Without These Rifles, WW2 Might Have Had a Different Outcom

When the United States needed to fight on the battlefields in Europe and the Pacific, it needed reliable rifles in the hands of its troops. For this reason, the US developed many options, each with its own different capabilities, to ensure US troops could win any fight, no matter what kind of environment they were fighting in.

Were New Rifles Common?

It depends on the country as to whether they'd field new weapons. Countries like the United States didn't suffer the same setbacks as England or France in the wake of the First World War. As such, going into the war with newly developed weapons was a matter of cost.

Did Rifles Win Battles?

The rifle seems somewhat piddling compared to artillery, air support, and naval bombardment. However, the men on the ground with rifles held objectives for extended periods.

Were Assault Rifles Used During WW2?

There were prototypes and some concepts like the Sturmgewehr 44. However, these weren't widespread. The first real war to see the use of assault rifles would come in the form of the proxy wars that came about as a consequence of the Cold War.

Were There Sniper Rifles in WW2?

To an extent, yes. Sniper rifles were essentially modified stock service rifles, usually picked for accuracy and precision. Purpose-built sniper rifles weren't available just yet.

Were Anti-Tank Rifles Common?

At the beginning of the war, very much so. However, by 1943, there wasn't an effective means of disabling a tank with a rifle, so the rise of shaped charges and disposable launchers made for more effective anti-tank capabilities for infantry.

What Was the Role of the Rifleman in WW2?

That depends on the country. At its core, the rifleman is the most basic infantry unit. They would be used for holding firing lines and seizing objectives and were present at all levels of ground-based warfare. However, the doctrine behind riflemen would differ based on the operational needs of their country of origin.

63. Model 1889 Schmidt-Rubin

Year entered service: 1890
Type: Bolt-action service rifle
Country of origin: Switzerland
Action: Manually actuated straight-pull bolt-action system
Caliber & feed: 7.5x53.5mm Swiss & 5-,6-, or 12-round detachable box magazine

62. Rifle Model 1890 (Turkish Mauser)

Year entered service: 1890
Type: Bolt-action service rifle
Country of origin: Turkey
Action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system
Caliber & feed: 7.65x53mm Turkish Mauser; 8x57mm & 5-round internal magazine

61. Mosin-Nagant Model 1891

Year entered service: 1891
Type: Bolt-action service rifle
Country of origin: Russia
Action: Manual bolt-action
Caliber & feed: 7.62x54mmR; 7.62x53mmR; 7.92x57mm Mauser & 5-round integral magazine

60. Carcano Modello 1891 (M91)

Year entered service: 1892
Type: Bolt-action service rifle / infantry carbine
Country of origin: Italy
Action: Manually-operated bolt-action system
Caliber & feed: 6.5x52mm Mannlicher-Carcano; 7.35x51mm Carcano; 7.92x57mm Mauser & 6-round internal magazine

59. Krag-Jorgensen Model 1894

Year entered service: 1894
Type: Bolt-action service rifle
Country of origin: Norway
Action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system
Caliber & feed: 6.5x55mm M94 Norwegian Krag & 5-round integral magazine

58. Marlin Model 1894

Year entered service: 1894
Type: Carbine rifle
Country of origin: United States
Action: Manually-actuated lever-action system
Caliber & feed: .32-20 Winchester; .32 HR Magnum; .38 Spc & 6-,9-, or 10-round tubular magazine

57. Winchester Model 1894

Year entered service: 1894
Type: Lever-action rifle
Country of origin: United States
Action: Manually-actuated lever-action
Caliber & feed: .30-30 Winchester & 6- or 8-round tubular magazine

56. Lee-Enfield

Year entered service: 1895
Type: Bolt-action service rifle
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Action: Manually-operated bolt-action system
Caliber & feed: .303 MK VII SAA Ball & 10-round detachable box magazine

55. Mannlicher Model 1895

Year entered service: 1895
Type: Bolt-action service rifle
Country of origin: Austria-Hungary
Action: Manually-actuated straight-pull bolt; repeating
Caliber & feed: 8x50R Mannlicher & 5-round integral magazine

54. Mauser Model 1898 (Gew 98)

Year entered service: 1898
Type: Bolt-action service rifle
Country of origin: Germany
Action: Manually-actuated bolt mechanism
Caliber & feed: 7.92x57mm Mauser & 5-round clip with fixed integral magazine

