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Original Colt DA .38 M1892 rigs

3.4K views 13 replies 11 participants last post by  Tall  
#1 ·
I wanted to share with fellow collectors the rigs I put together for my Colt M1892 New Army & Navy revolvers.

Both revolvers were upgraded to M1901 specifications and are otherwise in their original military condition and specifications. I had new handsprings fitted to improve lockup and occasionally shoot them with a 148gr HBWC over a mild load of Bullseye in a .38spl case. The holsters and cartridge boxes are self-explanatory for the most part - they were all inspected at Rock Island Arsenal in 1903, 1904, 1904 and 1905 with T.C. and H.E.K. inspector stamps. The ammo boxes are dated March 26, 1908, March ? 1913, and March 3, 1915 (the 1915 is opened and full).

The book and photo are really what I wanted to share though. The book is a cavalry regulations book printed in 1896. A stamp on the interior indicates it was received in California on August 9, 1897. Anyone know what military base this might have been?

The photo was taken by B. W. Kilburn of Littleton, NH in 1899. It depicts the 4th Cavalry encamped in the Philippines. Both images on the print are almost identical. If you look closely six revolvers can be spotted either being handled or holstered, several of which are clearly Colt M1892. I circled them on the left image.

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#3 ·
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The book and photo are really what I wanted to share though. The book is a cavalry regulations book printed in 1896. A stamp on the interior indicates it was received in California on August 9, 1897. Anyone know what military base this might have been?
I believe at that time the Headquarters of the Army’s Department of California were located at the Presidio in San Francisco.
 
#7 ·
Benicia Arsenal was the West Coast and Pacific supply hub, run by US Army Ordnance, until the 1960s. I actually have a US Army 1901 similar to the OP’s, but without accessories, that shipprd to Benicia in October 1901 and may have gone to the Philippines.

But since the OP’s book specifically has the headquarters stamp, it likely went to the Presidio.

735057
 
#12 ·
This is BG Daniel F. Craig's Colt New Army and Navy Model 1896 US revolver. The gun and other items came from the family. I have more, including family photos, but these are the core items:

An original nomination of Captain Craig for the Medal of Honor, along with eight others, for action on 17 October, 1899 near Porac, Island of Luzon. Captain Craig did not recieve the medal, but three of the others in this action did.

A photo of BG Craig along with his original theater (France) made DSM given for action in France during WWI.

BG Craigs's Colt New Army and Navy 1896 US Revolver with his Philippine made holster having his Art Nouveau style initials carved in the front. The revolver, serial #140xxx dates from slightly after his action in Luzon.

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#13 ·
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The photo was taken by B. W. Kilburn of Littleton, NH in 1899. It depicts the 4th Cavalry encamped in the Philippines. Both images on the print are almost identical. If you look closely six revolvers can be spotted either being handled or holstered, several of which are clearly Colt M1892. I circled them on the left image.
I am assuming you use "Model 1892" as a generic term here, as from the photo it would be impossible to differentiate between the Model 1892, Model 1894, and Model 1896 revolvers which were in service at the time the photo was taken (1899). As far as the U.S. Army was concerned, the Model 1892 technically ceased to officially exist after 1896 when they (all but approx. 333 which were unaccounted for) were returned to Springfield Armory and upgraded to Model 1894 by replacing the hand and hand spring, adding the locking lever and locking lever screw, and machining clearance for the locking lever.

On another subject, as you may already be aware, the top revolver in your second photo was one of the 19,589 U.S. Army Colt .38 D.A. revolvers of all models (1892, 1894, 1896, 1901, and 1903) repaired and refurbished in 1918 by Remington Arms-U.M.C. for issue to non-combat support troops, both stateside and overseas, during WWI. Evidence of this repair/refurbish comes from the initials L.E.B. (Captain Leroy E. Briggs, Ordnance Corps Reserve, the Ordnance Corps inspector at Remington-U.M.C) that appear on the frame above the left grip panel.

Jim