▁receiver ▁to ▁indicate ▁the ▁wind age ▁setting ▁were ▁ 4 ▁MO A ▁apart . ▁The ▁front ▁sight ing ▁element ▁consisted ▁of ▁a ▁wing ▁gu ards ▁protected ▁front ▁post . ▁ ▁During ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁the ▁M 1 ▁rif le ' s ▁sem ia ut om atic ▁operation ▁gave ▁United ▁States ▁inf antry men ▁a ▁significant ▁advantage ▁in ▁fire power ▁and ▁shot - to - shot ▁recovery ▁time ▁over ▁enemy ▁inf antry men ▁armed ▁primarily ▁with ▁b olt - action ▁rif les . ▁The ▁semi - autom atic ▁operation ▁and ▁reduced ▁re co il ▁allowed ▁soldiers ▁to ▁fire ▁ 8 ▁r ounds ▁as ▁quickly ▁as ▁they ▁could ▁pull ▁the ▁trigger , ▁without ▁having ▁to ▁move ▁their ▁hands ▁on ▁the ▁rif le ▁and ▁therefore ▁dis rupt ▁their ▁firing ▁position ▁and ▁point ▁of ▁aim . ▁The ▁Gar and ' s ▁fire ▁rate , ▁in ▁the ▁hands ▁of ▁a ▁trained ▁soldier , ▁aver aged ▁ 4 0 – 5 0 ▁accurate ▁sh ots ▁per ▁minute ▁at ▁a ▁range ▁of ▁ 3 0 0 ▁yards ▁( 2 7 0 ▁m ). ▁" At ▁ranges ▁over ▁ 5 0 0 ▁yards ▁( 4 6 0 ▁m ), ▁a ▁battle field ▁target ▁is ▁hard ▁for ▁the ▁average ▁rif le man ▁to ▁hit . ▁Therefore , ▁ 5 0 0 ▁yards ▁( 4 6 0 ▁m ) ▁is ▁considered ▁the ▁maximum ▁effective ▁range , ▁even ▁though ▁the ▁rif le ▁is ▁accurate ▁at ▁much ▁greater ▁ranges ." ▁ ▁En ▁b loc ▁clip ▁ ▁The ▁M 1 ▁rif le ▁is ▁fed ▁by ▁an