Springfield rifle

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noun

a single-shot, breechloading .45-caliber rifle used by the U.S. Army from 1867 to 1893.

Also called Springfield 1903. a bolt-operated, magazine-fed, .30-caliber rifle adopted by the U.S. Army in 1903 and used during World War I.

a single-shot, muzzleloading rifle of .58-inch caliber, used by the Union Army during the Civil War.

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Origin of Springfield rifle

After Springfield, Mass., site of a federal armory that made the rifles

Words nearby Springfield rifle

spring ephemeral, springer, springer spaniel, spring fever, Springfield, Springfield rifle, spring for, springform pan, springhaas, springhalt, springhare

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use Springfield rifle in a sentence

In their midst stands a soldier with the Lebanese armed forces in a red beret, sporting an assault rifle and an unblinking stare.
A Sunni-Shia Love Story Imperiled by al Qaeda|Ruth Michaelson|December 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He used the powerful assault rifle issued to all guards on tower duty.
A Million Ways to Die in Prison|Daniel Genis|December 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
My rifle was in my shoulder in that familiar and powerful position.
I Shot Bin Laden|Elliot Ackerman|November 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I crossed the room with my rifle up, stood on top of the bed, and from my perch looked down at bin Laden.
I Shot Bin Laden|Elliot Ackerman|November 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST

At one point McShane stopped suddenly, and pointed to what looked like a rifle protruding from a window.
Honoring The Late John Doar, A Nearly Forgotten Hero Of The Civil Rights Era|Gary May|November 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
There was no fighting; a rifle shot now and then from the crests where we saw our fellows clearly.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I|Ian Hamilton
One Turkish Company, about a hundred strong, was making an ugly push within rifle shot of our ship.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I|Ian Hamilton
Our batteries last night did not fire a shot and the men had to drive back the enemy by rifle fire.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I|Ian Hamilton
MacRae's seat, stone-marker, and aboriginal spearhead; the three lined up like the sights of a modern rifle.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
In the fall the barrel of his rifle had been so covered with dead leaves and dust that he could not take aim.
Hunting the Lions|R.M. Ballantyne

British Dictionary definitions for Springfield rifle

Springfield rifle

noun

a magazine-fed bolt-action breech-loading .30 calibre rifle formerly used by the US Army

Word Origin for Springfield rifle

from Springfield, Massachusetts

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012