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M1895 Lee Navy Rifles recovered from the USS Maine

bk0331bk0331 Member Posts: 523 ✭✭
Does anyone know where I might find a list of the serial numbers of the M1895 Lee Navy rifles that were recovered from the USS Maine?  
Thanks.

Comments

  • charliemeyer007charliemeyer007 Member Posts: 6,579 ✭✭✭
    edited February 2020
    Cut and pasted you might check the citation listed

    The M1895 Lee was carried aboard Navy ships for use by naval armed guards (bluejackets) and landing parties, and was the standard service rifle for enlisted Marines, both seaborne and guard forces. Fifty-four USN Lee rifles were recovered from the USS Maine, which was sunk in Havana harbor in 1898.[13][20][40] These were eventually sold to Bannerman's, a military surplus dealer.[20][40] Surviving examples seen of the confirmed Maine rifles have pitted receivers, which would be logical considering the salt water immersion in Havana Harbor.[40]

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1895_Lee_Navy

    List of #'s about the 5 minute mark
    htps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bH5xUzYgPEw

  • bk0331bk0331 Member Posts: 523 ✭✭
    That was a most helpful video.  I need to check the serial number with my friend who has the rifle, but if I recall it was a three digit serial number in the 800 range, so would not be one of the salvaged pieces.  Very interesting piece of history, thank you very much.    
  • dok2udok2u Member Posts: 100
    edited February 2020
    Thanks for the question.  Don't have a direct answer, but at least a suggestion.  Throughout the last decades of the 20th century there was a couple of guys that operated a company named Springfield Research Services (SRS).  They published a great, informative magazine with information on all sorts of US military firearms, largely from information that they had excavated from the National Archives.  The company has changed hands and things are a little different now, but I understand it is still in business and accepting requests for information.  The address is SRS Box 126 Cabin John, MD 20818.  It is not a free service.  It is a business.  Subscription to the magazine is $ 35.00 a year, and an individual letter for a single weapon for a price that is determined by how much research has to be done.  It would be worth it in the case of this rifle to authenticate it as having been on the USS Maine.  If I may, add one more comment along this line, I remember seeing an old Bannerman Cataloge that listed Krag rifles that had been salvaged from the USS Maine.  This would have been a cataloge from the period 1900 -1920, but I can't remember anything other than that.  I suspect, however, if there were Krags on the USS Maine, there may not have been too many Lee Navy rifles on board.  However, if Bannerman got the Krags, it's worth checking out the old cataloges to see if he got the Lee's as well.  Best of luck and let us know what you learn!

    Sorry! Just now saw Mr. Meyer's response.  Never mind!
  • bk0331bk0331 Member Posts: 523 ✭✭
    So the rifle is serial number 185, not one of the ones from the Maine.  Thanks for the help guys.  
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