I'm sure this phrase didn't see much use back then. But here are the words out of "The Century Illustrated Monthly Magazine" in 1894:

Instead of lamenting over the result of these tests, that the rifle adopted  for the use of our Army is of foreign design, it would seem to be far better that we should take pride in the fact that, after a most impartial, exhaustive, and thorough test of the products of the inventive genius of the United States and most of the civilized countries of Europe, the United States Army is to be equipped with an infantry rifle that is without equal in the world.

Yeah, right on baby.