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General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: ohiorider on November 28, 2015, 12:10:56 PM

Title: Military rifle or photo prop?
Post by: ohiorider on November 28, 2015, 12:10:56 PM
Here's a couple of pics of my mother's father.  Since I came along later in my parent's marriage, I only knew one grandparent.  This gentleman wasn't that grandparent.  Both grandfathers and grandmother on my dad's side had died years before.  On a recent trip to my home town, I spent time with an older cousin who had these two old photos of Granddad Cain when he was in the Spanish American War.  He was approx. 24-25 years old at the time.

(http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n284/bcgilligan/BT%20Cain%20Spanish%20American%20War%20pics/BT%20Cain%20PPT%20to%20JPEG_zpsanxr2lxa.jpg) (http://s115.photobucket.com/user/bcgilligan/media/BT%20Cain%20Spanish%20American%20War%20pics/BT%20Cain%20PPT%20to%20JPEG_zpsanxr2lxa.jpg.html)

(http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n284/bcgilligan/BT%20Cain%20Spanish%20American%20War%20pics/Slide1_zpseyoc2mgn.jpg) (http://s115.photobucket.com/user/bcgilligan/media/BT%20Cain%20Spanish%20American%20War%20pics/Slide1_zpseyoc2mgn.jpg.html)
Thought I'd include this one since it contains the name of the photo studio in Cuba

In the pic of him by himself, it is obvious that the background is a studio backdrop.  I'm thinking the rifle may have also been a prop owned by the photographer, vs an at that time current rifle.  It looks like a much older cap and ball setup, which, with my limited knowledge of military weapons, would have come from several years prior to 1898.

Any thoughts from you experts on this?
Title: Re: Military rifle or photo prop?
Post by: Tkelly on November 28, 2015, 12:16:58 PM
prop.our troops had 30/40 Krags a modern bolt rifle.
Title: Re: Military rifle or photo prop?
Post by: Sasquatch Jim on November 28, 2015, 12:33:43 PM
 Some troops in that war still carried the .45/70 trapdoor rifle but that one is a cap and ball and not military.
 From the size and length of barrel it may be a shot gun.
Title: Re: Military rifle or photo prop?
Post by: Tom on November 28, 2015, 01:26:20 PM
Not period US Army issue.  BA-American History with an interest towards the military.
Title: Re: Military rifle or photo prop?
Post by: Chuck in Indiana on November 28, 2015, 01:52:40 PM
Some troops in that war still carried the .45/70 trapdoor rifle but that one is a cap and ball and not military.
 From the size and length of barrel it may be a shot gun.

Yeah, my first thought was percussion smooth bore.
Title: Re: Military rifle or photo prop?
Post by: Farmer Dan on November 28, 2015, 02:25:13 PM
The ammo belt he is wearing was standard issue with the 30/40 Krag.  The rifle he is holding is a photo prop.
Title: Re: Military rifle or photo prop?
Post by: Guzzistajohn on November 28, 2015, 02:55:29 PM
Pretty cool old pics :thumb: Can't comment on the gear but here's my grandfather's discharge paper from the same era.
(http://i1299.photobucket.com/albums/ag65/guzzistajohn/discharge%20001_zpslufeyp3m.jpg) (http://s1299.photobucket.com/user/guzzistajohn/media/discharge%20001_zpslufeyp3m.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Military rifle or photo prop?
Post by: cruzziguzzi on November 28, 2015, 04:24:21 PM
My guess would be he's holding a "fowling piece" for filling the squad, platoon, company pot.

He's wearing a cartridge belt for metallic cartridges but holding a cap/ball muzzle loading piece.


Todd.
Title: Re: Military rifle or photo prop?
Post by: guzzitime on November 28, 2015, 06:38:18 PM
Looks like it could be a n enfield .58 caliber civil war era firearm . the barrel bands look similar and so does the hammer.