I recently purchased an unmolested 1898 Krag from 1900.  According to the previous owner it sat in his gun cabinet for about 30 years, 20 years in his grandfather's cabinet before that, and who knows how many years before that in the neighbors.  (Granted that might not even get me half way back to 1900)

I got my Okie Head Space gauges in today and much to my dismay failed both No-Go and Field.  I am shocked!  All of my Mosin Nagant's passed when I tested them! But my Krag failed. 

What now?

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'Preston' - Welcome to the KCA Forum.

It would help if you posted some close-up pictures of your bolt, especially, showing the rear of the front locking-lug.

Do you have any brass cartridge cases that have been fired in your Krag? A picture of fired cases will tell a lot.

FWIW - In the old days, some shooters use to 'lap' the bolt lug, so that the bolt would contact the receiver both at the front lug and at the rear of the bolt's 'safety-rib'. The down side of this practice was that it did not really make the action stronger, since it introduced more bolt 'free travel' or 'Head-Space'.

If this has been done to your Krag, new old stock (NOS) bolts are available from 'Movieman630' on ebay for $55.00.

You can check your present bolt's fit by removing the striker mechanism & extractor. Insert the 'bare' bolt into the receiver. There should be (approx. 2 or 3 thousandths) clearance between the rear of the bolt rib and the right-rear of the receiver.

If the rib contacts the receiver, it is likely the front lug was lapped at some time.

Head-Space is probably 'overly worried about', when the rimmed .30-40 Krag cartridge is the subject.

Double-Check your 'Field' gauge and make sure the rim measures .073".

Most of us 'neck-size' only and after a single firing the case is fire formed to the Krag's chamber.

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You know what.  I have bought around ten krags in varying degrees of condition and except for three that I have never fired I have never checked head space.  The Krags headspace on the rim and not the shoulder as you know.  The rim is surrounded by the bolt and the bolt crown.  Your rifle looks sound.  I would check for a cracked lug and if there are none to be found would put a round in it and fire one down range.  Then I would check the spent case for problems.

But that is me.  I could be way off base on my opinion.  Smarter guys should be along in a day or so.

My very first Krag had a modified/damaged bolt crown which led me to drop a .30-06 round into the chamber.  It dropped in with no problem.  It should have not chambered and stuck out about a half inch if it was a .30-40 chamber.  Some veterans group modified the gun to shoot blanks in the distant past.

By the way, welcome to the Forum.  Glad to have ya' on board.

Good shooting,

'Preston' - It looks like your 'bolt-rib' may be making contact with the receiver.

This suggests the front lug may have been 'lapped'.

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Thank you both for your friendly and helpful replies!  I really do appreciate it. 

I've taken more pictures that I'll attach below that hopefully will show what you need to see.  I have yet to shoot the rifle.  It took me a little while to find any ammo for it, but now I've got 80 factory loaded rounds and 100 rounds of new brass.

There was room to move the stripped bolt back and forth.   I took pictures of the bolt as far forward and back as it would move.  I also measured the Field head space gauge and it measured 0.074.

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Here are more images of the locking lug.

Measuring the lug front to back it measures 0.4035"

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Welcome to the Forum... and to the wonderful world of Krags!

It appears that just as Butlersrangers said, your locking lug has been altered.  Get a new bolt from Movieman360. 

On another note... it's a beautiful looking 98!

'Preston' - A normal 'closed' Krag bolt, with the striker 'un-cocked' and chamber empty, can be moved a few thousandths of an inch, fore and aft. This movement is quite visible and audible!

If the striker is cocked, movement will seem less and require a lot more effort.

In both cases, a slight gap will be visible and present, between the rear of the bolt rib and the receiver.

(p.s. - movieman630, on ebay, and Grandpa's Gun Parts, through KCA Classifieds, are the same individual. He is the grandson of the late J. DeChristopher. The parts and service are good.

I don't know if his Grandpa's Site is active yet. On ebay, shipping is free and you can pay with 'Paypal').

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Thank you all!  I was wondering who movieman 360 was.  I will order a new bolt and hopefully an extractor spring as well.  The first time I removed the bolt from the gun the extractor spring broke off and flew out.  It took me a while to figure out what that part was.

'Preston' - Because of the 'slope' at the front of a Krag's locking lug, it is very difficult to get consistent measurements of the lug, 'front to rear'. FWIW: two lugs I measured, (one used bolt and one NOS bolt), averaged about .406". It was possible to get widely varying measurements!

In reality, this measurement is probably irrelevant. What is more important is where the recessed bolt face ends up in relationship to the barrel breech (the allowance for rim thickness or head-space).

I see nothing grossly evident in your photographs. The lug may have been lapped.

I would get and try a new bolt, while they cost only $55.

It was difficult to get a measurement there.  I didn't know if it was meaningful or not, but figured I'd measure it while the bolt was out and I had the calipers there.

I am going to take that advice and order a bolt today.  I bought the rifle for $375 so I'm not in it too deep.  Prices seem all over the place for these.

'Preston' - $375 for a nice Krag (and a family heirloom to boot) is a great price!

Wow, I've never had a problem with the small extractor spring on a Krag. Did the part break or just come off the extractor-body?

That spring is a tight fit into the extractor-body and is not intended to be disassembled. (Somebody probably took it off at sometime).

FWIW - You may just want to get a complete extractor with spring attached.

'movieman630' has the extractor-spring for $10 or the complete extractor with spring for $25. You can also find complete extractors even cheaper, from time to time, on ebay and at gun shows.

If your spring actually broke, there is a small access hole to drive the remaining part out of the extractor body.

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Thanks for that picture!  I was wondering where it came from.  It broke off right where the shorter side wall stops.  Really odd!  I ordered it along with a new bolt a few minutes ago.  Hopefully I can manage to get it installed without breaking it!

