List of World War II weapons of the United States
Various firearms used by the United States military during World War II, displayed at the National Firearms Museum in Fairfax County, Virginia
The following is a list of World War II weapons of the United States , which includes firearm , artillery , vehicles , vessels , and other support equipment known to have been used by the United States Armed Forces —namely the United States Army , United States Army Air Forces , United States Marine Corps , United States Navy , and United States Coast Guard —as well as the Office of Strategic Services and other U.S. government agencies involved in the war, during American involvement between 1941 and 1945. This list includes experimental technology that, while created during the war, was never issued as intended.
Blades
Small arms
Pistols (manual and semi-automatic)
Image
Name
Type
Role/s
Action
Origin
Base model/s
Manufacturer/s
Cartridge/s
Effective firing range (m)
From (year)
Estimated wartime quantity
Unloaded wt (kg)
Notes
Colt M1911
Pistol
Sidearm
Recoil-operated (Short recoil )
United States
Colt Springfield
.45 ACP
1911
1.1
Colt M1903
Pistol
Sidearm
Blowback , single action
United States
Colt
.32 ACP (M1903).380 ACP (M1908)
1903
0.68
Colt New Service revolver
Revolver
Sidearm
Double action
United States
Colt
.45 ACP , .45 Colt , .44-40 Winchester , .38-40 , .44 Russian , .44 Special , .44-40 , .38 Special , .357 Magnum
1909
356000
Colt M1917 revolver
Revolver
Sidearm
Double action , rotating cylinder
United States
Colt
.45 ACP , .45 Auto Rim
1917
1.1
Smith & Wesson M1917 revolver
Revolver
Sidearm
Double/single action , swing-out cylinder
United States
Smith & Wesson
.45 ACP , .45 Auto Rim
1917
1.0
Colt Official Police
Revolver
Sidearm
Double action
United States
Colt
.22 Long Rifle , .32-20 , .38 Special , .38/200 , .41 Long Colt
1907
Smith & Wesson Model 10 revolver
Revolver
Sidearm
Double action
United States
Smith & Wesson
.38 Long Colt , .38 Special , .38 S&W
1899
0.907
Automatic pistols and submachine guns
Image
Name
Type
Role/s
Action
Origin
Base model/s
Manufacturer/s
Cartridge/s
Effective firing range (m)
Cyclic rate of fire (rpm)
From (year)
Estimated wartime quantity
Unloaded wt (kg)
Notes
M1 Thompson submachine gun
Submachine gun
Close-quarters , personal security
Blowback , blish lock
United States
pplicker (firearms) Blowback , blish lock
Auto-Ordnance Company
.45 ACP
150
700
1921
4.5-4.9
30-round magazine.
M2 Hyde
Submachine gun
Close-quarters , personal security
Blowback , open bolt
United States
Marlin firearms company
.45 ACP
570
1942
400
4.19
Never issued or saw service. The M2 Hyde was the gap between the M1 Thompson and the M3 grease gun. It was designed to be lighter and cheaper to produce than the Thompson (since the Thompson was an extremely expensive weapon). It succeeded at both goals, but it was almost immediately replaced by the cheaper grease gun. Used 20-round or 30-round Thompson magazines.
M3 and M3A1 submachine gun
Submachine gun
Close-quarters , personal security
Blowback , open bolt
United States
General Motors
.45 ACP
91
450
1943
655363
3.61-3.70
30-round magazine.
M50 Reising submachine gun
Submachine gun
Close-quarters , personal security
Blowback (Delayed blowback ), closed bolt
United States
Harrington & Richardson
.45 ACP
550
1941
2.8-3.1
United Defense M42
Submachine gun
Close-quarters , personal security
Blowback
United States
United Defense Supply Corp.
.45 ACP
700
1942
15000
4.54
25-round box magazine (also issued with two 25-round magazines welded face-to-face)
M55 Reising submachine gun
Submachine gun
Close-quarters , personal security
Blowback (Delayed blowback ), closed bolt
United States
Harrington & Richardson
.45 ACP
550
1941
Identical to the M50 SMG except it sported a wire stock and had no compensator. It also had a slightly shorter barrel. The M50 and M55 served as the go-to SMGs before the Thompson.
