From buffalo hunter in the American West to almost losing his life on a trip deep in the Amazon rainforest, Theodore Roosevelt had quite an interesting life. When you think of a true American badass who was also President, he’s near the top of that list. Let’s take a look at why this man was so great, and the firearms he loved.
I know. You’re here to read about the firearms that our 26th President owned and used. But first, let’s do some backstory, just in case some folks don’t know all the fine details. During his lifetime, Theodore (Teddy or TR) Roosevelt would see and do many amazing things. Born October 26, 1858, he saw the nation tear itself apart during the Civil War. He hunted buffalo in the American West as a young man. And he even went toe-to-toe with robber barons and won. As a child, TR was somewhat sickly. His parents felt he would be limited due to his ailments. Roosevelt suffered severe asthma and poor eyesight, but he would prove them all wrong as a young man. He turned his attention to what he called “the manly pursuits”, things like boxing and lifting weights.
Early Life
In 1891, after graduating from Harvard, manga cum laude, he entered politics. At the time, it was unheard of that a man of his stature would be in politics (his family was well-to-do in New York). Roosevelt fought with the famous, “Rough Riders” during the Spanish American War. They were a group of volunteers whose exploits are things of legend. Coming home a war hero, TR easily won the race for Governor of New York in 1898.
During his tenure as governor, TR went on the offensive against big business and political bosses. To get him silenced, those same men lobbied to get TR the Vice-Presidential nod. The move worked, and TR won the Vice Presidency in 1900. However, due to President McKinley’s assassination the next year, Roosevelt took office as the youngest President. While in office, he would win a Nobel Peace Prize in 1905 and would work to dismantle the robber baron’s monopolies. He would go on to win a second term and leave office in 1909.
Choice of Firearms
TR was known for his proficiency with firearms; saying, “I don’t know how to shoot well, but I know how to shoot often.” And he did shoot often. From a young age, Roosevelt started amassing his collection. A few weapons stand out when you talk about his collection, like the Browning Model 1900 handgun, many different Winchester rifles, the Smith & Wesson Model No. 3 revolver, and even an early Maxim suppressor.
Gifted to the President in 1902, the Browning arrived at the White House in a small wooden box, without any fanfare. The pistol was Belgium-made, by Fabrique Nationale (FN) and chambered in .32 ACP. Sometimes referred to as the FN Model 1900, it has been said to be the finest Model 1900 ever produced, and it’s easy to see why with the tight banknote engraving with gold in-lay and pearl stock grips. The pistol would become TR’s “nightstand gun” thereafter, with a fitted velvet-lined case.
Specifically, the Model 1895 he used a lot for hunting was chambered in .405 Winchester, which he dubbed “Big Medicine”. Interestingly, that rifle was threaded and fit with an early Maxim suppressor. The man understood the significance of hunting suppressed, if for nothing else than the element of surprise. He reportedly had two other suppressors as well. One was fitted on a Springfield Model 1903 chambered in .30-06 Springfield, and the second was fitted on a Winchester 1894 rifle.
Another weapon from the President’s collection worth noting is the Smith & Wesson Model No. 3 revolver. This revolver was gifted to the then-lieutenant colonel before his time with the Rough Riders, in May. Roosevelt preferred to use his Colt double-action revolver that had been salvaged from the USS Maine. The model number 3 was chambered in .38, popular for military sidearms at the time. And even though it wasn’t used during the Spanish-American War, TR kept it as a nightstand pistol until the last years of his life.
Conservation and Legacy
TR wasn’t just about firearms and hunting. He was also passionate about conservation. He formed the Boone and Crockett Club in 1887, an entity that is still around today. Roosevelt helped to expand the National Park Service which encompassed large swaths of the American West as public lands. TR even has a species of elk named after him, which can only be found in the Pacific Northwest.
After he died in 1919, Roosevelt’s family had the monumental task of figuring out what to do with his collection of weapons. The family opted to keep some items and sell the rest. The items the family kept would become a part of the museum collection at Sagamore Hill, the Roosevelt home, as a part of the National Historic Site.
