Military Classics Illustrated 01

a
74470 34864
an emapusa magazine
"NOTHING EVEN COMES CLOSE
to Springfield's Loaded 1911-A1for

unmatched performance, accuracy
and total reliability. Dollar -for -dollar
and shol- for -shot, the best 1911 in
the world. Iknow, Iput mine to the
test evoryday."
DON'T COMPROMISE
You'll find add'ons and quality
craft man hip you'd expect to find
only from a Cu tom Shop pistol-right
out of Iho box! According to Gun Tests
July, 2000, "Our rocommendation:
This is our fir Ichoice. Buy it."
14
17
F.B.I. CONTRACT qUALITY

Arecent rBI conlraclor report card
gave the Spnngfiold 1911-A1its
highest grodo. ThaI's why Springfield is
the stand olono 1911 A1 choice of the
FBI Hostogo Ro cuo Team (HRT), and
America's elito low enforcement
deportment and lactical squads.
"Red Nine" C.96 Mauser
The Liberator Pistol

This welded sheet-metal wonder was one of
the secret weapons of World War II.
By Garry James
Guns of the Spanish-American War

The arms used in the United States' first
"international" war were an odd mixture of
old and new.
By Philip Schreier
Model 1896 Krag-Jorgensen Carbine

This handy little repeater would forever find
fame as the arm carried by the Rough Riders
at the Battle of San Juan Hill.
Staff Report
63
Roundheads and Royalists
72
Sixguns of the Empire
Custer in the Movies
83
The Continental Rifleman
Without a doubt, George Armstrong Custer

is America's most cinematically popular
military man. But just how close were most
films to the real facts?
By Dan Gagliasso
90
Ordered as an emergency arm in World War I,

this lever gun is still a good shooter.
By Garry James & Philip Schreier
This big revolver turned out to be a reliableif moderately used-substitute sidearm
during two World Wars.
Staff Report
3& D-Day: U.S. Paratroopers at Normandy

Death From the Sky: Guns and Gear of the
82nd and 101st Airborne
By Philip Schreier
46
60
This variant of the famed "Broomhandle"

was used as a stopgap sidearm during
World War I.
Staff Report
Model 1917 Colt New Service
VISIT SPRINGAELD
52
Though awkward by modern standards, this

revolutionary arm was the secret weapon
of its day.
Staff Report
23
ON THE WEB
www.springfieldarmory.com
or call 800-680-6866.
Model 1886 Lebel
Winchester Russian Model 1895
26
49
The trenches of World War I's Western Front

stretched from the English Channel to the Alps.
By Philip Schreier
20
GUARANTEED FOR LIFE

Each Springfiold 1911-A1 is backed
by the strongest Lifetime Guarantee in
the business.
Gateway to Hell
The M1 Carbine
Loved by some Gis, hated by others, this little
.30 semi-auto is still a great plinker and
collector's piece.
By Garry James
English Civil War Troopers-From

"Lobsters" to Light Cavalry
By Dale Shinn
From India and Africa to Australia and North
America and points between, British revolvers
did their duty for Queen, King and country.
By Garry James
Just how effective were these homespun
heroes of the American Revolution?
By David GA Weidner
Chasing Villa
With his raid on Columbus, New Mexico, Pancho
Villa stirred up a hornet's nest that resulted in
an American invasion south of the border.
By John P. Langellier with Kurt Hamilton Cox
ON THE COVER: From the 17th century to the 1940s,

the fighting man has been seen as a hero, invader,
victim and vanquisher; read all about him on the
following pages.
Photography by lynn Pedigo
MILITARY CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED 3
EDITORIAL STAFF
GARRY JAMES, Editor
NATASHA D. TODD, Managing Editor
RAMONA SUGARMAN, Editorial Assistant
ART DEPARTMENT
RICHARD SOLOMON, Creative Director
JARRETI LOVE, Art Director
PRYOR PRACZUKOWSKI, Assistant Art Director
NECOLE COOPER, Assistant Art Director
ADVERTISING SALES
KEVIN ROWE, New York
DICK JACOBSON, Los Angeles
COURTNEY OLSON, Denver
JAY MAFFI, Los Angeles
CASEY CLIFFORD, Los Angeles
ED PIETILA, Detroit
ROSS RILEY, Dallas
MARK THIFFAULT, Los Angeles
PHIL LOURIDAS, Los Angeles
GUILLERMO GASTELO, Ad Coordinator
OUTDOOR GROUP
SKIP JOHNSON, Vice President,
Executive Publisher
KEVIN E. STEELE, Group Publishing Director
WES LANG, Group Publisher
JERRY LEE, On-Line Content Director
CONNIE MENDOZA, Senior Managing Editor
THOMAS J. SIATOS, Special Consultant
EMAP USA
KEVIN HAND, Chairman
TOM MOLONEY, Chief Executive Officer
KEITH MARRIOTI, Chief Financial Officer
MARCUS RICH, President, emap metro
STEVEN PARR, President, emap active
STACEY J. LIPPMAN, President,
Corporate Sales and Marketing
JACQUELINE BLUM, President,
Licensing Sales and Marketing
PATRICK J. SHANNON, VP/General Manager,
Emap Marketing Network
DAVID FORIER, Director,
Research and Advertising Planning
BARBARA WISE, Director,
Creative Services/Corp. Communications
JIM GERTH, Director, Newsstand Sales
JUDY ANZALONE, Controller
JAMES LADAO, Direcior, Information Technology
DENISE LASALLE, Head Operations Manager,
Manufacturing
CATHY LEW, Human Resources Manager
RANDY WEISER, Distribution Manager
ROBERT E. PETERSEN, Chairman Emeritus
ADVERTISING OFFICES
Unquestionably one of the worst horrors of the trenches was gas. From the time
of its introduction by the Germans as the Battle of Ypres in 1915, many styles of
respirators and masks were designed to deal with mustard, chlorine and phosgene gases, more or less effectively.
Trench fighting may have been a new

phenomena in Europe but it was nothing new to Americans. Their own "war
between the states" had concluded after
a number of campaigns ended with
both Union & Confederate troops
going to ground, especially during the
battles of Vicksburg and Petersburg.
Statisticians have written that the average Civil War soldier of the 1861 to
1865 period saw combat one day in 50.
For the soldier of the Great War, combat was a mind-numbing experience
that lasted for weeks and months at a
stretch. During the American Civil War
combat casualties averaged out, over
four years, to be 500 casualties per day,
during th
I' ',11 War that number was
an astoundin
men per day!
DRAWING THE LINETHE STALEMATE BEGINS

The
rm, n army saw the immediate adval1l, g In h sing the high
ground a th y I' 'tr 'at d across France
and Belgium and I cted ridges and
terrain that would favor them defenrmans a defensive
sively. For th
strategy wa d fiantly in order. Their
strategy wa t h Id the lines that they
had andt "bl d th nemy white" as
the enemy wa t d themselves on
barbed wi r in fr n t f their Maxim
machin guns. Th ir trenches, once
During the war, the grim facts of battle were sugar-coated for
civilians, and heavy censorship was imposed. Soon after, however, antiwar factions, were only too glad to publish photos
showing the stark reality.
established, took on a palatial look to

them. Some dugouts were so deep that
a few were recorded as having as many
as 30 steps to reach the bottom where
entire rooms opened up to reveal all
the major comforts of home, fourposter beds, fireplaces and mantels
and in one recorded dugout. .. a grand
piano to entertain the troops.
The British and French on the other
hand were not so comfortable and that
condition was by deSign. The French
battle plan for the war called for "elan"
a doctrine of "always forward." No
attack could pass without an immedi-
ate counterattack, no U.S.UnIdal

lost ground would be L
given up without immediate attempts
to regain the real estate. The British,
though not as attack happy as their
French comrades, felt that their trench
system, if given in to too many creature
comforts would become far too comfortable and result in a less than enthusiastic response from the men if called
upon to leave them for an attack.
Therefore improvements such as grand
pianos and other curiosities were
strictly forbidden.
The trenches themselves took on
-'
distinct appearances and soon became

quite standardized in their composition. Sandbags became the coin of the
realm on the front lines. Every soldier
approaching the front often carried
half his body weight in supplies and
building materials such as sandbags,
planking and wire. Eyewitnesses
reported that in the rain-soaked fields
of Flanders, soldiers often disappeared
into sink holes, never to be seen from
again as the weight of their equipment
often prevented them from escaping
LOS ANGELES: 6420 Wilshire Boulevard,

Los Angeles, CA 90048-5515, (323) 782-2000
NEW YORK: 110 Fifth Avenue,
New Yorl<, NY 10011, (212) 886-3600
DETROIT: 333 West Fort Street, Suite 1800,
Detroit, MI48226, (313) 964-8880
CHICAGO: 815 North laSalle Street,
Chicago, IL 6061 0, (312) 649-0660
MILiTARY CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED, 3800-7, Copyright
2001 byemap USA, inc., 6420 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles,
CA 90048-5515. Phone (323) 782-2000. All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced without written
permission. The opinions in this book are not necessarily
those of the editors and publishers, but are the responsibility
of the authors. Neither the authors nor emap usa, inc.
assume any liability for accidents or injUry resulting from the
use or misuse of reloading or technical data.
Some advel1isements may concern products that are not
legally for sale to California residents or to residents of other
jurisdictions.
Printed in the U.S.A.
Tanks, first used by the British at the Battle of Cambrai, were thought by experts to
be just the ticket for breaking up the trench warfare stalemate. Unfortunately they
were cranky, miserable to man and prone to breakdown. The behemoth German
A7-V, for instance, had a crew of 18 and weighed 33 tons.
6
MILITARY CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED
These Yanks are stationed in some pretty tidy digs. The sandbagged firing holes andsteps were common. In fact, filling sandbags became
most soldiers' second occupations. While aI/looks comfy now, a serious rainstorm could tum this shelter into a muddy, sodden morass.
death's grasp. British Captain Bruce

Bairnsfather, who would become the
Great War's Bill Mauldin, drew a cartoon of a Tommy cavalryman being
helped out of a rain-swollen shell
crater. As his comrades struggle to rescue him he begs their indulgence while
he tries to free himself from the stirrups of his now submerged horse.
As fate would have it, the weather
on the Western Front between 1914
&: 1918 was the coldest and wettest
during those four years than for the
rest of the century.
Each side constructed a front line

trench that was between 6 and 12 feet
deep. The parapet was the wall of the
trench that was closest to the enemy
while the rear of the trench wall was
called the parados. The trench walls
were revetted with sandbags and wood
planking and the floors of the trench
were covered with a planking called
duck boards. In some regions where
mud and water were more prevalent
than a dry trench floor, the duck boards
were pulled up before an expected
attack or raid to allow incoming hand
grenades to sink deep into the ooze and
explode with only a fraction of the
power that they would have produced
had they gone off while sitting in the
clear and open on a wooden platform.
A shallow trench zigzagged its way
to the rear of the lines every 25 yards
or so and was called a communications
trench. This allowed not only runners
access as the name implies but also it
allowed the swift deployment of
reserves and reinforcements to reach
the front trench without exposing
themselves to enemy fire. Dugouts,
kitchens and aid stations comprised
most of the improvements to the
reserve line of trenches.
Both sides made use of shell holes to
establish "listening posts" close to
enemy lines at night. From these positions intelligence officers could oftentimes overhear careless talk from the
enemy and acquire very useful information in addition to discerning where
enemy weaknesses may be.
.. Lifeguard"
Collapsible
Periscope
I say, old mont just look at that

Hun sniper through my 'Lifeguard'
Periscope."
U By God! the definition is topping!
\ Vhat 's t he price? "
'f Only 20/- completo, and they fitted
these special mirrols 10 myoid { Lifeguard' for 1.'6."
II 1 'II send for outo,"
U
From afl Op,'irilJll1 or Solt Milkers,
F. DUERR b. SONS.
Manchester, S. W.
Who/til/It ACln/J! JI"I'It,ul'l,I.lit. LOlldoll.
Instantly closes lO
;jtX4~)C~il1.
Sight cleV:\llon
~o incbell.
Large l"icld,
Weight 23 Ooti.
Stronf,;. Slnlp!tl,
Rigid.
Almo"t
In\'lslble
Entrepreneurs were quick to realize that

the misery of the trenches could actually
be turned into a source of tidy profit.
Some were useless, while others were
eminently practical like this "Lifeguard"
periscope.PeriscopesofvarioussQrles
were sold privately, and even issued for
use in observation and sniping.
Barbed wir ,an American invention,

made its app arance shortly after the
first spad full f dirt was turned on
the fronL lin
ach side sent out
"wiring pani "on a nightly basis to
put up new wir and fix existing wire
damaged by sh \I fire during the previous day. AL fir Lboth sides mounted
their wire n wooden stakes hammered imo lh ground with shovels
A Doubie Shield Where Most Needed.

