The maximum range, when elevated at an angle of 45 degrees, is 4,891 yards (389 yards less than 3 miles).
The smooth bore of the rifle is 0.30 inch in diameter. It is then rifled 0.004 inch deep, making the diameter from the bottom of one groove to the bottom of the opposite groove 0.308 inch. The rifling makes one complete turn in each 10 inches of the barrel.
The accompanying plate shows the names of the principal parts of the rifle.
The only parts of a rifle that an enlisted man is permitted to take apart are the bolt mechanism and the magazine mechanism. Learn how to do this from your squad leader, for you must know how in order to keep your rifle clean. Never remove the hand guard or the trigger guard, nor take the sights apart unless you have special permission from a commissioned officer.
The cartridge used for the rifle is called the .30-caliber model 1906 cartridge. There are four types of cartridges.
The ball cartridge consists of the brass case or shell, the primer, the charge of smokeless powder, and the bullet. The bullet has a sharp point, is composed of a lead core and a jacket of cupro nickel, and weighs 150 grains. The bullet of this cartridge, when fired from the rifle, starts with an initial velocity at the muzzle of 2,700 feet per second.
The blank cartridge contains a paper cup instead of a bullet. It is dangerous up to 100 feet. Firing with blank cartridges at a represented enemy at ranges less than 100 yards is prohibited.
The guard cartridge has a smaller charge of powder than the ball cartridge, and five cannelures encircle the body of the shell at about the middle to distinguish it from the ball cartridge. It is intended for use on guard or in riot duty, and gives good results up to 200 yards. The range of 100 yards requires a sight elevation of 450 yards, and the range of 200 yards requires all elevation of 650 yards.
The dummy cartridgeis tin plated and the shell is provided with six longitudinal corrugations and three circular holes. The primer contains no percussion composition. It is intended for drill purposes to accustom the soldier to the operation of loading the rifle.
All cartridges are secured five in a clip to enable five cartridges to be inserted into the magazine at one motion. Sixty ball cartridges in 12 clips are packed in a cloth bandoleer to facilitate issue and carrying. When full the bandoleer weighs about 3.88 pounds. Bandoleers are packed 20 in a box, or 1,200 rounds in all. The full box weighs 99 pounds.