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William Loeb requests that the Winchester Repeating Arms Company send President Roosevelt targets with regular rings marked and pasters to cover the shots on the target. Loeb also clarifies that the 30-40 rifle for Kermit Roosevelt is to carry the same ammunition as his father’s Springfield rifle.
Buffalo Bill Center of the West
1908-07-29
President Roosevelt would like to verify details for shipping the ammunition to Mombasa. He will be in Africa about eleven months and hunting half the time. He also emphasizes the importance of using American made guns, over English rifles. He also inquires about carrying spare sights and gun pieces.
Buffalo Bill Center of the West
1908-08-10
President Roosevelt will take all the rifles with him. The Winchester Repeating Arms Company only needs to ship the ammunition.
Buffalo Bill Center of the West
1908-08-14
Rudolph Forster expresses President Roosevelt’s appreciation that a discrepancy in his ammunition order was noticed. He wanted to order .45-70 cartridges, not .45-90.
Buffalo Bill Center of the West
1908-08-15
President Roosevelt is able to take cartridges on board the steamer to Africa. He will take 3,000 cartridges with him and the Winchester Repeating Arms Company should ship another 3,000 cartridges.
Buffalo Bill Center of the West
1908-08-22
President Roosevelt received the rifles and feels confident about them. However, the .405s might shoot too high and the sights could be adjusted accordingly. He requests another box of the .30 caliber model 1904 cartridges and one cartridge box for the .405.
Buffalo Bill Center of the West
1908-12-05
President Roosevelt would like to know the exact number of cartridges of each caliber, as well as the number of full-jacketed and soft-nosed bullets of each caliber. He is eager to test the rifles as soon as they arrive.
Buffalo Bill Center of the West
1908-08-30
President Roosevelt approves of the approach for packing the cartridges. He would like a sample of ammunition sent with the guns so he can try them out this fall. The guns must arrive before September 20.
Buffalo Bill Center of the West
1908-09-02
William Loeb asks if it would be possible to put 3/4 inch pads on the guns, in case the pads ordered from abroad do not arrive on time.
Buffalo Bill Center of the West
1908-09-07
Theodore Roosevelt is annoyed at the condition of the rifles sent by the Winchester Company. His issues focus on the sights of the guns, the thickness of the stocks, the number of cartridges in the magazine, and the metal bead on the three front sights. He would also like a half dozen cleaners for each type of rifle.
Buffalo Bill Center of the West
1908-09-16
William Loeb reminds the Winchester Company that the government rifle shoots a little low, so the company should remember that when sighting the other rifles. President Roosevelt would also like red gun grease, red gun oil, red rust remover, and red crystal cleaner, when the other rifles are sent.
Buffalo Bill Center of the West
1908-09-21
President Roosevelt is confused about the rifle stocks. He sent the 45-70 as an example of the stock he does not like and the stocks of the rifles they sent are like the 45-70. The stock when fitted must be exactly like the government rifle.
Buffalo Bill Center of the West
1908-09-24
Theodore Roosevelt is returning the two rifles. The stock of the Winchester is a little longer than the stock of the government rifle. The sights of the Winchester also “do not seem as distinct as those of the Springfield.”
Buffalo Bill Center of the West
1908-10-14
William Loeb sends $127.57 for the cartridges shipped to Mombasa. President Roosevelt wants to be notified as soon as the Winchester Company hears that the cartridges have arrived.
Buffalo Bill Center of the West
1908-10-15
President Roosevelt would like to try the guns as soon as possible. He is going on a hunting trip where there will be a comparison between American repeaters and English rifles.
Buffalo Bill Center of the West
1908-10-15
President Roosevelt approves of putting a leather patch on the back of the rubber pads and of making the Winchester stock just a quarter of an inch shorter.
Buffalo Bill Center of the West
1908-10-18
President Roosevelt would like to know when the rifles will be available for him to try. He wants to practice before it gets cold.
Buffalo Bill Center of the West
1908-11-13
President Roosevelt thinks the weapons are beautiful, but the .405s might shoot too high. He also requests more ammunition.
Buffalo Bill Center of the West
1908-12-05
President Roosevelt appreciates the suggestion of having a Winchester representative come down and make sure the sights of the guns are correct. He requests additional boxes of 30 caliber model 1903 and .405 caliber W. C. F. cartridges.
Buffalo Bill Center of the West
1908-12-11
President Roosevelt likes the two .405 rifles the Winchester Company sent. He would like a third rifle, a duplicate of these two, but the silver pads could be a little thinner. He would like the duplicate done in time to take it to Africa in March.
Buffalo Bill Center of the West
1908-12-13