Made in exclusive Bur;berry materials. Tbe Tielockcn doubly
~~~~:c:.\'ili! ~~~~e~~l~~;Olkb~e~t::I~h~;~~r~~~t~~t ~~~~~~~~~
against rain or cold.
Reliably Protective, Yet Hygienic.

The Tielocken,' being self-yentilating, relies for its protecti,,{:
powers entirely upon the weaving and proofing of its cloth, and
gives satisfying security without recOtlrse to rubber, oiled-silk or
any other heat-condensing agent that would make it unhealthy
and cumbersome.
Fantasy and realiQr. This 1916 cover of Punch, showing Tommies

writing letters and watering geraniums in cozy surroundings was
meant for home consumption. The men were more familiar with
the less salubrious effects of shot shell and gas (above).
padded with sandbags to deaden the

noise of the repeated blows.
On moonless nights, thought to be
the best for wiring parties and Zeppelin
raiding, enemy scouts in established listening posts would keep an acute ear to
the noises from the enemy lines. Any
signs of wiring parties about and a Signal
would be sent back to the company
machine gunner who would commence
shooting into the darkness in the general
vicinity of the sounds of stake pounding.
As he traversed the horizon with lead
the gunner would keep his eyes open for
the sudden appearance of "fire flies" in
the enemy's front. This was the Signal
that the bullets from the Maxims were
sparking as they struck barbed wire.

Once the level of the sparking wire was
found the gunners could work their way
up and down the lines making the job of
a wiring party extremely hazardous.
It wasn't long before iron stakes
made the job somewhat easier. The
new design had a corkscrew-style
base so that a soldier could effectively
just twist it directly into the ground
with a minimum of noise. Wire was
then just placed over loops that
resembled pig tails and twisted a bit
further to lock the wire in place.
Wire was never really much more
than a nuisance to either side. It was a
risky job to put it in place as well as to
No Buttons to Fasten or I..ose.

Another distinctive fe.1.ture of The TieJocken is the avoidance qf bUltons. Except for the adjustment of the upright
collar, the coat is securely ~eld by a single slrap-andbuckle.
Rt'ef7 bur{!(rry .1t1I'/t/tnt is ta6t/ktf, 8urhrry$,"
BURBERRYS
"Haymarket LONDON
..
..
8 ncl 10 Boul.
It seems like every war lends its name to

some kind of garment. Such was the
case with World War I and the famous
"trench coat." These practical rigs were
purchased by officers in the thousands
from a number of different makers.
8
The American-designed Lewis gun was very popular with the British in .303,
and later with the Yanks in .30-06. Like the Maxims, it was adaptable to use on
land and in the air.
Some specialQr arms were developed for the trenches. This rare Gew98 Mauser has
an extended 20-round magazine, giving the soldier 15 extra shots before reloading.
Though they had been used for centuries,

handgrenades, such as this French racquette sQrle, achieved new levels of
sophistication during the Great War.
Trenches took on their own personalities. Invariably the

Germans' were the most organized and elegant. Some
even sported rec rooms with grand pianos!
British trenches, while not as agreeable as their German counterparts, were at least serviceable. It was not uncommon for
enemy bodies to be piled into parapets. Often soldiers would use projecting arms and legs as handy pegs on which to hang their
equipment. The smells of decaying bodies of men and horses, sewage and human waste were pervasive.
If there is one weapon that seems to personify the great war, it's the machine gun. Its deadly chatter forever changed the face
of warfare. Both the British and the Germans used a version of the Maxim medium MG. The Brits', in .303 caliber was called the
"Vickers" while the 8mm German repeater was termed the "MG-08."
attack it from the front. Unending

artillery barrages were supposed to "soften" the enemy and destroy his entanglements but more often than not, the men
who survived long enough to make it to
the wire emplacements directly in front
of the enemy, found most of the wire still
in place and in more of an impassable
heap than it was before the shelling
began. The British developed a wire cutting device that affixed to the end of
their No.1 MK III SMLE rifles. A curious
contraption, it resembled a fish hook
that caught strands of wire, and as you
thrust forward in a bayonetting style
with an upward turn of your gun the
device was supposed to sever the wire. It
worked well on paper and even in practice with a few well trained drill instructors; however, when it came time to the
combat tests it was found to be next to
useless. No one in GHQ had taken into
account that German wire was two
10 MILITARY CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED
strands thicker than conventional British

and French wire, resulting in a cutting
tool whose opening was inadequate to
accept the thicker German wire!
A FATE WORSE THAN A

FATE WORSE THAN DEATH!
Life in the trench had hazards
above and beyond the expected
attack from the enemy. Perhaps more
troublesome than flying bullets or
falling mortar rounds were the elements that ravaged the effective fighting strengths of all combatants.
Copious amounts of rain brought
with it a series of problems that vexed
the common infantry man as much as
the enemy did. Trench foot was a condition where the foot phYSically began
to rot away due to prolonged exposure
to moisture. This malady was not
uncommon with troops who had
served constant stretches of time in the
front lines without the ability to tend

to their feet or ac ess to the needed
supplies to combat the ever-present
danger of foot rot. Three pairs of dry
clean socks were standard issue as well
as treating the foot in a solution of lard
and paraffin that acted as a sealant. In
practice the foot oil did more to trap
moisture in than keep it out.
Failure to tend to ones feet was a
serious offense. In 1915, when stalemate became de rigueur and morale
sunk to low levels, incidences of trench
foot escalated to a point where, at least
in the British Army, foot neglect was
seen as serious a crime against his
majesty as a self-inflicted wound.
Vermin and pestilence also found
their way into the trenches. As if life
wasn't miserable enough, the soldiers
of both sides were visited by plagues of
lice and rats. The lice epidemic was
combatted by shaVing one's head and
by "chatting," the art of de-lousing

one's clothing. This was accomplished
by sitting around with a candle and
heating up a spoon or wire until it was
red hot and running it along the seams
of your tunic and trousers to kill hidden lice eggs. It effectively killed off the
lice for a period of almost one day, if
one was lucky. More often than not it
had the effect of killing off eggs as well
as seams, resulting in uniforms that
became unserviceable in record time.
Rats posed another problem. The
never-ending supply of fresh corpses
created a bounty of abundance for the
pink-tailed vermin. With perfect ecological conditions, one breeding pair
of rats can produce over 500 offspring
in one year alone! Tens of millions of
rats prospered and grew fat on the
Western Front, devouring everything
from corpses to wounded who couldn't protect themselves. Though methods to control the population were by
most accounts ineffective, fun was had
at their expense by at least a few who
sought a way to seek revenge upon
those furry creatures who often woke
them in the middle of the night by
running across their faces in search of
food. One account described a company of men who affixed bits of food to
their bayonets and held their rifles
inverted over the parapet. A rat would
eventually lumber along the sandbags
until he found the prize and

positioning himself under
the muzzle would raise on
his hind legs to grasp at
the meal. Seeing the rat
approach the soldier raised
the rifle high enough to
make it really stretch for the
food. Then, just as the rat
laid its hands upon it, the
soldier pulled the trigger,
sending bits of rat, as well as
a bullet, toward the Hun.
TRENCH RAID!
Of greater concern to the
average soldier were the
chances that they might get
bombed, shot, gassed or
mortared during their stay
in the front lines. Snipers
made quick work of any
who carelessly exposed
themselves above the trench
line. One report indicated
that a British officer, new to
the front, had a look about
and was hit by two different
snipers before his lifeless
body collapsed out of their The constrictions of trench warfare, often dictatview. The Germans were the ed that grenades have a greater ranges than
first to efficiently make use could be achieved by simply throwing them by
of snipers and their ability to hand. This German is about to send Tommy such
eliminate those who would a surprise from the grenade launching cup fitted
recklessly endanger them- to his Gewehr 98 Mauser.
11
Though some were on the drawing boards and under development, despite being ideal
for trench raids, few sub-guns were used during World War I. The one seen the most
was the 9mm Gennan MP-18 Bergmann. Its "snail-drum" magazine held 32 rounds.
selves. Special Mauser rifles with practical optics became the standard from
which others were measured all the
way up until World War II. Although
the Allies made an effort, it was the
Germans who truly owned no-man'sland during the day due to the effective
deployment of excellent marksmen.
One way to break up the consistent
misery was to participate in a trench
raid. Raids were conducted as intel"I highly
CANNOT speak too
in praise of the ligence gathering exercises and sel,. Decca," which 1 have had
Ollt here {or at Jeast three dom for their tactical effect. Usually
months. "'e ha\'c u&Cd o\er
.COO needlt"S,
ii has not a company or units of even larger
been idle. It has kept us
90
cheerful tbe whole time, and J

can honestly say I would Dot
change it {or any other 'm.ak"e.'
Every day similar testimony
in from officers at the
l~omcs
front.
T HE
"Decca" is without doubt the beSt Gramophone for the Front.

Though so small its tone and c1e;\roess of reproduction are
unsurpassed. The" Decca" is entirely self-contained ha':! and needs
~o caseJ is ready to play immediately opt'l1ec1. has n~ locme parts, is
light and can be carried as easily as n handbag, nnd takes all makes
and sizes of needle records.
pJ;"\ECCA
V _
In I.e;oIJ>el' 'I CoIl'lpretud.
(,Joih Cue
Fibl'eCu"
02" 1.0.. Od 51.01:. Od.
JM~~dcd.
The truly Portable
Gramophone
NOll. :13. ""71.
I Cmvh.ldoC;:lse
Solid
Anny &nd Na~ Stores

\\'hiteloY'v, Sctfrhlt(U'lI Gam:age"s an<! ad
or Ilarrods
8 &I. Od.
leading Stores and }fuSic Deilk:n~
Wutrat.d Folder, 311<lumo of near~~t ;tJleat. fr~o (Ion "(I;>lQIk><! to the Mano~ac:lllrel'"S:-
Trench warfare often involved frenzied periods of activity, spaced out by endless hours
of boredom. Some geegaws were bought by
the men to while away the time, such as this
British Decca phonograph. The Decca was
one of the first portables sturdy enough to
withstand harsh usage.
Barbed wire was a constant nuisance, and many ways were devised
to deal with it. This English Enfieldmounted cutter worked well in tests
on British and French wire, but
failed to cut through the German
double-strand style.
Generally speaking, the French trenches

had the least number of amenities, as
their officers, steeped in the philosophy
of "the attack" didn't want them to get
too comfortable. In the later years of the
war some French units mutinied, refusing to leave their lines for what they
viewed as senseless slaughter.
strength would b put on alert and

given a set of orders and objectives
for the raid. The a tual raid itself
would be prefaced by a "box barrage," which was a way of laying
down a cover of artillery fire that
would create a veritable wall of
exploding shells behind, and to the
sides of, the targeted enemy trench.
The trench raiders ould attack from
the open end of the box, across noman's-land, and access the trenches
of the stunned enemy. Raiders were
cautioned to leave all personal effects
behind as well as most of their equipment save for their rifles and a bandolier of cartridges and perhaps a
knife or mace for close combat. In
addition to personal effects, raiders
also tended to remove all regimental
markings and insignia to further frustrate enemy intelligence in case they
were captured or killed.
Primary objectives of raids were live
prisoners. One prisoner could be a
fountain of information to his enemy.
In addition to his personal dissemination of information, volumes could be
garnered by information generated by
captured papers and pay books.
Australians made a game of going on
The New Submarine Danger

" They'll be torpedoin' us if we stick 'ere much longer, Bill"
Despite the horrors of the trenches, the human spirit frequently managed
to rise above them and find humor in adversity. British Captain Bruce
Bairnsfather was the most popular cartoonist of the war, and his work
achieved great popularity at home as well as on the front, where the
authenticity and irony of the situations was particularly appreciated. Here
are two typical examples of his work.
trench raids and commenced a contest

to see who could gather the most
German unit marked shoulder loops of
differing units. (A fantastic display of
shoulder boards can be seen at the
Australian War Memorial in Canberra.)
When not filling in sandbags,
staking barbed wire, trench raiding,
chatting or preparing for the big
push, soldiers found what little free
time they had was best spent with
thoughts, not so much of home and
loved ones, but by thoughts of distraction that would temporally provide an escape from what one soldier termed as "endless stretches of
misery and discomfort only broken
by moments of sheer terror."
Games of chance were popular
with the men of both sides. The
Australians introduced a game called
"two up," which is still played on
ANZAC Day, where two Aussie pennies are tossed up into the air and bets
are placed on whether they would
land heads, tails or odds. Germans
often reported seeing the copper pennies bounding through the air and
catching the glint of the sun, but had

no idea as to their significance.
Distractions could hardly help to
camouflage the purpose and eventual fate of those who went into the
front lines. On both sides men
began to resent passes for home as it
became too painful to leave loved
ones and return to a more than certain fate in the trenches. Movie
adaptations of contemporary writings such as All Quiet on the Western
Front and Westfront 1918 accurately
portray the fatalistic mindset that
gripped both sides.
When all was said and done and the
guns fell silent on the front, some 20
million soldiers had become casualties in what was and still is considered
the most arduous combat ever witnessed by man. The war didn't end
with the traditional parade through a
conquered capital by the victors but
rather an agreement to cease fire
ended the hostilities with no clear
tactical winner. Only another world
war 20 years later would finally settle
matters ... for the time being.
G
.. Is this 'ere lht: Wllrw:cks? ,.

.. Nno. 'll1deobul'~Cs blinkin' Li~ht Infantry"
A pair ofAussies during a lull in the

fighting. In fact, a good deal of the
action, especially later in the war, was
done at night. Both men are kitted out
with "tin hats" (generally hated by the
Australians, who much preferred their
slouch hats), box respirators, P-08 web
gear and bandoliers of.303 ammo.
l\tQUGLt l88(1 L
Though Awkward by Modern Standards, .
This Revolutionary Arm Was the
Secret Weapon of Its Day.
Staff Report
t was ungainly;
a Frankensteinlike put-together of older
firearms components. In practically no
time it would be eclipsed by
far more sophisticated
designs ...but for one brief
moment, this unlikely piece of
. armament was the most covet, ed secret weapon of its day.
The French Fusile Modele
1886, better known as the
"Lebel" was the first smokeless
powder military longarm to be fielded by any army. Foreign arms
experts printed wild speculations
concerning the effectiveness of the
gun's 8mm round:
"According to French accounts,
the powder is both smokeless and
noiseless. If this were the case, no
doubt it would produce changes in
the mode of fighting and surprise
would be greatly facilitated. Last
year, however, experiments were
The Model 1886 Lebel was a long, ungainly arm
whose looks belied its effectiveness. It was one
of the primary rifles of World War I and was very
popular with the French poilu. Gun and equipment from the author's collection.
Nicknamed the "knitting needle" by the Germans, the French cruciform bayonet
fitted securely under the muzzle. It was released by a spring-loaded, knurled button. Several variations of this blade exist.
conducted at the German Artillery

School and at the Manouevres with an
almost identical powder, the results of
which proved that the advantages of
the French powder were greatly exaggerated. The report of the rifle i.s distinctly heard, and is little, if at all, less
loud than that of the old powder. The
smoke, it is true, is very much less, but
is still quite visible on a still day, its
color being a transparent dull blue."
While the above report from the 1890
edition of Armies ofEurope is largely true,
a certain amount of sour grapes is discernible. The new French Poudre B was
a revolutionary step forward in military
small arms development, and one emulated (as soon as possible) by most of the
worlds major powers.
In 1885, after considerable experimentation, French researchers Monsieur
Vielle and Captain Desalaux came up
with a practical smokeless powder
which offered considerable velocity with
manageable pressures and little fouling.
Authorities immediately began developing a new round and rifle to accommodate this discovery. The chosen cartridge had a tapered, rimmed bottleneck
case and a nickel-jacketed 216-grain,
round-nosed 8mm bullet, which left the
muzzle at a then-astounding velOCity of
some 2,350 fps. The rifle, though, was
not anywhere near as revolutionary as
the round, being basically an amalgam
Ammunition is loaded into the magazine

one at a time. Note the O-ring crimp in
the cartridge base to keep the bullet
nose from contacting the primer.
of the older French service arms.

In 1878 the French equipped their
marines with a version of the Austrian
Kropatschek bolt-action repeater-an
11mm black powder arm featuring a
tubular, under-barrel magazine.
Rounds were loaded into the magazine
one behind the other against a springloaded metal plunger. A floorplate,
hinged at the rear, dropped down
when the bolt was closed, ready to
receive a cartridge. When the bolt was
opened and a case ejected, the follower
snapped up, placing a round in chambering position.
It was decided by authorities that this
action, though a tad archaic, would be
okay to adopt for the new cartridge.
The Fusile Modele 1886 was also called
the M86 Lebel after its designer
Colonel Lebel, though there was little
new in it, the gun being little more than
a modification of the Modele 1878
Fusile de marine with an older-style
Gras-type bolt and a modification of
front-locking lugs to accommodate the
Poudre Bs higher pressures.
Unlike the Kropatschek or the Gras,
the Lebel had a slab-sided receiver,
necessitating the use of a two-piece
stock. It measured 51 inches overall,
weighed 9'h pounds and had a 31 1hinch barrel. The magazine held eight
rounds, and this coupled with a round
Groups, using original military Balle N,

ran about 6 inches at 100 yards,
despite some hangfires.
in the carrier and one in the chamber

gave the gun a 10-shot capacity, which
was quite a bit of individual firepower
for the period.
Balle M, the original round for
which the gun was designed, had a
round-nosed bullet to eliminate the
possibility of accidentally discharging
the nose-to-tail cartridges in the magazine, a problem experienced by early
Winchester repeaters.
Further tests and use in the field
pOinted up a few weaknesses in the arm.
In 1893 the bolt head was modified to
allow gas to be safely vented should a
primer be pierced, and the receiver was
strengthened slightly to accommodate
the new, heavier pressures. This altered
arm was designated, appropriately
enough, the Fusile Modele 86/93. It is
this version most often encountered by
modem collectors.
The sights of the M86 were interesting, though. Like the rifle, they would
experience some modi.fications during
the rifle's life span. The rear ladder-type
sight was initially graduated to 2,000
meters, though with the development
of new loads, this was eventually upped
The '86 functioned perfectly, with cases being ejected well clear of the receiver. The
bolt was smooth and positive. Despite the gun's length, balance is good.
15
btQUGL L88u LGllGL

Like most military arms of the period,
the '86 Lebel was equipped with a cutoff
for single shots (the theory being that
the rounds in the magazine should be
kept in reserve). The mechanism is activated by a side-mounted button.
The front sight involved a wide blade

that incorporated a small notch at the
rear which was used as a primitive
"night sight. n
The Lebel rear sight was graduated to

2,400 meters. Flipping the ladder forward
completely exposed the battle sight.
to 2,400 meters. The ladder could be

rotated completely forward exposing a
2S0-meter battle sight notch. Early
front sight blades incorporated a
depression at the rear into which was
placed a small amount of radium for
night use. This was later replaced by a
groove atop the wide blade which, theoretically, would admit a pinpoint of
light that the shooter could use to reference a dark target.
In 1898 Balle D was brought into service. This round incorporated a 197grain bronze, pOinted bullet which dramatically increased its effective range.
An a-ring crimp surrounding the
primer eliminated the possibility of
chain firing with the spitzer-shaped
projectile. Also, in 1932 hotter Balle N
was developed for machine gun use,
and many M86 rifles were reproved for
use with this round. Guns safe for use
with Balle N are stamped on the tops of
their barrels and receivers with a large
"N." Rifles without this designation are
unsafe to shoot with the late French

service ammunition.
The '86 Lebel was fitted with a sleek
20 1h-inch cruciform-bladed bayonet
with a metal (nickel, silver or brass)
grip. This weapon, nicknamed by the
French "Rosalie" and by the Germans
the "knitting needle," produced a
small, nasty puncture wound that was
slow to heal and prone to infection.
Our evaluation rifle was an M86/93
that has been in my collection for
over 20 years. Despite its ungainliness, it has always been one of my
favorites, and I look for any excuse to
take it to the range.
It had been proved for Balle N, so
the ammo used was some 1940s vintage French issue fodder that I had
picked up some time in a past life.
It might be noted that some commercial Remington ammunition was
produced years ago, and it still turns
up now and again. Too, ammo can be
made by forming .348 Winchester
brass. The problem with both of these

loads is neither features the a-ring
crimp and thus must be loaded single
shot. Never under any circumstance
stoke an '86 Lebel magazine with any
of this ammo'
The trigger on the gun was WorldWar-I-adequate. It had a long two-stage
pull that broke at about S pounds.
The gun functioned perfectly, with
the rounds feeding flawlessly from the
tube. Unfortunately the same cannot
be said for the ammo which did give
us a hangfire or two ... unnerving the
shooter and (no doubt) affecting the
groups, which ran about 6 inches at
100 yards. Recoil, by the way, was relatively light, as one might expect in a
9V,-pound rifle. Sights were adequate,
and we were even able to hit a 200yard gong pretty regularly using the
battle sight.
Sure, the '86 was obsolete almost as
soon as it came out, but with proper
ammunition it can still provide a lot of
good sport. For nostalgia, history and
just plain shooting fun, the Model 1886
Lebel is at the top of our personallist.1ii
This Variant of the Famed "Broomhandle" Was Used as a

Stopgap Military Sidearm During World War I.
~~roomhandle"
Mauser is perhaps the most

stylish auto pistol
ever designed. Introduced in
1896, this was the handgun
that really legitimized the
concept of the self-loader.
True, as soon as the
first Browning auto (or
even the Luger, for
that matter) appeared,
the gun was pretty well
obsolete, but it just
refused to go away and
remained in production for
some 40 years.
The favorite sidearm of Winston
Churchill was also very popular with the
militaries of China, Turkey and Persia, among
others, though its place of origin, Germany,
only provisionally adopted it as an emergency
measure during the First World War.
In the last decades of the 19th century, the
Mauser company had toyed with with target pistols, revolvers and a manually operated ring-trigger
multi-shot, but development of a tl1le auto pis~_I\'"
not undertaken until 1894. In less than a year-in
March of 189S-Mauser engineers had come up with a
prototype short recoil-operated repeater.
remained throughout the remainder

of the gun's life.
The first C. 96s had no provisions
Mauser chose the 7.65mm Borchardt recoiled slightly, unlocking the bolt for shoulder stocks, but this was
cartridge as a basis for the round of and allowing it to move fully to the soon remedied with a cunning
the new pistol. Actually, the 7.63 rear where it cocked the hammer. A wooden stock/holster combo that
Mauser, as it was to be called, was recoil spring (also inside the bolt) was held within a leather harness.
dimensionally identical to the round returned the bolt to battery, stripping The stock slotted into a milled area
intended for the ill-fated Borchardt, a round from the follower/magazine in the rear of the grip.
The adjustable rear tangent sight
though it was loaded to give its 86- and chambering it. When the last
grain bullet a 1,400 foot-per-second round was expended, the follower was routinely graduated to an opti(fps) velocity-some 300 fps faster stopped the bolt from closing, indi- mistic 1,000 meters in 100 meter
cating that the Mauser was empty.
increments, though-as will be seen
than its progenitor.
Very early Broomhandles had later-this did not always hold true.
The C.96 ("construction" 96), as
In 1912, a new variation of the
the gun was called, employed a spurred hammers that gave way to
frontally mounted integral box maga- round "cone"-shaped models which Broomhandle appeared. Though it
zine that held 10 rounds. Ammo was obscured the sights when down, indi- looked pretty much like its predecesloaded into the mag by means of a cating that the gun was not cocked. In sors, the rifling grooves were reduced
stripper clip. While individual car- 1899 these cones evolved into large from six to four and the twist was also
tridges could be inserted manually rings, which some five years later changed. Perhaps the most drastic
difference was the fitting of an
against the follower, this was a tedious became a smaller, non-obtrusive ring.
While the first guns had milled, improved safety, termed by Mauser
process and was only recommended
recessed frames, for a time they also "NS" or Neues Sicherung-"new safefor emergency charging.
The grip, as the gun's nickname were made with flat sides. This was ty." Now the catch, which was located
betokens, is circular in cross section, considered aesthetically unappealing, on the rear, left side of the frame,
with a rounded, bag-style silhouette. so the milling was reintroduced and could only be applied if the gun was
cocked. Pistols with this feature bear a
Actually, its configuration is not unlike
distinctive "NS" stamped on the rear
the handles of many European
of their hammers.
revolvers of the period, and while
While Mauser was never
odd to the American eye, is
able to garner any large
actually quite comfortable.
domestic or foreign miliThe C. 96 employed a
tary contracts for its C. 96
locked breech, shortprior to World War I,
recoil system involving
the gun became very
a rectangular bolt that
popular with civilians.
operated within a chanWe have even seen picnel housed by a barrel
tures of cowboys and
extension integral with
ranchers sporting them in
the 5 1h- inch barrel. This
the American West.
assembly was slotted and
During the First World War,
locked within the pistol's
the German authorities realframe. When the gun was
ized that that Luger production
fired, the bolt (containing an
was not going to be able to
inertial firing pin), the barrel and extension and the The shoulder stock did improve long-range offhand shooting, cover all their handgun needs,
locking piece (which is sited though not to the degree one would suppose. It has been the so they placed an order for
beneath the bolt, affixed authors' experience that the stocked handgun concept gen- 150,000 Broomhandles chambered for 9mm Parabellum. As
to the barrel extension) erally sounds better than it really is.
The Broomhandles had graduated rear ladder sights. Even with

The C.96 has an integral box magazine and is loaded
using the pictured stripper clip.
a shoulder stock, 1,000 meters (7.63mm) or 500 meters (9mm)

was not reasonable.
urations such as full-auto, carthe larger caliber round's base

bines, six and 20-shots, etc.
was the same as that of the
They were popular worldwide
7.63, alteration posed few
and used by such disparate
problems. The first guns
militaries as Norway and Siam.
looked identical to the .30s,
As well, many thousands of
with the exception that the
copies were made in China
rear sight graduations were
and Spain. To call it one of the
reduced to 500 meters. It was
world's most successful auto
soon discovered that 7.63mm
pistols is something of an
ammo was occasionally being
understatement.
chambered in these guns by
Our evaluation "Red Nine"
mistake, so an order was
was a good condition "civilian
placed to have the guns' grips
model" complete with shoulcarved with a large "9" filled
der stock (though the harness
with red paint. Those pistols
was reproduction).
already in service wi th the
Loading a C. 96 is fairly
old-style panels were generalsimple.
Merely pull back on
ly altered in the field, providthe block until it locks open.
ing a wide variety of "9" grip The Broomhandle is a bit tricky to take down, but here it is
markings.
with all of its components arrayed: frame, sub-frame, barrel Then insert a 10-round clip
into the guides in front of
Some 130,000 "Red Nines" assembly, locking block, firing pin and spring, bolt, floorthe sight and push down on
(as they are called by collec- plate, follower spring and follower.
the cartridges until they are
tors) were delivered between
1916 and 1918. Those guns accept- exclusively. Too, barrel lengths were secured in the magazine. Removing
ed into service will have a military limited to 4 inches. Many of the the clip allows the slide to move forproof on the right side of the barrel Broomhandles so manufactured also ward and chamber a round.
It was decided the gun would be
flat. Many leftover 9s were sold after had somewhat flattened grip bases.
the war on the civilian market, and As these pistols were favored by the fired from a rest at 25 yards, offhand
these will only exhibit the commer- Russian Communists, they were at 7 yards and with stock affixed at
nicknamed "Bolos," a period diminu- 50 yards.
cial proof.
The gun's trigger had about threeAfter Germany's defeat in 1918, tive of "Bolshevik."
eighths-inch
takeup but broke at a
continued
to
manufacture
Mauser
makers were restricted, under provisions of the Treaty of Versailles, from Broomhandles until 1936, by which clean 3~ pounds. While the gun failed
producing pistols with calibers larger time about a million of the guns had to go completely into battery for the
than 8mm, so Mauser went back to been turned out in the versions noted first few rounds, after a bit of shooting
chambering the Broomhandle in .30 above as well as in some odder config- it functioned perfectly. From a rest, 25yard groups ran some 4 inches, an
average that was repeated when firing
the gun standing with the attached
shoulder stock. Actually the gun
shouldered pretty well despite the
diminutive butt, and one needed to
hold one's hand under the magazine
for proper support.
All-in-all the piece was a delight to
fire and elicited much interest at the
range, with many shooters wanting to
have a go with it.
Were one in World War I, he probably would have preferred being armed
with a 1911 Colt or P08 Luger, though
the Red Nine Broomhandle certainly
would not have made him feel
unarmed. It would have been more
cumbersome to carry than the other
two autos, and loading would have
been a tad slower, but, still, the piece
would have been adequate for trench
work ... certainly no less reliable or sensitive than a Luger.
Attributes and drawbacks aside,
the Broomhandle is one of the great
romantic handguns of all time.
Aesthetically it is Virtually unsurDespite its front-heavy appearance, the Broomhandle is pretty well balanced
passed and design-wise it was not a
and a delight to shoot. After a breaking-in period, reliability was excellent;
~
bad effort for the period.
accuracy was adequate.
19
Ordered as an Emergency Arm in

World War I, This Lever Gun Is
Still a Good Shooter.
in the late summer of
1914, Paris was
doomed, or so it
seemed. The Imperial
German Army was within sight of the eternal city,
and only a miracle could
save her from the same
humiliation she had endured
at the hands of
conquering Germans in
1871. And then the "Miracle
of the Marne" occurred.
One and a half million
Russians attacked
Germany at Tannenberg
in the east, drawing away
valuable resources and
men from the German
offensive. Paris was
saved. Stalemate settled
in on the Western front.
Almost 300,000
Russians were
casualties.
The Great War
would not be over
anytime soon.
Nearly half of
the Russian
infantry
that
Staff Report
attacked at Tannenberg went into battle

completely unarmed! Like the Chinese
who overran the Chosin Reservoir in
Korea some 35 years later, most of the
2nd and 3rd waves of Russian infantry
advanced using the firearms dropped
by their fallen comrades. Russia was
woefully unprepared to supply an army
in the field with proper equipment and
arms. The Russian Minister of War,
Alexei Polivanov, estimated that in
1915 he had nearly 1 million unarmed
soldiers. "Rifles," he wrote, "were more
precious than gold."
Immediately contracts were executed
with foreign arms manufactures for
rifles and munitions. Remington Arms
and Westinghouse were given orders
for 1 million copies of the standard
Russian service rifle, the Model 1891
Mosin-Nagant. The Winchester
Repeating Arms Company of New
Haven, Connecticut, received a contract to supply the Czar's army with
300,000 rifles based on theJohn
Browning-designed Winchester M1895 lever action. Known as the
Winchester Model 95 "Russian
Musket," these arms comprised nearly
75 percent of all the Model 1895s manufactured between 1896 (the year of
introduction) and 1931 when production ceased.
The Winchester Model 1895 Lever
Action (note the distinctionWinchester also introduced a straightpull, bolt-action rifle in 1895 as well)
was John Browning's response to the
development of high-powered smoke-
From a rest at 100 yards, groups ran in

the 2-inch range. Ammo was 147-grain
Russian sporting ammo by LVE.
less rifle cartridges. Ballistic developments that followed the introduction of

smokeless powder in the late 1880s
brought with them changes in bullet
design. With small caliber, high-velocity cartridges, bullet aerodynamics
became a focus of attention. The introduction of cartridges with pointed
spitzer bullets could in theory render
most lever actions of the day obsolete
and dangerous to carry. All lever guns
of the period were fed from a tubular
magazine. The tendency for the pointed nose of one round to pierce the
primer of another round and discharge
was very real if the gun was dropped.
The genius of Browning's design was
that his lever-action repeating rifle was
Functioning of our evaluation piece was flawless, with chambering and ejection very
positive. Recoil was a tad on the stout side.
fed from an internal box magazine, giving the shooter an advantage in speed
and retention of sight-picture that his
bolt-action competitor did not have.
Originally offered in .30 U.S. (.30-40
Krag), .38-72 WCF and .40-72 WCF,
the Winchester 1895 was eventually
chambered in .30-03, .30-06, .303, .35
WCF and .405 WCF, a favorite chambering of President Theodore
Roosevelt. Roosevelt took 95s on his
African Safari of 1910 and his trip
down the Brazilian River of Doubt
(now Rio Roosevelt) in 1913. In .405
caliber, Roosevelt called his 95 "Big
medicine for lions."
The Russian Model 1895, which was
adopted in 1915, had its design roots in
a rifle that had been made some 15
years before and used in the Philippine
Campaign. Faced with a similar shortage of rifles when the American war
with Spain broke out in April of 1898,
the American Secretary of War, Russell
Alger, ordered 10,000 Winchester
Model 1895 lever-action muskets. The
first delivery took place while Spanish
diplomats were negotiating an end to
the three-month war that left the
United States with her first overseas
possessions. The musket that
Winchester produced for the U.S. in
1898 and for the Russians in 1915 was
a full-stocked rifle with a 28-inch barrel
and a Winchester blade bayonet. In
September of 1899,100 of the U.S.
Winchester 1895 muskets were issued
to the 33rd U.S. Volunteer Infantry for
field trials and evaluation in the
Philippine Islands, an active theater of
combat until 1903. On Christmas day
1900, Major General Arthur
MacArthur, commanding the U.S.
Army in the Philippines (and the father
of the future General of the Army
Douglas MacArthur) cabled the
Adjutant General in Washington that
the standard service Krag rifle was
"generally considered superior and
much preferred" to the 1895
Winchester. He cited difficulty with
loading as one of the prime reasons the
rifle did not pass muster. The Chief of
Ordnance in 1901 wrote, "These arms
are not suited for the United States service." In 1906 the Army commercially
For our evaluation we managed to

locate an original Russian Model 95 in
pretty good condition. It has been our
experience that when these guns do
turn up, they are generally well-used,
however our specimen exhibited a fair
amount of original finish, good wood,
a clean bore and crisp mechanism.
disposed of all 10,000, with most endAmmo chosen was 147-grain LVE
ing up in the service o[ military units
Russian sporting fodder. Unfortunately
in the Caribbean and central America.
we were unable to locate a stripper
Having been damned with less than
clip, so could not determine how well
even faint praise, it would seem that
the loading guide worked and were
the curtain had been drawn on any
forced to press the rounds into the
future military sales of a lever-action
mag one at a time through the top of
Winchester. Yet when procurement
the action-a task that was by no
agents for the Russian Defense
means onerous.
Ministry began searching the globe for
Initial offhand breaking-in shots
proved the gun to be a good feeder
rifles in 1915 (a scene reminiscent of
Caleb Huse, purchasing agent [or the
and ejector, though recoil (even
Confederacy in 1861), Winchester
though the gu n weighs some 9
quickly offered the 1895 musket as a
pounds, 3 ounces) was pretty stout.
substitute standard to the M1891 As we were not able to locate a proper
The plain, curved steel buttplate did
Mosin-Nagant. The Russian 95 was Mosin-Nagant stripper clip, rounds had little to help in this area.
Still, we managed some pretty good
chambered in the standard Russian to be pressed into the box magazine
service caliber o[ 7.62 mm. (Although one at a time.
sub-2-inch 100-yard rested groups
by 1916, standard any things were
using the original iron Sights. The
considered a great rarity among correct caliber for use in the rifle.
action was smooth, could be operated
A total of 300,000 Model 95 mus- rapidly, and despite the stout recoil,
Russian troops. One regiment had no
less than 10 different rifle calibers rep- kets were ordered, produced and target reacquisition was not bad. The
resented within its ranks.) The delivered to the Russians in 1915 and trigger broke at just 7 pounds, after a
7.62x54R round, which was original- 1916. The Russians, bankrupt from light %-inch takeup. All proclaimed
ly deSignated for the Mosin-Nagant war expenses, actually bartered with the gun fun to shoot and an admirable
rifle, had a rimmed, tapered case. The the French for additional rifles and mate to the Mosin- agant.
The fate of the Russian Winchesters
original210-grain round-nosed bullet ammunition, and in 1916, the Czar
was found to be lacking in accuracy traded two battalions of infantry to the follOwing the Great War is as confusing
as the Russian revolution of 1917 was
and puissance. Fortunately, the devel- French for much needed supplies.
opment by the Germans of the spitzer
The sights on the Russian Model chaotic. Some rifies have been examined
bullet gave the round a whole new 1895 involve a rear ladder graduated with the cartouche o[ Republican Spain,
lease on life, and in 1909 an improved to 3,200 meters and a simple blade an indication that they were sold to aid
"L" round was adopted. With a 150- front. The safety is nothing more than in quelling the Civil War that erupted
grain bullet and adjusted powder a hammer half-cock, though the lever there in the late 1930s. Advertisements
charge, the ballistics of the cartridge does have a hinged lower portion that in firearm magazines [rom early 1962
were boosted to almost 2,900 fps, locks it into position and prevents the indicate that a quantity of Russian 95s
putting it in the .30-06 class.
action from being opened unless ones were imported by Interarms of
The blade bayonet was visually hand is actually in or about the loop.
Alexandria, Virginia, and sold for
identical to the US
$34.95, one third the
1895 model but just
price of a quality Ml
different enough to
Garand. Today they
prevent interchangecommand a premium if
ability. Stripper clip
they can be found in
guides were mounted
any type of passable
on the receiver to
condition. Many have
remarked that "if only
allow rapid loading of
the five cartridges
it could talk, what stothat the internal box
ries it would tell."
magazine held, thus
When examining a
correcting a flaw that
Winchester 1895
General MacArthur
Russian musket, rich
had previously iden-
with history, showing
tified. Markings conthe ravages of multiple
sist of the Russian
wars and the effect of
Imperial acceptance
over 85 years of use, it
cartouche on the Sights on the Winchester Russian Model 95 involve a military-style ladder
will talk to you, but
receiver breech and rear graduated to 3,200 yards and a blade front. A lug for a blade bayonet is only if you know how
7.62, denoting the situated on the bottom of the front barrel band.
to read sign.
Ii!i
This Stopgap
Revolver Turned
Out to Be a Reliable,
if Moderately Used,
Substitute Standard
Sidearm During Two
World Wars.
Staff Report
y the time the United States
entered World War I in
1917, the Model 1911
Government Model auto
pistol had been our official
sidearm for some six years.
Unfortunately, Uncle Sam had not
produced enough of them to supply
the Nast numbers of doughboys that
he pIal,fued to send to France, so it was
decidl::cl in 1916 that development
begin on a method of altering existing
arms to handle the .45 ACP cartridge.
Initial ~erimentation was undertaken by Smith &: Wesson, which modified its Second Model Hand Ejector
revolver to chamber the rimless auto
round. It achieved this by altering the
<:ylinder to accept the ammunition,
which was snapped into a pair of
three-round spring-steel "half-moon"
clips to facilitate loading and ejection.
The ~tem worked quite well and was
also applied to the popular Colt New
Service revolver.
The New Service, which was initially cataloged in 1898, was a largeframe, robust Sixgun that proved to
be Colt's first really reliable doubleaction. It saw considerable civilian
usterInThe
\.
fi: ,:...-
, ,..;;~=- ~.
I)
. '77. )
, C\r 1.'1.'1' lh, ;q~\T{1Jll
,.
"
Without adoubt, George Armstrong"Cii'sfer

is America's most cinematically portrayed military
