There was a comment about the Savage ammo being loaded with just 30 gr. of powder vs. the required 36 gr. The Savage .303 was factory loaded with 30 gr. of powder at that time. Could also just mean that Savage was using lighter load .30-40's.
Or that Bethel Burton picked up some 303 Savage ammo rather than the used in the testing, IF they were different.
Compare the 30gr powder load of the 303 Savage to the Commission's test on overcharging a case with 40gr, I don't think you could fit 33% extra powder into a 303 Savage cartridge. Even compressed... 33% is a LOT. If they were using a light load in a 30-40 Krag, then sure.. but I'm not sure why they would use a light load when they were doing 500yd, 800yd and 1000yd accuracy tests.
Savage's 1895 catalog on page 52 refers to ammo being fired for a penetration test using 36gr of powder with a 220gr bullet (the exact ammo specified by the commission). It does not say it was from a Savage rifle, tho it would be odd to include that point in the catalog if it wasn't a Savage rifle. It obviously isn't a 303 Savage since they go to great pains throughout to say 30gr is the proper load for that cartridge.
The 1895 catalog also contains order codes for military rifles and carbines in "U.S. 30 cal", as well as order codes for ".30 cal U.S. Government Shells".
So.. Arthur W. Savage definitely had sights on a rifle in 30-40 Krag. The question is whether one or more were produced, and if so was it used in the New York Militia Trials.