53. Arisaka Type 30

Year entered service: 1899
Type: Bolt-action service rifle/infantry carbine
Country of origin: Japan
Action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system
Caliber & feed: 6.5x50mm Arisaka; .303 British & 5-round internal magazine

52. Mondragon Rifle (Fusil Mondragon)

Year entered service: 1900
Type: Semi-automatic service rifle
Country of origin: Mexico
Action: Gas-operated; rotating bolt; also manual bolt-action
Caliber & feed: 7x57mm Mauser & 8-,10-, or 20-round box; or 100-round drum magazine

51. Mannlicher-Schonauer Model 1903

Year entered service: 1903
Type: Bolt-action service rifle
Country of origin: Greece
Action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system
Caliber & feed: 6.5x54mm Mannlicher-Schonauer & 5-round rotating magazine

50. Springfield Model 1903 (M1903)

Year entered service: 1903
Type: Bolt-action service rifle/sniper rifle
Country of origin: United States
Action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system
Caliber & feed: .30-03; .30-06 Springfield & 5-round internal magazine

49. Model 1904 Vergueiro-Mauser

Year entered service: 1904
Type: Bolt-action service rifle
Country of origin: Portugal
Action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system
Caliber & feed: 6.5x58mm Vergueiro; 7x57mm Mauser & 5-round internal magazine

48. Arisaka Type 38

Year entered service: 1905
Type: Bolt-action service rifle/infantry carbine
Country of origin: Japan
Action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system
Caliber & feed: 6.5x50mm Arisaka; .303 British & 5-round internal magazine

47. Ross Rifle

Year entered service: 1905
Type: Straight-pull bolt-action service rifle
Country of origin: Canada
Action: Manual pull, bolt-action system
Caliber & feed: .303 British & 5-round magazine

46. Arisaka Type 44 Cavalry Rifle

Year entered service: 1912
Type: Carbine service weapon
Country of origin: Japan
Action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system
Caliber & feed: 6.5x50mm Arisaka; .303 British & 5-round internal magazine

45. Enfield Pattern 1914

Year entered service: 1914
Type: Bolt-action service rifle/sniper rifle
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system
Caliber & feed: .303 British & 5-round stripper clips

44. Fedorov Avtomat M1916

Year entered service: 1915
Type: Automatic rifle
Country of origin: Russia
Action: Short-recoil; locked breech; closed bolt; select-fire
Caliber & feed: 6.5x50mmSR Arisaka & 25-round detachable box magazine

43. Winchester Model 1915

Year entered service: 1915
Type: Lever-action rifle
Country of origin: United States
Action: Lever-action; repeat fire
Caliber & feed: 7.62x54mmR & 5-round internal magazine

42. Fusil Automatique Modele 1817 (Model 1917 RSC)

Year entered service: 1917
Type: Semi-automatic rifle/bolt-action service rifle
Country of origin: France
Action: Gas-operated; rotating belt
Caliber & feed: 8x50mmR Lebel & 5-round internal magazine

41. M1917 Enfield

Year entered service: 1917
Type: Bolt-action service rifle
Country of origin: United States
Action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system
Caliber & feed: 7.62x63mm (.30-06 Springfield) & 6-round magazine

40. Browning M1918 BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle)

Year entered service: 1918
Type: Light machine gun
Country of origin: United States
Action: Gas-operated piston; open-bolt; selective fire
Caliber & feed: .30-06 Springfield & 20-round detachable box magazine

39. Carl-Gustav m/21-m37

Year entered service: 1921
Type: Light machine gun
Country of origin: Sweden
Action: Gas-operated; tilting breach block
Caliber & feed: 6.5x55mm Swedish Mauser & 20-round detachable box magazine

38. Springfield Model 1922

Year entered service: 1922
Type: Bolt-action training rifle
Country of origin: United States
Action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system
Caliber & feed: .22LR & 5-round internal magazine

37. Ceska Zbrojovka vz. 24

Year entered service: 1924
Type: Bolt-action service rifle
Country of origin: Czechoslovakia
Action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system
Caliber & feed: 7.92x57mm Mauser; 7.57mm Mauser; 7.65x53mm Argentine & 5-round integral magazine

