Shooting the "Digger"

by
posted on February 19, 2013
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
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

Stoeger STR-9 Thinline
Stoeger STR-9 Thinline

Review: Stoeger STR-9 Thinline

The new Stoeger carry gun loses nothing—except some weight and girth. This is the Stoeger STR-9 Thinline.

5 Great Products for Your Next Hunt

These five products will help boost your chances at success in the field.

Small Calibers for Self-Defense: Addressing Common Myths & Criticisms

For decades, small cartridges like the .22 Long Rifle were derided as incapable rounds for defensive use and were even considered dangerous for the user by some. Today, those critiques deserve a second look.

New for 2026: HUXWRX Flow 9k PCC & Flow 9 M Suppressors

Continuing the legacy it first established as Operator Suppressor Systems, HUXWRX is still introducing new and mission-specific flow-through suppressors, with its latest products being the FLOW 9 M and FLOW 9k PCC.

Armed Citizen Stops Oregon Attack; NRA Reaffirms Importance of Law-Abiding Armed Citizenry

The National Rifle Association of America today issued a statement regarding yesterday’s act of violence in Oregon.

Gun of the Week: Tokarev TT-12 Pro

While there are several AR-style, semi-automatic shotguns on the market, the Tokarev TT-12 Pro has a few features you won’t find elsewhere. And it’s affordable, to boot.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.