This is worth reading to get a flavor of military attitudes that led to the selection of the Krag
US Army Rifle and Carbine Adoption between 1865 and 1900
https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/citations/ADA471224
Page 50
“The Krag’s performance during these tests was representative of contemporary arms but the Board felt the Krag displayed superiority in two areas. The characteristics of the Krag that gave it the advantage over the Lee and Mauser rifles included its smooth action and more importantly the capacity for reloading while ready to fire. “
It is interesting to think of all the issues that surfaced later, of what the board did not consider to be important. No consideration for cost or ease of manufacture for example. What was of primary importance at the time was the conservation of ammunition in combat. If you read enough, you see the American military leaders of the period thought of warfare as long range sniping between units, where the Officers on the line made sure soldiers had their weapons on single shot only, and the magazine was only to be used in emergencies. It was all about ammunition conservation and rapid fire reloading was not desired. Note, the Mausers rifles used stripper clips, the Krag had a side box where loose rounds were dropped in. And the Krag and the M1903 both have magazine cut off’s. Mauser patterns of the late 1888’s and the revolutionary M1893, did not have magazine cut off’s. It is hard to believe now, but the 19th century Ordnance Department did not want weapons that shot too much ammunition too quickly! I have read a number of accounts, going back to the Mexican American War, about the Ordnance Department rejecting weapon designs that allowed soldier’s to
“waste ammunition” in combat. This is clearly the tail wagging the dog, and you will find such objections in the Civil War, used against successful rifles such as the Spencer carbine. It is curious that those in Logistics and Supply were actively able to stifle rapid fire weapon advancement because that made their job easier. It was difficult to supply units, it was difficult in the 19th century to move food and munitions over dirt rutted roads, and those difficulties overrode the tactical advantages of rapid firing weapons.
The Krag magazine cut off is on the left side, right side is the magazine box. The box is opened and loose round poured in. I have tried to load this thing in old bolt gun matches at our Gun Club. It is just about impossible to load in any timely fashion during the rapid fire stages. Rounds always spill out.
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At least the M1903 has a stripper clip slot on the left, and was designed to be loaded, in emergencies, with stripper clips.
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However, the thought of the time was, single shot with the magazine held in reserve.
Magazine cutoff M1903, magazine OFF, single shot only.
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Magazine cutoff ON, able to feed rounds from magazine
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I do remember reading in 1920’s Arms in the Man magazines and a number of writer’s commenting that one of the reasons the M1903 rifle was superior to the Mauser M98 was because of the smooth operation and less bolt wobble. Captain Crossman in his book of the Springfield claims the M1903 is superior to the Mauser because of “superior workmanship” and smoothness of operation. I think these considerations to show that generation of weapon decision makers, going back to the Committee that picked the Krag, to be weapon hobbyists. They are picking weapons based on their personal preferences, and not on military utility. The M1903, in every point of departure from the M1898 Mauser is an inferior weapon. One that is weaker, more prone to breakage, lose its bedding, and has no shooter protection features. (the gas vent hole is like the “close door” button in the elevator. It makes you feel good, but it does nothing)
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Sure, the M903 bolt wobbles less when open, and to the decision makers of the period, that made all the difference for a military weapon. Imagine if they thought
"pretty" was the most important characteristic of a weapon, what a disaster that would have been.
The Spanish armed their Army with M1893 Mausers, and at San Juan Hill Puerto Rico, 500 Spanish soldiers armed with stripper clip reloading Mausers held off 10 times their number of American’s and inflicted twice the number of causalities. After the Spanish American War it became very obvious that the trapdoor Springfield and the Krag were technologically obsolete military weapons.
It is surprising to see WW1 American Soldiers marching through the streets of London, carrying Krag rifles.
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