Manual for Noncommissioned Officers and Privates of Infantry of the Army of the United States, 1917 Part 2

The smooth bore of the rifle is 0.30 inch in diameter. It is then rifled 0.004 inch deep, making the diameter from the bottom of one groove to the bottom of the opposite groove 0.308 inch.

The rifling makes one complete turn in each 10 inches of the barrel.

The accompanying plate shows the names of the princ.i.p.al parts of the rifle.

The only parts of a rifle that an enlisted man is permitted to take apart are the bolt mechanism and the magazine mechanism.

Learn how to do this from your squad leader, for you must know how in order to keep your rifle clean. Never remove the hand guard or the trigger guard, nor take the sights apart unless you have special permission from a commissioned officer.

The cartridge used for the rifle is called the .30-caliber model 1906 cartridge. There are four types of cartridges.

The BALL CARTRIDGE consists of the bra.s.s case or sh.e.l.l, the primer, the charge of smokeless powder, and the bullet. The bullet has a sharp point, is composed of a lead core and a jacket of cupro nickel, and weighs 150 grains. The bullet of this cartridge, when fired from the rifle, starts with an initial velocity at the muzzle of 2,700 feet per second.

The BLANK CARTRIDGE contains a paper cup instead of a bullet.

It is dangerous up to 100 feet. Firing with blank cartridges at a represented enemy at ranges less than 100 yards is prohibited.

The GUARD CARTRIDGE has a smaller charge of powder than the ball cartridge, and five cannelures encircle the body of the sh.e.l.l at about the middle to distinguish it from the ball cartridge.

It is intended for use on guard or in riot duty, and gives good results up to 200 yards. The range of 100 yards requires a sight elevation of 450 yards, and the range of 200 yards requires all elevation of 650 yards.

The DUMMY CARTRIDGE is tin plated and the sh.e.l.l is provided with six longitudinal corrugations and three circular holes. The primer contains no percussion composition. It is intended for drill purposes to accustom the soldier to the operation of loading the rifle.

All cartridges are secured five in a clip to enable five cartridges to be inserted into the magazine at one motion. Sixty ball cartridges in 12 clips are packed in a cloth bandoleer to facilitate issue and carrying. When full the bandoleer weighs about 3.88 pounds.

Bandoleers are packed 20 in a box, or 1,200 rounds in all. The full box weighs 99 pounds.

SECTION 2. CARE OF THE RIFLE.

Every part of the rifle must be kept free from rust, dust, and dirt, A dirty or rusty rifle is a sure sign that the soldier does not realize the value of his weapon, and that his training is incomplete. The rifle you are armed with is the most accurate in the world. If it gets dirty or rusty it will deteriorate in its accuracy and working efficiency, and no subsequent care will restore it to its original condition. The most important part of the rifle to keep clean is the bore. If, after firing, the bore is left dirty over night, it will be badly rusted in the morning, therefore your rifle must be cleaned not later than the evening of the day on which it was fired. The fouling of the blank cartridge is as dangerous to the bore as the fouling of the ball cartridge.

Never attempt to polish any part that is blued. If rust appears, remove, by rubbing with oil. Never use emery paper, pomade, or any preparation that cuts or scratches, to clean any part of the rifle.

To beautify and preserve the stock rub with raw linseed oil. The use of any other preparation on the stock is strictly forbidden.

Always handle your rifle with care. Don't throw it around as though it were a club. Don't stand it up against anything so that it rests against the front sight. Don't leave a stopper or a rag in the bore: it will cause rust to form at that point.

It may also cause the gun barrel to burst if a shot is fired before removing it.

Guard the sights and muzzle carefully from any blow that might injure them. The front sight cover should always be on the rifle except when rifle is being fired. This is especially necessary to protect the front sight while rifle is being carried in scabbard by a mounted man.

In coming to the "order arms," lower the piece gently to the ground.