36. CZ Model 1924 (Mauser) Short Rifle

Year entered service: 1924
Type: Bolt-action service rifle
Country of origin: Guatemala
Action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system
Caliber & feed: 7x57mm Mauser & 5-round internal magazine

35. ZH-29

Year entered service: 1929
Type: Semi-automatic service rifle
Country of origin: Czechoslovakia
Action: Semi-automatic; gas-operated
Caliber & feed: 7.92x57mm Mauser & 5-,10-, or 20-round detachable box magazine

34. Fabrique Nationale FN M1930 (BAR)

Year entered service: 1930
Type: Light machine gun
Country of origin: Belgium
Action: Gas-operated; tilting breach block
Caliber & feed: 7.65x53mm Belgian Mauser & 20-round detachable box magazine

33. Fabrique Nationale FN Mle D (BAR)

Year entered service: 1932
Type: Light machine gun
Country of origin: Belgium
Action: Gas-operated; tilting breech block
Caliber & feed: 7.92x57mm Belgian Mauser; .30-06 Springfield; 7.62x51mm NATO & 20-round detachable box magazine

32. FEG 35M (Mannlicher M1935)

Year entered service: 1935
Type: Bolt-action service rifle
Country of origin: Hungary
Action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system
Caliber & feed: 8x56mmR Hungarian Mannlicher; 7.92x57mm Mauser & 5-round internal magazine

31. Kb wz.35 (Marosczek)

Year entered service: 1935
Type: Anti-tank rifle / anti-material rifle
Country of origin: Poland
Action: Manually-operated bolt-action system
Caliber & feed: 7.92x107mm DS & 4-round detachable box magazine

30. Mauser Karabiner Kar 98k

Year entered service: 1935
Type: Bolt-action service rifle
Country of origin: Germany
Action: Bolt-action
Caliber & feed: 7.92x57mm Mauser & 5-round internal magazine

29. Type 24 (Chiang Kai-Shek Rifle)

Year entered service: 1935
Type: Bolt-action service rifle
Country of origin: Taiwan
Action: Manually-actuated bolt-action; repeat-fire
Caliber & feed: 8x57mm IS (7.92x57mm Mauser) & 5-round internal magazine

28. M1 Garand

Year entered service: 1936
Type: Battle rifle
Country of origin: United States
Action: Self-loading; gas-action piston
Caliber & feed: .30-06 Springfield & 8-round internal clip

27. MAS 36 (modele 36 / mle 36)

Year entered service: 1936
Type: Bolt-action service rifle
Country of origin: France
Action: Manually-operated bolt-action system
Caliber & feed: 7.5x54mm & 5-round internal magazine

26. Winchester Model 70

Year entered service: 1936
Type: Bolt-action sniper rifle
Country of origin: United States
Action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system
Caliber & feed: .30-06 Springfield & 3-,4-, or 5-round box magazine

25. Arisaka Type 97

Year entered service: 1937
Type: Bolt-action sniper rifle
Country of origin: Japan
Action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system
Caliber & feed: 6.5x50mm Arisaka; .303 British & 5-round internal magazine

24. Boys 0.55in

Year entered service: 1937
Type: Anti-tank rifle / anti-material rifle
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Action: Manually-operated bolt-action system
Caliber & feed: 13.9mm (0.55 in) & 5-round detachable box magazine

23. Panzerbuchse 38 (PzB 38)

Year entered service: 1938
Type: Anti-tank rifle / anti-material rifle
Country of origin: Germany
Action: Single-shot; manually-actuated bolt-action
Caliber & feed: 7.92x94mm Patronen & Single shot

22. Solothurn S18-100

Year entered service: 1938
Type: Bullpup anti-tank rifle / anti-material rifle
Country of origin: Switzerland
Action: Semi-automatic
Caliber & feed: 20x105mmB; 20x138mmB Long & 5- or 10-round detachable box magazine

21. Tokarev SVT-38

Year entered service: 1938
Type: Semi-automatic service rifle
Country of origin: Soviet Union
Action: Self-loading; semi-automatic
Caliber & feed: 7.62x54mmR Russian & 10-round detachable box magazine

20. Arisaka Type 99

Year entered service: 1939
Type: Bolt-action service rifle/infantry carbine
Country of origin: Japan
Action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system
Caliber & feed: 7.7x58mm Arisaka & 5-round internal magazine