man. Just how close wtpamost films to the real facts?
[
.I,.
By Dan Gagliasso
flflr T I
<t,
Custer In The
MOVIE~
film in a fictional piece of drama.

Journalist F. N. Shoreyenthusiastically reported on Seligs colorful actors,
"Three of the Indians were more than c:
70 years old, having been participants .2'
in the tragedy that cost Custer and 300
of his soldiers their lives."
()
For early movie audiences Selig's
film must have been quite stirring ..,
stuff. A reviewer sitting through the
one reeler described the last stand, Cl ~
"...the final battle scene where the sav--..
ages circle around the ill-fated band of
whites until the last man is killed; is The "real article. n
also intensely real." Much of the 1909 This 1864 edition of Harper's Weekly
fUm was shot right in Chicago where a depicts the Custer of popular imaginaWild West show version of the Custer tion. His heroics and panache during
battle was being featured at the famous the Civil War made him an a pUblic and
Riverview Park that summer, less then media favorite. Actually he was a very
able commander, and personally
a mile from Seligs studio.
brave, into the bargain.
In late May of 1910 the Moving
Picture World began to take specific tor Thomas Ince as the father of the
note of, u the Custer Massacre pic- epic Western. Since any early film features taken on the Indian Reservation turing the Little Big Hom Battle could
by the Montana Motion Picture reasonably be thought to have "epic"
Company." Other than a garish poster type qualities, it was inevitable that
imitating a heroic Victorian last stand Ince would sooner or later get around
print proclaiming, "Massacre and to creating his own version of the
Mutilation-Bloodiest Butchery That Custer battle. With Custers Last Fight in
Ever Stained a Battlefield," little else is 1912, Ince and director Francis Ford,
known of the company or their film, director John Ford's older brother,
Custer~ Last Stand.
would feature the then-popular image
Many
historians consider prolif- of Custer as unadulterated hero. Ford
ic and innovative producer and direc- also played Custer.
I
!.
mm
This advertisement for the 1910 movie Custer's Last Stand could easily be a poster
for Buffalo Bill's Wild west Show ofthe previous century. Unfortunately, this early
entty into Custer filmdom is now lost.
Filmed in Southern California's

Santa Monica Mountains, Custer's
Last Fight's stand was a classic
silent-era representation that carried on the heroic imagery started
by Wild West shows. Much of the
large-scale action was possible
because Ince had hired the 300
performers and crew of Miller
Brothers' 101 Wild West Show as
extras. It all worked quite well
because the film was reported to be a
huge success.
There were a handful of smaller
Custer titles produced over the next
few years. But the next big Custer
production was shot in 1916 when
the Vitagraph Company sent director
Lionel Belmore with a cast and crew to
shoot Britton of the 7th at Fort Clark,
Texas in order to make use of a large
numbers of actual United States troops
then stationed on the border because
of Pancho Villa's recent attack on
Columbus, New Mexico.
At the Little Big Horn the film's
hero,Tony Britton, is assigned to
Reno's battalion and takes part in the
fight in the valley while his nemesis,
Captain Granson dies with General
Custer, played by Ned Finley. Major
Reno is seen as weak-willed, while
Britton tries to convince him to go to
Custer's aid. As described bombastically in a trade revi.ew, "Then too late
they do advance; to find that vast
field covered with the bodies of their
comrades who died fighting in that
hell hole."
In 1920 First National studios
decided another big Custer themed
film was in order and a hard-drinking,
innovative Irish director that is largely
forgotten today, Marshall "Mickey"
Neilan, was hired to supervise. The
production of Bob Hampton of Placer
was mammoth and attracted considerable attention from the press. The
Seattle Times reponed on the film's
progress in December, 1920, "... production of a great film in which more
than 2,000 persons appear has been
going on for the last four months. One
of the great dramatic features which
serves as a spectacular climax to the
picture is the famous last stand of
General Custer against the Sioux. In
depicting the views Mr. Neilan used
thousands ofIndians and soldiers ... "
Neilan shot the Indian footage in
Glacier National Park in Montana and
the cavalry footage at Fort Hauchucha,
Arizona. He utilized an Army blimp
to position his cameras for high
panoramic shots that disguised the fact
that his 7th Cavalrymen were actually
In The Scarlet West (1925), Custer's Last Stand was used

as a background for a story about an American Indian army
officer. Shot in Southwestern Colorado, the film's female
star was "It n girl, Clara Bow.
the African-American troopers of the

10th Cavalry, and then intercut the disparate scenes with close ups of his
prinCipal actors.
Neilan's choice to play Custer was an
ironic one. Actor Dwight Crittenden
claimed to be the great nephew of one
Second Lieutenant John]. Crittenden
of the Twentieth Infantry who died
while on temporary assignment with
Company "l" of the 7th Cavalry at the
little Big Hom.
A newspaper in New Jersey trumpeted to its readers this favorable, if now
insensitive, description of the films climax. "The death of the famous General
during his encounter with the Indians
is shown and hundreds of real honest-
In typical Cecil B. DeMille fashion, 1937's Gary Cooper opus,

The Plainsman was filmed on a lavish scale, including a spectacular "Last Standn shot on location in Montana.
to-goodness redskins have been

recruited for the purpose."
A new public appetite for big historical Westerns brought on by the success
of The Covered Wagon and John Ford's
The Iron Horse helped First National to
decide to again put another twist on
the little Big Hom in 1925. Producer
Frank]. Carroll's nine reel The Scarlet
West would use Custer and his last battle as background for a story with an
American Indian Army officer as the
films ill-fated hero.
Robert Frazer played the Sioux officer, Cadelanche, to quite good reviews
opposite the growing '20s sex symbol,
the "It Girl," Clara Bow. Southwestern
Colorado was chosen as The Scarlet
West's principal location and the last

Stand footage was staged on a grand
scale, employing a long ridgeline that
wasn't a bad stand-in for the real
Custer Hill in Montana.
First National's publicity people
made a big point of describing the last
stand in detail for prospective theaters.
"One sees the gallant general and his
soldiers fighting against bitter odds
gradually being surrounded by thousands of galloping Indians. One by one
the troopers drop in their tracks until
only a small band remain. Standing in
the midst erect and unafraid and firing
his rifle as rapidly as possible is Custer.
Undaunted he fights to the end. A
moment later he is the last man slain,
By the mid 19305, Custer films had fallen out of favor, though a 15part "poverty row n serial, Custer's Last Stand made it into the
Saturday matinees. It was an unimpressive production.
Custer In The
saber in the films last stand.

On The Flaming Frontier
location in Pendleton,
Oregon, actor Dustin Farnum,
who played Custer, made a
point of making friends with
several of the local tribal leadr-------_-----_-----_--.-I ers who would act as extras.
he also drops to the ground-a hero The famed stage and screen actor,
'Thought it wouldn't be a bad idea to
meeting a heros death."
One reviewer even went so far as to get friendly with the Indians' chieftains
compare The Scarlet West to Frederic since I had to play Custer in his last
Remingtons classic Western paintings stand, because I don't fancy the idea of
stating, "Everyone who liked standing alone on some wind swept
Remington's pictures of the old West flat over a dead horse with Indians all
will recognize this is a Remington mas- around me...."
The action for The Flaming Frontier
terpiece brought to life."
The year 1926 would mark the 50th was staged in particularly spectacular
anniversary of the Custer battle. In manner. A San Francisco newspaper
order to pick up on some of that free described the filming of the Little Big
publicity, Universal Studios allotted Horn sequence. "Director Sedgwick
turned the handle on a Television has often used Custer and the
Little Big Horn as a plot or subplot. They
large siren to start the appear in such shows as Twilight Zone,
filming. Slowly and Branded, Have Gun Will Travel and even
solemnly with Custer F-Troop. In 1967 the redoubtable
in the lead the soldiers General even had his own series, Custer
filed into the basin of starring Wayne Maunder.
land. Then without
any warning the earth commanding Company UK" of the 7th
seemed to vomit Cavalry assigned to Captain Benteen's
Indians. From ravine surviving battalion at the Little Big
and gully, over hill tops Hom in 1876. The big budget and the
and table land. They massive ballyhoo surrounding the
literally swarmed into film's release paid off handsomely. The
view, With battle yells Flaming Frontier was one of Universal's
and shouts, brandish- top moneymakers of 1926.
ing hatchets, rifles and
For the next 10 years, as sound
medicine sticks they made its way inlo movie theaters,
UttIe Big Man (1970) as well as being a travesty of the
rushed furiously Custer occasionally was seen as a supgteat Thomas Berger novel, drew more of its attitude from
toward the troops. porting character in another half a
Yl8tnam than from the 19th century American West.
Mr. Farnum's Custer dozen films, generally in only a few
Richard Mulligan's Custer is shown as an over-the-top,
quickly
made a battle scenes. There was a 15-part derring-do
raving genocidal maniac.
formation and they serial from the poverty row based
over $400,000 for the filming of their bravely set to defend themselves. But Weiss Company, CLister's Last Stand,
Custer epic The Flaming Frontier, star- the superior numbers of Indians, but it raised few eyebrows. It took a
ring cowboy lead, Hoot Gibson, as one naked except for breech clouts, leaned successful filmmaker like Cecil B. De
of Custer's scouts. This was at a time forward in their saddles
when most big-budget studio films and attacked with bows
usually cost around $200,000, and an and arrows. Starting a wide
average Western at a major studio, circle they raced wildly
would be shot for under $20,000.
around the troops, graduA tremendous amount of research ally and almost imperceptiwas done for The Flaming Frontier. The bly the circle narrowed and
films director, Edward Sedgwick, sup- soon the pitiful few solposedly consulted Indian participants diers were no more. All
and old Army personnel including had been wiped out."
Colohel George S. Byram, U.S. Army,

A gala premiere was
~
Retired and a veteran of the 1898 hosted at the New York
(5
()
Spanish-American War fight at San Colony Theater, and
.~
Juan Hill. Byram became the film's Brigadier General Edward
',~ ~~~~J -5
~ ~
technical consultant. A graduate of S. Godfrey was the guest of
West Point in 1885, he was also touted honor. At 85 he was still Arguably the best celluloid Custer was Errol Flynn,
to have done the first War Department the stalwart former Indian who played the part to perfection. They Died With their
survey of Custer Battlefield. Despite fighter. He had led a distin- Boots On (1941) is the most ambitious Custer movie
the supposed research, Custer still gu ished career tha t ha d ever and, despite numerous historicatinaccuracies,
wields the inevitable (and inaccurate) m 0 s t not ab Iyin cIud ed remains the most exciting and satisfying.
MOVIE~
~.
(5
()
.I/l
l5
.<:
The Cinerama production, Custer of the West (1967) was shot in Europe and
suffered from a bloated budget and anemic script. Britisher Robert Shaw was a
pretty awful Custer.
Mille to resurrect Custer on movie

screens in a spectacular fashion as part
of The Plainsman in 1937.
De Mille's chosen actor, John Miljan,
portrayed Custer as the consummate
profeSSional Indian fighter, a no-nonsense commander of cavalry without,
despite his natty buckskin jacket, any
of the controversial personality traits
the real Yellow Hair was well known
for. De Mille's makeup crew did an
incredible job with Miljan, basing their
work on a well-known 1865 photo of
the Custer by Matthew Brady.
Over the years, De Mille had perfected a well-rehearsed model of how
to make an epic film. Top-rate second
unit director, Arthur Rosson would
go off to whatever distant location
had been selected for the large-scale
action scenes and coordinate the
shooting of those scenes with De
Mille back at Paramount's studio lot.
In this case De Mille relied on the aid
of long distance portable military
style phones and a 10-foot model of
the battlefield set populated by toy
soldiers and toy Indians.
On location in Busby, Montana,
Rossen's crew got some truly spectacular Little Big Horn scenes. Working
with pre-production art sketches,
Rossen used 50 troopers of the 11 5th
Wyoming National Guard, a handful
of taxidermied dead horses and several hundred local Cheyenne Indians
to convincingly convey the Last
Stand on the side of a barren hill in
Southeastern Montana. Though the
director eventually staged a tableaustyle Last Stand for use in the film,
much of Rossen's Montana shot
footage was incorporated into the
background of The Plainsman's studio-shot sequences. The Plainsman is
a thoroughly enjoyable film that
helped bring about a whole new crop
of epic Westerns including that most
revered of Custer themed titles,
1941's They Died With Their Boots On.

Director Raoul Walsh claimed
that in the fall of 1941 when Warner
Brother's studio head Jack Warner
first viewed Walsh's spectacular Last
Stand footage climaxing They Died
With Their Boots On he declared, "If
Custer really died that way then
history should applaud him."
Newspaper magnate William
Randolph Hearst was equally enthusiastic. After seeing the film in early
December of 1941 Hearst wired
Warner, "Greatest film I have ever
seen. Went to see it twice with
Marian. Randy."
Back in March of 1941 Jack Warner
had committed the studio's charismatic
swashbuckler, Errol Flynn to the lead
as the buckskin-clad cavalier. It was
inspired casting, since no actor before
or since has ever better captured the
charisma, dash and style of George
Custer better than Errol Flynn.
One of the film's screenwriters
advised the studio that, given

America's soon to be involvement in
World War 11, patriotism was more
important then historical correctness.
"...all consideration was given to construct a story which would have the
best possible effect upon public morale
in these present days of impending
national crisis."
Boots other casting quickly fell into
place. Olivia de Havilland was reprising her role for the final time as
Flynn's love interest, Elizabeth
Custer, after seven previously successful films together including The
Adventures of Robin Hood and The
Charge of the light Brigade.
Warner employees with an interest
in history, but no official connection to
the production also offered their comments and assistance. Jack Holmes
contacted the research department
thinking he had tracked down
"General Custer's actual battle flag."
Holmes proceeded to describe a forked
Stars and Stripes guidon of the type
that each company of cavalry had
indeed carried in 1876 to identify the
unit's location. Five such pennants
went down with the Custer contingent, as well as Custer's large red and
blue personal designating flag. There
was an elaborate, though somewhat
authentic sounding story that an
infantryman with General Terry's column had picked up the flag on the battlefield several days after the battle and
eventually sold it to Sergeant Eugene
Dann of the 14th Infantry. Dann supposedly eventually gave up the guidon
to be locked up in a vault at the
Veterans Memorial building in San
;3
c============::...L.....:..::-:..',.' :"
...:~~' ;:"N~'':':''~,~;'''~'-~'u~,,~'..:"".;r~~o~o~c;;c'~.';"::".'::""'..:.":....,.J....
Universal's Flaming Frontier was a big-budget production. The studio allocatedover
$400,000- twice the normal cost for a feature. It was well researched and the uni
forms and equipment, fairly authentic for the period.
Custer In The
at Custer Battlefield
was allowed to examine the watch and
looked up the serial
number, revealing
that timepiece wasn't
even manufactured
".,.".,.......
.......1 un t il well a fte r
Custer's death.
No single film portrayal of
Custer would have more
influence on the public's perception of him as much as
Flynn's did, until the release of
Little Big Man in 1970. In
future years even Errol Flynn
would refer to his role as
Custer as the best acting perfonnance of his career. Thirtyfive years later historian Brian
Dippie wrote that the swashbuckling actor" ... is George
Custer reincarnated and at the
height of his heroism."
After They Died With Their
Boots On Custer had become
a rather commonplace cameo
character in films, most often
utilized as a symbol of law
and order, ready to mete out Custer's Last Fight (1912) was actually filmed in
Southern California's Santa Monica Mountains.
justice and stern fatherly Shot on a large scale, it featured over some 300
advice. So the next major performers from Miller Brother's Wild West
Custer film representation Show as extras.
decided to completely fictionalize the story, creating a classic Wayne played a close second lead as
that has stood the test of time, john the Captain Benteen-like thorn in
Ford's Fort Apache.
Thursdays side.
The magnificent last stand depicted
The 1948 film was based onjames
Warner Bellah's vivid Saturday on film by john Ford is much closer
Evening Post" story "Massacre." But to the imagery evoked by Bellah in
when master storyteller Ford finished his story "Massacre," which was also
with it all, he was canny enough to wrought on canvas not once, but
visually conjure up images of any of a twice, by famed illustrator Harold
number already famous Custer's Last Von Schmidt. Von Schmidt painted
Stand paintings, with a the marvelous illustration for Bellah's
bit of the famed Charge original short story depicting the last
of the Light Brigade. By stand of some of Thursday's troopers
the time the cast and to save the colors. He then painted
crew made it out to the movie's last stand for use on the
Ford's favorite location film's advertising posters. Ford was so
of Monument Valley, enamored of the large poster painting
james Warner Bellah's that it hung in the entryway to his
short story had been office for many years.
Many Western film purists would
transformed into a
major effort that would argue that Fort Apache is not a Custer
film at all. After all, the story is set in
require 300 extras.
Ford favorite Henry Arizona Territory, the action against
Fonda was chosen to Cochise and the Apaches and at no
play martinet Colonel, time is the 7th Cavalry ever menTonka (1958) was the first film to depict Custer Owen Thursday who tioned. But it is the themes that john
sees quick victory over, Ford deals with in the film that make it
lWactor Britt Lomand) as a genocidal racist,
than II heroic adventurer. Despite the questionable the Apaches here, as a such a real examination of the development of a Custer-like legend. Ford
~8ri_ionJ' the film was technically more accurate way back into the
good graces of the War once told an interviewer, "You build a
many of Its predecessors, even giving Custer a
W8bIeY (albeit, the wrong model) revolver, which he sup- Department-and out legend and it becomes a fact. We have
of Fort Apache. john legends about people like General
~can1edatThe Uttle Big Hom.
MOVIE~
Custer. He's one of our great heroes. He not, as the 1960s were about to close, troopers. The biggest Custer film of
did a very stupid thing." Later the Custer's now-negative image was the 1960s wasn't even shot in the
director admitted casually, "A legend is ingrained in the public's imagination. United States, but Spain. Custer of the
more interesting than the real facts." In With television firmly entrenched in West (1967) featured Robert Shaw as
Fort Apache he created a classic, if revi- American households, Custer stories an introspective Custer who sees the
sionist version of events that allowed showed up on any number of televi- era of warriors and glory coming to an
the Custer/Thursday heroic redemp- sion shows including Cheyenne, Have end. Interesting themes didn't help the
tion at films end.
Gun Will Travel, F- Troop and even The production though, since it just
Custer would bite
looked like a shot-in
the dust innumerable
Europe version of the
times in the 1950s and
American West done
1960s. In Paramount's
on an inflated budget,
Warpath (1951,) the
written by two blackstudio scored a master
listed screenwriters.
stroke by casting
Producer Philip
George Custer's realYordan didn't like his
life nephew, Colonel
writers' take on the
Brice Custer as the 7th
subject telling them,
Cavalry's regimental
"It's people like you
standard bearer and
with your anti-hero
shooting virtually all of
ideas who are ruining
the film within an
Hollywood. We'll just
hour's drive of the actufigure a way to turn
al battlefield at Crow
Custer into a hero."
Agency, Montana.
With Vietnam in full
Walt Disney's Tonka
swing and sex, drugs
in 1958 was part of
and rock and roll
the new breed of probecoming a pennanent
I n d ian f i 1m s t hat Fort Apache's "last stand" supposedly took place in Arizona against the
public part of the culde pic ted Cus te r as a Apaches, not in Montana versus the Sioux, but was dramatic and not
ture, no one seemed to
sneering, genocidal unlike Custer's demise, in spirit.
care, and the film did
racist; here portrayed by Zorro's TV Twilight Zone. For a brief time in 1967 little business, despite being shot in
nemesis Britt Lomand. Yet much of the yellow-haired Indian fighter even the spectacular Cinerama process.
the costuming and many of the props had his own ABC series, Custer, with
By 1970 the time was right for the
were far more accurate than any cocky Wayne Maunder as the lead. But cynical and mean-spirited Little Big
previous film depictions.
film depictions kept on rolling out of Man, starring Dustin Hoffman as
Tonka would mark a number of cor- the studios on a regular basis, as well.
another lone survivor of Custer's Last
rect physical details that would be
In 1965 Sam Peckinpah of The Wild Stand, that captured none of subtleties
firsts for a Custer film. Someone at Bunch fame wrote another fictional- of Thomas Berger's novel. Richard
Disney did a fair amount of research ized Custer-like film, The Glory Guys, Mulligan played Custer as an insane
because for the first time Custer's dis- which was shot in Mexico with the fool bent on worse genocide than
tinctive red, white and blue crossed help of 1,500 modem Mexican cavalry Tonka:S ugly Custer characterization
sabers personal flag was shown on
film. Stars and Stripes forked company
guidons were also utilized.
JOHN I'OIW ~MF.IlIAN C000PF.Il
One of Custer's buckskin coats was
JOHN WAYNE
reproduced by costumers Chuck
HENRY FONDA
Keehne and Gertrude Casey. Custer
SH IRLEY TEM PLil
owned more then one such coat and
PEDRO ARMENDARIZ
the Tonka jacket was based upon one at
the Smithsonian Institute's Museum of
American History
The prop people on Tonka had also
managed to dig up a pair of, what
Disneys publiCity department claimed
Directed by
were exact replicas of Custer's pistols; a
JOHN FORD
pair of English Webleys for Brit
Lomond's Custer to wield at the Little
Big Horn. The revolvers were later
models with a slightly different look to
them, but the fact that Tonka's prop
people had gone to any such trouble
was rather astounding. Also, for one of Though not about Custer, per Be, Fort Apache (1948) was a John Ford spectacular
the first times Disney's movie Custer featuring Henry Fonda as Custer-esque "Colonel Owen Thursday. With an a/l-star
correctly did not sport a saber.
cast that included John Wayne and Shirley Temple, it was a top-notch cavalrypicAuthentic unifonns and weapons or ture-perhaps one of the two or three best.
!,'(It,'''
A~ORT
ruJACHE
Custer In The
tor Riley Flynn had worked

on numerous historical films
including the IMAX Alamothe Price of Freedom. Flynn
not only recruited and supervised 120 cavalry hobbiests,
but even helped hunt up
. , . , . . . . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -.... specific historically correct
props. He spent one whole afternoon going through drawers and
barrels at one of the Hollywood gun
rental companies just so he could
match up a pair of Custer's correct
Royal Irish Constabulary Bulldog
revolvers for the production.
But the poor casting and mediocre,
PC script marred the overall production. One critic hit the mark praising
the Little Big Hom battle footage but
then suggested only half facetiously
that perhaps ABC should have, "...just
bought remake rights to They Died
With Their Boots On, hired an Errol
Flynn clone to play Custer, and
squeezed the legend for all its worth."
From a hero in the days of the silents
and early talkies, to a racist fool representative of a whole nation's sins
against native Americans, Custer and
the Little Big Hom have endured for
over 125 years in America's national
consciousness. There is no reason to
think that the man or the battle will fall
by the wayside as a popular reference
at any time in the near future.
Perhaps author Thomas Berger
spoke best to Custer's enduring fascination. "A small elite are picked by
fate to crouch on that knoll above
the Little Big Hom, and they provide
examples for the many commonplace individuals whose challenge is
only a flat tire on a deserted road,
the insult of a bully at the beach, or
a sneezing spell in the absence of
one's nasal spray."
~
EXPLORE YOUR PASSION FOR

RECREATIONAL SHOOTING WITH
MOVIE6
THE # 1 MAGAZINE FOR GUN ENTHUSIASTS
Pemaps the only thing inspired about

Paramount's 1951 Warpath was the
casting of George Custer's real-life
nephew, Colonel Brice Custer, as the 7th
Cavalry'S regimental standard bearer.
Custer was portrayed by James Millcam.
Dan Gagliasso is a screenwriter and historian who has published over 69 articles
on Western history andfilm in Persimmon
Hill, Cowboys & Country, Greasy
Grass, The]oumal of Arizona History,
Montana, The Magazine of Western
History, and many other historical publications. He has written documentaries for
The History Channel including the recent
The Battle of New Orleans and was a historical consultant on TNn Rough Riders
in 1997. His book, The Celluloid Custer,
will be published later this year by The
University ofNebraska Press.
SUBSCRIBE TODAY
FOR LESS THAN
$1.00 AN ISSUE
GUNS & AMMO is the one
magazine devoted just to fans
of recreational shooting.
Written by well known experts in the field,
each issue is filled with:
practical information on the use and maintenance of guns
tips on firearm safety
product news and performance results for
todays newest guns
answers to your questions from leading authorities
in the field
information on legislation affecting gun owners
articles about the people who are making news and so much more.
SAVE
Don1t miss out on this special offer.
75%
Get 1 full year (12 issues) of GUNS & AMMO for just $11.97.
That's a savings of over $35 off the newsstand price.
Plus, as a subscriber, you1I enjoy the convenience of home delivery so you never miss an issue.
Subscribe online at: www.gunsandammomag.com

To start your own subscription just send the attached Subscriber Savings Card today
or send name, mailing address and payment to:
GUNS & AMMO PO Box 51214 Boulder CO 803221214

Son of the Morning Star (1991) was a television series based on Evan McConnell's best-selling book. It is unquestionably the most
authentic Custer movie ever filmed, but suffered from a meandering screenplay and Gary Cole's uninspired Custer portrayal.
If you wish to pay by credit card, please send your credit card number and expiration date to the above address.
We accept VISA, Mastercard and American Express.
SaVings are based off annual cover price of $47.88. Canadian orders add $13.00 per year (including GST), all other foreign orders add
$15.00 per year (for surface mail postage); all payments must be in U.S. funds. Please allow 6 to 8 weeks for delivery of first issue.
Death From the Sky:

Guns and Gear of the
82nd and
101 st Airborne
he dull roar of the engines on the lead C-4 7 knocked him to the ground. He released his chute hardrowned out the furious beating of Captain ness, chambered a round into his gun and looked at his
Frank Lillyman's heart. All the training exercises watch. It was 15 minutes past midnight. It was D-Day,
in which he had participated were about to be Tuesday, June 6,1944.
put to the test. The red light above him turned
Captain Frank Lillyman, a pathfinder with the lOlst
--, Airborne Division was the first
to green. A sharp blast of cold ,Allied soldier to land in France
air signaled that the door was
as part of Operation Overlord;
now open, "Stand up, hook up,
stand in the door .. " these
D-Day. Eighteen other men folwords the jump master had
lowed him out of that C-47,
said a hundred times as
and before dawn nearly 12,000
recruits progressed through
other paratroopers from the
training at Fort Benning. Now
82nd and 101st Airborne
Infantry Divisions would join
Benning was 5,000 miles away
and Normandy was directly
him on the ground and in the
below. He jumped out into the The semi-automatic M1 Garand (top) was the principal
marshes west of Utah Beach.
g, night, "One- one thousand, U.S. infantry arm during World War II. It was chambered Their objective was to seize and
~ two- one thousand, three- one for the .30-06 service cartridge and held eight rounds.
keep open vital crossroads,
~ thousand," a sudden jerk and Some Paratroopers were issued with M1903A4 sniper
bridges and exit causeways as
3- his canopy was deployed and rifles (bottom). These five-shot bolt-action repeaters
well as hamper any German
E open. Four seconds, 4 million were variants of the 03A3 which, in turn were simplified counterattacks deSigned to
~ thoughts and 400 feet later the versions of the M1903 Springfield. They were topped
push the U.S. 4th Division back
tf. earth smacked up on him and with 4X Lyman or Weaver scopes.
into the English Channel.
'1'
By Philip Schreier
The Garand is loaded through the top of

the receiver by means of an en bloc steel
clip. When the last round has been fired
the clip is ejected from the magazine.
Utah Beach played an important

part in the overall success of the
entire invasion plan. Utah was the
westernmost landing area and as
such would be the jumping off point
for the main thrust of the American
effort to capture the Cherbourg
Peninsula and provide the invasion
forces with a suitable port of entry
into Europe. Important tasks called
for reliable men to accomplish the
job. The Airborne forces of the U.S.
were selected due to their remarkable

fighting record and ability.
When war broke out in Europe in
1939, the United States did not even
have a parachute infantry regiment or
an airborne division. It wasn't until
1940, and the lessons learned from
watching the German blitzkrieg, that
General William Lee was directed to
form the first U.S. parachute test platoon and eventually the U.S. Airborne
Infantry school at Ft. Benning Georgia.
Lee formed an elite fighting force

within the U.S. Army. Distinctive
insignia, boots, uniforms, weapons
and equipment all served to establish
an esprit de corps that made even Air
Corps pilots envious. And not unlike
most elite units, they earned their
extra pay by fighting and dying in
higher percentages than anyone else.
By nightfall of D-Day fully three
quarters of the Airborne forces in
Normandy were either casualties or
separated from their divisions. Their
first objective in Normandy was to
open the way, a task that they were
still engaged in when forced to leave
France and regroup in England on
July 13, D-Day + 37.
Soldiers were issued with an M5

Assault gas mask in a rubberized cover.
These were generally "lost" fairly early
during the operation.
While the majority ofparatroopers probably carried Garands, other favorite arms
included the M1 Thompson submachine gun (top), the 1911A 1 Government Model
auto pistol (center) and the gun most associated with airborne, the M1A 1 Carbine.
new breed of infantryman. For these

new soldiers, special uniforms, equipment and firearms would be needed to
make them not only effective fighters
but distinctive from all other infantry
units. Maj. Miley enlisted the talents of
Captain William P. Yarborough, who
not only designed the paratroopers uniform but also the jump wings, jump
boots and traditions such as prop-blast
punch that remain Airborne institutions
to this day.
Yarboroughs design for a new uniform
resulted in the distinctive M1942 jumpsuit. A two piece cotton twill outfit that
was not only comfortable and easy to
maneuver in but also practical and gen-
erously endowed with plenty of pockets.

The suit was so popular and perfect for
combat conditions that its design was
eventually adopted by the Army during
the 1960s and used extensively throughout the war in South East Asia.
Furnished in varying shades, from
olive drab to khaki, the '42s were often
reinforced with canvas duck salvaged
from old army tents and duffel bags.
These reinforcements were preformed
by the riggers in each regiment. The
men who dropped into Normandy
were thankful for the extra layers of
canvas on stress points such as knees,
elbows and pocket seams. Riggers also
added lengths of sewn canvas cord to
the cargo pockets on the trouser legs in

order to allow each man to tie down
equipment and items prone to making
noise or falling loose while running.
The four-pocket blouse had a falling
collar with adjustable snaps, a waist
belt and an extra pocket near the collar
that held the parachutist's switchblade
knife, which enabled him to free himself from his risers if he got hung up.
Riggers often sewed extra pockets to
the sleeves to add more carrying room
for necessities such as grenades or
cigarettes. The suits were generously
cut to wear with heavier undergarments and had tapered legs and button
cuffs to minimize the effect that the
UNIFORMS
In October of 1940 the 501st
Parachute Infantry Battalion became the
first unit of its kind in the U.S. Army. Its
commander, Major William M. Miley,
set about the daunting task of creating a
Though intended for use on the wrist,
this style of plastic compass was
attached to the equipment in a number
of creative ways.
WRIST COMPASS
Individual clips are contained in pouches

on troopers' M1923 web belts.
The Garand's safety is a sturdy catch

set in the front of the triggerguard.
Back, the gun is "on safe." Flicking it
forward with the trigger finger readies
the rifle for use.
Rear sights on the Garand involved a

sophisticated peep adjustable for elevation and windage.
The 1903A4 sniper rifle chambered the standard .30-06 round. While its optics
were marginal, it served well enough, though it was not up to par with the British
No. 4T or many of the German K98k snipers.
An increasingly difficult item of equipment for collectors to find is the standard

airborne troopers wrist compass. The green
or brown plastic compass was outfitted
with either a cotton or leather strap and
was small (two to three inches in diameter).
It had a magnetic needle coated in iridescent (glow in the dark) paint. Most contemporary accounts rate this as a substandard
and fragile article of equipment.
An empty M1 Carbine magazine was dropped by simply pressing in on on a release button.
The M1 Carbine's safety was a small button behind the mag

release. Because the release was often pressed instead of the
safety, the button was later changed to a lever.
A small metal oil bottle was held in a spring clip behind the
M1A 1's leather cheekpiece.
The M1A 1 was light, handy and reliable. While it was somewhat lacking in long-range stopping power, at close distances it was quite effective.
To make the M1A 1 even more compact, its wire stock could be folded inward to
enable it to be carried in its canvas jump pouch.
wind had on them when they jumped.

The tapered legs on the trousers fit
nicely into the paratroopers most
prized possession, his jump boots.
Another design by Yarborough, the
jump boots were 10 inches high brown
leather, cap-toed boots with stitching
and reinforcements to give a paratrooper needed support in the ankle
and foot. Yarborough's design had
improved upon boots he had seen
worn by members of the U.S. Forest
Service who wore them while "smoke
jumping," fighting fires in the Pacific
northwest. Soon the bloused trouser
legs of an Airborne soldier was as distinctive to this branch of service as
were their jump wings. The boots were
manufactured by numerous compa-
nies such as Corcoran, EndicottJohnson, Georgia Shoe, Herman Shoe

&: Boot and International Shoe among
others. However, to paratroopers they
were and still are known just simply
as Corcoran's.
EQUIPMENT
When the first Parachute Test Platoon
began practicing jumps, attention was
immediately turned to securing a safe
form of head gear. Sporting goods stores
in Georgia were quickly wiped out of
Riddell football helmets and orders
were placed with the company to manufacture more. The stop gap plastic helmets were fine for training exercises but
unsuitable for combat. Designers soon
came up with a combat helmet engi-
Though its .30 Carbine round was

nowhere near as effective as the M1
Garand's .30-06. the paratroopers' M1A 1
Carbine was a popular favorite. It was
handy, had a 15-round mag and its stock
could be folded.
neered to provide maximum protection

from falls and still serve its purpose as
combat headgear. The standard M2 helmet was used with a specially designed
liner that had extra webbing to protect
the neck and a leather cupped chin
strap to secure the helmet during the
jump. (Note that the chin cup was oval
in shape, not the hideous oversized
square rig that John Wayne sported in
the D-Day cinema classic The Longest
Day.) Most chin straps were secured by
a fixed bale (D-ring) that differed from
Loading the M1 Carbine was as simple as taking a magazine from its pouch, inserting it in the mag well and operating
the bolt to chamber the first round.
regular M2 helmets that had a swivel

ring attachment.
Those airborne troopers who
jumped into darkness the morning of
June 6th tried a number of methods to
camouflage their appearance. Helmets
were covered with a variety of netting,
used not only to secure strips of burlap
called scrim that helped breakup the
outline of the helmet against the skyline, but also served as a handy location to affix the para's first-aid pouch.
Some team leaders were given luminous disks, filled with a glowing
radioactive material that was common
on wristwatch faces to identify them
and these were often affixed to the
back of the helmet.
Paratroopers also carried a special
knife to assist in freeing them from
the chutes if they found themselves
"hung up" on landing. This switchblade knife, officially known as the
M2 and made by the George Schrade
Co., was kept in a special pocket near
the throat of the M42 jumpsuit.
Despite modern impressions of a
switchblade giving one an edge in a
street fight, the M2 was not designed
for fighting. Its switchblade operation
enabled a trooper to cut themselves
free and was not rugged enough to be
a practical fighting weapon.
The M3 fighting knife, however, was

a very fine fighting weapon and was
favored by paras. The M3 was usually
tied to the leg in a leather or fiberglass
scabbard with the tip tucked into the
top of the jump boot to provide easy
and quick access in a time of need.
Nearly one dozen manufacturers are
known, with Camillus being the most
noted. The brass knuckled M19l8
fighting knife was also highly regarded
and numerous contemporary pho-
tographs show that this knife saw a

great deal of use as well.
Field gear used by paras was the same
issue equipment used by the majority of
infantry with a few exceptions.
Parachute riggers, in addition to reinforcing jumpsuits, also manufactured a
number of speciality pouches that
served the needs of the parachutist.
Rigger made ammo pouches replacing
the standard lO-pocket style making
it easier to access ammunition.
The sights on the M1 Carbine involved a simple flip rear graduated to 150 and 300
yards. The front sight was a simple notch, set within a pair ofprotective "wings."
Notice the "Inland" markings. Inland was the only manufacturer of the M1A 1s.
I.
Distinguishing unit patches (82nd

Airborne shown) were sewn to the
shoulders of the M1942 Jump Jacket.
ARMBANDS
The M3 "Grease Gun" submachine gun was also an issue item. Like the Thompson,
it chambered .45 ACP ammo, but it was much cheaper and easier to build than its
predecessor. Many parts were stamped and welded. The M3 combat knife was a
popular item. It was later adapted for use as a bayonet on the M1 Carbine.
Additional pouches were made up to

hold sub-machine gun magazines as
well as grenades.
The pathfinder unit that Captain
Lillyman led, carried a inventory of
special equipment to establish the
DZ (Drop Zones for paras) and LZ
(Landing Zones for gliders). Eureka
transmitters, as well as air traffic controllamps and panel markers all
were invaluable in the effort to put
men on the ground in the right spot.
FIREARMS
Ask a soldier, who has seen combat,
which gun was the most effective and
one answer is common ... the M 1
Garand. General Patton said it was
"The finest battle implement ever
designed." To paratroopers, the
Garand was the most-effective firearm
that they had in their inventory. The
eight shot, semi-automatic .30-06
rifle was reliable in all manner of
weather and combat conditions. The
powerful punch that the .30-06 delivered left few that would question its
effectiveness. The only drawback was
its weight. Paratroopers, who were
uncommonly loaded down with huge
amount of equipment, found the 10
pounds the Garand weighed to be a
real burden.
The M1 carbine weighed half as much
as the Garand but its .30 caliber carbine
round did not pack the power of the
Garand. The 15-round magazine offered
an increase in firepower but the muzzle
velocity was nearly 1,000 feet per second
(fps) slower than the Garands .30-06 M2
cartridge. A special version of the carbine
known as the M1A1 was designed
specifically for the airborne infantry. The
M1A1 had a folding wire stock that
shortened the overall length of the carbine to 25 inches, a full 10 inches shorter
than a fully stocked Ml. The M1A1 was
exclusively manufactured by the Inland
Division of General Motors. The Inland
M1A1 sported a rear "L" shaped flip sight
During the Allied invasion of North Africa,

American troops were issued with gauze or
oilcloth armbands that had a 48 star U.S.
flag printed on them to distinguish from the
forces of other Allied nations. (The thought
was that the French defenders would not
shoot Americans but might turn their guns
on the British.)
Prior to D-Day these armbands were
again issued to the men of the 82nd
Division who either attached them directly
to their right sleeve with a few safety pins
or cut them out and sewed them directly to
their M42 jump jacket.
It would seem as though the men of the
101st would have the same need for identification as the men of the 82nd, inversely
the same holds true that the men of the
82nd would have use for the crickets that
were issued exclusively to the 101 st. Why
both divisions were not issued the same
equipment remains amystery.
that did not have the windage adjustment abilities that the "ramp" style carbine sight offered on the standard Ml.
It was not uncommon to spot a bolt
action 1903A3 in the hands of a paratrooper. This rifle, known mostly to
rear echelon troops as a substitute
standard rifle, was the choice of paras
who were trained as rifle grenadiers.
The 1903A4 with a Weaver or Lyman
scope served as the standard sniper
rifle of airborne units.
Sub-machine guns offered paras
PARACHUTES
On the evening of June
5, 1944, the U.S. Airborne
Paratrooper ascended into
C-47s in England and descended in T-5 parachutes into occupied Normandy. The parachute they all
used was officially known as the T-5. This chute and its reserve chute was standard among the
