Leather ammo pouch

[butlersrangers]

"DaveL." - From the description, your McKeever cartridge box was likely made for the .30-40 cartridge. If so, it will also hold .30-03 and .30-06 cartridges, without alteration.

The loops, inside a McKeever box, tightly hold the cartridges by the bullet and case neck. The case shoulder prevents .30 cal. cartridges from sliding more deeply into the loops. The dimensions and shape of the box leather will accommodate all three .30 caliber rounds mentioned.

I believe this is what Dick Hosmer was alluding to.

(p.s. - 5madfarmers has presented information that would indicate the late McKeever boxes were not likely issued for use with the Krag and .30-40 rounds).

[DaveL]

Ok! Got it.
Thanks for the clarification BR.

[Dick Hosmer]

I should have said "squarER"

[dave]

Huh? What part of a .30-'06, or .30-'03, is "narrower" than a .30-40? Or did you mean one that was modified from .45-70 to .30-40, or .30-40 to 6mm USN? I'm not sure that either of those actually exist, but accoutrements are not my main area of interest.

The part that is narrower is at the bullet, (long round Krag V. shorter pointed) maybe I should have said 'fatter'. I will try to take picture and post later. I am only going by what I was told, have never studied the subject. Used to have a Mckeever for Krag ammo but sold it before I acquired my Krag rifles.

[5MadFarmers]

I have a leather ammo pouch marked,

ROCK ISLAND
ARSENAL
1904
with T.C. off to the left.

It's the one that folds open like a book with a "latch" consisting of a brass stud and leather strap centered on top and a large US in a circle on the face. I'm told this was made to be used with the Krag, is that correct?

Yes but no. They really don't go with the gun. The "re-introduction" of the McKeever had to do with a change in the uniform. The "Mills Loop Belts" had been used as a garrison and field belt. With the shift away from the blue uniform a leather belt was adopted. The McKeever was re-introduced for garrison use. Field belt was the "eagle snap cartridge belt" for troops with '03s and loop belts for those still having Krags.

The McKeever was dropped in favor of the M-1910 Garrison Belt. In 1908, as an example, no regulars had Krags but they did have McKeevers.

McKeever patented the box in 1873.

The last blueprint for a McKeever is dated February 26th, 1909.

[5MadFarmers]

Huh? What part of a .30-'06, or .30-'03, is "narrower" than a .30-40? Or did you mean one that was modified from .45-70 to .30-40, or .30-40 to 6mm USN? I'm not sure that either of those actually exist

They made inserts. I have a couple. Resembles a leather comb.

[Dick Hosmer]

They made inserts. I have a couple. Resembles a leather comb.

Did the same thing for altering .50 boxes to .45 - I'd seen examples of them, but not the latter.

BTW - follow on to what Mark said - is your site "open for viewing" again?

[Kragrifle]

Krag

[5MadFarmers]

Did the same thing for altering .50 boxes to .45 - I'd seen examples of them, but not the latter.

Hazy memory: they also did inserts to permit them to be used for revolver cartridges.
Hazy memory: saw one. It was pretty beat so I didn't take it. Hence the hazy memories as they'd not be hazy if I had taken it.

BTW - follow on to what Mark said - is your site "open for viewing" again?

Yes, but no.

Existing accounts still work fine. I upgrade the software from time to time and noted that one of the upgrades killed registration. Was going to fix it last weekend but it was simply way too nice outside to spend it indoors. So I didn't.
This weekend isn't looking good either as I'm telling myself Vol 6, Part 2, is going to get finished and sent off for printing. I took the necessary dark, hard to see, pretty much useless, photos over the last two days so I must be ready.

I dunno. The way people moan about the photos in the Krag book it occurred to me that if the ones in Part 2 were even worse the ones in the Krag book would be "the better ones." Makes a strange kind of sense.

Short edition is "not until I fix it and that won't happen for a couple of weeks but it'll need to be fixed before Part 2 gets back from the printer."

Which is a repeat of last time. Redid it to coincide with the printing of Vol 1. Really haven't done anything with it since. Not that it matters as it's pretty much "the Baby Channel."

[5MadFarmers]

Krag

Ain't that something. Off the top of my head the black units were the last to turn in Krags for '03s. That was in 1907. Yet where you live the troops still had Krags after that. Strange that.