Below is from "The United States Army and Navy Journal" dated 3/19/1898. The Winchester rifle referred to in the article is undoubtedly the Model 1895. The Spanish American War started 4/21/1898. So it is interesting to see that at first Brigadier General Flagler was going to increase the output of Krags at the Springfield Armory, then rescinded his decision because of Winchester being able to supply volunteer units with their new leveraction in case of hostilities. This large contract was eventually cancelled. But the reasons given to use the Winchester seemed logical to me.

"Brig. Gen. Flagler, Chief of Ordnance of the Army, has rescinded the order issued by him a few days ago to Maj. Isaac Arnold, Jr., commanding Springfield Arsenal to increase the output of Krag-Jorgensen rifles to the fullest capacity of the Arsenal. The rush order was not countermanded on account of any change of policy on the part of the War Department regarding the continuation of emergency preparations, but merely because the present supply of Krag-Jorgensen rifles is sufficient for the prospective needs of the regular Army. There are now on hand about 50,000 of these rifles, which is nearly three times as many as are now in the hands of the regular troops. Since, in the event of an emergency the War Department will probably arm volunteer soldiers with the latest improved Winchester rifle, caliber .30, it was decided that there was no necessity of increasing the output of Krag-Jorgensens. The Winchester. Arms Co. is now running on a large contract for caliber .30 rifles. The Springfield Arsenal will continue to manufacture Krag-Jørgensens at the usual peace-basis rate of about 200 rifles and carbines per day. The new Winchester rifle is favored for the use of the volunteers on the ground that its use in inexperienced hands is more easily acquired than that of the Krag-Jorgensen. As its caliber is the same as that of the regular Army small arm, interchangeable ammunition can be used."

I believe I found Major General Miles' issue. Below is a report of his made from a tour of Europe between May 5th to October 10th, 1897. Published 1899.

"On the 9th of July I visited the small-arms factory at Enfield, 12 miles distant from London. Here is made the Lee-Metford rifle; also the conversion of the older models of the Martini-Henry to this caliber. With some modifications the Lee-Metford is the same as the Lee rifle invented in this country. Much of the machinery used in this manufactory is imported from the United States. I was informed that they had already made 750,000 of the Lee-Metford rifles. Besides this, these arms are made at two private factories in London, and at Birmingham, where a certain number are constructed for the Government. The Maxim machine gun is also made here. The full force employed at Enfield is about 4,000 men. At the time of my visit, there were about 2,300 at work. Enfield is capable of turning out 1,000 guns a week. This rifle has a magazine carrying ten cartridges. The cleaning apparatus with oiler is carried in the stock in an ingenious way. The rifle is sighted up to 2,800 yards. It has a peep-sight, and I consider it an excellent and effective weapon, much superior to our own. I recommended practically this same gun for our service 18 years ago, and it is now used by our navy."

So the Board didn't select his pick. He must have been much irritated. And the Navy was also reluctant to give up their Lee rifle for the Krag Jorgensen.

So what say ye? Is the Lee-Metford better than the Krag Jorgensen?

I suspect General Miles was of the 'camp' that the U.S. should have adopted a U.S. rifle.

Although the British Lee rifles and their ammunition had a lot of "Growing Pains", as did the U.S. Krag, the British Lee was a lot better rifle than the Remington-Lee.

Michigan authorities knew by 1900, that they had bought a "turkey" and refused to buy more (model 1899) Remington-Lee Small-Bore Magazine Rifles for the Michigan Naval Reserves.

The Remington-Lee had an extremely fragile stock in the wrist area. The bolt has four 'lugs' that required lots of hand fitting. Rifle bolts were not interchangeable. The small action parts were vulnerable.

The rifle was designed to be used as a 'single-shot', with four loaded (five-shot) magazines carried in pockets on the Mills Belt.

When the order was given "to load magazines", 20 shots could be rapidly delivered, but, then things slowed way down, to single loading.

Field Testing of Winchesters in Philippines, 1900.

So I just wanted to tie everything together. I may have posted this link before from Ainslee's Magazine dated March 1901. On page 102 it has further proof that General Miles wanted to replace the Krag-Jorgensen with the Lee. And it also mentions the 10,000 Winchesters. The entire article starts on page 99.
In part the article reads:  "In other words, with war in sight, his proposition was to shut down the Springfield armory altogether, for under the law making appropriations for the army it had been especially provided by Congress that the Krag-Jorgensen rifle and no other was to be made."

Also note that in BR's reply above that the report only referred to General Miles as "the Commanding General of the Army" and didn't dignify him by name.

Such was the political world surrounding the Krag-Jorgensen.

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Neat old magazine articles Knute!

In a related vein, A Winchester catalog from my youth ....

You know what they say: "There's one in every crowd" ....

I want to be ... "That Guy"!

(The one with the model 1896 or 1898 Krag carbine).


Actually - Use the KCA "Search Window" (and type - Morenci) to get more information about this Winchester PR Blunder in old KCA threads.

Well, they ain't Texas Rangers either.

(I'm a Marlin Man, too. But, I'd sure like to have a model 1895 Winchester in .30-40).

Side view. Not bad for $650 to get it back in the family.