Very interesting, thank you for sharing

 

Welcome!- I was looking for info on the Billy Old the AZ Ranger who went after Jeff Kidders assassins and ran up on it. Liked the picture & history of Ranger Pearce a lot. Badge 13 is pretty early, great stories I bet- hope they got saved.!

 

Nice story and history. Thank you for sharing.

 

Great story. One of my favorite gun writers. I’ve used Mr. Pearces load data for years and right now have a pile of Handloader and Rifle Magazines right next to me as I’ve been researching 44 Special and 38/44 loads again.The Pearce Family has a very interesting past History. Love the old history connected to our love of old Classics. Thanks for another great thread. Don

 

I recommend Joe Pearce's book Line Rider. It gives details on most of his early law enforcement work. There are also Gun Notches (Rynning), The Arizona Rangers (O'Neal), and The Arizona Rangers (Miller).

 

This was an interesting read for sure. And thanks Allan for the referrals of new books on the subject.

 

Nice to hear about another Arizona Ranger. I'd read Rynning's book years ago, and really liked it's stories of the outlaw days around where I live.

I used to live in Las Cruces, New Mexico and would go to a little gun shop down in El Paso. One time they had an 1895 Carbine (30 US) of about that era. This was 30 years ago before I had money, and I couldn't afford the $600 asking price. Still haven't got one, but I have the similar Savage 1899 now.

 

Joe Pearce's book Line Rider. is a very interesting read about his life and early Arizona

 

Use to be guys would get hold of Russian 1895 which were chambered in 7x54mm, same as their Mosin. Then screw in a .30 US ( 30/40 Krag ) barrel and then do some woodworking to produce a faux
US carbine. The actual Russians also had stripper clip guides that could be removed. The supply of .30 US barrels must have dried up, haven’t seen a phony for several years.
I had small horde of 1895s. The grail gun for me was the .405 Win. Never found a nice one in my price range. I only have one left and it’s family heirloom. One of my favorite deer rifles and in 30-06.

 

I had an 1895 in .405 Win. Loading it was easy, I hardly noticed the unusual procedure. Mine had factory sling eyes for hook swivels, one attached to the barrel with a dovetail slot. Recoil was stout but wasn't that bad even with the steel crescent butt plate.
Ballistics were about the same as a 444 Marlin. I never got to hunt with it.
Someone drilled and tapped the tang for a tang sight, they were only factory tapped on special order. The long bolt through would bump the Lyman sight that is on it in the picture. The Marble's tang sight had a spring inspired and especially designed for the 1895. The stem would get bumped but spring back. The 1895 is featured in the Marble's tang sight ads. I had found a Marble's "Special" tang sight for it. The one with the big curve that sweeps back and puts the aperture close to the eye. I was afraid to shoot it with that sight on it and never could figure out a way to test it to see if it would poke my eye out. I don't have a picture of the Special sight.

 

I have one made in 1912. Marked 30 US. It is for the 30-40 Krag. Always wondered why that caliber was purchased when 30-06 was available by then? Cheap supply of ammo?

 

According to what I read, the Arizona Rangers were required to have a carbine in 30-40 Krag due to the availability of ammunition at US Army bases. I assume there were stockpiles of ammunition wasting away after converting to 30-06. Or it may have been a case of what was good for dear old dad (grand-dad) is good enough for me. Many people today express disdain that we need all these new cartridges (7 PRC, 6.8 Western, 6.5 PRC, 6.5 Creedmoor) when the 30-06, 7 Rem Mag, 270 Winchester, etc, work just as well.

 

I’ve bought this 1895 SRC chambered for 30/40 Krag back in 2020:



It’s an Arizona rifle that dates to 1920 (well after the hey day of the Arizona Rangers) that’s got quite a few miles on it but still quite accurate.

I’ve got this late model Browning copy that is a fantastic shooter as well:


This here is a late model Miroku/Winchester Texas Commemorative model 95 chambered in 405 Winchester that is quite attractive with it’s CCH receiver; it’s exceptionally accurate as well:

As it relates to accuracy, I haven’t owned a Winchester Model 95 that wouldn’t shoot.

 

I had a like new Miruko/Win 405. I can’t say anything negative about it. I can’t put my finger on it but it was lacking something. It just isn’t a genuine Winchester, it don’t feel the same. I bought gun with full box and 12rds in partial box. I sold gun with 1 box full and 1 box of brass. Recoil didn’t bother me at all.
I had a 1970s Marlin 1895 that I removed all the excess wood. Forend & stock. This reduced the area of butt plate considerably. I was shooting 300gr HP heavy Ruger #1 loads. That was much more recoil than .405 Win. In fact the 444 & 45/70 in Marlins both recoil more than 405 in Win 1895.
I get aggravated when answering WTS adds that use Winchester 1895, 1873, 1892, etc and it turns out they have a Miruko made rifle.

 

Top rifles are in 35 WCF and the bottom gun is a project which still needs a stock assembly. I have a nice 30 US Carbine but no pictures. A few others 95s among the collection.

 

I had a very nice Win 95 in 35Win. I wanted to scuff a moose with it. Most of terrain we were hunting a 150yd shot would have been a long one. Perfect for the 35Win. We were going to different area where 300+ was possible catching one in open crossing to lakes. So took Sako 375H&H with scope and ended up shooting my moose at 40yds. Never got to shoot anything but deer with the 35Win, and one very unlucky duck.

 

That’s why they call it Hunting!

 

Ditto on the recommendations for Line rider, that book is a terrific read. It's too bad more of those old timers didn't take the time to tell their stories or write them up like that.

 

Browning once sent his son Val with a US Calvary unit on Mex border. This was in the days they were having trouble with border bandits. There were several little happenings that Val noted. One was that troops were in the habit of tightening up their axe head by shooting it. They would lay it on the ground and shoot the eye of the axe, thus denting causing it to tighten. The Troops were not use to the power of the new .30 Winchester Army, the forerunner of the 30/06. When they tried the axe trick with the Win 1895 and the new .30 Army it shot clear through the axe.
The reason for Val to be there was to grease things up for a big Army contract for 1895s and new cartridge. The Troop was engaged with a group of bandits who they were trading shots with. There was a bandit behind a cactus that kept popping out and shooting. Val ask trooper why he wasn’t shooting. Trooper said the mex wasn’t giving him time to aim. Val told trooper to center shoot cactus with the 95. Trooper did and to his surprise the .30army shot through cactus and out rolled the mex.
There were other little tidbits but I forget all but these two.
I believe it too. I was deer hunting in SW Virginia and had 95 stuffed with soft points. I had 5 GI FMJ rounds in my pocket in case a Turkey opportunity came along. Happened I saw a big black fox squirrel on a red oak about size of utility pole. I wanted that dudes tail for fly tying. I slipped in a FMJ and shot him in the middle of the back. Went over a gutted him , stuck my knife in tree while cleaning my hands in the snow. When I went over to get my knife I saw that FMJ protruding out of tree. With a little prying
Popped that dude out. Other than riflings I believe you could reload it. Still have that bullet in my desk drawer.