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Revolutionary War - Brown Bess Musket
One of the most commonly used long arms in the American Revolution by both British and American troops was the British Short Land Pattern "Brown Bess" Musket. It weighed over 10 pounds, used a flintlock mechanism that took several steps to reload, and lacked accuracy beyond short ranges. -
War of 1812 - US Musket Model 1795
During the War of 1812, the US Army continued to use flintlock muskets. These were manufactured in the United States based on a French design. -
Civil War - Springfield Model 1861
The Union Army primarily used a rifled musket, Model 1861 (and eventually its successor, the Model 1863) during the Civil War. The rifled barrels were capable of significantly improved accuracy over traditional smooth-bore musket barrels. However, the muzzle-loading mechanism still took time to reload between each shot. -
World War I - M1903 Springfield
By the First World War, the US Army had adopted a breech-loading repeating rifle, the Springfield Model 1903. Its bolt-action mechanism was capable of firing several .30-06 caliber rounds from an internal magazine in relatively quick succession, and was both more reliable and more accurate than any of its predecessors. -
World War II - M1 Garand
Famously described by General George S. Patton as "the greatest battle implement ever devised," the M1 Garand was used by US troops in both the European and Pacific theaters of the Second World War. It was the first standard issue rifle in the world capable of semiautomatic fire, with troops being able to fire 8 rounds of .30-06 in seconds before reloading. -
Vietnamese War - M16 Rifle
Shortly into the conflict in Vietnam, the US Army switched to a lighter assault rifle, the Colt Model 16. It was capable of both automatic and semiautomatic fire, and used the new NATO 5.56x45mm standard round. Many of its parts were made of modern plastics in an attempt to reduce weight, but soldiers in the jungles of Vietnam reported frequent jamming issues with the new rifle. -
Afghanistan and Beyond - M4 Carbine
The M4 Carbine is a shorter, lighter version of the M16 platform. It uses the same 5.56x45mm NATO round, and has been used by American forces since 1994. Troops deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq frequently made use of the M4's adaptability by installing grips, sights, grenade launchers and other accessories to be effective in specific combat situations.
