American Rifle - Alexander Rose [129]
Crucially, though it had a magazine, the Krag had a mechanical cut-off so that it could be loaded and fired as a single-shot arm, thereby appeasing the most vocal of the army’s marksmen, though some feared that its bullet’s small caliber (.30), modest charge (40 grains), and light weight (220 grains, jacketed in cupronickel) would not kill when it connected—even if smokelessly traveling at 2,000 feet per second.
The diehards’ temper was, however, assuaged by the Krag’s jam-proof, rapid-action firing and by its sights, which even one of its greatest fans described as “an abomination” and “truly primitive—music to their ears, for it meant that long-distance accuracy was out of the question.” On the Continent armies used sights that were not adjustable for windage, barely for elevation, and not at all for barrel twist. Instead, they were designed to fire at a set range of standard distances in increments of one hundred yards—which made it easier for officers to retain control over their men’s shooting. These attributes made them distinctly inferior to the Springfields’ exacting “Buffington sights,” which had been developed with Creedmoor-style shooting in mind. Though marksmen could customize their Krags with infinitely better sights, they would be issued as they were to regular troops.34
American makers complained about the choice of the Krag and begged to be given another chance. Domestic and political pressure from Congress induced the board to agree to retest some fourteen arms, only to (again) reject them all in May 1893.35 One month later, on June 1, the Springfield .45-70 single-shot rifle ceased production, and remaining stocks were passed on to the various state National Guards.
Yet a lingering desire for an American-made arm remained, and Flagler privately assured domestic manufacturers that the Norwegian interloper would be sent back to the Nordic wastes once Americans developed a suitable replacement.36 Until that happy day, Ordnance bought the patent rights (a royalty of one dollar per gun) from its inventors to manufacture the weapon entirely in the United States (so that at least it didn’t seem as foreign). After a lengthy process of converting its arsenals over to the new machinery, the United States succeeded in out-fitting the entire army (of 28,000-odd soldiers) with the new service arm within a year.37
Being handed a Krag and then firing it for the first time must have been a jarring experience for the regular American soldier accustomed to his trusty Springfield .45-70. Where was the belching smoke, the bruising recoil? What were these pipsqueak cartridges? Why had the reassuring roar of his Springfield been replaced by a distinct “crack” from this rifle? The Krag was the first service weapon to use smokeless powder, and many had never heard of the stuff. Their bafflement might have deepened when they aimed their Krags at, say, a tree trunk or a thick wooden board. A Springfield, using the usual .45 round propelled by a charge of 70 grains of black powder, could push a bullet 3.3 inches deep into oak, or 5.3 inches when the projectile was protected by a cupronickel jacket. In both instances, the bullet left a thick gash in its wake and was badly deformed by its rough passage. A .30 Krag round, powered by 37 grains of smokeless powder and similarly jacketed, managed the astounding feat of penetrating 24.2 inches into oak. And at its terminus the bullet was barely damaged. Those witnessing such a performance could justly speculate that this bullet would not only disable an enemy soldier but might very well pass through two or three soft-bellied men standing too close together.38