Hello all,

I am hoping someone can help me out.  I recently inherited what appears to be a Springfield model 1898 chambered in 30-40 Krag.  I am a gun guy, but I don't know anything about these rifles, and accurate online literature is hard to find. someone very obviously mounted a scope after the fact, but that may be the only modification as far as I can tell.  Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.  I am uploading some photos as well.  Thanks!

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Looks like you have a 1898 saddle ring carbine stock.  Is the original butt plate there?  Lucky find there.

M1903 Springfield rifle front sight leads me to believe cut down rifle.  What's the serial number?  You have a 1902 rear sight.

Do you see a letter C on either side of the rear sight?  C = equals carbine sight.  No C = rifle sight. 

Thanks Culpepper.  Here is a photo of the butt plate.  I will take a look at the sight later on.  What length should the barrel be?

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'Anibus415' - Welcome to the KCA Forum.

"Bummer"!!! Possibly, a model 1898 carbine that got "Sportered". (At least the refinished stock is the early type of 1898 Carbine Stock and the barrel-band is the right type)

The added sling swivels are a blemish to the stock.

Only 5,000 model 1898 carbines were made. Most were later up-dated to the model 1899 carbine configuration.

The serial number is hidden under the Weaver Scope Mount and would reveal if the receiver is in the model 1898 carbine range or a 'cut-down' rifle. The 'scope holes' destroy collector potential.

It would be interesting to see a detailed close photo of your rear-sight base.

The front-sight looks like the type used by W. Stokes Kirk to make imitation carbines for hunting. These were cut-down rifles put in surplus carbine stocks.

Your Krag is worth its utility value - around $300. But, by all means shoot and enjoy a family heirloom!

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Thanks a lot guys.  I will take some more pics of the sights and barrel and upload later on.  I will also remove the scope mount and take some photos as well as get the serial number.  The bore is good, and I have some old rounds that I inherited with the gun.  Should be ok to shoot... I guess.  Everything is tight and in working order.

Oh, p.s. - Your Krag appears to have a Buehler safety-lever added to function with the Scope.

Anubis415 wrote on Jan 18^th, 2017 at 8:11pm:

Thanks Culpepper.  Here is a photo of the butt plate.  I will take a look at the sight later on.  What length should the barrel be?

Carbine barrels should be 22 inches.  Run a cleaning rod down the barrel to the closed bolt face.  Mark the length at the muzzle and measure.

Don't be too disappointed if the rear scope mount screw is in the serial number.  I have a barreled receiver that I will never know the correct serial number because there is a big gaping hole in it.

Ok so I measured the barrel and it is in fact 22inches.  I also attached a closeup(s) of the sight, muzzle, serial number, and butt plate.  Any further clarification would be great!!

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Your Krag, #482680, was manufactured around August, 1903, as a model 1898 rifle. The barrel is likely a cut-down rifle barrel.

The front sight is a commercial one, like W. Stokes Kirk utilized.

The rear-sight is a mixture of rifle sight parts: 1898-sight base and 1902 or early 1903-sight top. It is probable it was assembled from surplus parts.

The whole rig looks like the improvised 'carbines' sold by the W. Stokes Kirk company to sportsmen in the 1920s and 1930s.

Thank you very much!  I plan on shooting the rifle and seeing what it can do..... hopefully its right on and worth keeping....

That has to be pretty close to the end of the line for Krag receivers.  Has anyone seen a higher #?