krag rifle cleaning rod

[Babayaga]

Am I missing something,what is the logic in having a 3 piece rod set in the stock when it is to short? I would think the rifle would have had one more rod. Yes No ?

[sdkrag]

The Army was conservative (frugal, cheap). The figured that squad mates would share rods to make up a unit to achieve the required length. Boy they are still into saving money (not). Just ask my son. Biggest rants we hear when he calls home.

[butlersrangers]

Many military weapons (Mausers, SKS & Mosins) have cleaning or clearing rods that are too short to clean their barrel. In the Field, 'mess mates' could combine pieces to make an adequate Rod. In Barracks, there were longer Barracks Rods available.

Not great logic, but, when the U.S. Krag went to the butt-trap and Sectional Rod, the Infantry Rifle was provided with three sections and the Cavalry Carbine got two sections (and most carbine stocks had three holes???).

[S.B.]

Just my $.02s but, buy a pull through and have fun.
Steve

[Dan Shapiro]

They cared more about costs back then. Hell, Springfield Armory calculated the cost of making a part to FOUR decimal places.

Workers were paid 'by the piece' they made. And if you screwed up a part, they charged you the costs to make that part up to that point against your paycheck.

Years ago, it was decided to get rid of a parking lot by one of the armory buildings and to restore it to the pond that was once there. Employees would go there for their lunch break. While digging out the original pond, they kept coming across musket parts. Even though they were rusted, it soon became obvious that the parts were "defective".

Apparently, if an employee screwed up a part, he'd look around to make sure a supervisor wasn't near. The employee would then walk past an open window and toss the part into the adjacent pond!

[Babayaga]

Thanks

The Army was conservative (frugal, cheap). The figured that squad mates would share rods to make up a unit to achieve the required length. Boy they are still into saving money (not). Just ask my son. Biggest rants we hear when he calls home.

Good point, I remember we only were issued 1/2 a pup tent and told to pick your partner CAREFULLY...

[dave]

Those rods were for emergency use only, not very day cleaning. Of course the German type doubled as a stacking device. The German's also issued a cleaning kit w/pull thru. And yeas sections were shared. Pup tents were designed for two people, so each carried 1/2, lighten your load.

[psteinmayer]

Even the Garand cleaning kit is less than adequate IMHO. It's five very short sections in a tiny pouch, along with a handle/tool (which doesn't fit in the pouch with the rods).

[blackhawknj]

Great Ideas That Don't Work. Like the rod bayonet on the M1888 and M1903. At least the rod bayonet on the M1888 is long enough to be used as a cleaning rod and was threaded for attachments.