U.S. Nomenclature

by
posted on November 20, 2014
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
qanda2015_fs.jpg

Q: I noticed in the "Forgotten Guns of D-Day" (June 2014, p. 42) that the bolt-action Springfield rifle was designated as the "M1903" or "M1903A3." But in other articles, I have seen it called a "U.S. Rifle, Caliber .30, Model of 1903." So why are there different names?

A: Before April 11, 1922, the U.S. Army Ordnance Dept. named all types of ordnance-including small arms-by identifying what is was, its ammunition and then the year of adoption. For example, the '03 Springfield was the "United States Rifle, Caliber .30, Model of 1903." In 1922, Ordnance went to a new system that included the name of the gun, the caliber and then an "M" followed by the year of adoption. Major changes would be represented in "Marks."

undefinedOn July 30, 1925, the Ordnance Dept. went to a briefer description of the item, its chambering, then a letter "M" and its number in order of adoption. Thus, John Garand's rifle became the "U.S. Rifle, Cal. .30, M1." If a design was already in service, it did not get a new number. Major changes would get a suffix, i.e., "Submachine Gun, Cal. .45, M1A1." Experimental or developmental guns were given a "T" prefix and an "E" suffix, i.e., T3E2, until May 8, 1958, when the prefix went to "XM." If the design was adopted, the "X" was simply dropped.

-Mark A. Keefe, IV, Editor In Chief

Latest

FN “Moroccan” Mauser, semi-automatic LRB M14SA
FN “Moroccan” Mauser, semi-automatic LRB M14SA

Scout The Trail To A General Purpose Rifle

The search for a universal longarm—one suitable for both hunting and defensive scenarios—is a trek that involves a bit of doubling back.

Trijicon Releases Green-Dot RMR

For the first time, the Trijicon RMR will now be available with a green aiming dot, providing some benefits to shooters with astigmatism and red-green color blindness.

The Armed Citizen® Sept. 15, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Firearm Industry Companies Consolidate, Others Close Doors In 2025

This year has already seen some big changes in the firearm industry. They don’t quite reach the tectonic shift in 2020, when legendary firms owned by Remington Outdoor were auctioned off, but there have still been some notable shifts within the industry in 2025.

Preview: Uni-Loader

The easy-to-use Uni-Loader can save high-volume shooters a lot of time and finger pain.

CZ 600+ Introduces Switch-Barrel Capability

In 2025, CZ USA expanded its 600 series rifle lineup with the CZ 600+, a design that delivers on the company's promise of a switch-barrel platform.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.