Manual

CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1. Purpose and Scope
a. This manual is a guide for commanders and
instructors in presenting instruction and training
in the mechanical operation of the Ml rifle. It
includes a detailed description of the rifle and its
general characteristics; procedures for disassem-
bly and assembly ; methods of loading; an ex-
planation of functioning; a discussion of stop-
pages and immediate action; a description of the
ammunition ; and instructions on the care and
cleaning of both the weapon and ammunition.
The material presented is applicable, without
modification, to both nuclear and nonnuclear
warfare.
b. Marksmanship training is covered in FM
23-71.
c. Users of this manual are encouraged to sub-
mit recommended changes or comments to im-
prove the manual. Comments should be keyed to
the specific page, paragraph, and line of the text
in which the change is recommended. Reasons
should be provided for each comment to insure
understanding and complete evaluation.
Com-
ments should be forwarded direct to the Com-
mandant, U.S. Army Infantry School, Fort Ben-
ning, Ga.
2. Importance of Mechanical Training
The rifle is the soldier’s basic weapon. It gives
him an individual and powerful capability for
combat. To get the most out of his individual
combat capability, the soldier must develop two
skills to an equal degree: he must be able to fire
his weapon well enough to get hits on battlefield
targets, and he must know enough about its
working parts to keep them operating smoothly
so the rifle will not fail him. The soldier gets his
firing skill on marksmanship training ranges and
he learns how to keep his rifle in firing condition
from the mechanical training that is outlined in
this manual.
3. Description of the Rifle
The U.S. rifle caliber .30, Ml, (fig. 1) is an
air-cooled, gas-operated, clip-fed, and semiauto-
matic shoulder weapon. This means that the air
cools the barrel ; that the power to cock the rifle
and chamber the succeeding round comes from
the expanding gas of the round fired previously ;
that it is loaded by inserting a metal clip (con-
taining a maximum of eight rounds) into the re-
ceiver ; and that the rifle fires one round each time
the trigger is pulled.
4. General Data
Weight :
Complete with sling, eight-
round clip and cleaning
equipment (approximate) _ 11% pounds.
Length :
Overall _____________ _____ _ 43inches.
Sighta :
Front _____________________ Fixed.
Rear _______ _____ ____ ______ Adjustable. One click
of elevation or wind-
age movea the strike
of the bullet .7 centi-
meters at 26 meters.
Trigger pull :
Minimum _________________ 5% pounds.
Maximum _________________ 7% pound&
Ammunition ___________________ See chapter 6.
Muzzle velocity (approximately) _ 853 metera (2,SOO feet )
per second.
Chamber pressure ______ ___ _____ 50,000 pounds per
square inch.
Maximum range________________ 3,200 meters.
Maximum effective range’______ 460 meters.
Maximum effective rate of flre *__ 16 to 24 rounds per
minute.
‘Maximum effective range ia the greatest dletance at which a
weapon mag be expected to 5re accurately to inflict caeualtiee or
damage.
*Althou h
trained ri eman can 5re 1 If
there is no
B
rescribed mnxlmum rate of fire, a
to 24 aimed rounds per minute.
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