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!

Constitutionally Correct: The History of The Second Amendment.

The Bill of Rights of The Constitution of The United States of America.

One of the most unnecessarily argued amendments of the Constitution.

Greetings everyone. I am going to start getting things rolling here by discussing the history surrounding the Constitution, specifically the Second Amendment. As a gun owner and an avid supporter of the right to own guns with minimal interference, I wanted to help enlighten those who rarely see beyond the above transcription from the document that helped establish this country. We will discuss where the 2nd Amendment came from, who was key in authoring it and why it is important, even in today's "civilized" society. A word beforehand: I don't claim to be an expert on American history. I am doing my own research and showing how I, and many citizens of this country, have come to the conclusions we have. Now, with no further gilding the lilly, let's dive into this thing!

The Consitution of the United States of America was drafted on August 6th, 1787 after the Constitutional Convention debated back and forth over the balance of power. As you may know, some in the Continental Congress believed that there was a need for a strong federal government while others believed that the State governments, which had taken the majority of control following the end of the Revolutionary War, should retain their measure of strength. Several plans and compromises had to be made which led to the Constitution that we know today. For more information regarding the Constitution, you may visit Archives.gov

Now, the leaders of the new United States had a big issue on their hands. The Constitution, as it was ratified on January 9th, 1788, was seen by those in congress calling themselves Anti-Federalist as laying the groundwork for a strong, and eventually corrupt, Federal Government. After their, shall we say, "disagreement" with Great Britain, who could blame them? Alternately, the Federalists, seeing the troubles of each individual state as well as issues between states, believed that a strong central government was the way to go. Indeed it was a significant rift between parties and as the Constitution was ratified by only 5 of the 9 needed states, a major compromise had to be made.

Enter James Madison. A statesman from Virginia and oftentimes referred to as the Father of the Constitution as well as the Father of the Bill of Rights. As such, this man was instrumental in helping the young United States become the country it is. Before all of that, however, he considered himself a Federalist, strongly opposing the idea of such a Bill. One reason he gave was that, at the state levels, such Bills amounted to little more than paper barriers. Another was that enumeration of specific rights could be construed that only THOSE rights were protected and others were not. However, thanks to the wise words of his friend, Thomas Jefferson, he was taken by the idea that, as much as a strong Federal Government was necessary, it made the State Governments weak by comparison through the existing form of the Constitution. He also faced pressure from the Anti-Federalists who claimed they would call on another Constitutional Convention in order to satisfy the needs of the people. As the government was in a state of construction and couldn't wait for another convention to convene, Madison was convinced to introduce the Bill of Rights so that the needs of the Federalists and Anti-Federalists could be served. He wrote, on October 17, 1788 that such "fundamental maxims of free Government" would be "a good ground for an appeal to the sense of community" against potential oppression and would "counteract the impulses of interest and passion."

James Madison: 4th President of the United States of American and "The Father of the Constitution"

Originally, the Bill contained 17 amendments or articles and was slimmed down by the First US Senate to 12. At this time, the 2nd Amendment that we all know and love was actually the fifth article in the original bill. It read:

"A well regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, being the best security of a free state, the right of the people to keep an bear arms shall not be infringed, but noone religiously scrupulous of bearing arms, shall be compelled to render military service in person."

A partial picture of the Original 17 Amendments, featuring the 5th Article which would become the 2nd Amendment.

A well regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, being the best security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed, but no one religiously scrupulous of bearing arms, shall be compelled to render military service in person. - See more at: http://www.sethkaller.com/item/182-First-Draft-of-the-Bill-of-Rights:-17-Amendments-Approved-by-the-House-(SOLD)#sthash.PE2MmCBM.dpuf

After the Senate slimmed the Bill of Rights down to 12, a more familiar language for the 2nd Amendment was adopted.

"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

Upon the acceptance of the Bill of Rights, and more importantly the acceptance by Anti-Federalists, the Constitution of the United States of America was ratified and signed on September 17, 1787. Since then, the Second Amendment of the Bill of Rights has been the law of the land, protecting those that bear arms in the name of defense of their life, liberty and property. It has been said that the 2nd protects the 1st (Amendment that is) but it is also true that the 2nd Amendment is there to protect the entire Bill of Rights.

Now that we have discussed HOW the 2nd Amendment came about, we will talk about the WHY.

We could look as far back as the first guns but for the interest of brevity we will start at the early settlers of America. These settlers believed in numerous reasons for having and bearing arms, among them include bearing arms for personal and community defense, organizing militias in defense of the state and, in a last resort, as a means of insurrection against an oppressive government.

Pre-Revolutionary War conflicts were fairly often. Even European conflicts spilled over into their American interests. An excellent example would be the French and Indian War, also known as the Seven Year War, which pitted French forces against English colonials (and later English regulars) over frontier land. English colonials on the edge of the frontier faced aggression from French forces without much early assistance from British Parliament. If firearms were not available to these colonists, they may well have been even harder pressed to defend themselves and their communities from French invasion.

