Shooting the "Digger"

by
posted on February 19, 2013
2013219104942-potato_digger_m.jpg

Photo Courtesy of the Theodore Roosevelt Collection, Harvard College Library

As you may have noticed, this is the first time a Colt’s Automatic Gun, Model 1895 has appeared on the cover of American Rifleman. As Philip Schreier’s March 2013 cover story points out, this was the first machine gun model (mechanical guns such as the Gatling are not self-loading, fully automatic machine guns) used by the U.S. Army in combat. Of course we have Gatling video here, too.

For American Rifleman, this really is the year of the “Potato Digger,” as we also fired a Marlin-made version of the Model 1895 for American Rifleman Television’s "I Have This Old Gun" segment. This gun, made available to us through a good friend of American Rifleman TV Field Editor Martin K.A. Morgan, will be featured on Wednesday May 8, on the Outdoor Channel. But if you want to see what firing a “Potato Digger” is like, check out the short behind-the-scenes video clips below. One of the shooters is American Rifleman TV cameraman and editor Jake Stocke. Jake, who spends most of his time shooting or editing the show, rarely misses a chance to fire a vintage machine gun. Do you blame him?

Latest

Gotw Mossberg Gold Reserve Black Label Web
Gotw Mossberg Gold Reserve Black Label Web

Gun Of The Week: Mossberg International Gold Reserve Black

Join American Rifleman staff on the range in this episode to learn about Mossberg’s International Gold Reserve model, the company's self-proclaimed “top-shelf” shotgun featuring an aluminum 20-ga. receiver.

The Armed Citizen® March 14, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Triplett & Scott Arms Of Kentucky

Triplett & Scott Arms created a unique breechloading carbine near the end of the Civil War, and before the war's end, 5,000 guns were produced to protect Union Army supply lines in Kentucky.

10 Companies Join SAAMI—Why It’s Good News For Enthusiasts

There’s good reason why more firearm and ammunition manufacturers joining SAAMI, an organization founded in 1926 at the request of the federal government, is good news for gun owners.

Designing & Loading Winchester's .21 Sharp Cartridge

Winchester's new .21 Sharp cartridge is designed to solve some of the longstanding problems with .22 Long Rifle and give consumers more options. Here's how the company designed it.

Benelli Adds "Advanced Impact" Technology To Popular Shotgun Models

Benelli's new "Advanced Impact" technology results in a new shotgun bore configuration, and the company promises that this offers greater pellet penetration on target.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.