Found a copy of the Board of Examiners Report to Governor Morton. While it doesn't totally resolve the question of what the rifle was chambered in, I think it does resolve the question of how many rifles were submitted.
As to carbine being tested? No. Submitted for inspection and the usage is in regards to a single rifle.
CAVALRY CARBINE.
The new Savage cavalry carbine submitted to us for inspection is a very fine arm. The mechanism is the same as that of the Savage military magazine rifle, an-d in all its details is admirably adapted for the use of cavalrymen. We unhesitatingly recommend it for the use of the cavalry of the National Guard of the State of New York.
As to multiple rifles being tested? Sure doesn't sound like it. Throughout the report it refers to rifles from manufacturers as single specimens. Notice that Winchester 95 is listed twice, because they submitted two rifles with slight differences.
GUNS ENTERED AND OFFERED FOR THE TESTS.
Twelve guns in all were formally entered and offered for examination as follows:
1. Military magazine rifle, by the Savage Arms 00., Utica, N. Y. Tested.
2. Derrick S. West, Boston, Mass. Withdrawn without test.
,3. Hon. Stillman F. Kneeland, in the name and style of Briggs-Kneelandr Tested.
4. The Lee Arms Company, Hartford, Conn. Withdrawn by request and not re-entered.
5. John Henry Blake, Batavia, N. Y. Tested.
6. Bethel Burton, Brooklyn, N. Y. Partly tested and withdrawn by permission.
7. George L. Putnam, New York city. Withdrawn for alterations to conform to proposed changes in model. Re-en-tered by Howard Gibb, Brooklyn, N. Y., subsequent owner. Partially
tested. Withdrawn by request.
8. Winchester Repeating Arms Co., New Haven, Conn.
9. Model No. 1, ’95, tested.
Model No. 2, ’95, tested.
10. Lee Straight Pull, tested.
11. Rifle of straight pull bolt action by Dr. S. N. McClean, of Washington, Iowa. By model only.
12. Rifle double. bolt action, by W. B. Farwell, of San Francisco, Cal. Not formally entered, and model produced, not within the requirements specified in the regulations, schedule “A.”
As to the chambering: about the most definitive thing there is the comment:
and the desirability if not necessity of securing uniform ammunition with the army
Obviously the army was using the Krag-Jorgenson in 30-40 Krag.
Now I'm trying to find a copy of the actual trial results.. only found the "executive summary" that was sent to Governor Morton.
