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Title:	RIFLE, MILITARY -  U.S. RIFLE M1C .30 SN# 3717238
Maker/Manufacturer:	GARAND, JOHN C.
Date of Manufacture:	04/01/1945
Eminent Figure:
Catalog Number:	SPAR 3357
Measurements:	OL:110.4C 43 1/2" BL: 60.9C 24"

Object Description:

U.S. RIFLE M1C .30 SN# 3717238
Manufactured by Springfield Armory, Springfield, Ma. - The caliber .30 U.S. rifle M1C (Sniper's) is a gas-operated, semiautomatic, clip-fed, shoulder weapon used for sniping. It is identical to the caliber .30 U.S. rifle M1 except that a bracket is assembled to the left side of the receiver for mounting a telescope. It also has a removable flash hider assembled to the front end of the barrel and a cheek pad laced to the stock. The telescope can be mounted without removing the iron sights. Weapon weighs approximately 9 lbs. 12 oz. without equipment. Muzzle velocity 2800 fps. Maximum range 3500 yards. The M1C was adopted in June 1944. SPAR-7188 attached.

Markings:
Receiver: U.S. RIFLE/CAL..30 M1/SPRINGFIELD/ARMORY/3717238.
Bolt: D28287-19SA/B-18.
Barrel: S-A-3-51.
Stock: P in circle.
Mount: 3717238 (side). 3447471.

Weapon transferred to the Museum on 8 March 1962. At that time weapon was appraised at $230.00.

Notes: "Inasmuch as the M1 rifle was the standard infantry arm, considerable thought had been given to the modification of the weapon as a replacement for the Cal..30 M1903A4 sniper. Several M1 sniper rifles were made up during early 1944, incorporating several type of mounts and telescopes. Based upon test results, and recommendations by the Infantry Board and Headquarters, Army Ground Forces, it was decided that the Lyman M73 telescope, be used until such time as a new telescope could be developed. The M73 was modified to include a one inch movable sun shield and a rubber eye cup. The rifle with the modified telescope, offset to the left, and fitted with a leather cheek rest, was standardized as U.S. Rifle Cal .30 M1C (Sniper). At the same time it was recommended that the Cal..30 M1903A4 be classified as a limited standard article.
The essential points of difference between the two sniper rifles are as follows:
RIFLE CAL .30 1903A4
a. Telescope mounted on top of receiver
b. Uses Weaver telescope
c. No standard front and rear sight available.
d. Telescope not readily removed or remounted.
e. Rifle, bolt action; magazine must be singly loaded.

RIFLE CAL.30 M1C
a. Telescope mounted on left side wall of receiver.
b. Uses Lyman or other improved telescope.
c. Standard front and rear sights always useable.
d. Telescope readily removed or remounted.
e. Rifle, semiautomatic; can be clip loaded....

Delivery of M1C or Sniper Rifles had been scheduled to start toward the end of 1944. However, only eleven of those rifles were delivered before 1945.
The M1C Rifle is a standard M1 Rifle, with the addition of a telescopic sight mounted above and slightly to the left of the center line of the receiver. Flash hiders were also provided. The mount was in two parts, one part of which was permanently attached to the receiver, the other to the telescope. Several types of mounts had been designed experimentally. The one selected was not one of those proposed by the Armory.
Accuracy specifications for targeting of the M1C Rifle called for a slightly smaller group size than for the standard M1 Rifle. To meet this requirement, it would have bene necessary to use specially selected M1 Rifles. However, the method of assembling the mount to the receiver of the rifle, which made it necessary to send the unheated-treated receivers to Griffin & Howe Company in New York for installation of the mount, and then return this assembly to the Armory for heat treating, prevented such selection of rifles.
Telescopes for this weapon were procured by the Artillery Branch of the Ordnance Office and shipped to the Armory for assembly to the M1C Rifles. Delay in receipt of these scopes prevented the Armory from making scheduled deliveries in the early part of 1945. Later schedules were not met because of the difficulty had with meeting accuracy requirements for this weapon, it being found that the average accuracy of the M1C rifle when assembled was poorer than than of the standard M1 rifle.
Considerable research and experimentation was necessary to determine the reasons for this, andOne controversial factor in the accuracy of this weapon was the accuracy of the ammunition itself, it being the contention of certain personnel at the Armory that the ammunition available for targeting was not in itself accurate enough to meet the accuracy requirements set up for the rifle.
To obtain better accuracy, toward the end of this period the Armory began to produce critical parts of the Sniper Rifle to closer tolerances than the maximum allowed by the component drawings for regular production." - Army Summary

References:
Gilbert, Adrian. SNIPER. St. Martin's Paperbacks. N.Y., N.Y. 1994.

SNL B-21, FM 23-5, TM9-1275, TM9-2205.