Admiral Robert Peary's expeditionary rifle selections?

[Naphtali]

The August 2022 American Rifleman Magazine (page 72) had an article on the Winchester Model 1892 rifle. It included information that Admiral Peary equipped his expeditions — not single expedition — with these lever action rifles. While his first polar expedition occurred when perhaps this mechanism might have been a not hugely unexpected choice, subsequent expeditions occurred when Model 1903 Springfields, Model 1896 and 1898 Mausers, Model 1903 Mannlicher Shönauer military rifles (and several others) were in use. I expected comment on his choice because pretty much universal attitude is that the traditional lever action is unsatisfactory, unreliable for such demanding climate.

Why would he have repetitively made what I have believed to be a serious mistake?

[pworley1]

To quote Guy Clark "He did not know that he couldn't fly, so he did"

[M-Tecs]

The August 2022 American Rifleman Magazine (page 72) had an article on the Winchester Model 1892 rifle. It included information that Admiral Peary equipped his expeditions — not single expedition — with these lever action rifles. While his first polar expedition occurred when perhaps this mechanism might have been a not hugely unexpected choice, subsequent expeditions occurred when Model 1903 Springfields, Model 1896 and 1898 Mausers, Model 1903 Mannlicher Shönauer military rifles (and several others) were in use. I expected comment on his choice because pretty much universal attitude is that the traditional lever action is unsatisfactory, unreliable for such demanding climate.

Why would he have repetitively made what I have believed to be a serious mistake?

Apparently they worked for him on the first so why change? Just a guess is being compact was also a consideration.

[Winger Ed.]

Sounds like they had 1st generation writers for 'gun comic books' even back then.

The Admiral probably chose what he did because that's what he had, and he trusted them to do a good job for him.

[Outpost75]

The .44-40 was deemed to be effective, the 1892 was well proven in Canada and Alaska, and the availability of shot loads for killing birds or small game was a plus. My great, great grandfather was a Maine guide who carried an 1873 Winchester and Colt New Service, both in .44-40, until he retired in the 1940s.

[Kosh75287]

I don't think I'd have any problem with a light lever-action rifle on such expeditions. I would, however, be highly disquieted at the prospect of having to put down an enraged Polar Bear with a .44-40 (yes, it's PROBABLY been DONE, but let's get real). The addition of a Winchester M1886 in .45-70, or a Winchester M1895 in .40-72, or .405 Winchester would have been on MY list.

[GhostHawk]

Even the most modern rifle, if serviced wrong for the climate can have problems. I suspect if the rifle was serviced correctly for the climate they would not have many problems.

That being said I think I agree with Kosh75287 that the expedition would want at least one or 2 higher powered choices.

Still a large caliber bullet, ideally heavy, and a cool head can accomplish a lot.

[M-Tecs]

I don't think I'd have any problem with a light lever-action rifle on such expeditions. I would, however, be highly disquieted at the prospect of having to put down an enraged Polar Bear with a .44-40 (yes, it's PROBABLY been DONE, but let's get real). The addition of a Winchester M1886 in .45-70, or a Winchester M1895 in .40-72, or .405 Winchester would have been on MY list.

My Eskimo friends have great respect for the dangers grizzly/brown bears pose. Polar bears not so much. A .223 is considered a fine Polar bear rifle. Stop the snowmobile about a hundred yards away and put one to two shots into the lungs and wait a couple of minutes. For grizzly these same folks want at least a 30/06, 300 Wing or 338 Win Mag.

https://www.ammoland.com/2022/02/first-recorded-fatal-polar-bear-attack-united-states/#axzz7fx1sTsgl


Brower refers to three firearms he owned at the time. A rifle referred to as an “old .44” on page 17, was probably an 1873 Winchester. He also had an “old Colt revolver” mentioned on page 29. Very likely the two were in the same caliber, because of ammunition interchangeability. Because of the year, they were almost certainly in .44-40 caliber, one of the most popular calibers of the day, and often chosen because of the rifle-pistol interchangeability. In 1884 the cartridge was simply known as a .44 Winchester. In that year, the cartridge would have been loaded with lead bullets. He took a shotgun with him to the Arctic, gauge unmentioned.

The polar bear incident and attack occurred in June of 1885 when Brower had been in the Arctic for nearly a year. Brower and his friend Kyooctoo had gone hunting seals. They were armed with cartridge rifles. Another Eskimo has joined them, but he was armed with a double-barreled smoothbore muzzleloader. One barrel was loaded with ball, the other with birdshot. The incident is recorded on pages 64-65 of 50 Years Below Zero, and is reproduced here:

As we rested, I felt a sharp nudge from Kyooctoo. Then I saw what he saw.

Three polar bears were coming leisurely towards us from the direction of Cape Thompson, two of them a mile out on the ice, the third about in line with where our friend had paused to examine another water hole.

Rough ice enabled us to hide easily, and the northeast wind prevented the animals from getting our scent. But we hardly expected the fine target they presented, coming up to within fifty feet of where we lay huddled on the ice with rifles aimed.

Our first volley was enough. My prize proved to be a year-old cub. Kyooctoo had killed its mother.

Whether the third bear didn’t hear or just didn’t mind, he kept on between us and the land, drawing closer all the time to the other Eskimo. For some reason, the man appeared reluctant to shoot. The bear was almost on top of him before he finally did. And then he only wounded the animal. When it reared up to charge, we saw for the first time what a monster the bear really was.

Too far away to help, we watched, fascinated, as the man emptied his other barrel, then started to run for his life. He hadn’t a chance. From where we stood it looked as if the bear just struck him a casual blow on the head, following this by one bite under the arm. Then, leaving the crumpled body where it fell, the enraged animal turned and headed for Kyooctoo and me.

Although our rifles were powerful enough to kill a bear, we daren’t risk a miss and held our fire until he came within a few yards. . . . Even so, it required several carefully placed bullets to finish him.

[HWooldridge]

The 44-40 cartridge in the Winchester rifle had a long, proven track record when Peary went on his expeditions - a few men holding rifles with 10 shots each would have been formidable against man or beast.