Jump to content

The combined Marksman Sharpshooter Badge


jmar
 Share

Recommended Posts

Hello all!

This proficiency badge has always intrigued me. I've been fortunate enough to gather together a few examples to show the variations out there. It seems as though even unofficial some were fabricated as a double badge unit, it also appears that many vets opted to have their 2 bars united into a single badge by a local jeweler. I think this is just so cool I had to post.

Please feel free to add if you have some that are not shown!

Please notice:

The thickness of the "target" rings on the Marksman badge
The Background of the Marksman and Sharpshooter bars and cross
The ring style and background textures of the cross
The Font variations
The suspension ring attachment style and placement
The pin style and assembly
The clasp style
The evidence of pin removal
The double pin


“Regulations prohibited the wearing of both the marksman bar and the sharpshooter cross at the same time, but some private manufactures made a single badge incorporating both designs. Photos show that many men did frequently wear this unauthorized award…”
“Widely worn in the 1880s and the early 1890s, this combination marksman-sharpshooter badge was never authorized by the army.”
Page 31, Fig. 2.36
Marksmanship in the U.S. Army, William K. Emerson, University of Oklahoma Press, 2004

There is a great photo showing a Sgt. wearing this badge along with a host of other medals and badges. Emerson's book is an outstanding work, one of my all time favorites, very informative and beautifully presented. I highly recommend it!

001 notes: Evidence of removed pin and hinge assembly on Sharpshooter badge. Open "C" catch, "T" hinge pin assembly. Probably a jeweler made piece.

post-48324-0-26714500-1445031395.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

002 notes: Typical flat open "C" catch and hinge pin assembly. Integral suspension loop on the Sharpshooter/Cross section. Looks as though a ring was replaced between the Marksman and Sharpshooter badges. Overall looks like a piece originally made as 2-bar Marksman-Sharpshooter badge.

 

post-48324-0-37936900-1445031477.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

003 notes: Wide open "C" clasp, hinged pin with collar assembly. I love the fact that the jeweler left the original pin assembly on the Sharpshooter badge. Awesome. Interesting note though is that the Marksman badge/bar, has what appears as integral suspension loops. A real puzzle here!

 

post-48324-0-71251800-1445031547.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

004 notes: An attributed piece, with 100% period style engraving! I got this beauty from a fellow Forum member "Too Much WW1 Militaria". Thank you John, it is AWESOME! A very interesting piece besides the fact that it is engraved to the recipient. The offset suspension rings suggest a period made jeweler piece. The offset rings adds a "sassy" feel to it. I REALLY like this badge.

 

 

post-48324-0-07868900-1445031636.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

005 notes: Last but far from least is another attributed piece. Not engraved but came attached to a card who age yellowing showed it had been pinned to it a loooong time. Without a doubt a badge originally made as you see it, no jeweler involved in "post production". Both suspension rings look integral to the piece.

 

post-48324-0-64648300-1445031750.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As for all the other subtle differences I'll leave those up to the reader. I hope you enjoy seeing these badges, as unofficial as they may be, they were all special to the honored Veteran who proudly wore them over a century ago.

 

 

Thank you for stopping in and reading my post.

 

best wishes,

 

Joe

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Joe,

 

You are back with a bang! These are beautiful! You have an amazing collection. I love shooting badges.

 

...Kat

 

Hi Kat!!!!!!

 

I hope you've been doing well! As always, you are a welcome sight in my threads. I hope to continue posting, it has been so hit and miss with me lately.

 

I couldn't agree with you more...even though I might be downsizing, I'm still loving my shooting badges!

 

Thank you for stopping by and commenting.

 

My best to you always!

 

Joe

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice collection. I have always wondered about those as well

 

Hello!

 

Thank you for stopping in and commenting. I've been hooked on these since my first one, they are quite interesting!

 

Best wishes,

 

Joe

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello Jmar

I have a couple of those combined medals

 

Here are a couple of photos of 1800's era soldiers wearing different combinations of them

 

402003896.jpg

 

373022896.jpg

 

134180525.jpg

 

134180517.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

Outstanding additions to this thread Don! Thank you VERY much for taking the time to add everything the photos and your example, it really enhances the original information and gives excellent insight into how this badge was worn. It seems like the sky was the limit!

 

Thank you again, my best wishes!

Joe

Link to comment
Share on other sites

SgtMaddoxUSMC

Does anyone have any information regarding the square collar target badges? I seem to recall having read a thread on them here somewhere but I cannot find it now. I wonder if Marines ever wore something similiar.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello

I am not sure, if the Marines were under the Navy at that point I suppose it would be possible as I have a copy of Laidleys manual Rifle Firing that was for US Naval Ordnance so they must have been competing in the matches.

 

I would think one who is up on the Marines history would be the person to comment as I focused more on the regular Army.

 

 

post-12145-0-86815500-1454298743.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...