Was it something I said?

[mhb]

On the 14th I posted a request for any SRS info which might be available on 1898 rifle # 251413. Since then, more than 20 folks have looked at the request, but there has been no response at all. I forgot to say 'please' in the title line (but did in the text) , and I did offer thanks in advance.
Even the information that there is nothing available from an SRS search would be helpful, and appreciated.
Again, thanks in advance.

mhb - Mike

[Dick Hosmer]

Sorry, Mike, nothing even remotely close - that area is kind of a black hole.

As to your request, I guess it was just bad luck; apparently, everyone who looked (but how many of the 20+ have the books?) thought someone else would do it!

For my part, I apologize.

[mhb]

Thank you, Dick!

I sorta figured that was the case, and I do appreciate your help.

mhb - Mike

[psteinmayer]

I looked at your post Mike. Frankly, I read every post on the Krag thread... I didn't respond because I don't have access to the info. I do look though to see if serial numbers are close to mine (which also don't produce any hits).

Paul

[mhb]

Thank you, too, Paul!

I knew that most of the participants in this forum likely did not have access to the SRS records, but also that enough of them do that I was surprised to receive no response in over a week.
In any case, I did receive the information I wanted, and that is what I find typical of the forum and the folks who participate in it.

mhb - Mike

[Kragrifle]

Why not just subscribe to SRS?

[mhb]

That's a fair question, I guess...

and I think the best answer is that I don't require the sort of information SRS provides often enough to make it worthwhile.
I have always participated in fora such as this one with the intention of sharing knowledge with others who share my interests, and believe I have contributed a good deal that is useful to various discussions on a number of topics.
So, I feel it is equitable to ask for information I know others hold, and are equally willing to share.

mhb - Mike

[Dick Hosmer]

For me, the "joy of SRS" died with Frank Mallory - it's just not the same any more.

[dave]

I agree with Dick on that!
I just sold my books as I no longer have a use for them. I am very sorry to those who feel otherwise but I never answered such requests, there are dozens of such posts every week, books would have been worn out! I did answer early on when requests were few. By the way two sets of the books sold in a week on this site alone! I had 4 answers to my FS ad. So the books can be had!

[Dick Hosmer]

My volume one is nearly in tatters - due in no small part, I suppose, to lookups for others, but, people helped me when I was getting started, so, it is what it is.

Fortunately, Frank changed printers after the nearly illegible font, and (ultimately confirmed) shoddy paper/binding of Vol. 1, and the subsequent issues have worn well.

[dave]

Another set just went up for sale (and sold) on this forum.
I wonder if people realise that these books are just a snapshot in time. My one carbine I had lettered does not appear in the books (I did not have vol.5) but I saw it on the internet site that used to be up. So even tho your gun does not show in the books there may have been info gathered on it since by SRS.

[Dick Hosmer]

Dave, there is no "Volume 5", but there are two versions of V4 (1995 and 1999, IIRC) and, as you say, work continues to this day, though - AFAIK - it is but a tiny dribble, compared to the books. There definitely was some stuff on the net version not in the books. Years after the data withdrawal, I still marvel at what I consider one of the worst business decisions of all time. I have NO idea what "harm" the hosting (said to be at no charge to SRS!) could possibly have done to outweigh the huge plus of providing an index to those seeking a letter, or details (which were themselves never posted - SRS always - and rightfully so - had the final control over that. You wanted the letter, you had to pay, absolutely as it should be.)

Frank knew where to look, and was a tireless researcher; he felt very strongly that he had captured the vast majority of what little survived to modern times.

Joe Farmer has said that he has uncovered "some" numbers which he is pretty sure (due to their never having been published) were missed by Mallory, and (apparently due to something that would have somehow changed something in his book) were not seen by Brophy, either. We'll all just have to wait until Joe publishes (now summer 2014?) to learn the truth.

[5MadFarmers]

Joe Farmer has said that he has uncovered "some" numbers which he is pretty sure (due to their never having been published) were missed by Mallory, and (apparently due to something that would have somehow changed something in his book) were not seen by Brophy, either. We'll all just have to wait until Joe publishes (now summer 2014?) to learn the truth.

What are, to me, the most interesting ones weren't uncovered by the SRS. There is no one "source" for the numbers as there is no one "source" for the research data. Frank rooted through one source. There are others - plural.

Time is on our side. Those images will get digitized and posted eventually.

Frankly I found the table of serials seen in the wild to be of more value.

Outside of pictures and a couple of tables the book is done. The pictures are the problem. Not pictures of the guns, those are easy to get to, it's the pictures of the gunk. Boxes. Lots of boxes. All mixed together. I gave it some thought and decided to put in on the back burner until Spring.

[dave]

I think what killed the net version (one thing anyway) was the sellers who used it to 'sell' their gun if number was close, inferring it was most likey in the same batch. That killed some business for SRS maybe?

[Rick the Librarian]

As I understand it (and obviously open to correction), SRS felt that people were getting "monetary reward" by posting numbers with rifles they were selling and SRS wasn't getting their cut. I agree with Dick - the numbers were a taste of honey that probably generated interest in getting letters.

I always tell people that SRS is a "snapshot". While a certain M1903 (or Krag or M1 or M1911) might have been assigned to the 7th Cavalry at a certain point in time, a year later it might have been assigned to a soldier guarding a warehouse in South Dakota.