You guys are fantastic here.  Really the best. 

Just A Thought - I wonder if the broken ejector-spring event could be related to using the OKIE head-space gauge with the striker mechanism still in the bolt?

(Although it has a relief notch, maybe the 'slightly magnetic' gauge shifted and the ejector was excessively pressed upward by the gauge)?

I know this is pretty farfetched, but, failure of this spring (or any Krag part) is a pretty rare occurrence.

Did you use the same gauges that you got for your 7.62X54R Mosin?

It is always good procedure to use a head-space gauge with a 'stripped' bolt and only gentle finger pressure.

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No, I already had the proper head space gauge for a Mosin Nagant. I just got the gauge for 30-40 Krag and .303 yesterday which is the one I used.  It could be related to that. I'll replace the spring first and try the old bolt. 

Then, just coincidence.

The extractor-spring was probably fractured and ready to 'let go'. Pushing up on the extractor to remove the bolt likely completed the failure.

butlersrangers wrote on Jan 14^th, 2017 at 6:01pm:

'Preston' - $375 for a nice Krag (and a family heirloom to boot) is a great price! Wow, I've never had a problem with the small extractor spring on a Krag. Did the part break or just come off the extractor-body? That spring is a tight fit into the extractor-body and is not intended to be disassembled. (Somebody probably took it off at sometime). FWIW - You may just want to get a complete extractor with spring attached. 'movieman630' has the extractor-spring for $10 or the complete extractor with spring for $25. You can also find complete extractors even cheaper, from time to time, on ebay and at gun shows. If your spring actually broke, there is a small access hole to drive the remaining part out of the extractor body.

I think your advice on buying the complete extractor is solid.  I cannot get the small piece that is left in the extractor out.  What is the best method to remove it?

Another question... How do you remove the whole extractor? Sorry I'm such a amateur!

'Preston':

1. To remove the fragment of the broken extractor spring from the extractor:

I would 'sandwich' the extractor body between small pieces of hardwood in the jaws of a vise, with the broken spring 'down' and small access hole 'up'. I would use a small drift or punch with a plastic mallet to drive the remnant out. (I have found those cheap sets of small 'jeweler's' screw-drivers useful as punches. You may have to reshape and blunt the tip).

2. To remove the extractor from the Bolt-Sleeve:

The extractor is held in place and swings on a solid rivet. The Bolt-Sleeve can be 'sandwiched' between hardwood pieces in a vise with the small end of the rivet 'up'. With a brass punch and plastic mallet, drive the rivet 'down'. This can require a lot of force. It is good if the face of the punch is concave.

Caution: In reassembling, note the large head of the rivet is 'grooved' to match the radius of the Bolt-Body and has to be aligned properly.

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'Preston' - You ask good questions. We are all learning about Krags, by Reading, doing, and screwing up, once in a while.

No one is alive today, that built or re-built these things at U.S. Armories or Arsenals.

If you haven't looked, there is some real good information available on the KCA website main-page, under the tab 'photos'.

This schematic is found there:

p.s. - In my opinion, some assemblies were not intended to be needlessly taken apart. The Magazine cut-off (spindle & spring), follower & carrier arm and the Extractor & Extractor Spring, come to mind.

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I was able to remove the extractor thanks to your help! This forum is a fantastic resource.  Hopefully the replacement parts will be in this week and I can get it to the range very soon. 

Picked up a Swiss Model 1911 manufactured in 1913 yesterday that should also be great fun to shoot. The trigger is much lighter than my K31.

Got the new extractor and bolt from Movieman630 today.  The gun now passes the head space check easily with the No-Go gauge.  Very happy!!! Thank you again for all of your help.

I was finally able to take the Krag out and shoot it this weekend.  What a great rifle it is!  It was very accurate and a real joy to shoot.  I can understand the loading method to be undesirable in battle but at the range I prefer it to the typical Mauser style. 

The bolt is a joy to operate.  I was also shooting my 1943 Finn M39 Sk.Y rifle which wasn't as accurate or as smooth operating (despite the 2.5 lb trigger pull) as the Krag. 

I'm looking forward to shooting it many more times in the future!

FWIW, loading time can be vastly improved with the use of a charger.  If you intend on shooting in CMP Vintage Rifle Matches or the Roosevelt Match, a charger is almost a necessity for the Rapid-fire portion of the match!

psteinmayer wrote on Jan 31^st, 2017 at 12:50pm:

FWIW, loading time can be vastly improved with the use of a charger.  If you intend on shooting in CMP Vintage Rifle Matches or the Roosevelt Match, a charger is almost a necessity for the Rapid-fire portion of the match!

How would you use a charger with the Krag?

Preston wrote on Jan 31^st, 2017 at 10:55pm:

How would you use a charger with the Krag?

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That is fantastic!  Now where might I acquire one or two of those?

Preston wrote on Feb 1^st, 2017 at 2:37am:

That is fantastic!

I assure you this is not fantasy.

It is not a commercial item. You can make it yourself (or seek somebody to do it). No special tools or skill required. Pictures give the concept. Cartridge and loading platform give the dimensions.

PM 'psteinmayer'. He makes very good ones.

But, first you need a "left-hand" Krag (like the one in the video) -LOL!

butlersrangers wrote on Feb 1^st, 2017 at 1:33pm:

. . . you need a "left-hand" Krag (like the one in the video) -LOL!

Which video? Not mine posted on this thread I hope. :-?

If you neck size with dedicated brass to that rifle, I bet the headspace would not be an issue.  You would be in effect fire forming your brass to match your particular rifles chamber.  I have a few old mausers and a P14 that I treat similarly without issue.

Regards
Martyb