Was it something I said?

[dave]

Another set just went up for sale (and sold) on this forum.
I wonder if people realise that these books are just a snapshot in time. My one carbine I had lettered does not appear in the books (I did not have vol.5) but I saw it on the internet site that used to be up. So even tho your gun does not show in the books there may have been info gathered on it since by SRS.

[Dick Hosmer]

Dave, there is no "Volume 5", but there are two versions of V4 (1995 and 1999, IIRC) and, as you say, work continues to this day, though - AFAIK - it is but a tiny dribble, compared to the books. There definitely was some stuff on the net version not in the books. Years after the data withdrawal, I still marvel at what I consider one of the worst business decisions of all time. I have NO idea what "harm" the hosting (said to be at no charge to SRS!) could possibly have done to outweigh the huge plus of providing an index to those seeking a letter, or details (which were themselves never posted - SRS always - and rightfully so - had the final control over that. You wanted the letter, you had to pay, absolutely as it should be.)

Frank knew where to look, and was a tireless researcher; he felt very strongly that he had captured the vast majority of what little survived to modern times.

Joe Farmer has said that he has uncovered "some" numbers which he is pretty sure (due to their never having been published) were missed by Mallory, and (apparently due to something that would have somehow changed something in his book) were not seen by Brophy, either. We'll all just have to wait until Joe publishes (now summer 2014?) to learn the truth.

[5MadFarmers]

Joe Farmer has said that he has uncovered "some" numbers which he is pretty sure (due to their never having been published) were missed by Mallory, and (apparently due to something that would have somehow changed something in his book) were not seen by Brophy, either. We'll all just have to wait until Joe publishes (now summer 2014?) to learn the truth.

What are, to me, the most interesting ones weren't uncovered by the SRS. There is no one "source" for the numbers as there is no one "source" for the research data. Frank rooted through one source. There are others - plural.

Time is on our side. Those images will get digitized and posted eventually.

Frankly I found the table of serials seen in the wild to be of more value.

Outside of pictures and a couple of tables the book is done. The pictures are the problem. Not pictures of the guns, those are easy to get to, it's the pictures of the gunk. Boxes. Lots of boxes. All mixed together. I gave it some thought and decided to put in on the back burner until Spring.

[dave]

I think what killed the net version (one thing anyway) was the sellers who used it to 'sell' their gun if number was close, inferring it was most likey in the same batch. That killed some business for SRS maybe?

[Rick the Librarian]

As I understand it (and obviously open to correction), SRS felt that people were getting "monetary reward" by posting numbers with rifles they were selling and SRS wasn't getting their cut. I agree with Dick - the numbers were a taste of honey that probably generated interest in getting letters.

I always tell people that SRS is a "snapshot". While a certain M1903 (or Krag or M1 or M1911) might have been assigned to the 7th Cavalry at a certain point in time, a year later it might have been assigned to a soldier guarding a warehouse in South Dakota.

[seagoatami]

[QUOTE=mhb;339983]On the 14th I posted a request for any SRS info which might be available on 1898 rifle # 251413. Since then, more than 20 folks have looked at the request, but there has been no response at all. I forgot to say 'please' in the title line (but did in the text) , and I did offer thanks in advance.
Even the information that there is nothing available from an SRS search would be helpful, and appreciated.
Again, thanks in advance.

mhb - Mike[/QUOTI read your letter mike , but me knowing nothing about your problem didnt answer. I figured its better to keep my ignorant mouth shut , than to say something about which I know nothing and to confuse you more. Im sorry you feel the way you do. I can understand that you feel ignored, but some times its better to be left in the dark than to be led onto the interstate at rush hour with a blind on your eyes............as always your friend Sea

[mhb]

I didn't intend to sound frustrated or angry; only confused and wondering - if anything I wrote gave the impression of hard feelings, it was surely not intended to sound that way.
I certainly recognize that it is better to say nothing than to chime-in at every opportunity, whether you can add anything useful or not, and I've tried to observe that as a rule for my own participation in this and similar fora.
I appreciate the people who participate regularly in this forum, and the wide-ranging knowledge they bring here and share freely - I consider them all friends.

mhb - Mike



[QUOTE=seagoatami;340215]

On the 14th I posted a request for any SRS info which might be available on 1898 rifle # 251413. Since then, more than 20 folks have looked at the request, but there has been no response at all. I forgot to say 'please' in the title line (but did in the text) , and I did offer thanks in advance.
Even the information that there is nothing available from an SRS search would be helpful, and appreciated.
Again, thanks in advance.

mhb - Mike[/QUOTI read your letter mike , but me knowing nothing about your problem didnt answer. I figured its better to keep my ignorant mouth shut , than to say something about which I know nothing and to confuse you more. Im sorry you feel the way you do. I can understand that you feel ignored, but some times its better to be left in the dark than to be led onto the interstate at rush hour with a blind on your eyes............as always your friend Sea