My son posted my model 1998 rifle with 96 rear sight with question of what upper hand guard to order.We have ordered the hand guard and I have corrected the bolt problems that were pointed out.
    I have a question of the rifle's finish.The entire gun appears to be in the white.The bore is near perfect,mechanically there is very little wear as far as the feeding system and bolt.
    I would like to know what finish should be on the barrel,bolt and other parts of this model.
    The value of this gun is less important to me than it being in its original configuration if it has already been altered.                                                                           I have to have 1 message with no attachments so I will send photo bucket  links next.        Thank you for any help you can give.                                                               

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jay dee:  I'm not sure, but it appears the metal of your Krag was subjected to some type of 'metal prep' solution or 'Naval Jelly', that stripped off the metal finish and 'patina'.  My Krags have seen use and are not pristine.  The metal finish is worn and has aged to a patina.  I am attaching pictures so you get the idea of what the finish of a veteran Krag looks like.  (When issued, IMHO, the action, cocking-piece, safety, magazine door, and side-plate had a case-hardened appearance that wore and aged to a mottled gray.  The bolt body was in the white and polished.  The extractor spring appeared almost flame blue.  The cut-off lever and bolt sleve appeared blackened.  The barrel, rear sight base, and barrel bands appeared a brownish/blue - nothing like modern gun 'black/bluing').  It is easier to get a feel for what is right by viewing Krags than by description.

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Action view

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Left side view

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Muzzle area

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Sight area

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I was going to say that some of those parts actually appear to me to have been bead-blasted. 

What rear sight does this rifle have (just out of curiosity)?

     It has an 1896 rear sight that I was told was not that rare for an 1898.

    For more photo's you may view pascuccis new to me US1898 post several days previous.

Interesting, a full width guide rib in a 98, which may explain why it has an earlier bolt shroud.  Most, if not all, bolt bodies with a full width guide rib are 92 bolt bodies.  I had one fellow said he'd pay me more for the bolt body than I paid for the rifle, until he found out it was parkerized.  A 92 bolt body has a rectangular slot in the inside, on top, that later bolts did not.  Since it appears you have disassembly down, can you get a pic of the rear of the bolt body after you've disassembled it, sorta peeking down in it.  You might have something there you'd best hang on to.  Like I told you, that 96 sight was likely the sight used on 98 rifles being issued in 1900 and it's likely it left the armory with said sight.

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Yep, that's what it is, a model 92 bolt body.  The rest of the parts, there's more knowledgeable folks than me who can tell you about those.   I can't say just what your finish is either, maybe an available color of zinc phosphate?  Cerakote, I hate to ask?

    After seeing many pictures and listening to comments I believe that someone has stripped the metal of any finish.Some do appear to have been bead blasted witch I should have seen earlier.                                                                                  
         Until now the only Krag that I could compare it to is my fathers sporterised 1898 rifle that I refinished 35 years ago after my father past away.                                                                                   I think now that I am convinced that the finish has already been stripped that I would like to refinish to as close to original as possible.                I am a commercial artist and have some metal finishing experience and have been asking my son to find me a project gun to restore that was beyond one of his normal m[l[tary surplus rescues.                                                                                  I have been researching rust blueing as finish on blued parts . 
                        

Were it mine, I would go with rust bluing it. I think that process offers the best chance of closely duplicating an original finish, and is most pleasing to my eye. A purist would research the original finishing techniques used at the Armory, and try to duplicate them. While admittedly that would be a fun project, and illuminating to boot, a simple rust blue would be a-ok in my book.

I would advise you to get a nice complete 1898 bolt for your 1898 Krag.  This would give you the various colors that should be present on these parts.  You have shown an early firing pin, bolt body, extractor screw and bolt sleeve, in your several postings.  You could probably sell these early parts to pay for the correct 1898 parts.  A nice rust blue (without polishing) on your barrel and action, would probably result in a nice restoration. 

     Thank you for the support.I just got home several hours ago from hernia surgery and needed several weeks of lite duty so timing was perfect .I ordered rust blue yesterday after much research,but wanted someone to 2nd my conclusion.

      Any advise on the best way to obtain the correct bolt would be welcome.

          I would like to thank everyone for the help,this my first time actually joining a forum and asking my own questions and it has been a great step ahead for me with your help.

There are a couple of members who sell parts mentioned in the KCA classifieds.  Krag bolts show up all the time on ebay and GunBroker (search:  krag).  J.D. Christopher sells parts.