Marine A5 Sniper Rifle
02-13-2023, 09:16
The quick answer is 900 rifles, all with Niedner taper bases screwed and soldered to the barrel and receiver. Niedner scoped 150 rifles and WRA scoped 750 rifles. The best way to look at the procession of orders and events is by formulating a timetable as shown below.
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The Marines had 3 orders for mounting scopes on rifles. The first was for 150 rifles on which Niedner mounted A5 scopes in modified #2 mounts with Niedner taper bases. McDougal and Smith hired Niedner for the job. This order was needed to equip the 5th Marine Regiment while they were mustering in Philly in June of 1917. The 150 rifles were sufficient to also equip the 6th Marine Regiment, which would muster in February of 1918. One of Maj. Holcomb's last tasks as Inspector of Target Practice was to order 500 rifles, on 2 July 1917, just like the ones Niedner scoped "as approved by Holcomb" to be scoped by WRA, after Niedner was investigated by the FBI for treason. Maj. McDougal becomes Inspector of Target Practice after Holcomb takes command of the 2/6 and orders 250 rifles to be scoped by WRA "as approved by Holcomb" on 11 Sept 1917. These 900 identical scoped rifles will equip both regiments and both sniper schools with a surplus. The majority of the rifles were issued at GITMO, by Maj. Fay, to sniper candidates for both sniper schools, Deer Point and the Overseas Depot (OSD).
There is no evidence, known to me, that any other rifles were scoped for the Marines, with the possible exception of Maj. McDougal's Heavy Barrel Sniper Rifles (HBSR's).
On 5 Jan 1918, McDougal contacted WRA with a request for 1000 heavy barrels and stocks for the M1903 Springfield rifle. On 8 April 1918, McDougal ordered 1000 A5 scopes for his concept of a more accurate heavy barrel sniper rifle he intended to assemble. McDougal had salvaged 1000 receivers for the project, but he needed stocks and barrels. He contacted Springfield Armory for the stocks, but nothing has surfaced about his dealings with SA. McDougal still needed the heavy barrels from WRA. WRA V.P Brewer was not enthralled about making the heavy barrels, because he believed the order was more trouble than he needed for the money WRA would make. Maj. McDougal had made two of the rifles using pressure test barrels, but it is not known, to me, if any others were ever made. Those two HB sniper rifles McDougal had made are the rarest Marine sniper rifles in existence.
McDougal received 926 A5 scopes from WRA by war's end. No definitive evidence of assembly of scoped rifles by the Marines has been found by me. No delivery of barrels or stocks has surfaced to date, so it is unlikely any scoped rifles were assembled by the Marines. One of the letters below indicates McDougal was unable to obtain rifles, or barrels, "from the government".
The totality of viable evidence indicates the Marines had a total of 900 taper based Marine Mount sniper rifles scoped by Niedner and WRA.
The last two communications on this matter are in the next post below. I am limited to 5 pics per post.
51467514655146651468
51464
The Marines had 3 orders for mounting scopes on rifles. The first was for 150 rifles on which Niedner mounted A5 scopes in modified #2 mounts with Niedner taper bases. McDougal and Smith hired Niedner for the job. This order was needed to equip the 5th Marine Regiment while they were mustering in Philly in June of 1917. The 150 rifles were sufficient to also equip the 6th Marine Regiment, which would muster in February of 1918. One of Maj. Holcomb's last tasks as Inspector of Target Practice was to order 500 rifles, on 2 July 1917, just like the ones Niedner scoped "as approved by Holcomb" to be scoped by WRA, after Niedner was investigated by the FBI for treason. Maj. McDougal becomes Inspector of Target Practice after Holcomb takes command of the 2/6 and orders 250 rifles to be scoped by WRA "as approved by Holcomb" on 11 Sept 1917. These 900 identical scoped rifles will equip both regiments and both sniper schools with a surplus. The majority of the rifles were issued at GITMO, by Maj. Fay, to sniper candidates for both sniper schools, Deer Point and the Overseas Depot (OSD).
There is no evidence, known to me, that any other rifles were scoped for the Marines, with the possible exception of Maj. McDougal's Heavy Barrel Sniper Rifles (HBSR's).
On 5 Jan 1918, McDougal contacted WRA with a request for 1000 heavy barrels and stocks for the M1903 Springfield rifle. On 8 April 1918, McDougal ordered 1000 A5 scopes for his concept of a more accurate heavy barrel sniper rifle he intended to assemble. McDougal had salvaged 1000 receivers for the project, but he needed stocks and barrels. He contacted Springfield Armory for the stocks, but nothing has surfaced about his dealings with SA. McDougal still needed the heavy barrels from WRA. WRA V.P Brewer was not enthralled about making the heavy barrels, because he believed the order was more trouble than he needed for the money WRA would make. Maj. McDougal had made two of the rifles using pressure test barrels, but it is not known, to me, if any others were ever made. Those two HB sniper rifles McDougal had made are the rarest Marine sniper rifles in existence.
McDougal received 926 A5 scopes from WRA by war's end. No definitive evidence of assembly of scoped rifles by the Marines has been found by me. No delivery of barrels or stocks has surfaced to date, so it is unlikely any scoped rifles were assembled by the Marines. One of the letters below indicates McDougal was unable to obtain rifles, or barrels, "from the government".
The totality of viable evidence indicates the Marines had a total of 900 taper based Marine Mount sniper rifles scoped by Niedner and WRA.
The last two communications on this matter are in the next post below. I am limited to 5 pics per post.
51467514655146651468