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LOT 199
Incredibly Rare and Historic Well Documented
Experimental Prototype U.S. Test Trials Springfield Model 1898
Krag-Jorgensen Bolt Action Sniper Rifle with Cataract Optical Co.
Telescopic Sight, Featured in the November 2021 American Rifleman
article “America’s First Sniper Rifle” by Bruce Canfield - Serial no.
262506, 30 Army (30-40 Krag) cal., 30 inch round bbl., blue/casehardened
finish, walnut stock. Offered here is an immensely rare and important
example of an original U.S. Springfield Krag-Jorgensen sniper rifle
equipped with a Cataract Tool & Optical Co. telescopic sight, reportedly
one of only 7 ever manufactured between 1900-1901 for U.S. military test
trials, according to the November 2021 American Rifleman article titled
“America’s First Sniper Rifle” by Bruce Canfield, in which this example, serial
number 262506, is featured in. Another surviving example is residing in the
Springfield Armory museum collection (SPAR 7179, serial number 278777),
with this example offered being the only other surviving example currently
known to this writer. Bruce Canfield’s aforementioned article gives a
detailed history of the origins of this small batch of Krag-Jorgensen sniper
rifles, and indicates based on ordnance reports that 1 example was tested
by the Ordnance Board in 1900 with a favorable report showing accuracy
at targets up to 2,000 yards, showing value in having the ability to view
targets at long ranges in hazy or foggy weather, to which the findings were
forwarded to the Chief of Ordnance on June 14, 1900, who approved the
manufacture of 6 additional Model 1898 Krag-Jorgensen rifles to be fitted
with telescopic sights by the Cataract Tool & Optical Company. The initial
rifle used in testing was sold back to the Cataract company.
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