Page 209 - 4095-BOOK1

In the summer of 1901, 4 of these rifles were sent to Manila in the
Philippines, 1 to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and 1 to Fort Monroe, Virginia,
where they were used in field accuracy tests at different ranges comparing
them to standard Krag-Jorgensen rifles with iron sights, with varying results,
and some of the telescopic sights suffered damage during testing including
dislodged front lenses due to the force of recoil. After the conclusion of
these field tests in 1901, further development of these telescopic sighted
Krag-Jorgensen rifles was stopped, although they did demonstrate
advantages in the use of telescopic sights in general. In the same year
of 1901, the assets of Cataract Tool & Optical Co. were acquired by the J.
Stevens Arms & Tool Co., which may have contributed in part to the decision
to drop further consideration of the Cataract telescopic sight on these rifles.
The other reason being that there was ongoing development of the Model
1900 and Model 1901 prototype rifles around the same time, drawing away
the attention of Ordnance Board, which culminated into what became the
official U.S. adopted Springfield Model 1903 rifle. It would take until 1908 for
the U.S. Army to adopt the “Model of 1908 Musket Sight” as made by Warner
& Swasey for mounting on the U.S. Springfield Model 1903 rifle, to which
an improved “Model of 1913” would be adopted after and used during the
World War I era and into the 1920s. This rifle is significant in being the first
type of telescopic sighted smokeless powder sniper rifle considered by the
U.S. military, with scoped guns dating back to as early as the Civil War where
they were used in very limited numbers on civilian type muzzleloading
percussion benchrest “sharpshooter” target rifles. The advent of smokeless
powder allowed for a flatter trajectory and greater capable effective range,
making the telescopic sight effective when combined with the .30 caliber
Krag-Jorgensen, being the U.S. military’s first adopted smokeless powder
rifle as officially adopted in 1892, with variations of the Krag-Jorgensen well
into production and official U.S. military use by the time this Springfield
Model 1898 Krag-Jorgensen sniper rifle was manufactured between 1900-
1901. As stated in Bruce Canfield’s American Rifleman article, “Only seven
Model 1898 Krag rifles fitted with the Cataract telescopic sight were ever
fabricated under U.S. government auspices and were never utilized by our
armed forces beyond the limited testing in 1900-1901. Nevertheless, the
Model 1898/Cataract rifle was, however haltingly, the first step toward the
future development of purpose-built telescopic-sighted rifles for our armed
forces. It has the distinction of being America’s first prototype sniper rifle of
the 20th century- even before the term ‘sniper’ came into vogue.” Features
the left side mounted scope affixed to the rear barrel band and side plate,
marked “CATARACT TOOL & OPTICAL CO./BUFFALO.N.Y.U.S.A” on the
scope tube and “CATARACT T.&O. CO./BUFFALO N.Y.” on both of the
bases, with fine tune knobs on both bases allowing for windage and
elevation adjustment. The rifle also has a standard blade front sight
and tangent rear sight, and is stamped with a bordered “JSA/1900”
inspection cartouche of J. Sumnar Adams on the left stock wrist, and a
circled script “P” proof stamp on bottom. Small circular brass collection
tag numbered “29” affixed to the top of the buttstock. More information
on these Krag-Jorgensen sniper rifles can also be found on pages 7-10
of “The Complete Book of U.S. Sniping” by Peter R. Senich, and pages
201-204 of “The Krag Rifle” by Lt. Col. William S. Brophy, with each
source showing pictures of a few different examples that do not appear
to be this example offered. This early Krag-Jorgensen sniper rifle is the
genesis of all U.S. military sniper rifles that followed, and is of the highest
historical significance in terms of U.S. sniper rifle history and development.
CONDITION: Extremely fine, retains 80% plus original blue finish on the
barrel and fittings, 85% original oil-quenched casehardened finish on the
receiver and loading gate, with some areas of brown surface freckling,
and sharp markings and edges in the metal overall. Stock is very fine, with
distinct edges, dents and scratches, and an exceptionally crisp cartouche
and proof stamp. Mechanically excellent. Scope is excellent, retains 90%
original blue finish with some surface oxidation, and crisp clear optics. This
is likely a once in a lifetime opportunity to be able to acquire an original
experimental prototype U.S. Springfield Model 1898
Krag-Jorgensen sniper rifle!
Provenance: The Peter Wainwright Collection;
The Ryan Niederman Collection.
Estimate: 45,000 - 65,000
Collector’s Fact
According to the article "America's
First Sniper Rifle" by Bruce Canfield
in the November 2021 issue of
"American Rifleman", only 7 U.S.
Springfield Model 1898 Experimental
Sniper Rifles were produced.
As pictured & described in November 2021
American Rifleman article "America's
First Sniper Rifle" by Canfield
207