19. Panzerbuchse 39 (PzB 39)

Year entered service: 1939
Type: Anti-tank rifle / anti-material rifle
Country of origin: Germany
Action: Single-shot; manually-actuated bolt-action
Caliber & feed: 7.92x94mm Patronen & Single shot

18. Tokarev SVT-40

Year entered service: 1940
Type: Semi-automatic service rifle
Country of origin: Soviet Union
Action: Gas-operated, semi-automatic
Caliber & feed: 7.62x54mmR & 10-round detachable box magazine

17. Degtyarev PTRD 1941

Year entered service: 1941
Type: Anti-tank rifle / anti-material rifle
Country of origin: Soviet Union
Action: Manually-operated bolt; semi-automatic breach
Caliber & feed: 14.5x114mm & Single shot

16. Johnson Model 1941

Year entered service: 1941
Type: Semi-automatic rifle
Country of origin: United States
Action: Semi-automatic; short-recoil; rotating bolt
Caliber & feed: .30-06 Springfield; 7x57mm Mauser & 10-round cylindrical magazine

15. Remington Model 1903 (Springfield)

Year entered service: 1941
Type: Bolt-action service rifle
Country of origin: United States
Action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system
Caliber & feed: .30-06 Springfield & 5-round stripper clips

14. Walther Gewehr 41 (G41 / Gew 41)

Year entered service: 1941
Type: Semi-automatic service rifle
Country of origin: Germany
Action: Gas-operated; semi-automatic
Caliber & feed: 7.92x57mm Mauser & 10-round integral box magazine

13. Carl-Gustav m/42

Year entered service: 1942
Type: Semi-automatic service rifle
Country of origin: Sweden
Action: Gas-operated; direct impingement
Caliber & feed: 6.5x55mm Swedish Mauser; 7.92x57mm; 7.62x39mm Soviet' & 10-round detachable box magazine; 5-round stripper clips

12. Charlton Automatic Rifle

Year entered service: 1942
Type: Semi-automatic rifle / light machine gun
Country of origin: New Zealand
Action: Gas-operated; semi/full-automatic fire
Caliber & feed: .303 British & 10- or 30-round detachable box magazine

11. Fallschirmjagergewehr 42 (FG42 / FjG42)

Year entered service: 1942
Type: Automatic rifle / light machine gun
Country of origin: Germany
Action: Gas-operated; select fire
Caliber & feed: 7.92x57mm Mauser & 10- or 20-round detachable box

10. M1 Carbine

Year entered service: 1942
Type: Semi-automatic / full-automatic carbine
Country of origin: United States
Action: Gas-operated, short-stroke piston; semi-automatic
Caliber & feed: 30 M1 Carbine & 15- or 30-round detachable box magazine

9. Sturmgewehr 44 (StG44) / Maschinenpistole 44 (MP44)

Year entered service: 1942
Type: Assault rifle
Country of origin: Germany
Action: Gas-operated; locked-breech; tilting bolt; select-fire
Caliber & feed: 7.92x33mm Kurz & 30-round detachable box magazine

8. Walther Gewehr 43 (G43 / Gew 43)

Year entered service: 1943
Type: Semi-automatic service rifle
Country of origin: Germany
Action: Gas-operated; semi-automatic
Caliber & feed: 7.92x57mm Mauser & 10-round integral box magazine

7. Arisaka Type 4 / Type 5

Year entered service: 1944
Type: Semi-automatic service rifle
Country of origin: Japan
Action: Self-loading; gas-operated; rotating belt
Caliber & feed: 7.7x58mm Arisaka & 10-round integral magazine

6. M2 Carbine

Year entered service: 1944
Type: Select-fire automatic carbine
Country of origin: United States
Action: Selective-fire (semi/full-automatic) capability; gas-operated, short-stroke piston
Caliber & feed: 30 M1 Carbine & 15- or 30-round detachable box magazine

5. M3 Carbine

Year entered service: 1944
Type: Sniper carbine rifle
Country of origin: United States
Action: Selective-fire (semi/full-automatic) capability; gas-operated, short-stroke piston
Caliber & feed: 30 M1 Carbine & 15- or 30-round detachable box magazine