When there is a cartridge in the chamber the piece is always carried locked. In this position the safety lock should be kept turned fully to the right, since if it be turned to the left nearly to the "ready" position and the trigger be pulled, the rifle will be discharged when the safety lock is turned to the "ready" position at any time later on.

Cartridges can not be loaded from the magazine unless the bolt is drawn fully to the rear. When the bolt is closed, or only partly open, the cut-off may be turned up or down as desired, but if the bolt is drawn fully to the rear, the magazine can not be cut off unless the top cartridge or the follower be pressed down slightly and the bolt be pushed forward so that the cut-off may be turned "off."

In the case of a misfire, don't open the bolt immediately, as it may be a hangfire. Misfires are often due to the fact that the bolt handle was not fully pressed down. Sometimes in pulling the trigger the soldier raises the bolt handle without knowing it.

Unless otherwise ordered, arms will be unloaded before being taken to quarters or tents, or as soon as the men using them are relieved from duty.

Keep the working parts oiled.

In every company there should be at least one copy of the Manual of the Ordnance Department ent.i.tled "Description and Rules for the Management of the U. S, Magazine Rifle." This manual gives the name and a cut of every part of the rifle, explains its use, shows how to take the rifle apart and care for the same, and also gives much other valuable and interesting information.

SECTION 3. CLEANING THE RIFLE.

"Cleaning the rifle,--(a) The proper care of the bore requires conscientious, careful work, but it pays well in the attainment of reduced labor of cleaning, prolonged accuracy life of the barrel, and better results in target practice. Briefly stated, the care of the bore consists in removing the fouling, resulting from firing, to obtain a chemically clean surface, and in coating this surface with a film of oil to prevent rusting. The fouling which results from firing is of two kinds--one, the products of combustion of the powder; the other, cupro-nickel sc.r.a.ped off (under the abrading action of irregularities or grit in the bore). Powder fouling, because of its acid reaction, is highly corrosive; that is, it will induce rust and must be removed.

Metal fouling of itself is inactive, but may cover powder fouling and prevent the action of cleaning agents until removed, and when acc.u.mulated in noticeable quant.i.ties it reduces the accuracy of the rifle.

(b) Powder fouling may be readily removed by scrubbing with hot soda solution, but this solution has no effect on the metal fouling of cupro-nickel. It is necessary, therefore, to remove all metal fouling before a.s.surance can be had that all powder fouling, has been removed and that the bore may be safely oiled. Normally, after firing a barrel in good condition the metal fouling is so slight as to be hardly perceptible. It is merely a smear of infinitesimal thickness, easily removed by solvents of cupro-nickel.

However, due to pitting, the presence of dust, other abrasives, or to acc.u.mulation, metal fouling may occur in clearly visible flakes or patches of much greater thickness, much more difficult to remove.

(c) In cleaning the bore after firing it is well to proceed as follows: Swab out the bore with soda solution (subparagraph j) to remove powder fouling. A convenient method is to insert the muzzle of the rifle into the can containing the soda solution and, with the cleaning rod inserted from the breech, pump the barrel full a few times. Remove and dry with a couple of patches.

Examine the bore to see that there are in evidence no patches of metal fouling which, if present, can be readily detected by the naked eye, then swab out with the swabbing solution--a dilute metal-fouling solution (subparagraph j). The amount of swabbing required with the swabbing solution can be determined only by experience, a.s.sisted by the color of the patches. Swabbing should be continued, however, as long as the wiping patch is discolored by a bluish-green stain. Normally a couple of minutes' work is sufficient. Dry thoroughly and oil.

(d) The proper method of oiling a barrel is as follows: Wipe the cleaning roll dry; select a clean patch and thoroughly saturate it with sperm oil or warmed cosmic, being sure that the cosmic has penetrated the patch; scrub the bore with the patch, finally drawing the patch smoothly from the muzzle to the breech, allowing the cleaning rod to turn with the rifling. The bore will be found now to be smooth and bright so that any subsequent rust and sweating can be easily detected by inspection.