European theater airborne units. It had acamouflaged canopy that was made of natural silk and consisted of 28 panels, triangular in shape and held together by 28 22-foot-long cables. The harness
consisted of four straps, two that ran through the legs and two over the shoulders and all attached at
the chest. O-rings on the side of the main chute pack allowed the soldier to attach equipment such
as aGriswold bag that held either aGarand or Springfield rifle.
The chute was deployed from a 15 foot static line that was hooked up to the interior of the C-47.
The. reserve. chu.te, slightly smaller than the main chute by four feet per panel, was deployed by
pulling aD-nng npcord and was attached to the front of the parachutist's harness.
The T-5 Parachute was intricate,

yet effective. It had a camouflaged
canopy of28 rectangular panels
and 28 22-foot silk cables. It could
be difficult to manage on the
ground, especially in gusty winds.
Often the silk canopy and lines
were used later on for such things
as scarves and bootlaces.
CRICKETS
The 1962 movie The Longest Day highlighted the use of toy "crickets" during the nighttime
airborne drop into Normandy. Their use was intended to provide each paratrooper with away of
identifying afriendly comrade in the dark when scattered throughout the Norman countryside.
Many myths have cropped up concerning the use of these "crickets." The most common belief is that the click - counter click idea was a last-minute concept that resulted in
the shelves of numerous British toy stores being emptied of the dime store novelties in
order to supply the 12,000 American paratroopers. The fact of the matter is that General
Maxwell Taylor, commanding the 101 st Division, is alone responsible for the concept and
it was done with enough forethought so that the clickers were actually manufactured to
desired specifications and made in enough numbers to supply all the members of the
101 st. The 82nd was not issued the crickets.
The brass and steel cricket measures 2x1x~ inches and is perforated with a hole to facilitate its attachment to the uniform or equipment for easy access. Genuine and documented
crickets are perhaps the rarest of all airborne equipment items.
The author was recently presented with a toy store cricket that was fabricated to look
like a frog. It had a "Made in the USA" makers mark on the reverse and was a museum
donation from a member of a U.S. signal corps unit that arrived in Normandy on 0- Day
+3. Now how a U.S. made toy found its way to England and why a REMF unit would need
them continues to be a mystery to the author.
Troopers of the 101st were issued toy

"crickets" in order to identify comrades in the dark.
Though heavy, the M1 Thompson was a

popular sidearm. Well regarded by the
troops, it was a simplified version of
earlier Thompson models. Magazines
held 20 or 30 rounds.
impressive firepower and the ability to

get out of trouble as fast as they got
into it. Three different manufacturers
provided the sub-machine guns that
were used among the various units
making the night drop into Normandy
onJune 6th. The Thompson M1 and
the M3 "Grease Gun." Both guns fired
the standard .45 ACP cartridge and
were capable of accepting either 20- or
30-round magazines (Thompson), 30
round magazines (M3).
The Thompson, or Tommy gun as it
was affectionately known, was a substantial weapon in the trained hands of
a para. It was devastatingly effective at
75 to 100 yards and very accurate. Its
high cyclic rate of fire (800 rpm) was
almost double that of the M3 and substantially more than the Reising.
Produced by the Auto Ordnance Corp,
the M1 Thompson was worth its (considerable) weight in battle.
The M3 Grease Gun was a cheap and
lighter alternative to the Thompson.
Made from stamped and rolled parts,
the M3 barrel assembly resembled a
mechanic's shop tool and thus took on
its popular name "Grease Gun." The
original configuration had a cocking

arm that worked the bolt to the rear,
open firing position. A subsequent
change in December of 1944, designated the M3A1, did away with the cocking lever and operated with the insertion of a finger into a hole drilled out of
the bolt side to facilitate operation. A
product of the Guide Lamp Division of
General Motors, the manufacturers of
the Liberator pistol, nearly 650,000
were made prior to the end of the war.
The men who dropped out of the
dark and into the Norman countryside
on the morning ofjune 6th, 1944 were
among the best equipped and trained
First-aid kits were carried in a number of

places, the most favored being the ankle
or on the helmet. Jump boots were
peculiar to Airborne.
troops the United States ever committed to battle. They accomplished the
task that months of training had prepared them to complete and carved
themselves a niche in the annals of military history that continues to grow in
legend to this day.
~
The editors oj Military Classics

IIIustra ted would like to thank]eJJ
Warner and Carl Clink Jor their help in
the preparation oj this article.
HELMETS
The standard helmet of the United States
infantry was known as the M1. It consisted
of two separate parts, the fiber liner and
the steel "pot" shell. As airborne troops
soon learned, the two-piece configuration
was not suitable for combat use.
Oftentimes the shell would separate from
the liner due to the tremendous jolt when
the canopy of the chute deployed.
In January 1942 the Quartermaster
began looking into the development of what
would become known as the M2 helmet for
parachutists. This new design had a fixed
"bale" or D-ring attachment to the shell that
provided a means to attach achinstrap that
would hold the helmet and liner together. A
series of "A" pattern web straps and a
leather chin cup completed the differences
between the M1 and M2. The helmet liners
were first made of a cardboard fiber and
later manufactured with a plastic compound that somewhat resembles fiberglass.
Original fiber liners in the airborne configuration are extremely scarce and valuable.
As well as specialized gear, airborne troops were equipped with standard items like the
M1910 entrenching tool and canteen. Note "rigger" cargo pouches on M42 trousers.
BOOTS
The M2 switchblade knife, manufacturedby Schrade, was carned in the Jump Jacket
and was intended to be used for cutting shroud lines should one become entangled.
KNIVES
The M2 pocket knife was a switchblade made by the George Schrade Co. and manufactured in New York or Connecticut. The knife was meant to assist the paratrooper in cutting
himself free of the chute risers if he became hung up on something during his descent. The
7X-inch knife was a single blade operated with a button to allow one handed operation. The
grip of the knife was either steel case painted black or brown and or brown plastic. It was
stored in asmall zipper pocket located on the lapel of the M42 jump suit.
Afavorite of the airborne was the knuckle knife known as the M1 trench knife made in
1917 and 1918 for U.S. troops fighting in World War I. Overall length was 11 inches overall,
with a 6%-inch blade. These knifes were issued surplus from reserve stocks left over from
1918 and marked on the hilt "U.S. 1918" along with the makers name.
The M3 fighting knife was a6-inch bladed, leather gripped knife specially designed for
hand to hand combat use. Numerous manufacturers included Barwood, Camillus, L&C,
Milsco, SLB Co. and Viner Bros. The scabbard was either a reinforced leather scabbard or
the plastic M8 scabbard.
The parachutist had distinctive equipment that readily identified him as a

member of an elite fighting unit. Chief
among the distinguishing equipment
was the jump boots that most paratrooperswore.
Commonly called Corcoran's, after the
best known of the manufacturers, the
10-inch high brown leather boots had a
reinforced toe and heel held firm by 12
sets of eyelets that were laced up,
sometimes in elaborate fashion, with
cotton laces or leather thongs. The boots
were manufactured by numerous companies including Corcoran, B. F.
Goodrich, Endicott-Johnson, Georgia
Shoe, Herman Shoe & Boot and
International Shoe among others.
The common infantry two-buckle boot
was also used after it was introduced
but it was never the preferred boot of the
airborne divisions.
The M2 airborne helmet was a modification of the standard M1 "steel pot. 11 It had a fixed attachment to the inner shell that provided a way to attach a chinstrap that would hold helmet and liner together.
I.
The M1 Carbine is a handy, handsome little rifle. Stopping power with the gun's .30caliber round is about the same as a .38 Special. Recoil is nil and reliability good.
Loved by Some Gis, Hated by Others, This

Little .30 Semi-auto Is Still a Fun Plinker
and Great Collector's Piece.
By Garry James
r'
g,
'6
~
3'
li'
l!l
(5
l , h e r e are few firearms developed for the

U.S. military that have received such
mixed reviews as the Ml Carbine.
Depending upon which vet you talk
to, this handy little semi-auto .30 was
either the best or most execrable firearm ever
given to the fighting man.
While I never carried one in combat (my
military longarm experience was with the
much more substantial M14), for a fun
plinker and light-game-getter, the diminutive repeater is hard to beat.
The Ml Carbine was the brainchild of
David Marshall "Carbine" Williams.
Williams, who formulated many of his
firearms designs while serving a prison
term for second-degree murder, has the
distinction of being one of the only
firearms designers to have a movie
made about him-Carbine Williams,
starring]ames Stewart.
The M1 Carbine didn't spring
full-blown from Williams'
workshop, however. It was
the result of considerable
development by him
and others. The whole
story is somewhat
~ protracted, and
space doesn't really permit a retelling

here, so we'll just touch on some of
the highlights.
Basically the Ml Carbine was developed in response to a requirement for a
handy rifle to be carried by clerks,
cooks, machine gunners, linemen and
the like-soldiers who were not normally issued a pistol but to whom,
because of the nature of their duties,
the larger Ml Garand might be inappropriate. Though initiated in 1938,
the request was shelved until 1940
when America's entry into World War
II seemed imminent. In late 1940, a
number of manufacturers were sent
speCifications and told to work up a
light carbine. Winchester produced
the round, a .30 caliber, straight-cased
rimless cartridge which pushed its
110-grain, round-nosed bullet out of
an 18-inch barrel at some 1,860 fps.
After his release from prison,
Williams made something of a name for
himself in the firearms files working for
Winchester. His semi-auto carbine, submitted by his employers, was the arm
selected by the government as most
appropriate to its needs. This attractive
gun was simple and rugged. With a barrellength of 18 inches, an overall length
of just under 3 feet and a well-balanced
heft of 5 1(, pounds, it personified the
word "handy" Although the round didn't have the punch of the .30-06 chambered in the Garand, at least within reasonable distances it packed enough
muscle to be a fairly effective combat

round (llO-grain FM] bullet at 1,975
fps) with a relative stopping power of
16.3-about the same as that of the .38
Special. Designated the "Ml Carbine,"
the semi-auto employed a clever, reliable operating system. When a round is
fired, gas is tapped off into a gas port in
the barrel. The port connects with a
chamber containing a short-stroke piston that is forced back about one third
of an inch. The piston pushes the operating slide to the rear, which in turn
operates the rotating bolt to eject the
empty case. A coil-operating rod spring
forces the bolt forward, where it strips
off and chambers a fresh cartridge from
the IS-round, sheet steel detachable
box magazine. The forward motion of
the slide also repositions the gas piston.
The Ml Carbine's production began
in September 1941 with very few
modifications to Williams' original
design. Though the first guns were
turned out by Winchester, Pearl
Harbor caused manufacture to be
stepped up considerably. Contracts
and sub-contracts were let out to a
number of other makers including
such unlikely firms as Rock-Ola Qukeboxes), U.S. Postal Meter, Quality
Hardware, the Inland Division of
General Motors and Underwood (business machines). Before the war's
end, more than 6 million Ml
Carbines had been turned
out to supply an enthusi-
The aperture flip sight on the early M1

Carbines were regulated for 150 and an
admittedly optimistic 300 yards.
astic demand by American and Allied

forces. After World War II, Ml
Carbines continued to be produced
and remained in the inventory When
the Korean conflict broke out, they
accompanied troops to Asia where
they received some of their severest
criticism, when the .30 Carbine bullets
allegedly had a hard time penetrating
the quilted Chinese uniforms.
During the Cold War years, thousands of the rifles were sent to various
friendly governments and many others
were sold surplus to U.S. civilians
throughout the DCM. Even surplus
sales were not enough to satisfy the
American public, so Ml carbines were
made commercially by several manufacturers-including one in]apan!
There are so many variations to the
Ml Carbine that the arm is a collector's
dream. Add this to the fact that thousands have been brought back into the
country in recent years, and you end
up with a gun that is just about as popular today as when it was first issued.
Minor variations on the basic theme
included such things as an early "I"-cut
oiler/sling slot in the buttstock (as
opposed to the later and more common rounded cut); an "L"-type slipover rear sight which
,,:l'
\p'~<'
\'09~D.
During the Second World War, many Gis slipped an M1 Carbine

mag pouch over the gun's butt to provide ready access to
At 50 yards from a rest, our eV;iJluation Winchester M1 provided 3'k-inch groups. All rounds fired hit high.
more .30-caliber ammunition.
I'
a
Into a sliding adjustable
ramped style; addition of a bayonet
lug; rounded as opposed to a flat
bolt; flip-type safety replacing a push
button; and scores of others too
arcane to include here.
Major model changes were the
MIAl, which employed a folding
metal stock for airborne troops; the
selective fire M2; and the M3, which
was an M2 modified to accept special
infrared night sighting units.
For our evaluation, we took a World
War II-vintage Winchester Ml Carbine
to the Petersen Ranch in Lake
Elizabeth, California. Ammunition was
Federal 11 a-grain hardball and
Winchester 1la-grain HPs. Chosen
ranges were 50 and 100 yards, as we
felt the extreme 300-yard range envisioned by the gun's designers and indicated by the sighting set up was just a
tad too optimistic for the rifle, cartridge and our eyes.
The IS-round magazine loaded easily by simply pressing in each round
individually. There is also a stripper
clip designed for loading, and though
extremely well and do cut down on

loading time.
One chambers a round by pulling
back on the operating handle and
releasing it. The gun is now cocked
and ready to fire. We found the trigger
pull to be crisp and positive, breaking
at just over 5 pounds.
Functioning was flawless, recoil virtually nonexistent and accuracy "military-good" with rested 50-yard spreads
averaging Jlh inches and 100-yarders
coming in at 5 inches, though all were
high as the lowest aperture is supposedly regulated for 150 yards.
While we didn't do it on this excursion, in the past I have been able to
ring a 200-yard gong pretty regularly
offhand, using the 300-yard sight setting. We also tried out the button-style
safety, which is located just in front of
the triggerguard. It worked fine (put
left to fire, right for "on safe"), though
was eventually replaced by the military, as too many soldiers were mistaking the mag-release for the safety and
dropping the magazines by accident.
The Ml Carbine has a small hold-
Early M1 Carbines had push-button

safeties located just ahead of the triggerguard. These were replaced by
levers because soldiers would often
miss the safety and hit the mag release
button in front of it.
open detent placed on the top of the

operating handle. When the slide is fully
to the rear, the detent can be manually
pushed down, where it catches in a slot
milled into the receiver and keeps the
action open. There are few guns I enjoy
shooting more than the Ml Carbine. I
have about a half-dozen in my collection
of various styles and vintages and find
them aesthetically pleasing (I still think
itl; one of the most handsome of modem
military longarms), lots of fun to take
into the field and loaded with history.
That's a combination that's hard to
ill
beat in any firearm.
To fieldstrip the M1 Carbine, first remove the magazine, withdraw the bolt and
ensure the gun is unloaded (1). Next, unscrew and loosen the barrel band,
depress the barrel band spring and slide it from the stock (2). Remove the handguard and lift the barrel/action from the stock (3). Take the recoil spring and guide
it from the recess (4). Remove the trigger housing group by drifting out the retaining pin and pulling the group forward (5). Remove the operating slide rod by aligning lugs and notches, pulling upward and to the right, then turning the slide counterclockwise (6). Slide the bolt from the receiver by lining up the face with the
receiver shoulders and rotating counterclockwise (7).
This Welded
Sheet-Metal
Wonder Was One of
the Secret Weapons
of World War II.
By Garry James
ntil recently I had been
working as series advisor
(and occasional "talking
head") on the History
Channel's popular Tales of
the Gun show. One of the more entertaining episodes was titled "Guns of
the Bizarre" and included such
things as fishhook guns, helmet
cannons and the like. The World
War II-vintage "Liberator," especially, was felt by the crew to be
perhaps the most interesting of
the lot. Of all of the weird bulletthrowing contrivances that have
emanated from the mind of man
since the invention of gunpowder, few
oddball firearms have been made in
larger numbers or with a loftier purpose
than this sheet metal, single-shot .45.
In 1942, supposedly at the behest of
the Polish partisans who were desperate for armaments of any sort, the
United States began top secret work on
a small, inexpensive throw-away pistol
that could be turned out in great numbers and air-dropped or smuggled to
resistance groups in Europe and Asia.
Purposely given the misnomer "FP
(Flare Projector) .45" (it was not called
"Liberator" until after the war), the project received high priority and underwent several design changes before being
turned over to the Guide Lamp Division
of General Motors for production.
The Joint Psychological Warfare committee proposed, in March of 1942, that
the "United States and Britain undertake
at once to manufacture and distribute
from 5 to 10 million very small, inexpensive, heavy-caliber pistols to the

inhabitants of conquered countries.
"These pistols would be secretly
distributed by undercover contacts or
dropped by small parachutes from
airplanes, flying at night at high altitudes, and scattered to obtain the
widest distribution.
"Each pistol should be accompanied by 20 or 25 rounds of ammunition and an instruction sheet printed
in the language of the country in
which it is distributed."
The committee originally saw the
piece as a propaganda tool rather than
an effective offensive arm. "Suppose that
the Germans or friends of the Germans
did find four to everyone found by a
patriot," the report went on. These
small weapons would be of no use to
the German war effort. And think of the
physical damage that could be done by
those which did not fall into German
hands. If it were stated on the radio that
250,000 revolvers were being dropped
and the Germans only found 100,000,
the knowledge that 150,000 guns were
missing or in the hands of German-hating patriots would have a direct effect
upon German morale."
As so often happens in such cases, the
proposals of the committee were modified considerably. Instead of a revolver,
the final design was a single-shot pistol.
Production figures were reduced to
1,000,000, and the gun was seriously
intended to be used in a tactical role.
The FP .45 was a tribute to simplicity of design and construction ease.
Most of the major components were of
stamped sheet steel. The 3V2-inch-Iong

seamless tubing barrel was smoothbore for ease of fabrication and to
allow the bullet to tumble, theoretically causing greater short-range damage.
The lack of land and groove markings
on the bullet would also confound the
attempts of German ballisticians to
determine exactly what type of arm
was being used by resistance forces.
A heavy cast zinc cocking piece
completed the package. The gun measured but 5 1h inches overall; it was
about an inch thick and weighed some
16 ounces. A sliding trap was included
in the base of the butt to allow storage
of 10 rounds of .45 ACP ammunition
within the hollow grip. The entire gun
was riveted and spot-welded together
to keep manufactUring costs down and
to hasten production.
A rudimentary rear sight notch was
cut into the top of the sliding breech
plate. Also, a simple front post was
included in the ring surrounding the
barrel that formed the front attachment
for the triggerguard.
Operation of the FP .45 was extremely simple. One merely grasped the pistol
firmly, pulled the cocking piece to the
rear and turned it sideways, exposing
the breech plate. Two tabs on either side
of the plate allowed the shooter to move
it upward, exposing the chamber. One
round was inserted, the cover pushed
down and the cocking piece returned to
its normal position. The most common
version of the gun included a pointed
rod in the top of the block, which
allowed for correct alignment of the
block and eliminated the possibility of
Shooting the Uberator was decidedly

nasty. As well as featuring a moderately
unpleasant recoil, the gun had a disconcerting tendency to pinch the shooter's
trigger finger and hand.
Those .45 bullets keyholed at 7

yards...not surprising from a 3'kinchlong smoothbore barrel. Still, the thing
actually grouped pretty well.
J
Ten rounds of.45 ACP ammunition
could be stored in the Liberator's hollow butt. A sheet metal sliding cover
contained the rounds.
the plate opening accidentally.

While early designs included integral
ejection rods, it was felt that this unnecessarily complicated the gun, and the
decision was made that cases could just
as easily be expelled by a supplied wooden dowel or other battlefield expedient.
The Liberator was packaged in an
untitled waxed pasteboard box with a
line drawing of the pistol on the side.
Included in the kit was a pistol, ejection rod, 10 rounds of ammunition
and a comic-book-type instruction
sheet designed to overcome any language barrier and to make it difficult
for the enemy to determine the setup's
country of origin. To further this latter
objective the gun was unmarked and
did not carry a serial number.
A few two-shot FP .45s were also
produced, but basically didn't get
beyond the prototype stage. They were
similar in design to the standard
model; however, a horizontally sliding
breechblock , holding a brace of .45
rounds side-by-side, was substituted
for the more rudimentary breech plate.
Distribution of the guns was somewhat quixotic. About 500,000 were sent
to England to be dropped in France, but
there is little evidence that many, if any,
reached their intended destination. In
fact, I can remember while living in
Britain I had one of my workers tell me
that at the end of the war some of these
turned up and that as a child, he and
some of his friends got their hands on
them and were playing cowboys and
Indians until their parents and the
authorities discovered their cache and
confiscated the lot. Apparently the next
largest quantities of Liberators went to
China and the Philippines, in that order,
with lesser numbers being distributed in
Australia, Greece, the South Pacific and
perhaps Belgium. There are few, if any,
verified examples ofthe FP .45 being
actually used in combat. Apparently
the theory of coming upon an adversary at pOint-blank range in order to
shoot him and take his gun was simpler
in theory than in practice.

General Motors, as contracted, produced about 1,000,000 ofthe little pistols in about 90 days. The cost, originally calculated to be $1 per gun, escalated
to $1.75 by the end of production. The
entire package (pistol, box, instructions,
etc.) came to just over $2 per unit.
Liberators do occasionally tum up at
gun shows though their original price
has escalated about 3,000 percent. An
FP .45 in average condition will now
bring around $600! Not bad for a pistol that was intended to be tossed away
after being fired once or twice.
I have had one of these things in my
collection for years. A decade or so ago
I did an evaluation with a Liberator
that belonged to a friend of mine, and
felt that the gun was due for a reevaluation. Surely it couldn't have been quite
as bad to shoot as I remembered it.
Before we go any farther in this piece,
I want to emphasize that in no way do I
recommend shooting one of these
things. It must be remembered that
when they were built a half-century
ago, they were only designed for limited
use. This coupled with several decades
of gradual erosion makes shooting the
Liberator a rather dicey thing. Our test

gun was thoroughly checked out by a
gunsmith prior to firing, and even
then, only subjected to a few shots.
Originally the government determined that the maximum effective
range of the FP .45 should be 25 yards.
I had tried this in the past with laughable results. We decided that the standard "combat" range of 7 yards would
be more than efficient. We loaded the
critter with 230-grain Black Hills hardball and pulled the trigger. It might be
noted at this point that despite the fact
the cocking piece is pulled to the rear
prior to shooting the gun, the trigger
acts more like a very, very heavy DA
pull. Upon discharge I was immediately aware of a pain in the web of my
hand and my trigger finger. When the
gun fires and rocks back in one's hand,
the cocking piece has a habit of catching the skin between the thumb and
forefinger and holding it captive. Too,
the cutout behind the trigger gives the
shooters finger a nasty pinch.
Recoil wasn't prohibitive, though
neither was it particularly comfortable.
After extricating myself from the gun,
and examining my nasty blood blister,
I trotted up to the target. The bullet

had struck sideways; in fact, all subsequent bullets hit side-on. SurpriSingly,
my group wasn't too bad ... about 4
inches. It shot high, but certainly well
enough to take out an adversary at
close range, should one wish to do
such a thing. Cases were easily ejected
by means of a piece of mesquite
branch picked up at the range.
My associate essayed a couple of
rounds and came away with the same
groups and battle scars. This is not a
gun for casual plinking. All and all, we
fired around a dozen shots out of the
Liberator and a post-firing examination showed no structural or design
weakness. Operation was flawless and
ignition, sure. Still, I reemphasize neither the author nor Military Classics
Illustrated magazine recommends
shooting a Liberator.
While the FP .45 project is certainly
a sideshow of World War II, its laudable purpose and intriguing history
make the gun almost a must-have for a
collector interested in the arms of
1939-45, and despite its flimsy look
and jury-rigged appearance ... dammit,
~
the thing did work!
These Spanish guerrillas are armed with 11mm Rolling Block rifles, with the exception of the officer who is holding a Model 1891 Mauser.
The Battle of San Juan Hill is the

most famous event of the SpanishAmerican War, and now, 100 years
after that event, renewed interest in the
arms and equipment of the "Rough
Riders," their compatriots and enemies
has created a boom market for the
trappings of that "splendid little war."
Here are some of the tools of the trade
that men like Roosevelt, Pershing,
Wheeler and O'Neil used to dismantle
the once formidable Spanish Empire:
UNITED STATES
The standard rifle and carbine of
the United States at the outbreak of
the war with Spain was the "U .5.
Magazine Rifle (or Carbine), .30 caliber, Model 1896" or, as we commonly refer to it, "the Krag," short for
Krag-Jorgensen. Designed by two
Norwegians, Hermann Johannes Krag
and Erik Jorgensen, the Krag ushered
in a new age in firearms history. The
list of firsts associated with the Krag is
impressive-it was the first U.S. rifle
to fire a small-caliber smokeless cartridge, the first repeating magazine
rifle to be widely issued to our
infantry and the first bolt-action rifle
adopted by the U.S. Army.
The advent of smokeless powder
allowed for the development of smallcaliber cartridges capable of firing pro-
Among other handguns,

Spanish officers carried
Spanish-made copies of the
Smith & Wesson Russian.
jectiles further and with more accuracy than their large-caliber, black-powder cousins. The development of the
bolt-action magazine rifle, invented by
Paul and Wilhelm Mauser some 20
years earlier, combined with that of
the smokeless cartridge, had countries
all over the globe rethinking their
armament needs-with most
European nations making the switch
as early as 1883. The United States
began field tests and evaluations in
1888 and by 1892 had settled on the
Krag-Jorgensen as adopted by
Denmark in 1889. Delays caused by
American inventors, who had persuaded members of Congress that it
was un-American to have a nonAmerican service rifle, kept final
adoption of the Krag from becoming
official until mid-189 3. (America
would not have a standard service rifle
designed by an American until the
adoption ofthe M16 in the 1960s. The
1903 Springfield was a licensed copy
of the Mauser 98; the Ml Garand was
designed by a Canadian.)
The first rifles made by the
Springfield Armory of this design were
designated "Models of 1892" and first
issued to troops in 1894. By 1896, the
list of manufacturing changes to the
1892 had grown to more than 30, so a
new model rifle and carbine that incorporated the numerous changes was
ordered and named the Model of
1896. Prior to the war with Spain,
most of the 25,0001892 rifles that had
been made were upgraded to supplement the 62,000 model 1896s that had
been manufactured.
Another list of changes to the 1896
prompted a revised rifle and carbine
designated U.S. Magazine Rifle, .30
caliber, Model 1898. However, the first
of those new rifles did not see service
untiljuly 8,1898, a week after the
fighting in Cuba had ended. With only
85,000 Krag rifles in service at the outbreak of war and some 300,000 men
being mobilized for service, the United
States had quite a shortage of rifles to
contend with. Lt. Col. Theodore
Roosevelt of the 1st U.S. Volunteer
Cavalry was particularly wise to the
gun shortage from the onset. While his
men were being recruited and
trained in Texas, Roosevelt set out to
ensure that his men received the new
smokeless-powder rifles. Using his
political connections, having recently
resigned as assistant secretary of the
Navy, he was able to equip his men
with Model 1896 carbines. The gun
shortage became so acute that at one
point newcomers to the Rough Riders
The tmm Model 1893 Mauser was the principal arm of the Spanish infantry. This
superb rifle had an integral box magazine and could be loaded via stripper clips.
could not secure government carbines,

so Roosevelt lent one soldier his personal Winchester 1895 carbine. Others
managed to acquire additional
Winchesters of the same model
because they fired the same .30 Army
cartridge that the Krags fired. (Also
called the .30 Government and the
.30-40 Krag.)
American Marines carried one of the
most curious rifles ever issued to U.S.
troops, the M-1895 Lee. This gun, the
brainchild ofJames Paris Lee, featured
what was popularly called a straightpull action, but was, in fact, more correctly a camming one. When the bolt
handle was pulled to the rear, it rocked
backward, freeing a stud from an aperture on the right side of the receiver
that unlocked the bolt. The Lee's box
magazine held five rounds that could
be loaded one at a time or with a
charger. The cartridge itself was the

smallest caliber ever adopted by the
United States for any service rifle up to
that time. While its 112-grain bullet
left the barrel at 2,560 fps, the gun was
severely criticized because of excessive

bore erosion due to the powder then in
use and was on its way out at the time
of the Boxer rebellion. The Lee Navy
weighed 8.32 pounds, measured
A number of refurbished Model 1873 Colt

Single Action Army revolvers were issued to
various troops. This 5th-inch "Artillery Model"
was actually carried by Louis Bishop of Troop
1st U.S. II. during the Battle of San Juan Hill.
This photo of the 8th Ohio Volunteers verifies the fact that they were armed with single-shot Springfield Trapdoor rifles.
Theodore Roosevelt felt that the smoke caused by the .45-70 black-powder cartridges helped the enemy in locating U.S. positions.
47.75 inches (with a 28-inch barrel)

and had sights marked to 2,000 yards.
The government may have had a
shortage of Krags when the war broke
out, but the arsenals were well stocked
with the U.S. Model 1873, commonly
referred to as the Trapdoor
Springfield, denoting the flip-up,
breechloading action of the venerable
.45-70. Close to half a million
Trapdoor rifles and carbines had been
manufactured by 1898, and a great
many found their way into the hands
of units heading to Cuba and the
Philippines. A check
of the Springfield
Research Service's serial-number index to
Trapdoors indicates
that tens of thousands
of these guns were reissued in 1898 to units
from every corner of
the country. Roosevelt
writes in his volume on
the war, The Rough
Riders, how units using
the old black-powder
cartridges that the '73
Trapdoor handled
were easy marks for
the Spanish snipers,
who found that the
lingering clouds of
black powder made fine targets.

Photographs of the time period reveal
that soldiers were equipped with all
models of the 1873 for service overseas. From the original Model 1873 to
the Model 1884 with the "Buffington"
rear Sight and, finally, the Model 1888
with its distinctive rod-bayonet, the
Trapdoor began its career on the
American plains and ended its useful
service life in Cuba and the
Philippines. Two important notes to

those who wish to collect Trapdoors:
The first is that there was no "Model
1878" manufactured; the Trapdoor
breech marks that seemingly read
1878 are actually from a deeply struck
1873 die. Secondly, the Model 1888
was never marked as such. All guns
marked Model 1884 with rod bayonets
and serial numbers above 500,000 are
actually Model 1888 rifles!
The standard sidearm of the U.S.
military was the Colt Army &: Navy
.38. First introduced as the 1889 Navy
DA, this revolver was purchased by the
U.S. Army as the Model 1892 and
upgraded as the Models 1894, 1895
and 1896. A number of these revolvers
were recovered from the USS Maine as
she lay in Havana Harbor. Theodore
Roosevelt's brother-in-law, Naval Capt.
William S. Cowles, acquired one of the
revolvers, had it refurbished and presented it to Roosevelt before the Rough
Riders left Tampa, Florida, for Cuba.
Roosevelt used the double-action .38
during the Cuban campaign and the
Battle of Kettle and Sanjuan Hills, dispatching more than one Spaniard with
it. (The revolver, serial number 16334,
was stolen in April of 1991 from the
Roosevelt home in Oyster Bay, New
York, the Sagamore Hill National

Historic Site. Rumors that the gun was
recovered in a Pennsylvania gun buyback program are false, and the gun
remains missing as of this writing.)
Capt. Allyn Capron, commander of
Company L, 1st U.S.v. (The Rough
Riders), carried a revolver of the same
make and model as Roosevelt's. His
gun is in the collection of the
Smithsonian Institution. Serial numbers on guns manufactured prior to
the battles in Cuba run to approximately 90,000.
Also issued was the Colt Model
1873 Single Action Army revolver as
altered by the Springfield Armory to
what collectors now call the "Artillery
Model" single action. These U.S.marked guns in .45 Colt were originally fitted with 7 1h-inch barrels. They
were returned for refitting and had
their barrels shortened by two inches.
Most examples have mixed serial numbers, reflecting the refurbishing that
was undertaken at the Colt factory or
at Springfield Armory.
MacArthur, the corps commander

and staff were transferred and
replaced before any action had been
taken. Buttonholing the ranking
ordnance officer, Lt. Thompson,
over a dish of ice cream in the lobby
of the Tampa Hotel, the unofficial
Army headquarters, Parker and
Thompson debated the practical use
of the Gatlings in battle.

It was well understood in military
circles that the failure of the
Mitrailleuse in the Franco-Prussian
War was due to the fact that the French
had not deployed them so as to make
the greatest use of their effective firepower. Thompson and Parker discussed this at length, both finding out
MACHINE GUNS
TO THE FRONT
Sgt. William Tiffany (sighting the right gun) brought a pair of Colt Modelt895
"Potato Digger" machine guns as gifts to the Rough Riders. Caliber was apparently tmm Mauser.
Though the United States purchased

18 Model 1895 Gatling Guns for service in Cuba during the war, only four
were to see active service during the
fight for Santiago. Organized under Lt.
John H. Parker, the Gatling detachment was aSSigned to 5th Army Corps,
but soon became inseparable from
Roosevelts Rough Riders. Organized at
the Ordnance Depot in Tampa,
Florida, the Gatling Gun Detachment,
as it was officially known, was placed
under the command and instruction of
Lt. John T. Thompson. In Parker's
book, The Gatlings at Santiago, he
relates the story of how the detachment was founded. Having advocated
the formation of a "battery" of Gatling
guns to Col. Arthur MacArthur, the
adjutant general to the corps commander (and father of Gen. Douglas
MacArthur), Parker disappointedly
found himself back at square one when
These Yanqui regular infantrymen sport their .30-40 Krag rifles. Uniforms are of
wool, which were not particularly well suited to the hot, humid Cuban climate.
brigadier general. His interest in

machine guns never waned, and in
1921 he was awarded the first of
numerous patents for the submachine
gun that now bears his name.) The
Gatlings provided such valuable service to the advancing troops charging
up Kettle and Sanjuan hills on the first
ofJuly that Roosevelt stated that if ever
in battle again, he would not want to
be without them.
Roosevelt had even higher praise for
the two Colt/Browning Model 1895
machine guns that Sgt. William
Tiffany brought as gifts to the unit.
Tiffany, the well-heeled son of the
famous New York jeweler, presented
the Rough Riders with a brace of
"potato-diggers" and was placed in
charge of the Rough Riders machinegun detachment. This gas-operated,
belt-fed, air-cooled gun was capable of
firing nearly 500 rounds per minute.
Tiffany's guns were chambered in
7x57mm, and at the conclusion of the
attack on Sanjuan Hill, he found that
his supply was down to an alarming
level of only 4,000 rounds. Tiffany
sought assistance from "Gatling"
Parker, and the two discovered that
the 10,000 rounds of captured enemy
ammunition on hand were identical to
those used by the potato-diggersand were more than enough to hold
off a few more attacks.
GUNS OF THE
SPANISH
MILITARY
Marines in various types of uniforms wear (I-r) white duck tropical, wool field gear
and full dress. All carry 6mm Lee Navy rifles and have special Lee cartridge belts.
that the other had given a great deal of

consideration to the subject and had
arrived at the same conclusionmachine guns should be used in close
support in offensive actions. A creeping barrage of overhead machine-gun
fire would greatly aid the advancing
troops by deCimating the enemy
emplacements and increasing the
morale of the charging attackers.

Parker found a kindred spirit in
Thompson, who soon had orders cut
for Parker to command a battery of
four newly arrived Colt M-1895
Gatlings that fired the .30-40
Government cartridge. So was born
the Gatling Gun Detachment!
(Thompson rose in rank to become a
The standard service longarm of the

Spanish military during the war was the
Mauser Model 1893
Rifle. Chambered in
7x57mm, this new
design by Mauser
incorporated a fiveround staggered box
magazine that was
flush with the stock of
the firearm, providing
smoother lines and
less maintenance than
the earlier extended
magazine rifles offered. This was one of

the first rifles to employ the use of
stripper clips in the loading process.
More than 200,000 Model 1893 rifles
were purchased by Spain from Ludwig
Lowe & Co. of Berlin, contractors for
Mauser Werke. The rifle's effectiveness
took its toll on those who participated
in the charge up Sanjuan and Kettle
hills, and the Spanish defenders, numbering about 700, inflicted 1,400 casualties on their American attackers. A
shortened carbine version of the '93
was also used.
Prior to the adoption of the 1893
Mauser, the Spanish used the
Remington Rolling Block rifle of 1869
and the Mauser Model 1871 in Ilmm
(.43 Spanish). Thousands of these
were captured, sold by the U.S. government at auction and then resold by
Francis Bannerman of New York.
Bannerman advertised "Captured
Spanish War Trophies" for some 10
years after the Spanish surrendered.
Bannerman's purchase of captured
Spanish arms reqUired him to lease
additional warehouse space in New
York City and forced him to eventually
build a castle on an island that he
purchased in the
Hudson River just
to house what he
had acqUired from
the spoils of war.
Spanish military
sidearms were
copies of British and
American revolvers,
mostly manufactured in Spain.
Three of the most
common types were
Spanish copies of
the No.3 Smith &
Wesson Russian,
the 1881 Smith &
Wesson .44 double
action and a .45
revolver based on
the Kerr Patent.
Barrel markings
on these revolvers
will normally read,
The United States bought 18 Model 1895 Gatling Guns for service in Cuba, though
only four of them actually saw action. Caliber was .30-40 Government.
"Garrate Anitina Y C Eibar" or "Obea

Hermanos Y Cia con Privelegio
En Espano."
The Bannerman catalog also lists
1,500 German 1871 llmm Mauser
rifles for sale. These guns, the catalog
claims, were captured along with thousands ofM-1893 Mausers at the conclusion of the war with Spain.
In John Milius' television production
of 1997, The Rough Riders, a few scenes
focus on a Spanish gun crew and a
German adviser manning a German
water-cooled Maxim gun-a curious
inclusion that even most historians
and military buffs whom I talked to
chalked off to Hollywood's version of
literary license. "The Spanish didn't
have belt-feds on Sanjuan Hill" was a
common comment that was shared by
more than a few who were "in the
know." Surely, if there had been any,
there would have been some remark
made and recorded in the history of
the battle ... or was there?
Roosevelt wrote of one brief moment
in his "crowded hour" when, during
his advance on San Juan Hill "... there

suddenly smote on our ears a peculiar
drumming sound. One or two of the
men cried out, 'The Spanish machine
guns!' ... "Roosevelt qUickly determined that the noise was from Lt.
Parker's Gatlings. Lt. Parker in his
book The Gatlings at Santiago illustrates a map of the siege of Santiago
with a "Spanish Machine Gun"
emplacement. Dolf L. Goldsmith's The
Devil's Paintbrush indicates that the
Spanish government did indeed purchase six Maxim Model 1895 extralight, air-cooled machine guns and
had them shipped to Cuba prior to the
outbreak of hostilities.
Additional research might reveal
that Milius wasn't far from being
right in his depiction, though it is
doubtful that they were used during
the battle on July 1. Roosevelt's men
seemed to know of their presence,
and Parker knew exactly where they
were during the three-week siege of
Santiago, but no one wrote of their
actual use in battle.
~
.45-70 Springfield
As Krags were in short supply, volunteers were issued with

single-shot "Trapdoor" rifles (shown) and carbines. They
were chambered for the .45-70 black-powder cartridge.
~~~~_:=;;-,(II!!fI"A~m~e:n:'c:an
Marines were armed with the U.S. M1895 straight-pull

