What would you carry in 1898?

September 22, 2020, 01:58 PM

I thought it would be more interesting to include the option of a firearm that's still being developed. If you were living in that time would you consider a futuristic unproven pistol? People are generally pretty conservative about guns though. The Colt SAA was being used long after faster and easier loading pistols were made available.

September 22, 2020, 02:27 PM

ElKabong

Heathens....Winchester 1892 and a S&W Schofield New #3 both in 44-40 of course....and a big assed Bowie knife

September 22, 2020, 05:31 PM

dewhorse

A broomhandle mauser in 7.62x25 a mauser in 7x57 and a lever action .405 winchester

September 22, 2020, 06:07 PM

357fuzz

Broom handle Mauser.

1891 Argentine Mauser and/or 96 Swedish Mauser.

Was the Colt Potato Digger MG around in 1898? Not remembering off the top of my head. If not, a Maxim Gun just for good measure.

September 22, 2020, 06:24 PM

mrapteam666

Aw man...
Elkabong beat me to the punch.

S&W Schofield New #3 in 44-40 but the Wells Fargo edition.

The only difference is that I would have tried to purchase a Henry rifle.

I would also add a shogtun:

If possible a 1887 Winchester Shotgun repeating shotgun in 12 gauge.

But more likely I would have carried a Stevens double barrel.

I say I would like to purchase a Henry because:
(from True West magazine)

The Henry at $42 each, cost four times that of the Springfield so the Army, in a shortsighted effort to keep costs down, purchased only seventeen hundred. Private organizations and state militia’s also purchased and used them in the war. Those units lucky enough to be issued the Henry enjoyed a tremendous firepower advantage over their Confederate foes. General Sherman’s army carried them on their famous or infamous march through Georgia and the rifles were described by Southerner’s as “that damned Yankee rifle that is loaded on Sunday and fires all week long.”

September 22, 2020, 07:17 PM

Hume

The C96 Mauser, shoulder stock included.

September 22, 2020, 09:43 PM

maxwayne

A Winchester 92 and a Colt SAA both in 44-40

September 22, 2020, 11:08 PM

Kuisis

A Colt Lightening 1877. Just like Doc!

September 22, 2020, 11:34 PM

Opus Dei

quote:
Originally posted by RogueJSK:
quote:
Originally posted by Opus Dei:
Technically, Lugers were around.

Technically, but not really.

The Luger's not an option, unless in this imaginary scenario you were also imagining you happened to be a personal friend of Georg Luger that was gifted a custom prototype, or imagining you were a member of the Swiss military testing board who managed to steal one of five 1898 trials prototypes away for personal use.

The first fireable prototype Luger was made in mid-1898 in preparation for Swiss military testing (in response to their disappointment with the earlier Borschardt C93 design), and that and subsequent prototypes were tested for the remainder of 1898 and through 1899, with approximately five total prototypes being produced specifically for military trials in 1898, and another three dozen or so prototypes with various changes made for further trials in 1899.

The Luger didn't first enter formal production until mid-1900, and didn't become available on the commercial market in small quantities until mid/late 1900, a couple years too late for this thought exercise.

Wait, what? We have to explain the choice outside of it existing at the stated time? Do we have to explain our existence at the end of the 19th century in this "thought exercise"?

September 23, 2020, 05:37 AM

Anubismp

C96 with its shoulder stock for sure.

September 23, 2020, 06:27 AM

clayflingythingy

If the intent was to ask what would you CC in 1898, then the answers so far are far off the mark.

In 1898, a S&W breaktop in 32 or 38 would have been in your pocket if you were a gun savvy individual. Kind of the J frame of the era.

September 23, 2020, 07:54 AM

monoblok

Yup, C96. According to your premise, Han Solo won't arrive for another 79 years but dat be da one I'd wanna rock wit, bro.

September 23, 2020, 08:19 AM

rchermanjr

Likely a triad....

Colt Model 1898 6 shot aka Colt New Service... .45Colt cartridge....would be my medium distance weapon or in the same room weapon.

Henry 1860....high capacity, 44 cal ammo, use as club if empty plust just bad ass and proven on battlefield of Civil War. My longer range weapon to keep them at bay or to hole up and defend myself or family.

Tomahawk/WarClub for those tight fights where I want power, slashing and damage....

These would be my every day carry in that time period.....concealed carry was not a thing. You carried what you needed....how you needed.

September 23, 2020, 08:27 AM

Oat_Action_Man

I'd tote around a Maxim in a wagon.

September 23, 2020, 08:29 AM

RogueJSK

quote:
Originally posted by 357fuzz:
Was the Colt Potato Digger MG around in 1898?

Yep! It was even being used by the US military in 1898 during the Spanish-American War. (Primarily by Marines and Navy "bluejacket" infantry, chambered in 6mm Lee Navy.)

September 23, 2020, 02:22 PM

cth1974

A snubbed and bobbed Colt Army in .38 LC, along with a Winchester 94 in .30 WCF. If I wanted a big-bore revolver I’d go with a Smith & Wesson Model 3 in .44 WCF, and possibly add a Winchester 92 chambering the same cartridge.

September 23, 2020, 02:32 PM

92fstech

Would have to be a Colt SAA...with barrel chopped to the length of the ejector housing.

April 01, 2025, 04:10 AM

rizzle

**Old Thread**

quote:
Originally posted by cth1974:
A snubbed and bobbed Colt Army in .38 LC, along with a Winchester 94 in .30 WCF. If I wanted a big-bore revolver I’d go with a Smith & Wesson Model 3 in .44 WCF, and possibly add a Winchester 92 chambering the same cartridge.

Came across this, little more info on the S&W Model 3.

Although no one knows with any certainty which gun Virgil Earp (above) carried during the infamous Gunfight Near the OK Corral on October 26, 1881, he likely relied on his S&W New Model No. 3, single-action revolver in .44 Russian caliber. Chambered for a number of cartridges, it was eventually offered in more calibers than any other S&W top-break model, including .44 Henry rimfire, .32-44, .320, .38 S&W, .44 S&W American, .45 Schofield, .45 Webley, .450 revolver and more.
– Courtesy Rock Island Auction Co. –

https://truewestmagazine.com/article/virgils-sixgun/