Dick Hosmer, new thread.

[dave]

Here are some pics of my box, while the added stitching is not clear you can clearly see that a blunt nosed Krag round would not fit or fit very loosely as it will not go down far enough. Box marked ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, 1904, TC. From the date I would assume it was made for the Krag, altho as I said I really know little about these. 401014010240103

[Dick Hosmer]

Now I see what you mean - that would clearly be a (FWIW totally unnecessary) mod specifically for the switch from .30-'03 to .30-'06. No such work would have been required between Krag and 1903.

[Fred]

That is just the end of the webbing where it is never stretched out because the end of the bullet tapers down.
No sewn or reduced weave at all.
if there was room to push the bullet in further, that area would also be stretched

[Dick Hosmer]

I thought he was pointing out some sort of extra stitching in between the loops? Which is why I thought it was unnecessary. Definitely not going to lose any sleep over it tonight!

[dave]

Fred---you are incorrect, there is xtra stitching between the loops at the bottom! A krag round will not go down, no matter how hard you push! I found I still have the Krag box and the difference can be readily seen. Pics are not real good but the xtra can be seen at the bottom bullet point area!

[5MadFarmers]

Fred---you are incorrect, there is xtra stitching between the loops at the bottom! A krag round will not go down, no matter how hard you push! I found I still have the Krag box and the difference can be readily seen. Pics are not real good but the xtra can be seen at the bottom bullet point area!

They're all made that way and, yes, standard .30-40 will fit just fine unless the webbing has stiffened with age.

http://5madfarmers.com/images_2017/mck-1.png

1904 blueprint. Blunt nose .30-03.

http://5madfarmers.com/images_2017/mck-2.png

1909 blueprint. Pointed nose .30-06. Oh my, is that an M-1903 charger in there? "But those are Krag boxes!" Well, um, the 1904 blueprint had M-1903 cartridges as does the 1909 blueprint. Awkward.

http://5madfarmers.com/images_2017/mck-3.png

Tapered ends. Interesting question - is that the 1904 or 1908 I took the pictures with?

[5MadFarmers]

http://5madfarmers.com/images_2017/usm.jpg

Now that that's resolved. "USM" and "USMC" editions of the earlier ones were made. I've not seen any USN and I've not seen USMC in russet.

USM is earlier than the USMC ones from a hazy memory of the fabrication orders.

Some of the militia was still armed with trapdoors after the Regulars had started receiving M-1903s. Strange to see the new OD uniforms in the hands of troops holding trapdoors but there you have it. When they were issued new guns they'd have perhaps received inserts so they could continue to use the boxes they already had. Why? Because they didn't receive all the new guns at once and generally had a mix of equipment for a bit. "New pattern" and "old pattern."

[dave]

They are not "all that way". More pics of mine are in order, altho I will have to wait for for better lighting and a method to spread and flatten the loops so the stitching is clearer. My 1903 box has a single line of stitching down the center with one parallel stitch on each side at the bottom. The 1904 box is shown above in my post, it is like Farmers last (bottom) picture. I bet he can not get a Krag round down all the way in that one either!
It may be awhile, we have had 60 degree weather for a week and a half but today its 30, snowing and going to 20 to-nite! I am just trying to learn what exactly what I have, may have been bubba but I doubt it.

[5MadFarmers]

They are not "all that way".

They were made to a blueprint. The blueprint is pretty clear how they should be. I suppose we can examine them to detect sewing variations and it might even be possible to determine which sewing operation varied more than others. They are all made to that drawing and thus they are the same. Kind of the point of the blueprint isn't it? I helpfully included the 1904 and 1908 and that part didn't change.


I bet he can not get a Krag round down all the way in that one either!

You don't think I can get a cartridge having the exact same bullet as the one in the drawing into the box shown holding it in the drawing into that box?

Mmmmkay.