Lee Navy. This gun had a curious camming action that allowed the
bolt to be pulled straight to the rear. Caliber was 6mm Lee Navy, a
hotshot round that was found to erode bores.
.. ..
The '96 proved to be a smooth, reliable shooter. Rounds

were chambered and ejected with ease. The rifle's recoil,
incidentally, was very pleasant.
This Handy Little

Repeater Would
Forever Find Fame
as the Arm Carried
by the Rough
Riders at the
Battle of San
Juan Hill.
Staff Report
heodore Roosevelt called
the Spanish-American
War's Battle of San Juan
Hill "my crowded hour."
OnJuly 1,1898, the
redoubtable Teddy, his
Rough Riders and members of the
9th and 10th Regular Cavalry,
among others, fought their way
through a fusillade of Spanish
Mauser bullets to capture a fortified blockhouse on top of Kettle
Hill. While Roosevelt carried a
.38 Colt New Army and Navy
revolver recovered from the
sunken battleship Maine, the
majority of his 1st U.S. Volunteer
Cavalry and regular cavalry units
carried carbine versions of the
Army's first general-issue boltaction repeating rifle, the .30-40
Krag-Jorgensen.
Though this well-made, reliable arm was somewhat outclassed by the Spanish Mausers,
it still performed yeoman duty
and was in no small part responsible for carrying the day.
60 MILITARY CLASSICS ILLUST
Despite the fact that many European

powers had adopted small-bore magazine rifles as early as the mid 1880s,
the United States felt content issuing
single-shot black powder "Trapdoor"
rifles to its troops well into the era of
superior smokeless powder arms.
Finally, the disparity in firepower
and ballistics could not be ignored,
and, after extensive trials, in 1892
the War Department chose a modification of the Norwegian-designed
Danish Krag-Jorgensen.
This bolt-action arm was fitted with
an unusual side-mounted box magazine that (in the Danish Model) was
opened by means of a long pivoting
gate hinged at the front of the magazine. When the gate was opened, the
follower was held back and five rounds
could be placed into the aperture.
Closing the gate released the follower
and put pressure on the cartridges,
forcing them, one-at-a-time, into a
position where they could be chambered by the guns bolt.
The system was sure, reliable and
extremely smooth. Only the Single
locking lug on the bolt head effected
any limitation upon the gun, as it was
too fragile to handle really hot loads.
The U.S. authorities generally were
happy with the overall Krag-Jorgensen
deSign; however, for American usage
they felt compelled to incorporate a
few changes. The magazine gate was
modified to open downward rather
than laterally, the bolt handle was
turned down, a cutoff was incorporated so the gun could be fired singleshot (with rounds in the mag being
held in reserve for emergency use) and
a more positive safety was added to the
rear of the bolt. The caliber was
reduced from .32 to .30.
The first M-1892 Krags were issued
to troops in 1894, and various other
models of Krag rifles and carbines
Our evaluation Krag carbine turned in excellent 1oo-yard

groups, though because of the lighter-than-service-spec 150grain bullet, they came in a little high.
were introduced in 1896, 1898 and

Two years after the Spanish1899. In 1898 there was even a .n American War, the Krag further distinRimfire Gallery Practice Rifle offered gUished itself in the hands of U.S. relief
to allow troops to become familiar troops during the Boxer Rebellion in
with their arms without expending China, where it drew favorable comthe more expensive centerfire service parison with the Enfields, Nagants,
ammunition.
Lebels, Carcanos and Steyrs used by
The cartridge developed for use the other allied troops.
with the Krag was popularly known
The Krag was also the principal
at the time as ".30 U.S." or ".30 military rifle of the long and bloody
Government," but its more common Philippine campaign. "And beneath
designation" .30-40" (denoting .30 the starry flag/Civilize 'em with a
caliber backed with 40 grains of Krag," went a line in a popular song
smokeless powder) is the one famil- of the period.
iar to modern shooters and collecAs noted earlier, the Krag-Jorgensen
tors. Initial velocity of the nO-grain came out in a number of different
service load was 2,000 feet per
second (fps)-a considerable gain
in speed over the black-powder
.45-70. In 1898 the velocity was
increased to 2,200 fps, but given
the hot, fast-burning powders and
soft steels of the era, the boost did
not work out-barrels were rapidly eroded and actions battered and
damaged. Because of this, by 1903
the velocity was reduced to its
original level.
The Krag was issued in time to see The Krag's safety is situated on the rear of
service in the Spanish-American War the bolt. All the way to the right, the gun is
where it was used side-by-side with ready to fire, and to the left, "ON SAFE."
the Trapdoor Springfield, still in ....--..,.,..,,~__
the hands of volunteers. While it
performed well, it was noticed
early on that the slow side-loading magazine system was no
match for the stripper-clip
arrangement of the Spaniards'
Model 1893 Mausers. This was
most dramatically shown at the
Battle of Sanjuan Hill, where
some 700 Spanish riflemen
inflicted 1,400 casualties on the
attacking Americans (though in
all fairness, it must be remem- While not as fast as the justly-revered Mauser
bered that the Yanquis were stripper-clip system, five rounds can be
attacking uphill, in the open dumped into the Krag's side-mounted box magagainst a fortified position).
azine with relative ease.
.~----~--~!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.........:==:.........;,;..---=~~=--==..::..:::.::::=.:::::::::::::==::-...::===...=:=::...---:=---------_._--------~-~---~-~---
models. Variations included changes

in sights, furniture, etc., but generally maintained the integrity of the
original piece.
The subject of this piece, the Model
1896 Carbine, was a handy little
repeater, well-suited for use on horseback. With a barrel length of 22 inches,
and an abbreviated forend, the '96 was
the first of the Krag carbines (a Model
1892 never went further than a prototype). It had a ring bar on the left side of
the stock for the attachment of a carbine
sling, as well as a trap in its butt to
accommodate a screw-together cleaning
rod. The rear, ladder-style sight was
graduated to 2,000 yards, and the nonadjustable front blade was left unprotected, in the style of the period. Almost
20,000 Model '96 carbines were manufactured, but as many were altered to
accommodate later changes, today it's
hard to find an unaltered specimen.
This, coupled with the gun's use by the
Rough Riders, have made it one of the
most collectible of the Krags.
Our evaluation '96 was in about 85
percent condition with a bright bore
and much original bluing. A thin

inspector's stock cartouche can still be
seen on the wrist, and the gun even
had its original three-piece cleaning
rod and oiler in the butt trap.
Ammunition used for the shoot was
some handloads put up by my colleague]eff]ohn, which employed a
150-grain Sierra SP bullet backed by
42 grains of IMR 4895 giving us a
muzzle velocity of some 2,400 fps.
Five rounds were duly dumped into
the open magazine, the mag door shut
and a round chambered. The Krag
carbine certainly lived up to its reputation as having the smoothest bolt
action ever, Throughout the session
feeding and ejection was superb, and
rounds could be fired in relatively
rapid succession-I think only the
Lee-Enfield can be worked faster.
Accuracy was excellent, though as
might be expected with the lighter
bullets, groups were high. Average
100-yard, bench-rested spreads ran
about 2I/. inches ... not bad from a sub2-foot-Iong barrel.
Following the run-through, our
general observation was that despite

the reputation of the Mauser,
American troops in Cuba were anything but underarmed if they were
carrying a Krag rifle or carbine.
Granted, the Mauser could be charged
more rapidly and efficiently, but neither the Krag's action nor its round
could be found seriously lacking. In
fact, if one compares the ballistics of
the 7mm Mauser and .30-40 rounds
that were used in the SpanishAmerican War, he will find that the
muzzle energies of the two rounds
were pretty darned close.
Despite the obvious merits of the Krag,
the U.S. authorities decided that to
achieve parity with other military rounds
and rifles of the period, it would be a
good idea to adopt a Mauser-style system
and a more powerful cartridge...and this
we did just after the turn of the century
with the superb Model 1903 Springfield.
Still, the Krag continued to be used by
militia units and thousands were issued
as training rifles during World War 1.
Following the conflict most were sold
surplus and provided many a hunter
(including my father) with a low-cost,
effective deer gun.
Fortunately for today's shooters and
collectors, there are still a lot of Krags
currently on the market, and a good
specimen of one of the more common
models can still be had for under $600.
Its a gun well worthy of rediscovery ~
Royalists and
Roundheads
in preference for mobility. Lighter

protective armor, self-contained pistols and carbines with "firelocks"
became his tools of war.
THE TROOPER
IS "INVENTED"
At the beginning of the English Civil

Wars, the Cuirassier or knight wearing
Man on horse, the cavalry, had been then muskets and cannon of the 16th three-quarter-Iength armor could be
the shock force since Roman times to and 17th century became de rigueur found on the battlefield, but not for very
break-up massed infantry formations for defense against this formidable long. Prince Rupert of Palatine brought
and turn order into chaos. On the foe. The heavily armored knight of his experienced and well-equipped
other side of the charge, first the long the Age of Chivalry changed, shed- Reuters, fresh from the continent, to
pikes of the Swiss in the 15th century, ding most of his armor, then his lance fight for his royal uncle, King Charles I.
The most famous Parliamentarian
Cuirassiers or "Lobsters" were under the
command of Lord Hesilrige. Lord
Hesilrige and Essex's bodyguard on
Parliament's side started the war with
complete cuirassier armor. 2 The term
"lobsters," Clarendon reports, was given
to Hesilriges Cuirassiers who" ...were so
prodigiously armed that they were
called by the other side the regiment of
lobsters because their bright iron shells
with which they were covered, being
perfect Cuirassiers:"3 As the war progressed, such a force could not continue
so well equipped.
New units were supplied with a buff
coat, a "Lobster Pot" helmet, back and
breastplates, a gauntlet for protection, a
pair of pistols or carbine, and a
broadsword as their principal weapons.
These units, evolved from the
Cuirassiers, Harquebusiers and Carbine,
became known Simply as Troopers.
Another type of cavalry, Dragoons, were
conscripted by both sides from local
militias in areas under their control and
survived throughout the war principally
as a dismounted force.
When Civil War began only one
study in the English language was
available to the newly commissioned
cavalry officer. Military Instructions for
the Cavalry, by John Cruso was first
printed in 1632 at the University of
Cambridge. It was reprinted in 1644.
A young cavalry officer was fortunate
to possess a copy of this fine tome. It
could help him avoid costly mistakes
created through Simple ignorance. The
entire subject oflevying troops, building and arming a corps, drilling and
battle tactics, even distributing booty
and using spies is thoroughly presented. Capitalizing on experiences of the
Thirty Years War on the continent,
Cruso includes strategies and successDuring the English Civil War, cavalry troopers' gear ranged from almost full armor, to
ful attack formations used by Prince
the lighter buff-coat style seen here. Traditionally, Parliamentarians wore tawny
Maurice, the Duke of Brunswick and
orange sashes or distinguishing flashes, while Royalists wore red: Typi~al trooper's
others. Forming squadrons using pisgear could consist of a gorget (neck armor), heavy buff coat, carbme slmg, sword
tols against cavalry is shown, and
baldric, helmet, or soft hat, boots and spurs. While the boot tops were actually
instructions on how to assess enemy
designed to rise over the knee, most officers and men wore them folded down.
English lock pistols had a half-cock safety, similar to those

seen on more modern flintlocks. This system was unique
to the British Isles.
strengths and guidelines for engagement are given. The types of Cavalry,
the Lancer, the Cuirassier, the
Harquebusier, Carbine and the
Dragoon, their equipment and their
different uses, are carefully explained. 4
THE CUIRASSIER
The Cuirassier depicted in Cruso's
work was an armored knight with close
helmet, gorget, back and breastplates
with a reinforced "placate" to resist
musket and pistol shot, right and left
pauldron and vambrace to cover the
arms and shoulders, and armed with a
.7Vo' J.
Much armor was imported from abroad, especially by the

Royalists who often did not have access to the arms making
centers in England. This German-style helmet with fixed visor
and sliding nasal bar was widely used by both sides.
pair of pistols and a lance. Although the

manual also shows the use of the lance,
Cruso acknowledges the superiority of
the new weapons and the need for new
tactics. Only among the Scots did lightly eqUipped lancers survive throughout
the war 5 Cruso explains the demise of
the lancer due to difficulties in recruitment and their use:
"The Cuirassier is to be armed at all
points, and accoated with a buffe coat
under his arms like the launce. His
horse not inferior in stature and
strength, though not so swift. He must
have two cases of good firelocks, pisJVQ.
2...
tols hanging at his saddle, having the

barrel of 18 inches long, and the bore
of 20 bullets of the pound (or 24 rowling in) a good sword stiff and sharp
pointed like the Lancier. This sort of
Cavallrie is of late invention: for when
the Lanciers proved hard to be gotten,
first, by reason of their horses, which
must be very good, and exceedingly
well exercised: secondly by reason of
their pay was abated through scarcitie
of money: thirdly and principally,
because of the scarcitie of such as were
practiced and excercised to use the
lance, it being a thing of much indus-
:;NO 3
fJ!,.ay' I.7
Car
l.
The value of firearms to cavalry can scarcely be underestimated. As soon as pistols became available, they ultimately
changed whole systems of tactics and, ultimately, the role of cavalry itself.
1J~~~ &D
&11 rno@ ~&wo~~~
Royalists and
Roundheads
Handguns is your premier

source for on-target
information about guns,
gun Pf'oilocts and the
i sues tha'L fleet today's
andgun -Ow ers!
Though they were seen in the earlier

