 One version of its origin is that it was designed by Colonel Townsend Whelen when he was commanding officer of the Frankford Arsenal.In a 1923 issue of "American Rifleman" Col. Whelen refers to it as "the first cartridge that I designed" and states that, "Mr. James V. Howe undertook this work of making dies, reamers, chambering tools, and of chambering the rifles, all in accordance with my design.