19 Texas Rangers, Only 18 Winchesters. Why?

[JimT]

The title of this article was the caption on an ad for the Winchester Repeating Arms Co. back in the last century.

The ad ran in all the major outdoors publications at the time touting the superiority of the Winchester. It showed 19 Lawmen, 18 of whom were carrying Winchester Model 1895's, while one lone Ranger was armed with a Krag.

Speculation was made (by the Winchester ad-men) if the worried look on the Krag rifleman's face was due to the fact that he did not have a Winchester.

Then someone ruined the whole thing.

Some history buff somewhere pointed out to Winchester that these were not Texas Rangers, but were in actuality THE ARIZONA RANGERS! It seems the photo had been taken around 1901 in the mining towns of Clifton/Morenci, AZ during a strike at the mine. The Rangers had been called in to keep the peace.

An insult had been offered the State of Arizona. What was Winchester to do but 'fess up and try to make it good.

They ran ads in all the same outdoors magazines apologizing for the oversight and to make amends for the crime of calling Arizona Rangers by that other name, they offered a copy of the now-infamous photo to anyone who would write and request it.

Being interested in history I ordered a copy. Some years later I put it on a board and decoupaged it.

Note the 5th Ranger from the right.. the lone wolf with the Krag.

Ya gotta love a guy who does not go along with the crowd!

rangers.jpg

[piller]

The Krag had a smooth action, and it was accurate. Maybe he was their sharpshooter.

[JimT]

The Krag had a smooth action, and it was accurate. Maybe he was their sharpshooter.

Could be.
I always liked the Krag. My Dad had one and it was a shooter!

[Scott Tschirhart]

I love the Krag. It’s probably just as fast for sustained fire as a Winchester 95 chambered for the same round because it’s easier to load and keep topped off.

But mistaking Arizona Rangers for Texas Rangers is really difficult to comprehend.

[gcs]

The Krag guy had overwatch duty....

[JimT]

But mistaking Arizona Rangers for Texas Rangers is really difficult to comprehend.

The ad was probably put together by New York ad men who had never been to Arizona or Texas.

[Oldncrusty]

Great story. Thanks!

[samsi]

I recall that it hasn't been a very long time since the last person drawing an Arizona Ranger retirement passed away, though it wasn't one of the original Rangers. One of the Rangers had a young Mexican gal for a housekeeper that he married in his later years and she was drawing the survivor benefit until she passed around 30 years ago.

[Bill in Oregon]

Learn sumpin' new every day on this forum right here.

[Walt]

An advantage of the Krag over the model 95 is that the Krag can be shot from prone much more easily.

[Scott Tschirhart]

I would have been quite content with a Krag saddle ring carbine. Great sights and trigger. Rugged design. Plenty of cartridge.

[JimT]

When I was a kid my Dad had a Krag carbine. I really liked that little rifle! It was handy .. nice action .. I loved flipping the magazine open and rolling in a small handful of shells.

[Ray Newman]

The AZ Ranger could have been armed with a Spanish-American War (SAW) "bring back" or the rifle was "lost in combat". In the last year or so, I read a book on the Rough Riders SAW actions. From what I recall, the Rough Riders were armed with the Krag.

https://sites.rootsweb.com/~scjssawv/Da ... izona.html

https://sites.rootsweb.com/~scjssawv/Da ... teers.html

Also of interest, is that the during the Cuba campaign, Gatlings guns were first used as offensive weapon. Prior to this, the US Army considered/employed as defensive weapons. Lt John "Gatling Gun Parker" employed his Gatling Battery to suppress the Spanish troops on San Juan Hill.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Henr ... _(general)