History Lesson: The Springfield Armory

"Like a huge organ, rise the burnished Arms" - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

While Mr. Longfellow wrote that line in an anti-war poem, it does do some justice to the arms behemoth that was Springfield Armory.

I say it WAS Springfield Armory because the original armory is not in use anymore. Closing its doors as an arsenal for the last time in 1968, Springfield Armory stands as a Historical Site in western Massachusetts. The Springfield Armory that is in business today is a separate entity from the original company and located in Geneseo, Illinois. But we will discuss that later. For now, let's celebrate the history of the First National Armory of the United States of America.

Initially a training ground for militia in western Massachusetts, the bluff on which the old armory sits was considered "...perhaps one of the most proper spots on every account." by General Henry Knox. The bluff sat very strategically for Patriot colonists of the Revolutionary War. It was at the intersection of 3 rivers (The Connecticut, The Westfield and The Chicopee) and 4 major roads at the time, headed to New York City, Albany, NY, Boston, MA and Montreal in Canada. Another advantageous feature was that the site was positioned just upriver from the Enfield Falls on the Connecticut River which prevented ocean-going ships from reaching the armory. By all accounts, this facility was positioned perfectly to protect itself from the turbulence around it for the next few centuries.

After personally scouting and evaluating the site, General George Washington approved for the Armory to be built and put to use.

The Armory itself served as a storage site for muskets, cannons and other Revolutionary War implements. During the year 1777, Patriots expanded the area around the Armory, adding barracks, storehouses, a magazine and various shops to help manufacture and repair arms. By 1780 Springfield Arsenal (as it was known then) was a major center for manufacturing of arms and armament. This was the reason that Daniel Shays, a Revolutionary War veteran, sought to capture the Armory during Shay's Rebellion: The rebellion of veterans and farmers who were subjected to unnecessary hardship under the Massachusetts government following the War.

As an increase in production became necessary, the Springfield Armory expanded to include a water-powered plant that helped foster mass production. A foundry was also located nearby which helped the Armory become more self sufficient.

Springfield Armory expansion at Watershops Pond on the Mill River.

Springfield Armory's rapid expansion can be seen in the products that were manufactured on the site: brass ordnance, howitzers, iron shot and musket balls just to name a very few. Springfield Armory even produced the U.S.'s first musket in 1795. This was only the beginning! It can be said that the city of Springfield through the Armory had a hand in beginning the Industrial Revolution. There was the development of a special lathe by Thomas Blanchard which allowed unskilled laborers to make identical stocks by following the shape of a pre-designed stock. Percussion caps were beginning to be utilized in the 1840's which simplified rifles and muskets. Advances in machinery and gauges, among other implements, enhanced the mass production capabilities of the Armory. The benefit of having interchangeable parts amongst firearms was a major one for the military and militia of the time.

In 1891, The U.S. Army assigned Springfield Armory with an additional function of being a research and development laboratory. The new R&D department found use following the Spanish-American War and the experiences by American soldiers by the muzzle of Mauser Model 1893's. Utilizing the Springfield "Trapdoor" Model 1873's and Krag-Jorgensen rifles, American soldiers were mowed down by the more reliable, fast loading and accurate Mauser rifles with the 7mm rounds. This led Springfield Armory to develop a new rifle to keep up with the German designer: The Springfield M1903 bolt action rifle. This wasn't much of a new design as it was a REdesign of Mauser features on the American made rifle. Mauser actually sued the United States government for $3,000,000 in royalties.

Top is the Mauser Model of 1893. Middle/Bottom is Springfield M1903

The advent of World War I saw Springfield Armory struggling to meet the demands of the Army. The government was forced to seek additional contracts with Rock Island Arsenal and Remington, as well as Winchester, to outfit the military.

In 1919, something magical happened: 31 year old John Garand came to work with Springfield to begin a project to bring a semi-automatic rifle into service. 5 years, and many scrapped designs later, a rifle was given the go-ahead by the Army. This rifle would be named the United States Rifle, Caliber 30, M1 or "Garand" for short, and it would begin one of the most massive undertakings in American riflemaking history. Following the adoption of the rifle in 1936 and during the entire life of the production of the M1, there were over 4.5 million made by Springfield Armory. The rifle was also not this high in demand by fluke. Generals Douglas MacArthur and George S. Patton Jr. both endorsed the resilience and quality of the firearm. Patton even went so far as to consider the M1 "the greatest battle implement ever devised", taking into consideration the ability of the firearm to produce superior firepower in the heat of battle.

The United States Rifle, Caliber.30, M1 "Garand"

After the M1 Garand, Springfield Armory produced another popular model: The United States Rifle, 7.62 mm, M14, considered the last of the "battle rifle" type weapons with high power rifle cartridges. While the rifle was produced significantly less than the M1, 1,376,031 or roughly a third, it was based off of an extensive line of improvements to the proven M1 design. Ultimately, the M14 became the standard issue rifle of the US military from 1959 to 1970. The rifle was utilized primarily as a basic and advanced training implement but was issued to soldiers and Marines in the US, Europe and Korea. To this day, the M14 is issued in limited quantities to front line soldiers, typically in a sniper rifle function as the M21 or M25, and as a ceremonial weapon for color guards or even drill teams. The M14 is considered the last of the "battle rifle" type weapons with high power rifle cartridges. The M14 utilizes the 7.62x51mm round, commercially known as the .308 Winchester cartridge, which is a .30 caliber projectile on a .300 Savage brass with stronger powder that gives the smaller cartridge very similar ballistics and power to the 30-06 in the M1 Garand.

United States Rifle, 7.62 mm, M14

While the M14 type rifle was the last of the small arms designed and produced by Springfield Armory, the company continued to support the Vietnam War effort by producing machine guns and other weapons. Springfield Armory served more as a design and planning site than an actual production facility. In 1968, Springfield Armory officially shut down production and was added to the National Registry of Historical Places. The main Arsenal buildings have been renovated and turned into a museum while other buildings on the property have been utilized for Springfield Technical Community College.

The Springfield Armory name is still in use today, albeit not in relation to the original company. Elmer C Ballance purchased the rights to the name "Springfield Armory" for his company LH Manufacturing in San Antonio, TX. Ballance later sold his company to the Reese family who still own the company today in Geneseo, IL. Currently, Springfield Armory Inc. is a major firearms manufacturer and importer that has expanded on the old federal armory's M14 rifle, currently designated the M1A. It also produces its own M1911 pistols, running a shop that builds customized M1911's by customer order. One of Springfield Armory Inc.'s most popular firearms is the Croatian-made HS2000 pistol, rechristened the XD or eXtreme Duty in the States.

Top: XD Bottom L: 1911 Bottom R: M1A Socom

That about wraps up the history of The Springfield Armory. I hope you've enjoyed this report on the longest lived Federal Armory in our young nation. Many of the county's most iconic firearms have been designed in the walls of the Springfield, MA shops and Arsenal. While the current company is not an actual continuation of the original Armory, it still makes a continuation of the old and honored Springfield name. I personally look forward to seeing what the future holds for this company.

Until next time, Remember: Old firearms are awesome pieces of history. Learn all you can about them and you can learn alot about the world around you and how it came to be. Take good care of them and pass them on. "The only enemy to a gun is rust and politicans." God Bless our America!