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The M1 Garand or M1 rifle is a semi automatic rifle that was the service rifle of the U.S. Army during World War II and the Korean War.


The rifle is chambered for the .30-06 Springfield cartridge and is named after its Canadian-American designer, John Garand. It was the first standard issue autoloading rifle for the United States. By most accounts, the M1 rifle performed well. The M1 replaced the (bolt action) M1903 Springfield as the U.S. service rifle in 1936, and was itself replaced by the (selective fire) M14 rifle on the 26 of March 1958.


Some Garands were still being used by the United States into the Vietnam War in 1963, despite the M14's official adoption in 1958, it was not until 1965 that the changeover from the M1 Garand was fully completed in the active-duty component of the Army (with the exception of the sniper variants, which were introduced in World War II and saw action in Korea and Vietnam). The Garand remained in service with the Army Reserve, Army National Guard, and the Navy into the early 1970s. The South Korean Army was using M1 Garands in the Vietnam War until the late 60s.


Some military drill teams still use the M1 rifle, including the U.S. Marine Corps Silent Drill Team, the United States Air Force Academy Cadet Honor Guard, the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary, almost all Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) and some Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) teams of all branches of the U.S. military. It is also used by the drill team of His Majesty the King's Guard of Norway.


Due to widespread United States military assistance as well as their durability, M1 Garands have also been found in use in conflicts such as the insurgencies in Iraq and Afghanistan.