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Way more complicated than that, Joe. I recently bought a book written by one David A. Armstrong in 1982. Title is "Bullets and Bureaucrats: The Machine Gun and the United States Army, 1861-1916". The writer points out that there were only 5 Chiefs of Ordnance 1861-1918.

1861-1863: James W. Ripley
1864-1874: Alexander B. Dyer
1874-1891: Stephen Vincent Benet
1891-1901: Adelbert R. Buffington
1901-1918: William Crozier

The Army was always preparing to fight the last war, but these guys ran what was described as a "closed corporation". Internal Army politics determined the instructions given to the various boards (made up of junior officers) assigned to evaluate different types of weapons. The boards followed their instructions closely and dared not deviate. Neither did they tell the big shots about any questions that should have been asked or instructions that should have been given. There was at least an "assumed" list of favored inventors and favored manufacturers.

Possibly as in the US Armies choice of Colt over Savage for the first auto pistol. (Nothing bad to say about the 1911 however the deck was maybe stacked a bit.)

There were a lot of experimentation with a 30-40 Krag with different bullets.

One that they did quite a bit work with was a hollow bullet with a sabot. These tubular bullets were invented by Prof. F. W. Hebler of Switzerland.

In 1894 they experimented with the Farley sharp pointed bullet that weighed 131 grains but not adapted.

The early 30-03's used a round nose bullet until the Spitzer type was adopted in 1906.


Background on the Krank-Hebler

There were 2 spitzer loads for the Krag in addition to the Farley experimental bullet.

Pitman's notes refer to one Frankford Arsenal limited production of the 1907 Palma Match loaded with Hudson-Thomas 190 grain pointed bullets. One type of load had an OAL of 3.245" and would not function through the magazine. Another batch was loaded to an OAL of 3.084" and would function through the magazine.

The second load was the M-1925 load for a sub-caliber device, loaded with the 172 grain M-1 boat tailed ball, instrumental velocity 1960 fps.

In late 1961, I was a seaman stationed at LualuaLei Naval Ammunition Depot on the west side of Oahu. As one of the flunkies, I was assigned to work on the station inventory. I inventoried several cases of those cartridges, still in storage. I asked a Chief Gunner's Mate what they were for. He told me they were used in a 1903A2 sub-caliber device, used in the Marines 37 & 57 mm anti-tank guns. You can imagine my surprise and shock when I found out that he was wrong. A Chief Gunner's Mate? Unthinkable!
There was a sub-caliber device made out of M-1898 Krag barreled actions that was replaced by the 1903A2.

LRF, Colt was certainly on the list of preferred suppliers. In addition to the 1909 New Service contract and the experimental pre-1911 Brownings, all of the later Gatling guns were made by Colt. Colt had a no-bid contract to manufacture about 290 US M-1904 Maxim machine guns. Colt had another no-bid contract to manufacture about 335 US M-1909 Automatic Machine Rifles, the Benet-Mercie. Springfield Armory made a similar number. The favored designer list was alive & well. The Benet in Benet-Mercie was the son of the Chief of Ordnance, 1874-1891.

Wm. Crozier was Chief of Ordnance 1901-1918. He absolutely hated Lt. Col. Isaac Lewis, inventor of the Lewis Gun. If I understand things correctly, Savage was helping Lewis through the developmental stage. Savage later made them for the Brits. That kept Savage off the list.

Thanks for the info on .30-40 bullet development. I sort of knew about the "tubular bullet," but hadn't known about the various pointed bullets.

I don't think the demise of the Krag really had much to do with the Krag nor the tactical superiority of the Mauser. I think it had much to do with the excellence of the Spanish regulars we faced in Cuba and the Philipines and the fact that few of our enlisted men had any combat experience while the Spanish had been fighting insurrectos for decades. For all kinds of reasons the Spanish couldn't win against us, but they could, and did, kill and wound a lot of us. My grandfather fought against them in the Philipines under Arthur Mc Arthur, and had great respect for them. (And, as a bonus, they taught him some elegant Castilian when he was in charge of guarding surrendered officers....).

Waterman, it's interesting you quote "Bullets and Bureaucrats." That was my (crabby) older brother's (BG David Armstrong, USA Ret.) Ph.D. thesis at Duke U. He now lives on Bainbridge Island WA and is still a gun nut.... He helped plan the First Gulf War when he was with what he always calls "those people I worked for" after he retired from the Army. Still can't say those three little letters out loud. We're planning a "The CA Where Nobody Ever Goes" road trip for January: earthquake faults, asbestos mines, and oil ghost towns. Great Mexican food every 120 miles, a lot of NOTHING in between.

Mike, the path that led me to "Bullets and Bureaucrats" is long & convoluted. I have been reading about the Benet-Mercie and "B&B" came up as a secondary reference. I found a like-new copy via ABE. It was $25 or $30, money well spent. At the same time, I purchased an original copy, 2nd ed., of "Machine Guns" by J. Hatcher et al and one of those print-on-demand copies of Ordnance Department Manual No. 1926, the Manual for the Benet-Mercie.

In 1963, I had advanced to the illustrious rank of MN3 and was at the US Naval Magazine in Guam. One of the guys in my unit was a local and said "you must meet my grandfather". Grandfather was one of those Spanish regulars, probably a lowly private in the rear ranks. He told me he figured that he would enjoy the rest of his life in Guam, with fresh fish & fruit, a friendly woman, lots of rain, home-made beer and maybe children & grandchildren a lot more than anything the Spanish Army had in mind. When it was time to board the ship for Spain, he walked into the woods. He did the same thing when the Japs showed up in 1942. I enjoyed the few evenings I spent with the old man.

Interesting, Waterman. I'll tell the old man his opus is still getting read.

Funny how the "Daylight Gun's" near relations, the Nambu LMG/HMG worked very well by day AND night for the Japanese Army. Killed a BUNCH of good people from China to New Guinea....and more than a few in Korea.

I admire somebody who could "walk into the woods" when the Japanese showed up. And then come back out in one piece when they went away!

Mike, in 1963 those same woods were still home to the Zanrushi, Japanese soldiers who had not surrendered and were waiting for the command from on high to attack. Their Type 92s were in good shape & still worked. Or so we thought. That is another story.

Later that year, I encountered some guys from what was probably the same organization that employed your brother. They also had working Type 92s. I got to see a couple close up. They had a large amount of ammunition. That is also another story.

If you read enough of Hatcher's writings, he paints a picture of the "Daylight Gun" that is entirely different from the Yellow Press account fed to the public.

I'm still looking for a first edition of "Hatcher's Notebook" at a price I can afford. Have a reprint, but would like a vintage one like the one in the Santa Rosa CA Public Library when I was a kid. A historical treasure house,that book.

Funny how those Nambu "woodpeckers" got around, isn't it?