[JPS]

Hello Gents,

Would greatly appreciate help to confirm some research I have working on. Here’s what I have and would like to please receive either confirmation regarding its accuracy or corrections if necessary.

The Troopers were issued M1896 Krag Carbines chambered for the .30 Govt. which is commonly referred to as the .30-40 today. In addition to the Krag, the 1[SUP]st[/SUP] Volunteer Cavalry were issued M1873 SAA “Altered” Revolvers (Artillery Model) that were referred to with this nomenclature following the shortening of their barrels from 7 ½” to 5 ½”.

Theodore Roosevelt carried a M1895 Winchester chambered for the .30 Govt. and a Model 1892 DA .38 Service Revolver. It is also noted that TR presented M1895 Winchesters to all of the officers of the Regiment.

Any and all comments and corrections are welcome.

Warmest regards,

JPS

 

[NavyGunner]

The Rough Riders would most likely have been issued Colt M1873 revolvers as not enough of the Colt M1892's were available. The only reason they received the model 1894 Krag carbines was due to Teddy Roosevelt's influence as assistant secretary of the Navy. All the other volunteer units received various models of the .45-70 Trapdoor Springfield rifle or carbines.

The reworked shortened versions of the M1873 which were not done until the .38 caliber Colt DA Model 1892's were found wanting during the Philippines Insurrection. The .38 Colt revolver cartridge proved to be very underpowered against the insurrectionist attackers faced by troops and the M1873 .45 was brought back into service. Army ordnance removed them from storage and reworked them into the 5 1/2" barrel "artillery models". The Army, Marines and Navy later bought Colt New Service revolvers which came out in 1898 as the M1909 in .45 Colt as a stop gap as they were looking to adopt a semi-auto pistol, which after testing lead to the adoption of the Colt M1911.

 

[303hunter]

The history of Roosevelt's .38 Colt is an interesting one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XaIZgoTZnM

 

[Clyde]

1. It is certain that the Rough RIders (First US Volunteer Cavalry) had Krag carbines issued. Ulike other volunteer units that had Trapdoor Springfields. The carbines would ahve been the 1896, which was the first Krag Carbine.

2. Handguns would have been in general issue as the unit was a cavalry force. Rick Sapp (in 2007 ed of Standard Catalog of Colt Firearms) indicates the Rough Riders had Artillery Models (officially Altered Models), which i would judge would have almost had to have been from the initial series (lot of 1200) refurbished and altered by Colt in 1895-96 as it is unlikely (but not impossible) the Springfield altered guns (accomplished 1898, per Sapp) would have been availble in time for issue to the Rough Riders in 1898. TR's M1892 was one recovered from the USS Maine and cleaned up and presented to him. I

3. I believe the evidence suggests that it was more likely Leonard Wood's influence on the War Department (he was the commander of the regiment, among other duties) than TR's as Asst SecNav that got the Rough Riders Krags.

4. In addition to the service issue arms and any private acquisitions such as the 1895 Winchesters, Sergeant Tiffany (died of fever contracted after the surrender of Santiago, and promoted Lieutenenant by then) provided (family money) a section of M1895 Colt Potato-differ" MGs, chambered in 7mm Mauser with expectation of being able to use captured Spanish ammo. Two of them it appears.

 

[NavyGunner]

Clyde, thanks for catching my screw up on the Krag Carbine model designation as it should have been the Model 1896. Another senior moment I guess :-(

 

[JPS]

Hello Gents,

Thank you for your help with my info. It's greatly appreciated.

I have found several additional sources that list Roosevelt's revolver from the Battleship Maine as a M1895. I was surprised to see that there wasn't a lanyard ring on the butt of the revolver???

Should I go with M1895 as the proper nomenclature for Teddy's revolver or M1892???

Thanks again for your help with this info.

Warmest regards,

JPS

 

[Clyde]

Hello Gents,

Thank you for your help with my info. It's greatly appreciated.

I have found several additional sources that list Roosevelt's revolver from the Battleship Maine as a M1895. I was surprised to see that there wasn't a lanyard ring on the butt of the revolver???

Should I go with M1895 as the proper nomenclature for Teddy's revolver or M1892???

Thanks again for your help with this info.

Warmest regards,

JPS

I think the gun is at Oyster Bay, and contact woth the folks there might gain some accurate and certain information on that. Also, I seem to recall an article in the American Rifleman about it, with some good photos. Be worthwhile to contact NRA and get them to probvide a reprint, I'd think.

Or can go here: http://www.nrablog.com/post/2011/05/12/Looking-at-Roosevelts-1889-USS-Maine-Navy-Revolver.aspx

It is an 1889 - the M1895s had what we think of a s "standard" locking notches in the sides of the cylinder, while the 1889s (like the 1877s) had the locking notches in the rear cylinder face. Besides the textual material identifying it as an M1889, the photographs show M1889 rather than M1895 characteristics.

 

[free1954]

I remember a movie years ago on TV, that was about the Rough Riders. I can't remember who got the job as Rosevelt but Sam Elliot was in it and bought the farm near the end. I remember at the time, gun magazines were slamming the movie because they had Teddy with a single action. All I can remember about the movie is there were some 1895 Winchesters also and I think George Hamilton's character or somebody like him had a nice early Mauser and the defending Spaniards had broomhandles. Anybody remember that movie and the year it was on TV?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118453/

 

[Krag]

I loved that movie until............the price of Krags (especially carbines) went through the roof about a month after it was first shown on TV and they never came down after that! Grrrrrrrr.............