(e) If patches of metal fouling are seen upon visual inspection of the bore the standard metal fouling solution prepared as hereinafter prescribed must be used. After scrubbing out with the soda solution, plug the bore from the breech with a cork at the front end of the chamber or where the rifling begins.

Slip a 2-inch section of rubber hose over the muzzle down to the sight and fill with the standard solution to at least one-half inch above the muzzle of the barrel. Let it stand for 30 minutes, pour out the standard solution, remove hose and breech plug, and swab out thoroughly with soda solution to neutralize and remove all trace of ammonia and powder fouling. Wipe the barrel clean, dry, and oil. With few exceptions, one application is sufficient, but if all fouling is not removed, as determined by careful visual inspection of the bore and of the wiping patches, repeat as described above.

(f) After properly cleaning with either the swabbing solution or the standard solution, as has just been described, the bore should be clean and safe to oil and put away, but as a measure of safety a patch should always be run through the bore on the next day and the bore and wiping patch examined to insure that cleaning has been properly accomplished. The bore should then be oiled, as described above.

(g) If the swabbing solution or the standard metal-fouling solution is not available, the barrel should be scrubbed, as already described, with the soda solution, dried, and oiled with a light oil. At the end of 24 hours it should again be cleaned, when it will usually be found to have "sweated"; that is, rust having formed under the smear of metal fouling where powder fouling was present, the surface is puffed up. Usually a second cleaning is sufficient, but to insure safety it should be again examined at the end of a few days, before final oiling. The swabbing solution should always be used, if available, for it must be remembered that each puff when the bore "sweats" is an incipient rust pit.

(h) A clean dry surface having been obtained, to prevent rust it is necessary to coat every portion of this surface with a film of neutral oil. If the protection required is but temporary and the arm is to be cleaned or fired in a few days, sperm oil may be used. This is easily applied and easily removed, but has not sufficient body to hold its surface for more than a few days.

If rifles are to be prepared for storage or s.h.i.+pment, a heavier oil, such as cosmic, must be used.

(i) In preparing arms for storage or s.h.i.+pment they should be cleaned with particular care, using the metal-fouling solution as described above. Care should be taken, insured by careful inspection on succeeding day or days, that the cleaning is properly done and all traces of ammonia solution removed. The bore is then ready to be coated with cosmic. At ordinary temperatures cosmic is not fluid. In order, therefore, to insure that every part of the surface is coated with a film of oil the cosmic should be warmed. Apply the cosmic first with a brush; then, with the breech plugged, fill the barrel to the muzzle, pour out the surplus, remove the breechblock, and allow to drain. It is believed that more rifles are ruined by improper preparation for storage than from any other cause. If the bore is not clean when oiled--that is, if powder fouling is present or rust has started--a half inch of cosmic on the outside will not stop its action, and the barrel will be ruined. Remember that the surface must be perfectly cleaned before the heavy oil is applied. If the instructions as given above are carefully followed, arms may be stored for years without harm.

(j) Preparation of solutions:

_Soda_solution_--This should be a saturated solution or sal soda (bicarbonate of soda). A strength of at least 20 per cent is necessary. The spoon referred to in the following directions is the model 1910 spoon issued in the mess outfit.

Sal soda, one-fourth pound, or four (4) heaping spoonfuls.

Water, 1 pint or cup, model of 1910, to upper rivets.

The sal soda will dissolve more readily in hot water.

_Swabbing_solution_.--Ammonium persulphate, 60 grains, one-half spoonful smoothed off.

Ammonia, 28 per cent, 6 ounces, or three-eighths of a pint, or 12 spoonfuls.

Water, 4 ounces, or one-fourth pint, or 8 spoonfuls.

Dissolve the ammonium persulphate in the water and add the ammonia.

Keep in tightly corked bottle; pour out only what is necessary at the time, and keep the bottle corked.

_Standard_metal_fouling_solution_.--Ammonium persulphate, 1 ounce, or 2 medium heaping spoonfuls.

Ammonium carbonate, 200 grains, or 1 heaping spoonful.