Just back from the range and my condolences to the American troopers sent to Cuba during the Spanish-American War. Wow, this rifle was deadly accurate, easy to fire, and the recoil was no bother at all. I do love my Trapdoors but int he face of the '93, just throw in the towel. Now I have a greater appreciation for the weapon and it's clear where US designer had seen and felt the sting of this amazing rifle.
The rifle is not a beauty and I am still cleaning up some rust and excessive patina on the bolt face. With that said, this rifle will fast become one of my favorites.
I have a Lee-Metford but now prefer the '93. However, the LM is a beautiful rifle and is more evocative, in my mind, of the weapons of the late 19th and early 20th century. Randy
1,400 US casualties at San Juan Hill. That was a brilliant military rifle in an outstanding caliber, perhaps the best of the Mauser calibers. The US troopers and regular army units generally had Krags; it was the National Guard units that had the Trapdoor rifles since there weren't enough Krags to go around. In any case, the regular army was small, and the Krag was inferior to the Mauser, although not as inferior as the Trapdoor fielded by a high percentage of US combatants.