If you don't have time to read a 500 page history book and wanted to know more about the SAW, here is an Army Logistician article from 1998. There are a lot of interesting facts in a short article with some background info. Such as: Between 4/1/1898 and 9/1/1898 the Springfield Armory turned out 26,728 Krags, but fewer than 1,000 of these were issued. A lot of the previously built Krag were issued. But I think the point being made was why there weren't more Krags issued to volunteers.

Starts on page 18 and ends on 23.

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