of significant improvements over the standard BAR. It used a pistol grip instead of a traditional stock, a shorter quick-change barrel, improved rate-reducing mechanism, and simplified disassembly procedure. The locking system of the gun and general receiver design remained identical to the standard BAR.
Fair enough. In defense of the US military I think they were hoping for something significantly lighter.
On another note, I think that it's highly unlikely that absolutely NO progress would be made on semi-automatic rifles during the 1930s. In fact I wonder if it might lead to the US adopting some kind of semi-auto rifle (perhaps in .276 Pedersen) for specialists earlier in the 1930s thus eliminating the need for the M1 Carbine?
Last edited: