Steel & Walnut

flatdarkmars · February 11, 2011, 12:08:49 PM

M1896 Springfield Krag(s).

The upper rifle pictured was issued to Company B, 4th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, which deployed to Puerto Rico during the Spanish-American war. The following is an excerpt from a letter written by William Weinsheimer, a 4th PA soldier, 4 August 1898:

QuoteI was on picket duty and I thought I saw someone and reported it. Then everyone watched for all he was worth. Then up out of the grass bobbed heads and it was dark and we thought a Spanish army was advancing on us. And we were just one Company. That is 100 men. Then came the command . Ready. Aim. Fire. We all thought this would be a hot battle and we let drive where ever we saw anything bob above the grass. After about the third volley the officers saw that our enemies where nothing but a herd of cattle in the next field. They were pretty well filled with shot.

I'm guessing they ate well the next day.

More pictures (different guns!) tomorrow...

MountainDon · February 12, 2011, 01:35:16 AM

Slight differences in the stocks behind the bolt. Any significance?

February 12, 2011, 02:00:40 AM

Next up: Fusil Mauser Español Modelo 1893. Hecho por Fabrica de Armas Oviedo, 1896. Also shown with M1896 Krag for historical comparative purposes. Four-digit serial without series prefix; among the first of the type to be produced in Spain; earlier M1893s were made for Spain in Germany.

QuoteTheodore Roosevelt on the action at Las Guasimas:

"...as we advanced we were, of course, exposed... But they themselves were entirely invisible. The jungle covered everything, and not the faintest trace of smoke was to be seen in any direction to indicate from whence the bullets came."

More pictures (different guns!) tomorrow...

flatdarkmars · February 12, 2011, 02:02:03 AM

Quote from: MountainDon on February 12, 2011, 01:35:16 AM
Slight differences in the stocks behind the bolt. Any significance?

Top one was sanded at some point; otherwise no.

flatdarkmars · February 13, 2011, 02:24:35 AM

Next up: M1903 Springfield. Made 1919, 12-18 dated barrel.

Above and below: with predecessor and successor for comparison.

More pictures (different guns!) tomorrow...

February 13, 2011, 07:45:35 PM

Are the Mausers .318 or .323

if they are .323 the can be loaded up to almost 30 06 levels

mine is quite accurate to boot

wish I had my Dad's Springfield -- almost as nice as your 03

flatdarkmars · February 13, 2011, 09:08:30 PM

Quote from: Windpower on February 13, 2011, 07:45:35 PM
Are the Mausers .318 or .323

The only Mauser here is .285 ... because the Spanish Mauser fires the 7x57mm cartridge.

flatdarkmars · February 14, 2011, 02:01:08 AM

Next up: CMP Springfield Armory M1 Garand. Born July 1942.

QuoteGeneral George S. Patton Jr., 26 January, 1945:
"In my opinion, the M1 Rifle is the greatest battle implement ever devised."

More pictures (different guns!) tomorrow...

Shawn B · February 14, 2011, 11:51:07 AM

What is the correct term for the "loading block" that the M1 uses?

February 14, 2011, 12:52:22 PM

Quote from: Shawn B on February 14, 2011, 11:51:07 AM
What is the correct term for the "loading block" that the M1 uses?

It's an "en bloc" clip.

gandalfthegrey · February 14, 2011, 01:22:05 PM

Quote from: flatdarkmars on February 13, 2011, 09:08:30 PM
Quote from: Windpower on February 13, 2011, 07:45:35 PM
Are the Mausers .318 or .323

The only Mauser here is .285 ... because the Spanish Mauser fires the 7x57mm cartridge.

I own a 1928 7MM mauser clean and nice. I haven't fired it for nearly 40 years. It just sits there on its rack. Someday I will load it up and sight it out once more.

flatdarkmars · February 15, 2011, 02:01:30 AM

Next up: Arisaka Type 38, Koishikawa Arsenal (Tokyo), circa 1920s.

More pictures (different guns!) tomorrow...

Squirl · February 15, 2011, 10:10:36 AM

Wow. It is amazing how similar they all are. They also look like my 1893 Mosin. It seems much of the military designed rifles from around the globe in the late 19th and early 20th century had the same design features.

Bolt action.
Iron sights.
around .30 caliber
Ring Clips.
Top Barrel protector.
Integrated Cleaning Rod

The significant difference I noticed is the bent bolt on some and straight bolt on others.

muldoon · February 16, 2011, 12:28:34 AM

No love for the springfield m1a / m14?

February 16, 2011, 01:52:01 AM

Quote from: muldoon on February 16, 2011, 12:28:34 AM
No love for the springfield m1a / m14?

It's on the list...

But the only one I have right now is wearing a synthetic stock.

flatdarkmars · February 16, 2011, 02:01:09 AM

Next up: Mosin-Nagant Model 1944 carbine, Izhevsk arsenal, 1946.

That's all the pictures I have for now. Feel free to add your own.