Incidentally, due to financial depletion, Parliament began to pursue means of generating additional revenue following the French and Indian War. One way that the British used to generate this revenue was to tax the American colonies. This "Taxation without Representation" was a combination of several acts by the British government passed into law which the colonists felt were oppressive. With British threatening to enforce laws though military strength and Patriots threatening to fight and die rather than live under the tyranny of British rule, tensions reached an all time high. As a result, Royal Governor, General Thomas Gage sent British regular military to confiscate gun powder from colonists whom he believed would rebel. Furthermore, Parliament passed laws preventing importation of firearms and powder to the colonies to stem an uprising.

General Thomas Gage. This is why we can't have nice things.

The Patriots, however, did not respond well to the threat of force. As the British attempted to exert more control over the colonists, the more the colonists fought back, thus sparking the Revolutionary War.

As we can see by the issues faced by the American colonists, it was very important that they retain their right to bear arms. If they had allowed the British to confiscate their firearms, then who knows what exactly would have happened. I can guarantee that this country would not be the same one that we enjoy today. Because the colonists chose to not just follow what they were told blindly, they fought off the oppression that threatened to contain them.

It is in that spirit of protecting their right to defend themselves against all enemies that the 2nd Amendment was born. The Amendment that defends all of the others and ensures safety for all. Sadly, it seems that some don't see it that way. Ever since 1822 (and probably earlier) the individual right to keep and bear arms has been challenged in court. Specifically in the Kentucky court case of Bliss v. Commonwealth, the right to bear arms was "limited" by the Kentucky legislature. The original court case defended the right of the state to prevent citizens from carrying weapons in a concealed manner and thus found Bliss guilty and enacted a fine on him for $100. (A big deal at the time) Bliss appealed the decision, however, and it was shown that Kentucky's own constitution contradicted itself on the grounds that, while it said that citizen's could not carry concealed weapons, it also stated that "The right of the citizens to keep and bear arms in defence of themselves and the state shall not be questioned". The court ultimately accepted that the act of restraining concealed weapons was null and void. Thus the first court battle over the right to bear arms, concealed or otherwise, was won.

Since then, the battle over the right to keep and bear arms has been slowly increasing. Many of the same arguments are used against the 2nd Amendment today as were used almost a century ago. "Why do you need  __insert firearm type here__?" or "That's why we have police and the military, so you don't need this, that and the other thing." and even "We want to get rid of this or that so that they dont fall into the hands of criminals or, if it does, they cant massacre all kinds of people at once". In another post I will answer each of these questions, but I am already getting long winded. Forgive me lol.

Anyhow, the need for firearms in the hands of citizens is just as important today as it was in the Frontier days of the colonies and the Revolutionary War. While, of course, we in the United States have not had a serious armed conflict since the Civil War, the possibility of conflict always exists. As long as there are those who wish to do harm to the country and her people, the threat exists.

Even though open war has not existed on our soil in a long time, we still deal with violence on the streets, usually on an individual level. FBI data shows that, in 2011, there were 12,664 murders in the US. Of these, 8,583 occurred with a firearm. Before we go crazy over the fact that the majority of murders are committed with a firearm, the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council (commissioned by the Centers for Disease Control) found that "almost all national survey estimates indicate that defensive gun uses by victims are at least as common as offensive uses by criminals with estimates of annual uses ranging from 500,000 to more than 3 million per year." So, if we are conservative with the estimates, it still means that guns are at least as useful for defense as they are in the commission of a crime (considering all crimes in which firearms are involved in an offensive manner)

Right there is one of the best reasons for the Right to Bear Arms: Self defense and self preservation. As sad as it is that people are the victims of violence involving firearms, there is no proof that warrants placing limitations on the right of responsible and law abiding people to own and use a gun in self defense. Ultimately, that only leads to the criminal having the ability to acquire a gun and utilize it to take from another person. Meanwhile, the citizen who does not want to get in trouble with Law Enforcement will do his best to put up an adequate defense but, lets face it, a bat is not a good enough substitute for a pistol when defending the home.

I always loved this little pearl of "wisdom"

 I will leave this post at that for now as I could find myself rambling LOL. I hope you enjoyed this segment discussing the How and Why of the Second Amendment and if you have any questions/comments/concerns please voice them. Until the next episode, Remember to keep your finger off the trigger until ready to fire. God Bless our America!

The Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council - See more at: http://cnsnews.com/news/article/cdc-study-use-firearms-self-defense-important-crime-deterrent#sthash.bbvMEsMJ.dpuf

The Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council - See more at: http://cnsnews.com/news/article/cdc-study-use-firearms-self-defense-important-crime-deterrent#sthash.bbvMEsMJ.dpuf