“Roosevelt's Guns" at the Davenport Public Library Eastern Avenue Branch -- August 1.
Saturday, August 1, 3 p.m.
Davenport Public Library Eastern Avenue Branch, 6000 Eastern Avenue, Davenport IA
At the Davenport Public Library's Eastern Avenue Branch on August 1, the Rock Island Auction House's firearms historian Seth Isaacson will highlight a variety of firearms owned by or related to our 26th president in his program Roosevelt's Guns, exploring how, as a Rough Rider, hunter, and conservationist, Theodore possessed a deep interest in firearms, the technology advancing rapidly during his lifetime.
As stated at GunMagWarehouse.com: "Theodore ‘Teddy’ Roosevelt was a President unlike any other. He was also a hunter, a soldier, and a police officer at different points in his life. He was a conservationist and lifelong firearm enthusiast. He didn’t just talk about guns, he used them. He established the Rough Riders to fight in the Spanish-American war, hunted across the United States, and brought a wagon full of ammo on safari in Africa." He also "owned a great many guns."
Among them, the site continues, "The most famous rifle in Roosevelt’s collection is undoubtedly the Winchester 1895 in .405 Winchester. This beastly rifle was designed by John Browning for Winchester. It’s famed for its fixed box magazine that allowed the use of Spitzer-type rounds. It was an excellent option for Roosevelt’s safari in East Africa. This combination gave Theodore Roosevelt a very powerful weapon with a rather fast firing rate. Working a lever is quick and easy. When facing a dangerous animal, you don’t want to waste much time loading up a second shot. Although, when firing the .405 Winchester, 2nd shots are rare. Interestingly enough, Roosevelt liked to use this rifle with a Maxim suppressor. It’s likely that Maxim produced this suppressor specifically for Roosevelt and his Big Medicine rifle. I imagine a suppressor help tame both the mighty report of the .405 and the recoil."
Also, we learn, "Theodore’s famed motto, 'Walk softly and carry a big stick,' didn’t come out of nowhere. Theodore Roosevelt had a big stick: a Holland and Holland rifle. Specifically, a Royal Double rifle chambered in .500/450 Nitro Express. Holland and Holland designed the cartridge for taking big, dangerous game. A double rifle design made it easy to keep the weapon handy while still chambering the 3.91-inch round. This big, beastly rifle packed some serious punch, and it likely hit hard on both ends. Holland and Holland rifles are some of the most meticulously created and refined rifles on the planet. These rifles constantly rank as some of the best for hunting big game. Theodore Roosevelt requested the rifle be fit with two folding leaf sights, and one fixed sight zeroed for 100 yards. He also requested a top strap that went halfway down the length of the stock to reinforce the strength of the stock. Like most of Roosevelt’s guns, it was the product of a picky and experienced shooter."
Seth Isaacson presents Roosevelt's Guns at the Davenport Public Library's Eastern Avenue Branch on August 1, participation in the hour-long 3 p.m. program is free, and more information is available by calling (563)326-7832 and visiting DavenportLibrary.com.