Rifles
Image
Name
Type
Role/s
Action
Origin
Base model/s
Manufacturer/s
Cartridge/s
Effective firing range (m)
From (year)
Estimated wartime quantity
Unloaded weight (kg)
Notes
M1903 Springfield
Standard rifle
Front-line
Bolt-action
United States
Gewehr 98
Springfield Armory
.30-03 ; .30-06 Springfield
610
1903
3000000~
3.9
M1903A4 sniper rifle
Sniper rifle
Long-Range Precision
Bolt-action
United States
Gewehr 98
Springfield Armory
.30-03 ; .30-06 Springfield
1000
1903
M1 Garand
Battle rifle
Front-line / Assault
Gas-operated , rotating bolt
United States
Springfield Armory , Winchester , Harrington & Richardson , International Harvester
.30-06 Springfield
457
1934
4.31 - 5.3
M1917 Enfield rifle
Standard rifle
Front-line
Bolt-action
United States
Winchester , Remington Arms , Eddystone Arsenal
.30-06 Springfield
549
1917
4.167
M1941 Johnson rifle
Battle rifle
Front-line / Assault
Recoil-operated (Short-recoil ), rotating bolt
United States
Johnson Automatics, Inc.
.30-06 Springfield
1941
70000~
4.31
Krag–Jørgensen
Standard rifle
Second-line
Bolt-Action
United States
Springfield Armory
.30-40 Krag
1892
3.82
Winchester Model 1895
Standard rifle
Front-line
Lever action
United States
Winchester , Browning Arms
.30-06 Springfield
1895
4.2
Winchester Model 70 sniper rifle
Sniper rifle
Long-Range Precision
Bolt-action
United States
Winchester , U.S. Repeating Arms
.30-06 Springfield
1936
2.7 - 3.6
Remington Model 8
Battle rifle
Front-line / Assault
Recoil-operated
United States
Remington Arms
1905
3.6
Carbines
Image
Name
Type
Role/s
Action
Origin
Base model/s
Manufacturer/s
Cartridge/s
Effective firing range (m)
Cyclic rate of fire (rpm)
From (year)
Estimated wartime quantity
Unloaded wt (kg)
Notes
M1 carbine
Carbine
Front-line / Assault / Close-quarters / Personal Security
Gas-operated (short-stroke piston ), rotating bolt
United States
General Motors , Winchester , Irwin-Pedersen , Underwood Elliot Fisher , National Postal Meter, Quality Hardware Manufacturing Corp., International Business Machines , Standard Products , Rock-Ola Manufacturing Corporation , Commercial Controls Corporation
.30 Carbine
275
270
1942
6121309
2.4
15-round box magazines, or 30-round curved magazines.
A common practice was to strap two 15-round magazine ammo pouches to the gun stock.
Marlin Model 1894
Carbine
Close-quarters / Personal Security
Lever action
United States
Marlin Firearms
30-30
137-183
91
1894
2.72 - 2.95
Winchester Model 1894
Carbine
Close-quarters / Personal Security
Lever action
United States
Winchester
30-30
137-183
91
1894
3.1
Shotguns
Grenades and grenade launchers
Mines
Recoilless rifles
Flamethrowers
Machine guns
Infantry and dual
Vehicle and aircraft machine guns and autocannons
Tanks
Light tanks
Medium tanks
Heavy tanks
Tank destroyers
Flamethrower tanks
Other vehicles
Passenger vehicles
Motorcycles
Amphibious vehicles
Trucks
Artillery
Infantry Guns
Infantry mortars
Heavy mortars and multiple rocket launchers
Self-propelled guns
Field artillery
Fortress and siege guns
Anti-tank guns
Anti-tank infantry weapons
See also
Citations
Bibliography
Hogg, Ian V. (1998). Allied Artillery of World War Two . Marlborough, UK: Crowood Press. ISBN 1-86126-165-9 .