parts of the war, "lobster's," wearing
close helmets and old-fashioned threequarter armor, soon fell out of favor.
While well articulated, the armor was
not well suited to use in Britain.
~~~
@flo([@ ~
U~~GJJ~
HANDGUNS
is the # 1 magazine
specializing in all types of handguns
for sport and defense. Each issue is
loaded with exciting articles and
features on self-defense, law
enforcement, handgun hunting.
Every month you can turn to HANDGUNS to:

Learn about the newest handguns with complete product reviews and specifications
Snaphaunce pistols were basically a transition between the wheellock and the flintlock. While employing a flint-and-steel arrangement, they still featured sliding pan
covers, thus adding an extra bit of complexity to the arrangement.
try to learn: The Cuirassier was invented. He is to have a boy and a nagge to
carry his spare arms, and oat sack, and
get him forage.
"Another (if not the chieO reason,
why the lances were not used is
because they are of no effect, or use,
but in a straight line, and where
they may have leisure and room for
their careere: whereas the Cuirassier
is no t su b j e c t to e i t he r 0 f these
inconveniences. "6
Even though the lance was abandoned, the cost of equipping a trooper
with the Cuirassier's three-quarter
armor and servants was a luxury that
could not be sustained when building a
highlymobileforce.Atrooperneededa
fit mount and to be well trained
enough with pistol and sword to wreck
havoc with a display of courage. Even

so, the cost of providing a Single trooper with a helmet, buff coat, back and
breastplates, pistols, holsters and a
good mount was staggering. The allotment in 1643 for a mount was 10
pounds. 7 A pair of pistols cost 45
shillings and six shillings for holsters B
The back and breastplates might simply be substituted with a buff coat that
could cost as much as 10 pounds as the
war carried on. A sword was extra.
Compare that to a musket at 15
shillings and a bandoleer at 20 pence!9
Determine the best handgun for specific situations

See the latest ammunition and handgun accessories
Explore new and exciting handgun sport opportunities
Get the latest information on public policy and legislation concerning gun owners
SUBSCRIBE TODAY and SAVE 7S%!

Get 1 full year (12 issues) of HANDGUNS for just $11.97. That's a savings of 75% off
the newsstand price. Plus, as a subscriber you'll enjoy the convenience of home delivery
so you never miss an issue.
To start your own subscription just send the attached Subscriber Savings Card today
or send name, mailing address and payment to:
HANDGUNS PO Box 51336 Boulder CO 803221336

If you wish to pay by credit card, please send your credit card number and expiration date to the above address.
We accept VISA, Mastercard and American Express.
Savings are based off annual cover price of $47.88. Canadian orders add $13.00 per year (including GST), all other foreign orders add
$15.00 per year (for surface mail postage); all payments must be in U.S. funds. Please allow 6 to 8 weeks for delivery of first issue.
Arms varied considerably. Depending on the constitution of the cavalry unit, availability of supplies and depth of the commander's pocket~ook. Harquebu~iers and other light cavalry units would normally carry carbines of English lock style (shown) or
w~eellock. PIstols could be eIther wheellock (top) or flintlock (below). The pistols would be carried in a pair of pommel holsters
(rtght and left)..Broadswords were common, with many styles being seen. Shown here is an Italian Shiavona, which was not
unpopular durmg the war. Flasks were used for powder, though some paper cartridges were also seen.
Royalists and
Roundheads
THE HARQUEBUSIER
AND CARBINE
Besides the Cuirassier, other wellarmed cavalry were in use. Cruso tells
us that the Harquebusier was first
"invented" in France during the wars
in the Low Countries. A similar but
more lightly armed type fighting on
horseback was the Carbine. lO
"... by the late orders resolved on
by the council of warre, The
Harquebusier (besides a good buff
coat) is to have the back and breast of
the Cuirassiers arming, more than pistol proof, the headpiece, &rc. For
offensive arms, he must have the har-
quebus of two and half long (the bore

of 17 bullets in the pound rowling in)
hanging on a belt by the swivel, a flask
and touch-box, and pistols .... The
Carabine is to be mounded on a middling gelding, and to have a good
buffe coat, a carbine or petronell (the
barrel 2-foot long, the bullet 24 in the
pound rowling in) hanging as the harquebuse, a sword, girdle and hangers,
flask and touchbox (priming flask), as
the Harquebusier."11
This was what the necessities of war,
economy and changing tactics relying
on a more mobile force required. The
Harquebusier and Carbine were well
equipped to sustain fire in any weather

by virtue of their firelock weapons.
These were the versatile models the
English naturally gravitated toward
during the conflict. The last kind of
cavalry Cruso describes is the
Dragoon, a soldier mounted on a horse
"of least price, the use being but to
expedite his march, alighting to do his
service."12 Such were the mounted
militia both sides made use of with
effect during the war. The Trooper with
a brace of pistols, or carbine with sling,
buff coat, perhaps gorget and some
armor, Lobster helmet and sword was
"invented" in the English Civil War.
THE TROOPER'S
FIRELOCKS
By the 17th century the term "firelock," or weapon with a self-contained
gunlock, included the wheellock, the
snaphaunce, English Lock, the flintlock and the migulet. The wheellock
was invented in the first quarter of the
When wearing all his gear, the trooper was a formidable sight. Pistols were not carried on the person but in holsters on the saddle. Carbines fit into buckets on the saddle but were attached to the trooper by means of a sling, so that the piece would not be
lost in battle and to enable easier loading on horseback. The typical English-style "lobster pot" helmet consisted of a round body,
neckguard and three-branched face guard attached to a visor that could be pushed up, out of the way, when not in use. Swords
varied greatly, with broadswords being the most favored, though some rapiers (shown) were also seen. The heavy buff coat was
thick enough to ward off sword blows and was generally favored over the clumsier heavy metal cuirass.
16th century, the snaphaunce and

other snapping lock types in the second quarter, and the English lock and
the French flintlock belong to the 17th
century along with the migulet. All of
these types of firearms could be found
on the 17th century battlefield, with
the matchlock musket. The wheellock
was the most reliable for the first shot,
but the most complex and reqUired a
separate key or spanner to wind and
set the mainspring. Its cost was greater
than any other type; nevertheless, both
sides used the wheellock during the
war. Their use continued even after the
war as the Horse Guards of Charles II
in1660 were still issued wheellock pistols. The cost of a pair of snaphaunce
pistols was less than two pounds compared to three pounds for a pair of
wheellock pistols in 1631. 13 Some
firearm historians contend that the
snaphaunce was the most common
flint mechanism in use at the beginning of the Civil War. Cruso seems to
confirm this by including instructions
for the snaphaunce pistol with its characteristic "back lock" safety mounted
on the left side. Added instructions for
the snaphaunce were:
"Now concerning the snap-hane pistol those postures wherein it differeth
from the firelock pistol (wheellock) are
these as in figure.
18. Bend your cock.
Holding the pistol in the bridle-hand,
(as before hath been shewed) with the
right hand he is to bend the cock.
19. Guard your cock
With the right hand he is to pull
down the back-lock, so to secure the
cock from going off.
20. Order your hammer.
With the right hand he is to draw
down the hammer upon the pan.
21. Free your cock.
With the right hand he is to thrust
back the back-lock, and so to give the
cock libertie."14
As the war progressed a Simpler
"dog-catch" applied in the fully
cocked position helped to make these
and English lock pistols safer to use
at a jostling gallop.
The English lock flint mechanism is
unique to the British Isles. It differs
from the snaphaunce in simplicity of
manufacture and operation. Once
loaded, the pan primed and the cock
set at safety, only one motion is
required to make it ready to discharge. Unlike the snaphaunce with a
separate pan cover and battery, these
are combined in a Single piece in the
English lock. The frizzen opens when
the flint scrapes against it to shower
/tIO. J .
.NO-
12
Military manuals were available to

those officers lucky or rich enough to
get hold of them. John Cruso's Military
Instructions for the Cavalry
(Cambridge, 1632) was one of the best.
-'
...
~_.
.~~:-
~,-:.
Though far from diminutive, carbines could be fairly well manipulated on horseback
and even fired while wearing a breastplate.
sparks into the open pan like any

other flintlock. The cock is held at full
cock by a sear that passes through the
plate and locks on the heel of the
cock. In the simplest types, a dog
catch can be used to serve as the half
cock. As the Civil War progressed,
this mechanism became the favorite
for English pistols and carbines. It
also cost less than the wheel lock.
The Royalists were at a disadvantage
since most gunmaking centers in
England were under Parliamentarian
control. The King, consequently, relied
on European imports from Holland and
others. Muskets, flintlocks and accoutrements were imported in great quantity. Foreign mercenaries also brought
their own, providing a great diversity of
weapons on the battlefield. Attempts by
arms inventors to improve the odds on
the battlefield included repeating
firearms, but none surfaced in quantity
TROOPERS IN ACTION
At the start of the war the Royalist
cavalry were the best equipped and
trained in the recent Swedish tactics.
The "Caracole" was a well-known
maneuver whereby ranks of Cavalry
advanced on their opponents then the

first rank discharged their pistols,
returned to the rear to reload as the
next rank delivered its fire.
Inventing a new tactic at the battle of
Edgehill Prince Rupert:
" ... completely demoralized the
Parliamentary horse by trotting forward according to the drill book and
then suddenly charging. His enemies
who awaited his charge at the halt,
turned at the last moment and fled."15
The thundering power of such a
mass hurling towards a man-on-foot
would have been terrifying.
Troopers "rode as close to each other
as possible. The knee of the lefthand man was locked in behind the
knee of the man on his right whose
other knee would be behind the man
on his right ... and so on. Thus the
troop became a solid missile without
gaps through which the enemy
could break and most important, the
horses could not turn away." 16
Still, pikemen, musketeers and
cannon posed a serious threat. Many a
charge failed, not for a trooper's lack of
courage, but because of a foe's determined stand. One attempt near Bath
in 1643 typifies the slaughter that

could be visited on the trooper.
Waller's Roundhead troopers charged
Cornish pike men three times and
three times were driven off with "cannon on both sides playing without
ceasing, Legs and Arms flying a pace
and in the third charge Sir Bevil
Grenville was mortally wounded by a
blow on the head from a pole axe."17
Troopers and Dragoons often
worked together to deliver a force
quickly for offense or defense. One
account at Tog-hill during the battle of
Lansdown illustrates this as a
Parliamentarian describes the battle:
"... a strong party of horse, commanded by Colonel Burrell and others, not
less than 300, and five or six hundred
dragoons on both sides of the hedges, to
make way for their advance, and to
make good their retreat. Our horse
being placed before our foot and cannon, we commanded off troop by troop;
and being within half musket shot of the
hedges lined on both sides by their dragoons; several horses were killed, and
some of our men; their muskets playing
very hard upon our horse made us
retreat so disorderly, that they fell upon
our foot, and indeed there was not room
enough for us to retreat in order unless
we had gone upon the very mouths of
their muskets,"18
Troopers on both sides served with
distinction and valor. Oliver Cromwell,
father of the modern British army, set to
improve Parliamenfs forces. His purpose
in building The New Model Army was
to free it from local county control. This
would enable a regime of strict training

and discipline, standardized equipment
and tactics that would, in time, overcome the Royalist strength. As the
strength of the Parliamentarian forces
grew the Royalists continued at a disadvantage having to increasingly rely on
foreign support for arms and men.
Despite successes on both sides, the war
was not without great cost to the warweary populace. Periodically, the citizenry rose up as "clubmen" against
either side for excesses when their

armies provisioned themselves at the villagers expense.l 9 Troopers of both sides
were often mentioned in letters of compiaint 20 Oliver Cromwell, in his troops
defense, remonstrated, "I have a lovely
company. They are honest sober
Christians. You would respect them, did
you know them. They expect to be used
as men." As the war progressed, strange
bedfellows could be found. The Scots
first fought valiantly against Charles I,
then against Parliament and later supported Charles II in his attempts to

regain the throne in 1651.
The English Civil War left its mark
on the country and the population.
Even today, stories about the victories,
suffering and losses are still told in the
towns and countryside. It also left its
mold on the cavalry that emerged from
the conflict. Disciplined, well equipped
and strong, the English Trooper was
born in Civil War.
~
ENDNOTES:
1
2
3
4
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
John Adair, Life ofJohn Hampden the Patriot(1594-1643), London, Macdonald and Jane's Publishers Ltd., 1976 p. 164
Christopher Hibbert, Cavaliers andRoundheads, The English Civil War 1642-1649, New York, Macmillan Publishing Co. 1993. p. 77
Edward Earle of Clarendon, The History ofthe Rebellion and Civil Wars in England, Oxford, 1704, pp. 217-218
John Cruso, Military Instructions for the Cavallrie, Cambridge, 1632 pp. 28-31
Barry Denton, Onlyin Heaven, The ute andcampaigns ofSirArthurHesilrige, 1601-1661, Sheffield, Sheffield Academic Press Ltd., 1997 p. -63
John Cruso, 29-30
.
John Fassnidge, English Civil War Documents, Finance and Parliament's Army, Unit 1, York, The Longman Resources Unit, 1984 p 17.
John Fassnidge, p6.
John Fassnidge, p6.
John Cruso, 30-31
John Cruso, 30-31
John Cruso, p 31
Howard L. Blackmore, British Military Firearms, 1650-1850, New York, Arco Publishing Co. Inc., 1968, p 22.
John Cruso, pp 40-41
A.V.B. Norman and Don Pottinger, English Weapons & Warlare, 449-1660, New York, Dorset Press, 1985, p. 210
A.V.B. Norman and Don Pottinger, p. 210-211
John Tincey, Soldiers of the English Civil War (2): cavalry, London, Osprey Publishing Ltd., 1990, pp 23-25
John Tincey, pp 25-27
Barry Denton, The Clubmen, English Civil War Times, No. 52, Leigh-on-Sea, Partizan Press, pp 36-38
Christopher Hibbert, pp 218-219

FrOnt India and Africa to Australia

and North Am.erica and Points
In-Between, British Revolvers Did Their

Duty for Queen, King and Country.
he British military's attitude toward service
revolvers in the last two centuries was similar
to that of the American experience, on one
hand, but radically different on the other. Both
governments were initially reluctant to put
them in the field until circumstances (the Crimean War
and Indian Mutiny for the British and the Mexican and
Civil Wars for the U.S.) forced their adoption.
The divergence in the personal attitude of the users was
generally quite different though. Repeating pistols were initially used by officers and specialized troops. The British
especially seemed reluctant to give them to "other ranks" at
first, and their employment was generally by officers who had
the wherewithall to purchase their own guns. While some
Colt Model 1851 Navy revolvers were actually issued to
lancer sergeants during the Crimea, for the most part cavalrymen had to make do with no pistols at all or with a clunky
smoothbore single shot monstrosity that was usually conveniently "lost" as soon as possible.
By Garry James
Before the Cardwell reforms of

1881 British officers generally purchased their commissions. This
meant that the upper ranks were generally restricted to titled aristocrats or
gentlemen with enough private
income to purchase their ranks. Even
when the purchase system was done
away with, the expense of maintaining an officer's lifestyle meant that
there was little actual change in the

commissioned ranks.
American officers, while often
recruited from the burgeoning middle class, could also rise from the
ranks and be accepted by their
superiors and subordinates with little, if any, difficulty.
"Rankers" in Queen Victoria's army
who, for merit or bravery, were given
commissions often found their positions untenable as they were shunned

by brother officers as not being "gentlemen" and when they could not manage
financially, to live the fast life expected
of them. More than one "jumped up"
ex-NCO resigned or transferred into
the more democratic Indian Army
because he was unable to measure up
to the standards set for him.
I interject this bit of social history

in order to better illustrate the
British official and personal feelings
toward weaponry.
If one studies photographs of the
American Civil War and Indian Wars,
he is immediately taken by the great
numbers of revolvers proudly displayed by their owners.
Images of British officers and troops
SIXGUNSOF
EE~~-4,'r'fi
IU
".,'~:
c{
!~l
iJ ~;
!CJ
Q.[]:~
~-~"~
!o-
<J;"~)
\.-:::.-....-..
:
.'.
... _16"':~,~
~~:::r:~~
,
.....
_,-_..'
~",-",-",
--.., ....
"",-.~
The first really practical British revolver was the percussion Deane, Adams and
Deane five-shooter. As this patent drawing indicates, the gun had no hammer spur
and could be fired double-action only. Bullets were pressed into the chambers with
the shooter's thumb...a practice that proved to be less than effective.
in the field during the same periods

rarely show pistols of any kind on the
person, To be sure swords, rifles and
carbines are in considerable proliferation, but there are few revolvers, The
British use of revolvers, as depicted

in this illustration of a hussar and
"badmash" from The British Army at
Home and Abroad was not common
as one might think.
pictures taken by Roger Fenton in the

Crimea that depict officer's chargers
invariably include a pair of pommel
holsters on the saddle, They are, however, more often than not covered
with a cloak or lambskin shabraque,
so identification of these arms is
impossible, (As a point of interest, the
British nomenclature for a device to
carry a pistol on the belt is "pistol
case," Holsters were bucket-like
affairs strapped to the saddle, They
were eventually replaced by longish
saddlebag style "wallets" by the turn
of the century)
We know from the healthy British
arms trade and from personal reminiscences that repeaters were widely used
in scores of conflicts Britain found herself embroiled in during the 19th century. Why then, was there such an
apparent lack of regard for such an efficient tool of warfare,
Perhaps the officer, still identifying
themselves with their titles ancestors
who fought beside Henry Vat
Agincourt centuries before, eschewed
public recognition for a the coarse,
The Beaumont-Adams revolver was the

first British revolver to be officially
accepted into Her Majesty's service.
This percussion firearm was an
improvement over its predecessor, the
Deane, Adams and Deane, in that it
employed a loading lever and could be
fired single/double action. Most British
revolvers through the turn of the 20th
century would copy its basic silhouette.
machine-made tools of war in favor of

the more romantic sword or saber, The
point is, in writing any history of
English service and service-type
revolvers, the determination of particular makes and models, other than
actual issue items, rather difficult.
No less a writer than Sir Arthur
Conan Doyle, never referred to Dr,
Watson's handgun as anything other
than his "old service revolver," despite
the fact that Doyle had more than a
rudimentary knowledge of firearms
and has spent time with the military,
Although the War Department adopted specific models for issue to the
troops, officers were allowed to purchase any handgun they wished, as long
as it chambered service ammunition,
This opened up a wide spectrum of
British, American and Continental arms
for consideration, While the rank and
file was simply issued their revolvers
out of stores, officers preferred to buy
their pieces from a variety of sources,
It was possible to obtain guns
directly from some manufacturers via
their own outlets, Colt, for example,
had a Pall Mall, London, business for a
good number of years, Many private
retailers were also set up to purvey a
variety of handguns, and it is not at all
unusual to find Webleys, Tranters or
Adamses engraved with dealers'
names on the barrels,
Perhaps one of the more popular
sources of firearms for officers and the
gentry was the Army-Navy Cooperative
Society, Ltd, This monolithic organization, headquartered at 105 Victoria St.,
Westminster, London, offered everything from exotic foodstuffs to up-todate camping equipment and the latest
in household fripperies, Firearms were
popular items and they carried the best.
It was possible for an officer in India or
Africa to write or cable an order and ed for Lancer regiments

have it filled and shipped within a few and the Royal Navy,
days, Many handguns, rifle and shot- As well many officers
guns will be seen emblazoned with the bound for the seat of
Army-Navy address, It will usually war in the Crimea coneither be written out in full or abbrevi- fidently purchased
ated, "Army-Navy CSL"
Colts prior to their
Finishes on revolvers varied accord- departure,
ing to the user's tastes, While blued
Unfortunately for
guns seem to have been the most popu- Colt, Robert Adams, an
lar, nickel-plating was not uncommon, English entrepreneur
especially with officers traveling to every bit as aggressive as
areas noted for exotic
climates, In his Soldiers
Pocket Book, General
Viscount Wolseley even
advised: "I strongly recommend officers to have
their revolver or other
pistol, sword, scabbard,
stirrup irons, bits, chains
and everything iron or
steel well nickeled, It
keeps them from rust
and saves much trouble
in cleaning,"
Because of space, this
article will only touch
upon those cartridge Canada's North West Mounted Police were among the
revolvers actually pro- first to receive the .476 Enfield revolver, though no
duced in Britain that ammunition was shipped and they were forced to continwere intended, in pan ue to use .450 Adams cartridges for a time.
or whole, for military
and associated uses,
his Yankee competitor, had produced a
While percussion pepperboxes and Model 1851 "Self-Cocking" revolver
similar multi-barreled pislols were car- that was also achieving considerable
ried unofficially during the early part official and private recognition,
of the 19th century, experiences or the
The gun was available in three bore
Crimean War (1854-57) and the sizes, 36 bore (.500 caliber), 50 bore
Indian Mutiny (1857-59) provided (.442 caliber) and 120 bore (.320 calreal impetus for the official recognition iber), larger caliber Adams five-shooters
of revolvers as viable sidearms,
were eagerly procured by officers who
Samuel Colt had long dreamed of felt comfortable with the rapid double
lucrative British contracts for his line action and more powerful loadings,
of single-action revolvers, and some
Partisanship soon came to the fore as
Model 1851 Navys were even accept- Adams proudly exhibited letters and
Webley's Royal/rish Constabulary revolver (First

Model shown) proved to be a versatile, rugged,
profitable revolver. Rounds were loaded through a
gate and ejected by means of a swing-out rod.
When not in use the rod was stowed beneath the
barrel in a cavity in the cylinder pin.
The Mark I Enfield revolver of 1880 was
an odd duck. Cartridges were loaded

one at a time though a loading gate,
but extraction was effected by breaking open the pistol and allowing the
cylinder to move forward, away from a
stationary star. Cases were then shaken free of the action.
testimonials from officers, such as Lt.

],G, Cross of the 88th Regiment of Foot,
who proclaimed, "I had one of your
largest sized pistols at the bloody Battle
of Inkerman, and by some chance got
surrounded by Russians, I then found
the advantages of your pistols over
those of Colonel Colts, for had I had to
cock before each shot I should have lost
my life, I should not have had time to
cock, as they were too close to me,
being only a few yards from me; so close
that I was bayoneted through the thigh
after shooting the fourth man,"
Reports out of India during the
Sepoy Rebellion were none the more
heartening for Colt, as reports of '51
Navy failures trickled back to England,
Colonel George Vincent Fosbery (himself the inventor of a unique revolver,
which we will cover further on in the
story) a few years later cited a typical
example: "An officer, who especially
prided himself on his pistol-shooting,
was attacked by a stalwart mutineer
armed with a heavy sword, The officer
unfortunately for himself, carried a
SIXGUNSOF
Colt's Navy pistol, which you may
remember, was of small caliber, and
fired a sharp-pointed picket bullet of
60 to the pound and a heavy charge of
powder. .. This he proceeded to empty
into the sepoy as he advanced, but
having done so, he waited just one second too long to see the effect of his
shooting, and was cloven to the teeth
by his antagonist, who then dropped
down and died beside him. My informant, who witnessed the affair, told
me that five out of the six bullets had
struck the sepoy close together in the
chest, and all had passed through him
and out his back." In any event, a .442caliber improved version of the
Adams incorporating lockwork of
FB.E Beaumont-aptly named the
Beaumont-Adams-was accepted by
the British War Department in 1855,
causing Colt to close his already
financially troubled London Factory.
While Adams had many rivals, most
notably William Tranter, his gun
reigned supreme. Its silhouette and
distinctive grip, like Colt's in America,
influenced British revolver design well
into the 20th century.
The Beaumont-Adams was a doubleaction five-shooter that unlike the m1851 Self-Cocking Model, could also
be fired Single-action.
Like other countries, Britain was
actively searching for an improve-
ment over the cumbersome percussion system. Rounds of all types were
being experimented with. In 1867,
the Snider breech-loading rifle conversion with its .577 Boxer-primed
cartridge was officially accepted, and
one year later a conversion of the
Adams to .450 centerfire was authorized for the Royal Navy. The work
was to be done by Robert Adams'
brother,] ohn, who secured the
patent for the conversion in 1867.
The alteration itself was simple. The
gun was merely fitted with a new
bored-through cylinder, the hammer
nose modified, and the frame milled
and equipped with a simple swingout loading gate. A spring-de tented
rod was added to the right side of the
frame to eject spent cartridges.
The cartridge was of "sheet brass,
Boxer primed and fired a 225-grain
bullet propelled by 13 grains of black
powder. As the case was rather short
(.670 inch), it was necessary to have a
hollow-based projectile to help contain
the powder charge.
In February of 1872 the government sealed a new pattern of Adams
pistol which, according to the War
Department, "differs from the pistol
converted from a muzzle-loader. .. in
having six chambers instead of five,
and in some minor matters of construction. The parts of the pistol
The Mark II Adams revolver was basically a slightly modified version of the older BeaumontAdams, designed to take cartridges. Rounds were
inserted into the chambers through a loading
gate and pushed out by means of a simple framemounted ejector rod.
William Tranter was one of the "big

three" British revolver makers. While he
only enjoyed limited success with government contracts, his revolvers, such
as this "Army Model" in .450 were popular private-purchase items with officers.
Webley's "W-G" model was the first production arm to feature the famed stirrup-lever system. While this gun was
never officially accepted into the service it was popular with officers and target shooters. The action was smooth
and reliable. Early models, such as this
M-1889 "Army" sported "churchsteeple cylinder flutes.
are interchangeable."
In fact, this "Mark II" Adams did look
very much like its predecessor. The rod
ejector and loading gate were virtually
identical, as was the 6-inch barrel.
In August of 1872 the Mark III Adams
was adopted, departing from the Mark II
in having a ball-headed, pivoting ejector
rod beneath the barrel that could be
rotated right for use. This was the primary handgun used during the Zulu Wars,
as well as other adventures during the
late 1870s and early 1880s.
While the Adams remained the
chosen gun of Her Majesty's War
Department, other manufacturers were
The Tranter "Army Model" revolver was

adopted by the British War Department
in 1878. It was Tranter's only government contract and remained substitute
standard for years.
!'Adams Mark 11/ revolver was the principal

ndgun used during the Zulu War, among
other conflicts. One loaded its .450 cartridges through a gate and ejected them via
a swiveling, oval button-headed rod.
by no means standing still.

Robert Adams' stiffest competitor,
William Tranter, was also offering
some unique designs of his own. As
early as 1863, Tranter had patented a
.442 rimfire "Army" revolver. It had a
silhouette similar to the BeaumontAdams. However, by removing the
sideplate on the left side of the frame, it
was possible to gain access to the entire
mechanism. Ejection was effected by
means of a loading-lever style plunder
that was mounted on the right side of
the barrel and frame.
Some five years later, Trant r was
producing centerfire pistols on the earlier patterns, with the diff rence of a
separate frame-mounted firing pin
and, in 1871, a swing-out jector rod.
These guns were available in s v ral
calibers including .320, .442, .450 and
.500, with the latter three bing the
most favored for combat.
Tranter also offered centerfire guns
with conventional style hammers, incorporating integral firing pins. Robust and
efficient, these guns failed to catch the
War Department's fancy, though they
were quite popular with individual officers and gentlemen adventurers.
Early British pistol cases (holsters) were

often suspended via shoulder straps
rather than be carried on a waist belt.
Most photos of officers during the Zulu
War show this sort of arrangement.
Finally, in 1878, Tranter did

succeed in obtaining a government contract for a solidframe revolver termed "Army"
by the maker and "Pistol,
Revolver, B.L.' Tranter,
Interchangeable" by the
authorities. This .450 doubleaction six-shooter featured the
usual checkered walnut grip
with lanyard ring and 6-inch
octagon barrel of many of its
predecessors. The cylinder,
unlike that of the Adams, was
fluted, and an ejector rod, enclosed
within a housing, was mounted on the
left side of the frame. While not issued
in great numbers, the Tranter Army
Model remained substitute standard in
the army for a good number of years.
The .450 cartridge had been
acknowledged from the first to be
somewhat inadequate against oftenfanatical native adversaries, so the
War Department set about to design
a new, more powerful cartridge and
revolver for its forces. A round spitting out its 225-grain bullet at a mere
650 feet-per-second (fps) for a muzzle energy of some 211 ft.-Ibs. was
just not cutting it.
Recognizing this, ordnance set about
designing a new, more powerful cartridge and revolver.
What finally emerged in August of
1880 was totally different from earlier

British revolvers. The gun employed
an extraction system designed by
Americanized Welshman, Owen]ones,
and a lock mechanism patented jointly
by Britisher Michael Kaufmann and
Belgian]ean Warnant.
The ingenious, slightly eccentric
design involved a frontally pivoting
hinged frame, secured at the rear of the
topstrap by a knurled latch. The gun
was loaded in the usual manner, one
round at a time, through the loading
gate. When the six cartridges had been
fired, the latch was pulled backward
and the barrel drawn down. This
action pulled the cylinder forward,
away from a stationary star extractor
and freed the empty cases. Vigorous
shaking of the gun cleared the shells
from the action. The Mark I Enfield
The Webley-Fosbery was one of the world's only successful automatic revolvers.
While not general issue, some were carried by officers during The Great War, and a
few were given to pilots of the Royal Naval Air Service. On later models, the cylinder
could be removed by simply pressing a button on the top strap.
SIXGUNS OF
When they were finally adopted in 1886,

the Webley stirrup-latch series of
revolvers proved to be among the most
reliable and rugged ever issued to any
army. Early models, such as this Mark I,
sported 4-inch barrels.
revolver, as the gun was termed after

the arsenal where it was built initially,
had the forward portions of its chambers rifles and the internal parts nickelplated. The 6-inch round barrel was
rifled in the Henry system, the same as
that used on the British general-issue
Martini-Henry service rifle.
The topstrap portion of the frame was
a separate piece and the foresight of a
slightly angular configuration. Grips
were checkered walnut, capped with an
iron plate and large lanyard ring.
The cartridge designed for the gun
had a 265-grain, .455 diameter hol-
The Webley Mark VI (above) appeared

during World War I and is considered
by many experts to be one of the finest
military revolvers ever. In .455 caliber, it
was rugged and reliable. Extraction, as
with its predecessors, such as the
Webley-Fosbery (right) was via the
tried-and-true stirrup latch.
The .380 No.2 Mark /* revolver of World

War /I vintage was a Webley look-alike
that was underpowered and could be
fired double-action only. Though widely
issued it was not particularly popular.
low-based lead bullet propelled by 18

grains of black powder for a muzzle
energy of around 289 ft.-Ibs. Overall
length of the round was 1.47 inches as
opposed to the. 450's 1.14 inches. It
was noted by the War Department that
in an emergency, a .450, Enfield B.L.
(Mark III) "was adopted." It differed
from its predecessor in having a bullet
diameter of .477 and a deeper hollow
base with a clay expanding plug. The
round was designated the .476.
In 1882 a second pattern of Enfield
revolver was sealed. As noted by the
War Department, "The main points in
which this pistol differs from Mark I
are as follows-the topstrap is part of
the body. The stock is not checkered,
and is secured to the body by means
of a stock-cap screw. A locking
arrangement has been added to prevent the cylinder revolving accidentally when the shield is open. A cam
on the shield locks the hammer when
the shield is open, and so prevents
accidental discharge of the pistol
when it is being loaded. This pistol
takes the same cartridge as Mark 1."

In 1886 a Royal Navy lieutenant was
killed when his Mark I fell from its holster and discharged a round. This
caused, in 1887, for a further safety
device to be added that prevented the
hammer from being forced forward
while in the rebound position. Guns
with this alteration were marked with
an "s" on the left side of their frames.
Initially the Enfield was issued to the
Royal Irish Constabulary and the
Canadian North West Mounted Police,
as well as troops in India and several
colonial governments. Unfortunately
for the Mounties, some shipping
glitches caused the guns to be sent
without the new ammunition, and
they were forced to load their Enfields
with the older .450 fodder for a time.
While it was remarked by many that
the gun was certainly unprepossessing,
it was also acknowledged to be rugged
and functional. The. 476 cartridge's
extra puissance was also appreciated,
and the gun could certainly be cleared
faster than the Adams.
True, the Enfields double-action was
a force to be reckoned with and the
spent case from the bottom-most
chamber had a tendency to lodge
between the barrel assembly and the
frame/cylinder assembly, but still it
continued to get good marks from
those who used it. In fact, Enfields
continued in service in the colonies for
some time after they were replaced by
more sophisticated designs.
Birmingham maker Philip Webley,
and his family, had long been something of a power in the British gun
trade, though his early percussion
guns did not find the public favor that
the Adams and Tranter enjoyed. In
1867, though, he introduced a solidframe cartridge revolver that was to
prove a boon to his business. The
The Sam Browne officer's setup was

used from before the turn of the 20th
century until past the First World War.
Basic components included the belt,
one or two shoulder straps, pistol case,
sword frog and cartridge pouch.
This belt/holster setup is a style used

by non-coms and specialty troops during World War I. It is an amalgamation
of special leather components and the
P-08 "other-ranks" web belt.
"Royal Irish Constabulary" (RIC)

revolver took its name from the force
that adopted it in 1868. It was in .442
centerfire (nO-grain bullet, IS-grains
of black powder), and employed an
extremely simple action (a modification of the Tranter system) and ejection
setup, involving a swiveling rod,
housed within the cylinder pin that
could be withdrawn and turned to the
side to eject individual empties.
The RIC proved to be one of Webleys
staple products and underwem a number of changes and modifications
throughout its career. It was chambered
variously in .430, .442 .450, .455, .476,
.45 Colt and .44-40, and it spawn d a
variety of derivative arms in luding the
short-barreled Metropolitan Polic (also
favored by army officers) and everal
models of pocket-sized "Bulldog"-type
pistols. The RIC was probably one of
the most copied firearms of the 19th
century, and look-alikes were turned
out in Belgium, Germany, the United
States and Spain.
As the true RIC underwent so many
mechanical and cosmetic changes
throughout its history, and many were
produced with special-order features,
it becomes a difficult gun to place into
neat niches. We will, however, make
an attempt to unravel the RIC Gordian
knot with the caveat that there was a
considerable amount of overlap on
specific models.
The first version of the RIC can
immediately be recognized by the forward cylinder locking notches.
Standard rear-locking was introduced
with the Model 1872. Various barrel
lengths were available, although those
guns with tubes shorter than 3~ inches
often had no integral ejectors, the
rounds presumably being expelled by
a separate implement.
The Metropolitan Police Model
made its debut in 1880. This gun,
though chambered for .450 (and later
sported a loading gate designed

by Michael Kaufmann that
secured the rebounding hammer
at half-cock when it was opened.
This gun, with its spring-loaded
ejector rod, housed along a sixinch barrel, resembled the '78
Colt, somewhat, and when a New
Model Express was introduced,
this redesigned revolver, incorporating a bird's-head grip, now
looked like the Cold DA, indeed.
In fact, the No.5 did achieve
The Enfield revolver could be carried in a variety some popularity, not only with
of web and leather holsters, depending upon the crown officers, but in South
Africa where it was adopted by
time of issue, country and employment.
the Cape Mounted Rifles and
.455), had a somewhat abbreviated, other select units.
shorter frame and cylinder, and this,
Webley's debut into the world of
together with a 2 1h-inch barrel, made Self extraction was in 1877 with the
the gun eminently suitable for conceal- appearance of a gun devised by
ment within a cloak or jacket pocket.
Birmingham gunmaker Charles Pryse.
The No.2 RIC emerged in 1876. It This ingenious weapon, termed the
had a more curved butt than its prede- No.4, featured the forward hinged
cessors and introduced a rearward frame commonly associated with later
tapering barrel rib. The back of the Webleys, as well as a rebounding hamtopstrap was slightly humped, thereby mer and improved cylinder lock. To
providing a deeper rear sight notch.
load a No.4 Webley-Pryse, one merely
In 1883, Webley introduced the RIC pressed in on a pair of levers mounted
No.1 New Model. While it differed lit- on either side of the recoil shield. This
tle from earlier versions, it did have a action withdrew two crossbolts that
fluted cylinder and a standard barrel locked into the topstrap. The gun
length of 4 1h inches (the No.2 had a could then be broken by tilting the
3~-inch tube).
frame downward (not the barrel, as
Although the firm began early experi- this had a tendency to jam the action
mentation with hinged-frame revolvers with spent cases), which forced a star
featUring simultaneous ejection, Webley extractor outward to remove the shells.
was smart enough in 1878 to realize The extractor then snapped back into
that large, solid-frame pistols were still position once it reached the extremity
commercially viable. In that year the of its travel and allowed rounds to be
No.5 Army Express made its appear- inserted into the chambers.
ance. Many experts think this gun was
The Pryse was a popular Webley
in response to Colt's somewhat flawed
Model 1878 Frontier revolver. The No.
5 was chambered in .450/455 and
The Webley-Pryse system was one

of the first top-break designs. One
opened the revolver bypinching in
on a pair oflevers to release a locking bolt. Cartridges were then loaded into the cylinder. A star extractor
expelled spent cartridges all at once.

SIXGUNSOF
The first gun in the Webley-Green series

was the Model 1882. It had a bird's-head
grip and a curious "church-steeple" fluting on the cylinder. Three years later an
improved version appeared with a large
slotted release, so the cylinder assembly
could be removed without a screwdriver. The Model 1889 "W-G" altered the
birds-head grip to a flared design. While
previous Webley-Greens had 6-inch
barrels, the M-89 could be purchased
with a 7 1f,-inch tube and adjustable
product and was offered in a variety of
~-..m! -lj
sights. (Early sights were simple notches
I
,
calibers to include .320, .380, .450,
-f---,..--;-I
in the stirrup tops.)
.455 and .476. In fact, we know from
I
II
In 1892, the Webley-Green had its
I
I
I
an attributed example in the Tower
I
action, extractor and cylinder release
..,l,,"
I
.,..,,
collection that Lord Roberts carried a
I
I
improved. The release, for instance,
I
I
Pryse in the Second Afghan War. A
I
was altered from a screw to a latch,
I
ttl'49:
I
special run of these guns were even
1I45
i_
located on the left fore-part of the barI
made for famed British swordsmith
I
rel assembly that allowed the cylinder
I
Henry Wilkinson, who reasoned that
I
to be removed by simply pushing a
I
officers would probably like to buy
I
lever
downward. The barrel length of
I
their swords and revolvers in the same
civilian target models was offiCially set
,,-place. The Webley-Wilkinson-Pryse
IL H.419" jl
at ]If, inches, and the caliber standard'r--L47S""'
revolvers (and later Webley-Wilkinson
I ~ .34" I
ized to .455 (rather than .450 and
"'--L:'30"1
revolvers improving a later latch sys.476), although "Army" versions of the
tem) are marked with the Wilkinson The .476 round was a marked improve'92 could be obtained in .476 with 6name and address along the top barrel ment over the .450 Adams. It employed
inch barrels and bird's-head grips.
rib and often feature the swordmaker's a 265-grain bullet backed by 18 grains
Target models of the Webley-Green
six~pointed star "proof" motif on the of black powder.
continued to be offered through the tum
frame. These guns were always of the
the rather distinctive latching system, of the century, with minor modifications
highest quality of fit and finish.
denoting various model differences. In
Michael Kaufmann also contributed most Webley-Kaufmann revolvers can
1896, for example, the cylinder fluting
be
identified
by
a
small
"M.K."
mark
on
mightily to the Webley top-break revowas
changed from the old pattern to that
lution with his patent catch of 188!. the right side of the frame.
of the standard bullet shape. Because of
The
next
stage
in
the
Webley
revolver
The first version of this ingenious sysits excellent, smooth action, the W-G
tem involved a three-piece bolt that was perhaps the most significant-the
was a favorite with marksmen who
passes horizontally through the frame adoption of the classic "stirrup latch."
would often order the gun fitted with
This
landmark
design,
devised
by
and topstrap. By pushing the bolt to the
unique target sights of their own fancy.
left, the gun was locked. Pressing a Edwinson Green, was simple and posiAs well, "Army" versions of the W-G
catch on the right side of the frame tive. To open the gun, one simply were extremely popular with officers,
pushed
a
lever
on
the
left
side
of
the
unlatched the gun. The mechanism was
and many will be found with their owna bit awkward, so the versatile inventor framer forward. This removed an inteers' names and regimental distinctions
"U"-shaped
bar
from
the
rear
of
the
gral
simplified the catch one year later by
engraved on the barrels and frames.
topstrap,
freeing
the
barrel
assembly.
the addition of a pivoting lever. Beside
Although it had performed yeoman
service the Enfield pistol was replaced
a scant five years after its introduction
by a stirrup-latch system Webley,
termed in War Departmentese, "Pistol,
Webley (Mark 1) B.L. Revolve."
According to circular 6075, "The principal parts of the pistol are the barrel,
the cylinder and the body.
"The barrel is pivoted to the body by
means of a screw passing through a
knuckle joint formed in a bracket that
projects below the breech end. A strap
or rib extends backward from the top of
the barrel; when the barrel is in the firing
position, the rear end of the strap fits
into the body and is locked down by the
WOLESI.EY FlUlI'flJ'G TIlE ZuU:S (lJEATH (W THE Dll'l;RIAL l'fll1\CE).
barrel catch. The cylinder is chambered
to hold six cartridges. It is pivoted to a
This engraving of Sir Garnett Wolesley fighting the Zulus on the occasion of
tube fixed in the bracket under the barthe death of France's Prince Imperial during the Zulu War leans toward the fanrel. The stem of the extractor lies in this
ciful. Wolesley later advocated that officers have their revolvers nickel-plated
tube, surrounded by a spiral spring,
I:
for use in tropical climes.
British military handgun cartridges run the gamut from abysmal to good, with most
just being adequate. From left, .442, .450, .455, .455 "Manstopper" and .380.
which returns the extractor to position

after it has ejected cartridge cases. The
extractor is forced out by a small lever in
the knuckle-joint as the barrel is being
rotated on the joint pin."
The Mark I was chambered in .442,
had a 4-inch barrel and checkered
hard rubber bird's-head grips. At the
base of the grip hung the ubiquitous
lanyard ring.
The gun was an excellent design,
with many W-G features. The lock
mechanism, though, was further simplified, with the mainspring operating
not only the hammer, but providing
tension for the hand and trigger as well.
Soon after its inception, the caliber
was increased to .455 and .476. A variation of the gun that was designated as
the Mark 1* replaced the re oil shi ld
(which had been milled out of the
frame stock) with a removable plate
that could be changed when the firing
pin hole became eroded. The grip was
also rounded a bit more and the
thumbpiece made smaller.
In 1894, a Mark II version was sealed
that differed mainly from its predecessor in having a larger hammer spur
and stouter nose. The grip shape was
altered to remove the hump behind the
hammer, and there were also small
changes made to the extractor lever and
hammer catch springs.
Three years later, the Mark III
appeared with the more positive
extractor mechanism adopted from the
W-G Model 1892, which was substituted for the older pattern extractor.
The Mark IV Webley emerged in
1899. According to Army Circular
Number 9787, "It differs from Mark
II ... in the following particulars: the
steel used in the manufacture of the
barrel body, cylinder and cylinder axis
is of different quality; the solid trigger
stop is slightly raised, and the slots in
the cylinder for the trigger stop are
made wider. The angles in the body are
rounded; the ratchet teeth of the
extractor are case-hardened; and the

lifting point of the pawl water-hardened, increasing their durability.
"The hammer is lighter than the
Mark II hammer, which it replaces, but
has the same shape of nose.
"The following components differ
slightly in form from earlier patterns,
but are all interchangeable with those
of the Mark Ill. The weight of the pistol is 2 pounds, 3 ounces."
Although standard barrel length of the
Mark IV was the usual 4 inches, some
guns in this pattern were made with
tubes of 3, 5 and even 6 inches.
Just prior to World War I, a Mark V
Webley was authorized. It differed little from the Mark IV, with the exception that the cylinder was beefed up to
accommodate slightly stronger loads.
The Webley Mark VI made its
appearance one year into the Great
War. It had a 6-inch barrel and square
butt, but otherwise aped the Mark V
The Mark VI continued in the British
service as principal standard until
1927, when it was ignominiously
replaced by the NO.2 Mark I Enfield
revolver in .380 caliber. The gun
resembles the Mark VI in design and
configuration, although the overall

dimensions, including the 5-inch barrel, were somewhat smaller than those
of the VI. As its name implies, the gun
was initially made at the government
arsenal at Enfield.
In 1932, supposedly at the behest of
tankers who complained that the hammer spur of the NO.2 Mark I caught on
equipment, the revolver was modified
by removing the offending appendage
and altering the mechanism to render
the gun double-action only. It seems as
though the British had gone full circle
and had a gun, similar to the Model
1851 Deane-Adams and Deane-the
revolver that more-or-less started
everything. The original checkered
walnut grips were replaced with ones
of Bakelite, which incorporated finger
grooves. Termed the No.2 Mark 1*,
because of the DA-only feature and
rather anemic caliber, this gun was not
as popular as it could have been
among officers and other ranks. In
1941, a contract for No.2 Marks was
let out to Albion Motor Works of
Scotstoun, Glasgow, Scotland. These
guns were prominently marked on the
frames with the makers name. As well,
some of these diminutive .38s were
made in Australia.
During the production of the Enfield
revolvers, Webley had also offered a
similar gun, the Mark IV, for civilian
and police use. In 1945, the British
government let a contract to Webley to
produce Mark IVs for war use. Because
of their similarity to the standard issue
revolver, they occasioned no retraining
of personnel. As Mark IVs sported
hammer spurs, they were both single
and double action-a feature appreciated by more than one combatant.
By 1900, it was obvious that auto
pistols were the coming things. In
The Schlund Kynoch revolver was an

unusual design featuring a double trigger-one for cocking and the other for
firing. The hammer was internal, and
the gun was broken open by means of
a button on the backstrap.
Gun courtesy of John Plimpton.
~~~!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!~!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!~-~--~-~;;:;;;;;;;;;;;;==:.--:::::=------------- -_.-.
SIXGUNSOF
Early .380 Enfield revolvers featured
hammer spurs and could be fired single
action. Grips were checkered walnut.
Very often skeletonized versions of service anns, such as this Webley Mark VI,
were produced for instructionalpurposes.
Cavalry engagements, such as this one against Zulus, where revolvers were used as
primary weapons were relatively rare in the British army.
1901, Webley brought out one of the

