my1898 Rifle, lower band marked with "U"

[rrgates]

On my 1898 rifle the lower band is marked with the symbol "U". I notice the same "U" at same place on Krag successor, the Model 1903. What does this symbol signify?

[Martin Wagner]

Not sure.......perhaps "UP", but it always goes on the right side of a rifle, and it started way before the Krag.

[Hal_Beatty]

The Report of the Chief of Ordnance, appended to the back of Brophy's book, under component parts of the rifle, states: "The front or upper end of the band is indicated by the letter U."

I've never mic'd one, but I think they're tapered slightly as they always seem to fit better when installed the "right" way.

Regards,
Hal Beatty

[Tom Butts]

I had heard that the "U" originated back in the Civil War, where many of the uneducated soldiers couldn't read a manual to take down and reassemble their weapons. The "U" stood for "up" so they always got the barrel band back on correctly.

Don't know how true it is, but that is what I had heard in the past.

Tom
[glb]KCA[/glb]