The 22" barreled Krag I bought a month or so ago won't feed.  I can only get four rounds into the magazine and they just sit there.  I shoot it by single loading--have to make sure the bolt is fully rearward and the cartridge rim is engaged by the extractor.  The gun shoots well and I really have no need for its repeating capability but it would nice if it would feed.  Does this sound like an (economically) fixable problem?

Perhaps the magazine cutoff assembly is engaged.  Unless your weapon has been modified, the cutoff switch is located on the left side of the receiver behind the top of the side plate. This allowed the magazine to be "cutoff" thereby avoiding waste of ammunition.  Flip the switch.

Even with the magazine cutoff engaged, you should still be able to get 5 in the magazine with the gate closed.  Perhaps there is something blocking the feed ramp or side plate...  Is your magazine follower spring ok?  That could also cause problems with feed by not pushing the first round all the way around to the feed channel.  Just a though....

Another possible problem is the flat magazine door/follower spring.  If it is put in incorrectly, it can jam the follower mechanism from feeding.  (Thank you E. J. Hoffschmidt artist)

---

45ACPete:  The easiest 'quick check' is to take the side-plate off the left side of your receiver (with magazine empty).  You will likely have to remove the barreled-action from the stock (to avoid wood damage) to remove the side-plate.  After doing this, you should see the carrier/follower assembly projecting through the side-plate opening.  Leave the Magazine Gate (door) closed and press the follower inward to test its movement and action.  With moderate spring resistance it should allow you to push the follower all the way across the receiver so that it 'folds' into the hollow of the magazine gate.  If you can not do this, something is wrong with the Gate, Hinge Bar (pin), Magazine Spring, or Carrier-Follower parts OR Assembly.  While the Side-Plate is removed, you can also view and test the action of the Magazine Cutoff and inspect the Side-Plate for damage.  Psteinmayer was correct when he pointed out that five cartridges should fit in the magazine even if the Cutoff is blocking cartridges feeding to the bolt.  (I suspect that the front tip of your Magazine Spring may be in the wrong position and is blocking the Carrier/Follower's movement).

---

45ACPete:  You mentioned some awkwardness in single-loading your Krag (i.e. "make sure the bolt is fully rearward and the cartridge rim is engaged by the extractor").  The Krag was designed to be used as a Single Shot with its magazine held in reserve.  The small pin that projects sidewards from the extractor spring engages the small notch near the rear of the action to 'latch' the bolt back as the Krag is held below the horizontal.  It is intended that a single round be inserted in the chamber.  The extractor of the Krag is made purposely to snap over the chambered cartridge rim without fear of breakage (unlike many rival magazine rifles).  1903 Springfields and Lee-Enfields also were designed to have single cartridges inserted in the chamber and the extractor 'snap into place' without harm.

Thanks for the help, guys.  I did take the barreled action out of the stock and removed the side plate.  Everything seems to be fine.  Tried it again with 5 cartridges--now the first cartridge will feed but not the other four.  Do you suppose I have them  (the bullets-Lyman 311284) loaded out too long?  The OAL of the cartridge is 3.185.  And for the life of me I cannot see that the magazine cutoff has any effect in either position.  If I insert the round into the chamber the extractor will not engage--as I said in my original post I have to make sure the bolt is all the way back--the pin on top of the extractor in the groove at the rear of the receiver--and then make sure that the cartridge rim is under the  extractor hook before chambering the round.

45ACPete:  The OAL of your reloads may be part of the problem.  An original Krag military round (FA-1898), I just measured, had an OAL of 3.060 inches.  My Lyman Manual gives a max. OAL of 3.089 inches for .30-40 Krag.  Also, I would take a good look at the tip of your Krag's extractor.  Does it appear chipped or reshaped?  It is not working right.  A Krag extractor should easily lift and snap over the rim of a chambered round as the bolt is rotated closed.  Look again at your Cutoff with the Side-plate removed.  With the Cutoff lever 'up' the flat on its shaft is down and clear of the feed-path.  With the lever 'down', the round part of the shaft becomes visible and blocks the first cartridge rim to prevent feeding.

With the sideplate removed (as in illustration above) you should be able to see and feel the cutoff - unless it is either the wrong one, or the shaft is broken. With everything in good order, it definitely will block the cartridge column when engaged, and allow it to pass when released.

45ACPete:  Has the barrel on your Krag been replaced?  It occurs to me, that if you have a replacement barrel, it may not have the correct clearance cut to allow proper movement of the extractor over the cartridge rim.  (Just a thought).  The Krag extractor is quite a marvel.  As the bolt is pushed closed (even on an empty chamber), the leading edge of the extractor contacts a 'ramp like' notch machined above the chamber.  As the bolt locking-lug is rotated down into engagement, the extractor visibly rises up the incline (and over a cartridge rim, if present).

---

Once again--thanks for all the help.  I feel a bit stupid to report that now all seems well with the extractor.  It does  engage the cartridge rim and extract the shell just fine--don't ask me what I was doing at first.  Once I load up some dummy rounds of the proper OAL maybe my feeding problem will disappear too.