oddest of the early entries into the
field-the Webley-Fosbery automatic
revolver, Designed by Lieutenant
George Vincent Fosbery, v.c., this
unique .455 six-shooter was a revolutionary arm in several ways. The hammer-trigger mechanism was not connected to the cylinder in any way,
allowing for an exceptionally easy
pull-one favored by target shooters
virtually from the inception of the gun.
The frame of the revolver was in two
parts, an immobile lower half (recoiling
frame) and a top portion (body) that
slid rearward on a rail-type groove. The
cylinder was crossed by a deep zigzag
line that fit into a diamond-shaped projection in the recoiling frame.
Fosberys were loaded in the manner
of other Webley military arms, by simply breaking them open and inserting
six cartridges. They were then locked
and the hammer withdrawn manually
When the trigger was pulled and
the gun discharged, the recoil forced
the body rearward, working the cylinder groove through the stud and
rotating it. A spring-activated recoil
lever, located inside the grip, returned
the gun to battery, ready for the next
shot. The Country Gentleman noted in
July of 1901, "The six cartridges carried by the Webley-Fosbery can all be
discharged with good aim in six seconds. We saw them discharged at

the Bisley range in the course of a
competition in little over seven seconds, so that we can quite believe
the claim that six seconds are sufficient to fire all six shots and get
them near the bull's-eye on the target
at revolver ranges."
The early (1901) model of the
Fosbery was improved a year later by
the substitution of a simpler topstrapmounted cylinder release button, for
one of the standard Mark IV style. The
rear cylinder flutes of the earlier model
were also removed and the trigger
spring and recoil lever mechanism
made more robust.
While the Webley-Fosbery remained
an excellent weapon on the target
range, its sensitivity to dirt and ammunition eliminated its possibility as an
official-issue sidearm. Apparently
though, a number of officers felt comfortable enough with the gun to take it
to Flanders during the early months of
the war, and some were actually issued
to Royal Naval Air Service pilots.
To be sure, there were scores of
designs other than those of Adams,
Tranter and Webley proffered to an
eager military clientele. Names such as
Tipping and Lawden, Kynoch, and
Lancaster crop up now and again in
Late in World War II civilian Webley Mark

IV .380 revolvers were pressed into
British service. Issue guns are usually
marked "war finish" to explain the
untypical rough surface.
memoirs, but they were never really

the players of the "big three."
Too, scores of smaller Midlands makers produced their own versions of
Tranters, Webleys and Adamses, rarely
giving the credit-or the royalties-to
the originators. These guns still turn up
in a bewildering abundance, and their
often-excellent quality can lead experts
to attribute them to one of the betterknown makers. Often the guns will
carry spurious legends such as "Tranters
Patent" that are no certain guarantee of
that firms association with the piece.
British revolvers, whoever made
them, were certainly among the highest quality arms produced anywhere
in the world during the 19th and 20th
centuries. Though their designs might
oftentimes run to the quixotic, their
very abundance is a considerable tribute to the London and Birmingham
arms trade. In any event, soldiers felt
more than comfortable taking them
into combat, and that, after all, is the
~
ultimate tribute.
The
Continental
Rifleman
While society remained principally
an agrarian one, by the early 18th
century most of the large game in
more populated north American
colonies had disappeared and with
it the need for a rifled weapon.
Smoothbore, flintlock fowlers and
muskets were fine for hunting the
sma 11 gam e t hat
traveled down and out the barrel. As

the rotation evens out the imperfections of the bullet and gives the missile a gyroscopic action, a spinning
ball travels farther in an accurate line
than one fired from a smooth bored
gu n. Mos trifles brough t to the
colonies from Europe were short in
length and weighed 10 pounds or
more, while the average weight of an
American longrifle was between
seven and nine pounds. The caliber
of the bullet was reduced from the
.65 to .75 caliber of European rifles
to between .40 and .5. This means
by the patch expanding into the

grooves of rifling during loading, and
the patch also made a tight seal
between the ball and the bore without distorting the ball. Before placing
the patched ball over the muzzle of
the rifle, a measured quantity of gunpowder was poured down the bore.
The quantity of powder varied
depending on the distance to the target. Next, the patched ball was placed
on the muzzle and pushed down the
barrel by the ramrod. Following this,
the cock was rotated back to the safety position and a small amount of
powder was poured into a depressed
pan on the gunlock.
_=-------------------__
~:---;-
inhabited the New England

colonies, but their range of accuracy
was short, too short for the needs of
h f
.
t h e sett 1ers 1Ivmg on t e rontler
where there was little domestic livestock, and putting food on the table
was determined by how well your
gun could hit wild game from afar.
Accuracy at great distance is what a
rifle was designed to do. This was
accomplished by firing a tight fitting
lead bullet, generally a ball, through a
barrel that had spiraling grooves
(rifling) cut into it. The rifling was
designed to spin the ball as it
------::
Smoothbore muskets, such as this French
that less gunpowder was required M1754, were rugged and reliable. They
due to the reduced bore and bullet could be loaded rapidly (about three to
diameter. The technology of the day four shots a minute) and fitted with bayonets for hand-to-hand combat. They
showed that this combination, along

with a rifled barrel length from 40 to
about 48 inches allowed for longer
bu rning of the gu n p ow de rand
increased accuracy. While a smoothbore weapon had a range in the
neighborhood of 60 yards, a quality
longrifle was regularly able to hit its
target at over 200 yards. Long range
coupled with a smaller bore are two
were, alas, not particularly accurate,

with about 50 yards really being their
outside effective combat range.
This pan is called a priming pan or

flash pan. The pan cover, or battery,
(later called a frizzen) is then closed,
the cock was rotated to the full open,
or full cock, position and the weapon
is ready to fire. By pulling the trigger,
the cock, which has a piece
and an experienced rifleman could

load and fire his weapon about two
times a minute.
Despite the longrifle's apparent
advantages, from a military standpoint, the smoothbore musket
remained the weapon of choice during the 18th century because most
battles were fought on open ground
where the opposing armies faced
each other at a distance from about
30 to 50 yards. Each army would fire
mass volleys at each other and proceed to charge with fixed bayonets.
During the French and Indian War,
George Washington experienced the
vulnerability of such linear tactics
while serving under the English general, Edward Braddock. On the
wooded frontier of Pennsylvania, his
soldiers were attacked by Indians
allied to the French cause. Because
they stood in typical European line
formation, much of Braddock's force
was annihilated by the Indians who
engaged them from behind trees,
rocks or anything that provided protection. Washington remembered this
experience and put it to good use
early in the American War for
Independence when he put forth a
request for volunteer companies of
soldiers to be formed. Most of the
companies from New England carried smoothbore weapons, but
Washington was able to have
Congress, in the Spring of 1775, raise
six companies of expert marksmen
from Pennsylvania, two from
Maryland and two from Virginia to
join the young army near Boston.
These men from the fringes of the

frontier gathered at prescribed meeting places dressed in their unique
colorful garb consisting of home-constructed articles fashioned in the
Indian manner. The Pennsylvania
Packet, a newspaper from Lancaster,
Pennsylvania, in August 1775,
described the gathering of some of
the riflemen preparing for the march
to Massachusetts.
"On Friday evening last arrived
here, on their way to the American
Camp, Captain Cresap's company of
rifleman, consisting of 130 active,
brave young fellows; many of whom
had been in the late expedition under
Lord Dunmore, against the Indians.
They bear in their bodies visible marks
of their prowess, and show scars and
wounds, which would do honor to
Homer's Iliad, etc. They shew you, to
use the poet's words- 'Where the
goar'd bull bled at every vein.'
"One of these warriors, in particular, shows the cicatrices of four bullet
holes in his body. These men have
been bred in the woods to hardship
and danger from their infancy. They
appear as if they were entirely unacquainted with, and never felt, the
passion of fear. With their rifles in
their hands they assume a kind of
omnipotence over their enemies. You
will not much wonder at this when I
mention a fact, which can be fully
attested by several of the reputable
inhabitants of this place, who were
eyewitnesses of it. Two brothers in
the company took a piece of board,
five inches broad, and seven inches
A military smoothbore musket could be loaded much faster than a rifle. Soldiers
The Rifleman's longrifle, was an evolution of the

European "Jager," transmogrified for
use in the Colonies. It was devised by
German and Swiss gunsmiths who had
immigrated to the Americas. While
looks and embellishments varied from
area to area, all were sleek with long
barrels and of moderate (.40 to .55) caliber. This modern replica by Judson
Brennan is typical of a c. 1770 longrifle
with styling influences from Lancaster
County and Northern Virginia. Accuracy
was generally superb, with 200-yard
hits not being uncommon.
advantages that led to the longrifle

becoming the leading weapon for
providing food on the table, for longdistance protection and for offensive
use during times of war.
Along with remarkable accuracy
for its time, the method of loading a
rifle with a "patched" lead ball is
another leading reason for its success.
By placing a thin piece of greased
leather or fabric around the ball, the
bore of the rifle is somewhat cleaned
of knapped flint
secured in its jaws, rotates toward the
pan cover causing sparks to flash as
the flint strikes the steel cover. The
striking also opens the cover allowing
these sparks to ignite, or touch off,
the powder in the pan. In turn, this
ignites the powder charge inside the
barrel through a small hole, called a
touch hole, that connects the pan
with the breech end of the barrel, and
the bullet is sent spinning forward
toward the target. The firing process
takes place in a fraction of a second,
were issued with paper cartridges (1) containing powder and ball. One first bit off the
base of the cartridge (2) and then primed
the flashpan (3) and closed the steel (4).
With the gun at half cock (safety) it was
lowered and powder (5) followed by the
ball (6) were introduced into the bore.
The charge was rammed (7), the gun
brought up and the steel cover (if used)
was removed (8). Finally, the gun was
put on full cock, shouldered and fired on
command. A well-trained soldier could
fire his musket about four times a
minute. Accuracy was dismal, however.
The
Continental
Rifleman
long, with a piece of white paper,
about the size of a dollar, nailed in
the center, and while one of them
supported this board perpendicularly
between his knees, the other at a distance of upwards of sixty yards, and
without any kind of rest, shot eight
bullets successively through the
board, and spared a brother's thighs!
"Another of the company held a
barrel stave perpendicularly in his
hand, with one edge close to his side,
while one of his comrades at the same
distance, and in the manner before
mentioned, shot several bullets
through it, without any apprehensions of danger on either side. The
spectators, appearing to be amazed at
these feats, were told that there were
upwards of fifty persons in the company who could do the same thing;
that there was not one that could not
plug 19 bullets out of 20 within an
inch of the head of a ten-penny nail;
in short, to evince the confidence
they possessed in their dexterity at
these kinds of arms, some of them
proposed to stand with apples on
their heads, while others at the same
distance undertook to shoot them off;
but the people who saw the other
experiments, declined to be witness
of this. At night a great fire was kindled round a pole in the courthouse
square, where the company with the
Captain at their head, all naked to the
waist and painted like savages
(except the Captain, who was in an
Indian shirt), indulged a vast concourse of the inhabitants with a perfect exhibition of a war dance, and all
the manoeuvres of Indians holding
council, going to war, circumventing

their enemies, by defiles, ambuscades, attacking, scalping, etc. It is
said by those who are judges, that no
representation could possibly come
nearer the original. The Captain's
agility and expertness, in particular,
in these exhibitions, astonished every
beholder. This morning they will set
out on their march to Cambridge."
Upon reaching Cambridge,
Massachusetts, (near Boston), the
riflemen made life miserable for the
British soldiers by picking off sentries
and officers at a great distance. News
of these explOits in Massachusetts
reached London, England where the
following appeared in a newspaper:
"This province has raised over 1,000
rifleman, the worst of whom will put
a ball into a man's head at a distance
of 150 to 200 yards; therefore, advise
your officers who will hereafter come
out to America to settle their affairs
before their departure." Riflemen participated in a multitude of battles and
skirmishes through out the American
War for Independence. The journals
and letters of friend and foe alike
make note of their accomplishments.
A British officer and respected marksman, Colonel George Hanger,
recounted the following incident:
"Colonel ... Tarleton and myself
were standing a few yards out of a
wood observing the situation of a
part of the enemy which we intended
to attack. There was a rivulet in the
Because the bullet had to have a tight fit in the bore to "grab" the rifling, loading a
rifle was a laborious project. First powder was poured into the barrel (1). Patching
material (usually linen or cotton) was moistened and made ready (2). A bullet was
then taken from the pouch (3) and placed upon the top of the patching which had
been centered on the muzzle (4). The bullet was pushed into the bore, flush with
the muzzle and the excess patch material cut off with a knife (5). Next, the
ball was seated on the charge with the
ramrod (6). The pan was primed (7), the
frizzen closed and the gun brought to
full cock. It was now ready to be fired.
Assuming all conditions were agreeable and the flint well knapped, ignition
was very fast. The guns' excellent balance greatly aided in steady aiming. A
practiced rifleman could normally get
off about two shots a minute.
enemy's front, and a mill on it, to

which we stood directly with our
horses' heads fronting, obserVing
their motions. It was absolutely a
plain field between us and the mill;
not so much as a single bush on it.
Our orderly-bugler stood behind us
about three yards, but with his
horse's side to our horses' tails. A
rifleman passed over the milldam,
evidently observing two officers, and
laid himself down on his belly; for in
such positions, they always lie, to
take a good shot at a long distance.
He took a deliberate and cool shot at
my friend, at me, and at the buglehorn man. Now observe how well
this fellow shot. It was in the month
of August, and not a breath of wind
was stirring. Colonel Tarleton's horse
and mine, I am certain, were not anything like two feet apart; for we were
in close consultation how we should
attack with our troops which laid 300
yards in the wood, and could not be
perceived by the enemy. A rifle-ball
passed between him and me; looking
directly to the mill I evidently
observed the flash of the powder. I
directly said to my friend, 'I think w
had better move, or we shall hav tw
or three of these gentlemen sh nly
amusing themselves at au r xp n e.'
The words were hardly
Many riflemen brought their older

French and Indian Wars accoutrements with them, such as this
early style bag. Hatchets were
commonly carried for camp
work as well as combat.
out of my mouth when

the bugle-horn man
behind me, and directly
central, jumped off his
horse and said, 'Sir,
my horse is shot.' The
horse staggered, fell
down and died ...
Now speaking of this
rifleman's shooting,
nothing could be better ... I have passed
several times over this
ground and ever
observed it with the
greatest attention; and I
can pOSitively assert that
the distance he fired from
at us was full 400 yards."
In September 1777 at
aratoga, New York, General
Horatio Gates sent a letter to
eneral Washington saying: "I can
not suffiCiently thank your Excellency
for sending Col. Morgan's corps to
this army; they shall be of the greatest
service to it. .. " At that time Gates had
no idea of how great an effect
Morgan's riflemen would change
the tide of America's War for
Independence. During this
campaign, a battle ensued at
a place called Freeman's
Farm. Some of the British
forces were rallying and
regrouping when
General Benedict
Arnold ordered
Colonel Daniel
Morgan to dispatch the British
officer on the
gray horse that
was rallying the
troops. In turn
Morgan chose
Many riflemen
sported accoutrements in the
Indian fashion as
witnessed by this
selection of items,
which includes a bullet
container made from a
turtle shell and pouch
beaded in the Iriquois style.
Powder horns were often
highly embellished with
scrimshaw, map motifs, such as this
one, being quite popular.
one of his best

marksmen, Timothy Murphy, to execute the order. Murphy climbed a
nearby tree, took aim at the officer
that was about 300 yards distant and
on the third shot mortally wounded
him. Who was that officer, you ask?
He was the respected general, Simon
Fraser. Along with General Fraser's
death, the last hope of a British success at Saratoga vanished, and the
combined armies commanded by
Generaljohn Burgoyne surrendered.
This incident was a major turning
point during the war, and one of the
reasons France decided to give substantial aid to the American colonies.
The colonial forces were not the
only ones to employ rifles. The
British Major, Patrick Ferguson,
improved on a design for a
breechloading rifle and patented it.
Some companies in his regiment
were equipped with this weapon that
became known as a "Ferguson Rifle."
While it was quick to load, it was a
large caliber, short-barreled weapon
compared to an American longrifle
and therefore not as accurate for long
range. Ferguson operated in the
Southern colonies augmenting his
forces with colonists loyal to King
George, known as Tarries or
Loyalists. Numerous actions by
Ferguson's troops enraged the
The
Continental
Rifleman
Many riflemen's pouches were

simple, yet utilitarian, such
as this deerhide model.
Other essentials included a patch knife and
tomahawk.
men was reflective

of the world that
helivedinas
much as his
longrifle. These
colonial backwoods settlers
were highly individual, hacking a
living out of the
wilderness and
living by their wit
and their ability to
supply their own
needs. When the
men gathered together for self-defense,
traveled to aid other
communities or join the
newly formed continental
forces, they traveled light and
lived off the land. Their dress closely resembled that of the woodland
Indian. A contemporary described the
dress of these men from Western
Pennsylvania and Virginia:
"On the frontiers, and particularly
in the habit of hunting, and going on
scouts and campaigns, the dress of
the men was partly Indian and partly
Revolutionary War soldiers carried a wide
array ofpersonal items, but the rigors of
that of civilized nations.
campaign and difficulty of resupply often
"The hunting shirt was universally
whittled things down pretty much to
worn. This was a kind of loose frock,
basics. From left, clockwise: gourd flask
reaching halfway down the thighs,
water container, haversack, salt hom,
with large sleeves,
comb, candlestick, leather
------open before
patriots living on the frontiers of

Tennessee, Virginia and the
Carolinas. In October of 1780, these
hardy "over-mountain" men took up
their longrifles, gathered together in
groups and set out to stop Ferguson.
They encircled Ferguson's regulars
and the loyalists while they were
camped on King's Mountain near the
North and South Carolina border.
The entire force was captured and
Ferguson was killed. An eyewitness
had this to say about the rifleman,
"An unusual number of the killed
were found to have been shot in the
head. Riflemen took off riflemen
with such exactness, that they killed
each other when they were taking
sight, so effectually that their eyes
remained after they were dead, one
shut and the other open, in the manner of marksmen when leveling at
their subjects." At present it is uncertain what became of the Ferguson
breechloading rifles as today only a
few remain in museums.
The attire of American frontiers-
mug, wooden bowl,

forK, spoon,
knife and
whistle.
and so wide as to lap over a foot or

more when belted. The cape was
large, and sometimes handsomely
fringed with a raveled piece of cloth
of a different color from that of the
hunting shirt itself. ...
"The belt which was always tied
behind answered several purposes,
besides that of holding the dress
together. In cold weather the mittens, and sometimes the bullet-bag,
occupied the front part of it. To the
right side was suspended the tomahawk and to the left the scalping
knife in its leather sheath. The hunting shirt was generally made of linsey, sometimes of coarse linen, and a
few of dressed deer skins. These last
were very cold and uncomfortable
in wet weather. The shirt and
jacket were of common fashion.
A pair of drawers or breeches
and leggings, were the dress of
the thighs and legs; a pair of
moccasins answered for the
feet much better than shoes.
These were made of dressed
deer skin....
"In the later years of the Indian
wars our young men became more
enamored of the Indian dress
throughout, with the exception of the
match coat ... The Indian breech clout
was adapted. This was a piece of linen
or cloth nearly a yard long, and eight
or nine inches wide. This passed
under the belt before and behind

leaving the end for flaps hanging
before and behind over the belt. ..
"The young warrior instead of
being abashed by his nudity was
proud of his Indian dress. In some
few instances I have seen them go
into places of public worship in this
dress. Their appearance, however,
did not add much to the devotion of
the young ladies."
We have seen the effectiveness of
the longrifle as a weapon of great
accuracy. So, why wasn't it the
weapon of choice for the army? The
main reason was that it was not capable of fixing a socket bayonet and it
was slower to load than a smoothbore
musket. It was also more delicate than
a musket and the stock prone to
breakage if hard-used. In battles
fought on open fields (as almost all
during the American War for
Independence were), emphasis was
placed on rapidity of fire, and in Lhe
end a fixed bayonet charge followed
by hand-to-hand combat decided Lhe
day. Once opposing forces began a
charge there was no time LO r I ad
their weapons. At that point a I ngrifle was just about useless. AL Lh b III
of Bunker Hill in 1775, Lh 01 nl L
were mainly arm d only wiLh 111 oLhbore weapons brought fr m h me.
Due to running OUL of gunp wd I, th
American defend-
ers were finally routed by the British

forces. One of the colonial officers
declared: "... tis barbarous to let men
be obliged to oppose bayonets with
only gun barrels".
Remember Colonel George Hanger
who had a great respect for the
American rifleman? He had this to
say about unsupported riflemen in a
close battle situation:
" ... meeting a corps of rifleman,
namely riflemen only, I would treat
them the same way as my friend
Colonel Abercrombie ... treated
Morgan's riflemen. When Morgan's
riflemen came down to Pennsylvania
from Canada, flushed with success
gained over Burgoyne's army, they
marched to attack our light infantry,
under Colonel Abercrombie. The
momenL they appeared before him
he ordered his troops to charge
Lhem with the bayonet; not one man
out of four had time to fire, and
those Lhat did had no time given
Lh m to load again; the light
infantry not only dispersed them
Instantly, but drove them for miles
over the country. They never
aLlacked, or even looked at our light
infantry again without a regular
force to support them."
We have explained some advanLages and disadvantages to employing
longrifles in 18th century warfare.
0, what was the advantage of this
weapon for military purposes? Its
best use was putting it into the hands
of specially skilled soldiers like
scouts, skirmishers, snipers
and such where they can be
supported by line infantry
troops equipped with
muskets and bayonets.
That combination of
forces was used by
the Americans to the
great surprise of the
British at the battle
of Cowpens in South
Carolina in January of
1781. Daniel Morgan,
was in command of
militia & riflemen
(irregulars) and regular continental soldiers (regulars). The
irregulars were placed
in the two front lines,
while the regulars were in
Powder horns (usually made

from ox horn) ran from small to
large and from very simple to quite
elaborate. Flat styles could be carried
inside or outside a rifleman's bag.
a third line, which was in a small

depression and out of view from the
British position. The irregulars fired
two volleys and began retreating to
behind the hidden regulars. Upon
seeing a general retreat, the British
believed that they could easily
command the field, so they charged
in full force only to be confronted
by the continental regulars with
fixed bayonets, who fired a devastating mass volley and charged. In
the end, the day belonged to the
American forces.
The longrifle was not the weapon
that Singly won America's freedom,
but when supported by muskets, it
proved to be a deadly weapon that
altered the predicted results of
numerous battles during that conflict.
As technology advanced, the rifle
went on to become the standard
weapon of the foot soldier.
~
FOR FURTHER READING:

Huddleston, Joe D. Colonial Rifleman in
the American Revolution Pennsylvania
Shumway 1978
Cumming, W.P. & Rankin, Hugh The Fate
of a Nation- The American Revolution
Through Contemporary Eyes London
Phaidon Press Limited 1975
LaCrosse, Richard Jr. The Frontier
RiflemanTennessee Pioneer Press 1989
Kauffman, Henry J. The PennsylvaniaKentucky Rifle New York The Stackpole
Co. 1960
Dann, John C. The Revolution
Remembered Eyewitness Accounts of the
War for Independence Chicago University of
Chicago Press 1980
Outdoor Life The Story ofAmerican
Hunting and Firearms New York E. P. Dutton
& Company, Inc. 1976
Ward, Christopher The War of the
Revolution New York Macmillan Company
1952
FOR YOUNG READERS:

