Gun Digest 2011. Dan Shideler
version is practically impossible. Surviving import records from the now defunct “Hunters Lodge” (also known as “Ye Olde Hunter”) of the 1950s and ‘60s do indicate that several hundred Model 1902 Salvadoran-type contract Rifles without the national crest were imported into the United States from both Honduran and Panamanian sources. These too may be considered contract overruns; however, their early origins cannot be determined.
A perfect example of one of the Remington Model 1902 El Salvador contract Rifles shipped without the roll stamped national crest on the receiver ring. This specimen was found by the author in a wooden crate of 10 identical rifles. Discovered in 1995 in an abandoned warehouse near Quantico, Virginia, once leased by Hunters Lodge (Ye Olde Hunter) a few miles to the north in Alexandria during the 1960s, the site yielded some interesting leftovers of the past. With the help of an acquaintance, the author obtained the entire case of 7mm Remington rolling block Rifles. Each Rifle was equipped with a Remington marked knife bayonet and metal scabbard and leather frog, all having a “Ye Olde Hunter” shipping label and tag banded to the buttstock. Handwritten on each tag was, “Salvadoran Remington Rolling Block Rifle w/ Bayo and Scabbard, VG Condition, $19.95.” All tags were dated “8-17-68,” a time somewhat past the golden era of the ‘50s and ‘60s milsurp years.
As seen here, the condition of the Rifles rates about very good: nice bores, and all stocks have the abundance of the usual dings of the past. Each bayonet appears to be in far worse condition than the rifles, with all blades showing deep pits that smoothed out quite well after cleaning. The absence of the Salvadoran national crest is very obvious; however accompanying paperwork in the case specified all were imported directly from that Central American country, with customs clearance from the port of Norfolk, Virginia. Entry into the United States was granted in May of 1968. Following the acquisition of this case of Rifles, the author has since assumed that El Salvador may well have been one of the last countries south of the border to clean out their armories and unload the final shipments of 7mm Remington rolling block ordnance. Rumors still persist that Nicaragua has about 3,000 remaining in the Managua arsenal, and at least a half a dozen have trickled in through Canada since 1988. The question is: how many still remain?
As to why this misplaced case of ten Rifles were never returned to Hunter’s Lodge main warehouse, no one has any idea. All this author knows is that the developer of the property where they were stored in 1995 told my friend to “clean the place out and take what you wish, otherwise it will all end up in a landfill!” There truly is nothing better than good friend! (Author’s collection. Photos by Tony Matias.)
This variation should be classified as a special order affair in its entirety. The roll stamping of the Salvadoran crest is the only other smokeless powder-era Remington to have a national crest other than the Mexican Contract Model 1897. it is believed that the Salvadoran Contract variant was responsible for the unofficial title of “Model 1902.” Surviving Salvadoran defense records show that the first deliveries of the 5,550 Rifle contract (but no carbines) began in the spring of 1902. In reality, this could make El Salvador the first customers of the so called, Model 1902 Remington rolling block that featured the improved automatic rotary extractor patented in October of 1901. Collectors should note that any Model 1902 Remington rolling block Rifles displaying the aforementioned special features of the Salvadoran Model minus the national crest total no more than an estimated 800 pieces. Early documentation suggests that these Rifles were not stamped and were ultimately held back by Remington because of a default. An unknown number were later purchased by El Salvador without the crest and were perhaps therefore a bit lower in cost. Such unmarked Rifles indeed occasionally do appear and are of great interest to the rolling block specialist.
Hard usage and the humid jungle climate took their toll on all the old military rifles. Thus those few 7mm Salvadoran rolling block Rifles that made it to del Norte (“The North”) as surplus are normally discovered in rough, pitted condition. It is a fortunate collector who uncovers one of these prizes in anything better than good condition.
THE BullDog PACK: Variations of the Breed
BY GORDON BRUCE
Editor’s Note: Last year we presented George Layman’s piece on bulldog revolvers, written primarily from an American perspective. This year we offer yet another piece on Bulldogs, written by our British friend Gordon Bruce.
Since the creation of Webley’s compact little calibre .450 revolver named The British Bull Dog, its basic design has been copied and produced by many other gun manufacturers during the latter part of the nineteenth century.
The name had been registered as an official trade mark in Britain by Henry Webley himself, on behalf of the Birmingham firm, P. Webley & Son, on 12 March 1878. On that occasion, it was claimed to have been in regular use for the revolver since 1873. Webley had specified the title of BULL DOG as two separate words, rather than a single word, or joined by a hyphen. Thereafter, in firearms circles, it has become a generic term for nearly all short-nosed pocket revolvers.
The general styling and construction of the Webley, with its small grip shape, double-action mechanism and swing-out ejector, became the basis for most subsequent designs.
Perhaps the examples that adhered more closely to the original were those produced in Liege, Belgium, a major centre of pistol manufacturing at the time and from where many thousands of the little pistols were constructed for export.
Much of the Belgian handgun production at that period was directed towards the American continent, where the little Webley model had enjoyed considerable success during its initial sales period and so it was not long before Liege manufacturers sought a larger share of the gun trade in that region.
Ever conscious of an expanding market, the Belgians made full use of appropriate titles on their Bull Dog models in order to attract customers. Names such as Western Bull Dog, California Bull Dog, Southern Bull Dog, Texas Bull Dog and Frontier Bull Dog had been devised to give a suitable connotation to the weapons and were soon adopted. These variations on the original Bull Dog title were usually stamped, or sometimes engraved, onto the top strap, in similar manner to that employed on the Webley.
Development of the American West, with all its associated traumas in the face of Indian attacks, saloon bar brawls and general crime, had become a lucrative outlet for gun sales.
General travellers, prospectors, railway men, saloon keepers, bankers and gamblers were all competing for a share of the growing prosperity throughout the region. In such a volatile environment, it was only natural that, sooner or later, serious confrontations would arise and many felt a need to be armed for self protection.
One of the most popular and effective forms of self-defence for those individuals was the handgun, and there had been a general adoption of such weapons as a normal items of personal equipment. Single-shot and double-shot pistols of the more basic Deringer pattern already enjoyed a wide distribution throughout the United States as they were normally of an effective .41-inch calibre and, furthermore, could also be easily concealed about the person. Despite being effective at close quarters, their main disadvantage was that only a single shot could be fired, compared with several rounds from a normal holster revolver. Of course, multi-chambered pistols that were small enough to be carried conveniently in the pocket were then usually of minimum calibre as a concession to lightness.
The