Tucker, Ernest E. Dan Morgan, Rifleman
Chicago Wheeler Publishing Company 1955
Lancaster, Bruce The Golden Book of the
American Revolution New York Golden
Press 1959
REENACTMENT GROUPS
AND INFORMATION:
Brigade of the American Revolutionhttp://www.brigade.orgi
Continental Une-http://www.continentalline.orgl
British Brigade-http://www.britishbrigade.org!
Northwest Territorial Alliancehttp://nwta.coml
REVWAR UNKS-http://revwar.com
By John P. Langellier
with Kurt Hamilton Cox
n 1848 the United States and
Mexico concluded their war with
the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
While that agreement ended fightmg between MeXIcan Presidente
Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna's forces
and the troops sent by James K. Polk's
administration, thereafter an uneasy
atmosphere prevailed. The spirit of
Manifest Destiny continued to prevail
across the Rio Bravo where the powerful expansionist drive of the gringos
coupled with decades of unrest in
Mexico meant the two neighbor
nations lived side by side under a troubled truce. The threat of renewed violence loomed and clouded relationships between the two countries for
generations.
Then, by the second decade of the
20th century, Washington reached out
its hand to Mexico City. In October,
1915 President Woodrow Wilson recognized Venustiano Carranzas government in an effort to achieve stability
between the pair of American powers.
CHISlle
VILLA
Despite this action Presidente

Carranza did not necessarily enjoy total
acceptance in his own land. Many others
vied for leadership, not the least of
whom was one explosive manFrancisco "Pancho" Villa. To a number
of Norteamericanos Villa was a bandit or
a "marauder," as the U.S. Army's commander of the sizeable field force that
stretched from Texas to California,
Brigadier General John J. Pershing saw
him. But to many mexicanos E1 Leon del
Norte (the Lion of the North) and his
staunch Dorados (golden ones) supporters were revolutionary heroes.
Vet over time Villas luster dimmed in
his native nation, and after March 9,
1916 became tarnished beyond repair
north of the Rio Grande. In the
predawn of that fateful morning, Villa
gathered nearly 500 of his followers
with the intention of striking out
against the United States, which had
seen fit to support his arch rivals as the
legitimate Mexican government over
his own claim to rule. Bitter about this
and other perceived ill treatment by the
Yanquis, who Villa now called "our eternal enemies ... and ... barbarians of the
North," he was intent on retaliation.
Most likely, though, his proposed
invasion was not some irrational
vendetta. Rather it was based on the
need to replenish his dwindling
Trooper's wore a variety of leggings

from canvas to leather, as shown
here. The 1903 cartridge belt, like
some of the other accoutrements,
sports snaps emblazoned with an
American eagle motif.
'"
~
E
'"
Q)
>
E
Oi
c
~
o
These enlisted men from Troop E, 5th

U.S. Cavalry wear the 1911-pattern
shirts (with pocket flaps) and breeches
in olive drab, as well as carry their Colt
M1911 pistols in the M1912 mounted
holster with swivels that allowed the
weapon to be carried with relative comfort on horseback or on foot.
_:~:;.,~"': ~
Oi
c
Although Private Fingarden of Troop A,

5th U.S. Cavalry rides a stripped M1904
McClellan saddle, the remainder of his
gear is everything he needs for combat
in the field. This includes the M1914 cavalry bandoleer that held extra clips for
his Springfield rifle.
Officers often were barely distinguishable from enlisted men as these two lieutenants flanking their seated captain seated in the center from Battery C, 4th U.S.
Artillery demonstrate. Only their black and gold mixed hat cords, and the silver bars
worn on the battery commander's shirt collar offer references to their status, as do
his boots and that of the subaltern to his right.
This Yanqui trooper is all kitted out for his Mexican adventure. The Model 1904
McClellan saddle equipment has been fitted with most of the requisite accoutrements including a saddle scabbard for the 1903 Springfield, saddlebags, picket
pin and lariat, overcoat, shelter half, early pattern canteen and Model 1913 "Patton"
sword. The Montana peak campaign hat is complete with a yellow, branch-of-service cavalry cord.
Durmg the Punitive Expedition field artillery also went into action, as these four gunners from the 6th U.S. Artillery demonstrate as they stand by their M1902 three-inch
breechloading field piece. The only action facing them at present, however, is the
baseball game that is being played to their rear.
w rescarce to a certain degree because

rVillas extensive foraging in that north
M xican state during his actions over
lh pasl several months. Food, mounts,
w apons and ammunition all seemed
u ripe for the taking in one sleepy New
~ M xican town. The bounty was entic...~~~~\~\!-.l ~ ing. Furthermore, Villa's intelligence
.~
urces mdlcated the prize could be
_:c:...1~"~
ained with relative ease.
Major Charles Young was the senior
African-American officer in the U.S.
upposedly the garrison guarding
Army at the time. A West Point graduate,
the spoils, elements of the 13th U.S.
he was among the many black serviceavalry, was small. Villa, who had
men who saw duty during the Punitive
orne to adopt the effective tactic of
Expedition. Only his gold oak leaves and
Iighting fast night raids, assumed this
officer's pattern hat cords indicate his
lried and proven method would again
rank is an officer, the remainder of his
bring success.
outfit being nearly identical to that worn
Believing he faced only about 30
by enlisted men.
lroopers, Villa called together his lieulenants to dictate his scheme for the
resources. Previous supplies fr m lh
impending battle. Colonel Candelero
United States had been all but CUl rr. In
ervantes was to serve as the advance
addition, local pickings in Chihuahua guard with 80 men spearheading the
~~~'T'"'i;'"'""=-----..,.,.-~
While infantry, artillery and suppo'rl troops ~cco~pa~iedPer~hing in Mexico,

because of the nature of the incursion the cavalry bore the brunt of the action.
Principal mounted weapons were the 1903 Springfield and 1911 Government Model
.45 auto. This officer's gear includes eagle-snap.45 magazine pouch, M1912 swivel
holster, campaign hat and privately purchased goggles.
Sergeant John Converse, a member

of the First Troop City Cavalry, one of
several National Guard outfits posted
to the border at the time, received permission to accompany the 13th as it
rode against the guerrilla leader and his
followers. Converse chronicled the several months of the Punitive Expedition
including the gear used by the
American troopers, which was representative of standard issue amongst the
u.s. troops engaged in the campaign.
The sergeant recorded this information
with the intention that if similar service
was again required, the lessons learned
on that campaign could be applied. His
notes not only offered suggestions for
improvements, but also left a valuable
description for future students of this
subject that are reproduced here in full.
PERSONAL ARTICLES:
The fOllOWing is a list of the minimum of
personal articles and necessities which
could be carried:
Razor, soap and brush, toothbrush and
pOWder.
I Comb and brush.
Extra undershirt.
: Extra underdrawers.
i 2 extra pairs of socks (one pair can be used
to carry coffee and sugar in).
1towel.
1 cake of soap (a good way to carry soap is
in a small bag made of awash rag cloth).
1handkerchief (sic)
Tobacco and cigarette pipers or a pipe.
(Cigars do not carry very well.)
Matches (carried in awater-proof receptacle).
Toilet paper.
Writing paper, envelopes and post-cards.
Note book and pencil or fountain pen.
Pocket knife.
, Extra shoe laces.
Bachelor's buttons [seWing kit/aka
"housewife"]
BREECHES:
CHASlle
Breeches of Khaki are generally worn. It

would be well to have these reinforced outside as well as inside the knee as they are
very apt to tear there when riding through
the mesquite or oak brush. Abelt of webbing or of leather was used.
VILLA
SHIRTS:
The Springfield's safety was located on

attack with a knoll on their right serving Ammunition was loaded into the 1903
the rear of the bolt, above the cocking
Springfield
by
means
of
a
five-round
as a landmark as they fell upon the objecpiece. When the catch was pushed to
tive in the dark. General Pablo Lopez' stripper clip.
the left, the gun was ready to fire. Right
100 troops were to move on Cervantess
was "on safe. "
left. The railroad tracks were to offer
them a guide for their skirmish line.
Continuing down the line to the left
came Colonel Nicolas Fernandez' 60
hombres, and another 125 under
General Francisco Beltran. Besides this
Generaljuan Pedrosas 40 Villistas would
remain behind to guard the horses, the
assault on the town being made afoot.
Finally, Villa retained 80 followers as a
reserve and remained with Pedrosa and
Springfield's were marked on their barthe mounts. Villa would stay with this
rels with dates of manufacture. In order
In
order
to
conserve
ammunition,
the
'03
group in order to make whatever adjustfor one to qualify as a "Vifla chaser" the
ments to his plan that may become nec- was fitted with a magazine cutoff, which date should be 1915 or before.
affowed the gun to be fired single-shot.
essary once the engagement had started.
With that the dismounted stnke
force fanned out as instructed facing east toward their targetColumbus. Just a little after 4 a.m.
Villa gave the command, "Vayanse
adelante, muchachos!" The reply rose
A butt trap concealed a container which held an oiler and bore cleaning tools.
The issue leggings adopted for cavalrymen in 1910 were leather as modeled by
Private Lewis of Troop C, 5th U.S.
Cavalry along the border. The rifle scabbard for his Springfield and a canvas
horse cover that he had thrown over his
saddle gear also are evident.
RegUlation olive drab shirts were worn.

For very hot weather it is a good plan to
!5,
have them without tails and with a drawc
8 ing cord two or three inches below the belt
o line. N.C.O.'s had chevrons on sleeves.
~
from the ranks, "Viva Mexico!"

The lead element soon ran into what CLOTHING:
Enlisted men wore the following: Army
would be stiffer opposition than shoes-eareful attention should be paid to
expected. Private Fred Griffin, a sentry the fit of the shoes. Agreat deal of foot work
with the 13th U.S. Cavalry stood his had to be done by the Cavalry and a well fitpost when the raiders appeared. His ting shoe is important. It is well to have the
challenge was met with gunfire that shoes slightly large so that two pairs of
mortally wounded him, but not before socks can be worn. After a hard march the
the stalwart horse soldier had replIed foot swells, then one pair of socks can be
with deadly accuracy himself, which taken off and the shoe still fits. Extra shoe
laces should be carried.
killed three of his attackers.
The gunfire and shouts of "Viva Villa"
roused the town including the cavalry- SWEATERS:
The regulation sweater was worn.
men, who were at a major disadvantage.
N.C.O.'s had chevrons on sleeves.
Because many of their officers were away
No blouses or overcoats were worn or
at the time, the weapons and ammunition had been locked up according to carried by enlisted men. On night marches
regulations. Smashing the padlocks, the or at night, around camp, the ~en wrappe~
men from Camp Furlong soon were their bed blankets around their shoulders If
sweaters did not give them enough warmth.
armed and returned fire. The darkness
though made it difficult to see the enemy
SLICKERS:
Amidst the commotion the officer of
These were carried on the pommel.
the day, Lieutenant James Castleman,
GLOVES:
charged outside of his quarters only to
The wearing of gloves, gauntlets or
be blasted at point-blank range by a
nothing
on the hands was optional.
Villista. Before his assailant had the
<:~
'--
---'
-'-
.!J
--'::J
Brigadier John J. "Black Jack" Pershing (left foreground) gained his nickname from
early service with buffalo soldiers in the West as a junior officer. He would return to
the Borderlands in 1915 to command troops destined to cross into Mexico against
Francisco "Pancho" Vifla. Major General Hugh L. Scott, chief of staff of the U.S. Army
at the time, strides along to Pershing's left.
The 1911's .45 magazine held seven

rounds of ammo. Early mags should be
halfbring and half blued and half bright
and incorporate a lanyard loop.
This was worn in a peak with four indentations. Astring back of the ears or under
the chin was very useful.
GOGGLES:
Many of the men had goggles. These
are very desirable as the wind, dust and
glare are very hard on the eyes. The best
kind are those of isinglass, all in one
piece, the upper part green, the lower part
amber and the inside lined with plush or
rubber.
chance to chamber another round

Castleman reacted. Firing back he dispatched his enemy with a single wellplaced shot from his pistol, then bolted
a ross the parade ground intent on
r a hing the guard tent. There he rallied
th detail directing them in an effective
d ~ nse before heading off again.
This time he was in quest of his own
m n of Troop F On the way he passed
by the stables to alert the guard before
moving on again. By the time he
rea hed the troop his men already had
fallen out under Sergeant Michael
Fody Now Castleman took command
and launched a counterattack against
Villas right flank. In the process troopers from other companies joined in
because many of their officers were
MESS KIT:
The new style mess kit is the same as
the old except that the knife, fork and spoon
fit inside which is a decided advantage. It is
carried in the off side ofthe saddle bag.
BED BLANKETS:
Agood way to carry the bed blankets is
under the saddle, folded the same way as
the saddle blanket. It distributes the weight
better on the horses back and makes the
shelter tent roll smaller.
ARMS AND EQUIPMENT:
<J)
"""""""::.....i'--"""ji
(ij
c.........~~~"'---'z
The French-designed Benet-Mercie M1909.3O caliber "automatic machine riffe"

was manufactured by both Colt and the Springfield Armory to U.S. Army use. Here
men of the 16th U.S. Infantry fire this weapon with its side mounted 30 round stripper clip. Ammunition was carried in a box containing 10 clips, firing the same cartridge as the Springfield rifle. The loader was responsible for removing these 25pound boxes as needed from the pack saddle; the gunner fired the weapon; and the
crew leader carried the telescopic sight to determine range up to 600 yards and
was responsible for observing the effectiveness of the fire, correcting it as required,
and regulating the rate of fire.
CAMPAIGN HAT:
The Springfield Army Rifle and Colt

Automatic Pistol were carried. Some troops
took their sabres with them, others did not.
The pistol is carried on the web belt, the
holster is strapped to the thigh. The web
belt holds:
90 rounds of rifle ammunition
2 clips of five cartridges each to a pocket
Over the belt is slipped a pocket for two
automatic pistol clips. Seven cartridges
to a clip.
Attached to the belt by hooks is a first-aid
pocket. Extra ammunition, if ordered, is carried in a bandolier over the left shoulder.
The bandolier will hold 60 rounds of rifle
cartridges. Wearing suspenders with the
cartridge belt was optional. Where the bandolier was used, suspenders were usually
dispensed with.
PUTTEES:
The new regulation puttee is a cheap
affair, does not last long and is not liked by
the men. It is apt to rub the heel where the
shoe and puttee join. The men prefer the
old laced canvas legging with the strap
under the. instep and reinforced with
leather on the horse side of the leg.
CHASlle
VILLA
trapped in Columbus. Realizing this

fact and aware that the officers' families
living in the town also were in danger,
Castleman turned his command
toward Columbus.
Advancing along the railway tracks,
the determined soldiers made their
way quickly to a spot where they could
take advantage of cover. From there
they poured on fire, some kneeling and
others taking the prone position to
make it hot for the raiders. One of their
number, Private Thomas Butler,
received a wound in the process, but
kept fighting. Four more slugs found
their mark, the last one killing Butler
before the enemy finally fell back leaving Castleman's command in position
on Columbus' main street.
While Castleman took up his position, fellow lieutenantjohn Lucas soon
joined the action. Lucas had been away
on furlough, but came back to town on
the midnight train, returning from a
visit to El Paso, Texas. Just before he
turned in, the lieutenant noticed his
revolver had been emptied. For some
reason he decided to reload the cylinder
before he turned in for the night. After
that, he fell asleep. Hours later he was
awakened by the first wave of raiders.
CANTEEN:
Peering out his window he saw the silhouettes of tall-crowned sombreros. He

dressed quickly in the dark, but could
not find his boots. Although barefoot,
he knew it was time to make his stand.
He discovered he was surrounded by
this point, and probably would have
been killed if not for the quick exchange
that cost Private Griffin his life.
This opening duel allowed Lucas to
rush from his quarters undetected. Still
bootless, he made his way to the
machine gun troop. The acting first
sergeant already had roused the men,
The new style canteen and cup combined is snapped to the off cantle ring of the
McClellan saddle. It is agood thing except it
would be better to have the cup or at least
the rim of the cup made of tin instead of
aluminum. When coffee is made in the cup
it holds the heat so long that you cannot put
your lips to it and the coffee gets cold
before you can get it into your mouth. The
canteen and cup are covered with webbing
which if wet will keep the contents of the
canteen cold for a long time.
SHELTER TENT:
This was carried on the cantle, rolled
and holding the pole and pins. Some men
were equipped with metal pins which are
smaller and take up less space. A metal
pole, telescoping in four pieces, would be
easier to carry. Or a one-piece pole of
metal which could also be used as a ram
rod, and with rifle boot arranged to carry it
would be agood thing. The new style sabre
and scabbard makes agood tent pole.
WIRE CUTTERS:
It is recommended that at least one man

in every squad should be equipped with a
wire-cutter and that this be carried on the
belt or on the saddle, where it can be
secured quickly.
(f)
~
~
~
""""","",,"..E..-~ Z
Looking more like a field hand than a

soldier, Private Woods served as a cook
for the second battalion of the 16th U.S.
Infantry. He has pressed a pair of
gauntlets into use as "hot pads."
CURRY COMB AND BRUSH:

The new style is a little smaller than the
old. The curry comb has a folding hook to
remove dirt or stones from the horses'
feet. The curry comb and brush are carried
in the rear saddle bag with the McClellan
saddle.
GRAIN BAG AND NOSE BAG:

The grain bag is made to carry two days
forage. It has a cord in the middle to divide
one day'S feed from the total supply carried.
When the bag is carried full it is strapped
across the pommel and it is better to put it
inside the nose bag and strap it thus, otherwise no matter how tight you pull the straps
it is sure to work loose. Twenty pounds of
grain can be carried in the bag. The new
style nose bag is designed to prevent the
grain being spilled when the horse tosses
his head feeding. On the march it is
I strapped on the pommel or swings by its
own straps on the horse's neck. The latter,
however, does not look very well and must
inconvenience the horse.
LARIAT:
~
~
~--- Z
While the M1906 .30-06 caliber Springfield rifles carried by cavalrymen and infantrymen were the same, the latter troops were issued bayonets, such as the M1905
examples seen here in front of Private Reinhardt of Company K, 16th U.S Infantry's
tent. They had 18-inch blades and were carried in the M1910 scabbard.
A good way to carry the lariat is loosely

coiled circularly, fastened in four places by
the straps on the near side saddle bag and
with one strap through the ring on the picket
pin. In this way it will not flap and will not
get in the way of the man's leg. It can also be
gotten down easily and the horses picketed
and allowed to graze in case of a brief halt.
Grazing at every opportunity is important in
acountry where you can't get hay.
Indlcl had crushed his other arm.

Ill~;IS and others eventually man,Ig 'd It secure the machine guns. At
[II sl tillS (lId little good because they
j.lI11mnl almost immediately after
IWIIl ' pia ed in action. Eventually the
Illl Il,ll 'd gunners were able to makc
Ihl W .Ipons sing. In addition, another
~O I dlcm 'n joined them.
I lll,lS d ployed this force along the
l,lIllO.ld tracks, as well as saw to the
Piol lill n f his left flank by dispatchIll'
llm men under Second
11l11l{ IUI1l Horace Stringfellow for this
plllpO
Ilavingsecuredthearea,
I II .1 \\.b able to turn over the com1ll.1I1t! III good pOSition to his superior,
( .lpl 1111 I[amilton Bowie, who had
i{l \\ (III ( t! hi way to the unit from town.
~
\\ II It H 1wies appearance, Lucas took
~ SOIlH 011 h troop and linked up with
,I Ikillan's contingent. The Villistas
~ 111l'1l Wl'1 . caught in a crossfire. The
Z fl.lllll
[, 1m the local Commercial
The 1911-pattern "Montana Peak" camIioll II h,ll had been set ablaze during
paign hat was worn by U.S. troops dUring
Ihl II 'ht .lIso worked to the advantage
the foray into Mexico, as seen in the
of
I hl i\ Ille rican troops by dispelling
instance ofPrivate Cronin, a member of
th~ d.1l hI' Sso that the enemy could
Company K, 16th U.S. Infantry. His hat
bl' . 11 I unhermore, the sun was
cords would have been sky-blue as an
b 'gllllllllg to rise. Villa's attack was
infantryman. The canvas leggings were
aholll 10 Illn ItS course.
of the pattern adopted early in the 20th
1{{,t1I:lllg that it was time to cease
century, and remained regulation for foot
and wllhd,aw, Villa's hombres headed
soldiers until the outbreak of World War I.
l llih III r'latively good order, but
but they were cut off from their Model t h {' >' \\' . I not go i n g toe s cap e
1909.30 caliber Benet-Mercier "auto- uns~ ,ll h d Major Frank Tompkins led
matic machine rifles that were stored a slll.lIlllll1llnted pursuit force out of
inside a tent the Villistas had targeted.
oillmblls wllh pistols in hand. The
A lone soldier, Private].D. Yarborough, n elll ' ~'Il 'my left a rear guard to hold
held them off with his Colt .45 pistol,
[[ til{' .....ll1k s. but Tompkins' men
firing it with his left hand because a dl m( llltl 'd and scattered the resis-
HORSE SHOES:
Two spare fitted shoes should be carried
and some horse-shoe nails. Agood way to
carry the shoes is tacked underneath the
stirrup with the McClellan saddle.
tance with their Springfield rifles.

Remounting, they continued the
~
E chase. Elements from Troops F and H
~
reinforced them. This combined
<{
Cii force once again sent the rear guard
c
o
in flight later in the race toward the
L-"'~~""--,,,-_.....1!!~."''''';-'-'..............~~~"''''--~_-=-","--l~ border. Once Villa had crossed into
Coats and overcoats generally were left behind on the Punitive Expedition. Instead
Mexico, however, Tompkins halted
1911-pattern olive drab knit wool sweater, as donned by these two 16th U.S. Infantry
to await orders as to whether he
doughboys, who are seen outside of their Company K orderly room. The man on the
should continue. Receiving word
left is Sergeant Roberts, and although he is a foot soldier, the holster is the mounted
from the regimental commander to
model with swivel attachment to the pistol belt.
use his own discretion, the major
(f)
....
CHASlle
VILLA
command with headquarters at San

Antonio, Texas. It fell to "BlackJack"
Pershing, however, to take to the
saddle and follow the illusive
Villistas into Mexico.
Some 4,800 Yanqui soldiers were
sent across the border. While the
majority were cavalry, there were some
other specialized troops and branches
accompanying the force. Too, for the
first time in U.S. history, airplanes (a
half-dozen Curtiss R2s) and motor
transport consisting of a potpourri of
various makes and styles of vehicles
went along with limited success.
Plagued by supply problems and
elected to press on. Once more his

men caught up with some of the
query. They again dismounted to
bring their rifles to bear on the former attackers turned prey.
At this time it became
evident to the Villista leaders that they outnumbered
the Americans. About 300
of them gathered for a
counterattack. Realizing
what was about to happen,
Tompkins withdrew his
command to a better position where he prepared to
face the expected charge.
The Mexicans never made
good their threat.
Nearly out of ammunition, facing superior odds,
and exhausted from a running battle without food or
water for men and mounts,
Tompkins concluded he
had done all he could do
for the time being. He gave
the order to mount up and
ride north.
Although Tompkins
turned back, the 13th
Cavalry soon would return
to help hunt down Villa.
With eight American
soldiers and 10 civilians
dead, including one
woman and an unborn
baby, the Columbus raid
Private Dillon of the 16th U.S. Infantry (left) wears
proved the final act that at
goggles that he had purchased to help keep the
last set the United States in dust from his eyes on the march. His bandanna repmotion against unrest in resents another non-regulation adaptation to enviMexico, Just a few days ronmental conditions. The remainder of his uniform
later Washington launched is standard issue, including the web belt with brass
a Punitive Expedition frame buckle.
designed to bring Villa to
inhospitable conditions the planes
bay and to disperse his followers.
Agreements were made between
were soon hors de combat, and the
Presidents Wilson and Carranza, that
trucks and cars often fared little better.
Pershing split his forces into two
American activities would be limited to
northern mexico and that Carranzistas
columns and proceed on a Mexican
would, if necessary lend support.
wild goose chase, following leads of
Villa's whereabouts to little avail. There
Major General Frederick Funston,
the controversial, feisty Medal of were numerous skirmishes, some even
Honor recipient from the Philippine
with government troops, sparking an
Insurrection, was placed in overall
international incident that, for a time,
threatened to bring about a full-scale

war with Mexico.
American troopers took what advantage they could of the local amenities,
and for a time, raised the standard of
living of the natives, conSiderably.
Troopers of 13th would be included
in his force. The regiment was ready to
ride out of Columbus on March 15 at
11 :30 a.m. This olive drab clad column soon reached the international
boundary, where at 12: 11 p. m. their
colonel ordered the national colors and
regimental standard to cross at the
head of the assembled troops. Old
Glory'S red, white and blue, along with
the regiment's yellow cavalry silken
standard bearing an embroidered
American eagle announced that Uncle
Sam was on the move in reply to the
Columbus raid. Villa's bold act was
about to have far reaching consequences that the revolutionary jefe had
not envisioned.
For the next II months he would
be pursued but not captured.
Nevertheless, he would never gain
leadership of Mexico. In 1920 assassins' bullets would cut him down,
while Pershing would go on to command the Allied Expedition Force in
Europe during World War I, earning
the recognition of his country as
general of the armies for his role in
the Great War.
~
FOR FURTHER READING

Haldeen Braddy. Pershing's Mission in
Mexico. EI Paso: Texas Western Press,
1966.
Clarence C. Clendenen, Blood on the
Border: The United States Army and the
Mexican Irregulars. New York: Macmillan,
1969.
William C. Machado. Uniforms and
Equipment of the Last Campaign 1916: The
Pursuit ofPancho Villa. Ontario, CA: William
C. Machado, 1993.
Herbert Molloy Mason, Jr., The Great
Pursuit: General John J Pershing's Punitive
Expedition across the Rio Grande to
destroy the Mexican bandit Pancho Villa.
New York: Random House, 1970.
Joseph Allen Stout, Border Conflict:
Vil/istas, Carrancitas and the Punitive
Expedition, 1915-1920. Ft. Worth: Texas
Christian University, 1999.
Frank Tompkins. Chasing Villa: The Last
Campaign of the U.S. Cavalry. Harrisburg,
PA: The Military Service Publishing
Company, 1934.
Navy Arms Company 689 I3ergen lllvd., Ridgefield, NJ 07657

Phone: 201-945-6510 Fox' 201-945-6859 W b' .
Featured: 1892 Rifle New
'..
' .
.
e site. www.navyarms.com
,
Model RUSSian. Inset. 1885 High Wall Rifle, 1874 Sharps SpOrTing Rifle, Cavalry Modelle Mot. Calt-Sryl= SA A n
I
0;:;
"eVQver
"THE MOST ACCURATE

SEMI-AUTOMATIC RIFLE
IN THE WORLD.
No modern rifle hos os much tradition
and history a~ the semi-automatic .308
caliber Springfield Armory M1A. For
mony, it is os much asymbol of freedom
os it is the most relioble long-range
shooting instrument you can own."
FREE NRA MEMBERSHIP

Springfield's lifetime Warranties can't
protect you from gun bans, but the NRA
can. For a limited time, when you buy
an M1Arifle, Springfield will give you a
free, one-year membership to the
National Rifle Association.
GUARANTEED FOR LIFE

Each Springfield M1Ais backed by the
strongest lifetime Guarantee in the business.
SHARE YOUR STORY

Have you got afavorite Springfield M1A
memory? Share your story and photos with
us and you could appear in afuture ad.
VISIT SPRINGFIELD
ON THE WEB
www.springfieldarmory.com
or call 800-680-6866.

Military Classics Illustrated 01

Hochgeladen von

Dokumentinformationen

Copyright

Verfügbare Formate

Dieses Dokument teilen

Dokument teilen oder einbetten

Freigabeoptionen

Stufen Sie dieses Dokument als nützlich ein?

Sind diese Inhalte unangemessen?

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

Military Classics Illustrated 01

Hochgeladen von

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

a

"NOTHING EVEN COMES CLOSE

to Springfield's Loaded 1911-A1for

F.B.I. CONTRACT qUALITY

"Red Nine" C.96 Mauser

The Liberator Pistol

Guns of the Spanish-American War

Model 1896 Krag-Jorgensen Carbine

Roundheads and Royalists

Sixguns of the Empire

Custer in the Movies

The Continental Rifleman

Without a doubt, George Armstrong Custer

Ordered as an emergency arm in World War I,

3& D-Day: U.S. Paratroopers at Normandy

This variant of the famed "Broomhandle"

Model 1917 Colt New Service

Though awkward by modern standards, this

Model 1886 Lebel

Winchester Russian Model 1895

The trenches of World War I's Western Front

GUARANTEED FOR LIFE

English Civil War Troopers-From

ON THE COVER: From the 17th century to the 1940s,

Trench fighting may have been a new

DRAWING THE LINETHE STALEMATE BEGINS

established, took on a palatial look to

ate counterattack, no U.S.UnIdal

distinct appearances and soon became

LOS ANGELES: 6420 Wilshire Boulevard,

Printed in the U.S.A.

MILITARY CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED

death's grasp. British Captain Bruce

Each side constructed a front line

I say, old mont just look at that

From afl Op,'irilJll1 or Solt Milkers,

Entrepreneurs were quick to realize that

Barbed wir ,an American invention,

A Doubie Shield Where Most Needed.

~~~~:c:.\'ili! ~~~~e~~l~~;Olkb~e~t::I~h~;~~r~~~t~~t ~~~~~~~~~

against rain or cold.

Reliably Protective, Yet Hygienic.

Fantasy and realiQr. This 1916 cover of Punch, showing Tommies

padded with sandbags to deaden the

sparking as they struck barbed wire.

No Buttons to Fasten or I..ose.

It seems like every war lends its name to

MILITARY CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED

Though they had been used for centuries,

Trenches took on their own personalities. Invariably the

attack it from the front. Unending

strands thicker than conventional British

A FATE WORSE THAN A

front lines without the ability to tend

by "chatting," the art of de-lousing

until he found the prize and

cheerful tbe whole time, and J

"Decca" is without doubt the beSt Gramophone for the Front.

In I.e;oIJ>el' 'I CoIl'lpretud.

The truly Portable

NOll. :13. ""71.

Anny &nd Na~ Stores

Generally speaking, the French trenches

strength would b put on alert and

:c:.\'ili! el;Olkb~e~t::I~h~;r~tt ~~~~~~~