S/N 469240
Rifle with a 1903 date on the stock. Can't  wait to get it to the range.

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Another sad and deluded soul.  Hurry!  It is not too late to save yourself!  Send that Krag to me.  I will bear the burden of the Krag so that others may live in peace and harmony.

Welcome to the forum, Uncle Frank.  The others will be along in a bit.  BTW pictures.  Get pictures.  Ooooooo.  And a range report would be good too.

Culpeper


reporting from Djibouti.

Yelp, pictures are always appreciated.  Hell, on the this forum nearly mandatory!  ;D
Too, the Krag knowledge here is tremendous. 
Welcome.
Vic

Welcome to the forum, and to the wonderful world of Krags.  Beware... Krags are addicting!

Fellow Detroiter here (well, a suburbanite anyway).  I'm sure your Krag will bring you tons of great shooting and pleasure (Quiet Culpeper!!!  ;D).  Get it sighted in... practice... and get it ready for next years Theodore Roosevelt Match.  If you need any help, let me know.  Looking forward to seeing the pictures...

Welcome to the KCA forum 'unclefrank', from a fellow Michigander.

No SRS 'Hit' on Krag #469240. That's probably good, because 'neighbors', #469236 and #469243, were destroyed at the New Cumberland, Pa. Depot, in 1929.

Welcome Uncle Frank!  As you can tell we love pictures!  Oh and don't fall for Culpeper's shenanigans  ;D

Sheesh.  Try to help a fellow American and that's the thanks I get.  I'm going home to mother.  Boooohoooohooooo

Uncle Frank, What does the bore look like on your new baby?  Make you have a close look at the front bolt lug for cracking.  I do that for all of my new Krags.  Which by the way I am remiss in getting a new for the last couple of years.  I am over due for the fix to my addition.

best regards

Culpeper wrote on Sep 22^nd, 2017 at 4:38am:

Sheesh.  Try to help a fellow American and that's the thanks I get.  I'm going home to mother.  Boooohoooohooooo Which by the way I am remiss in getting a new for the last couple of years.  I am over due for the fix to my addition. best regards

Paul... you should satisfy your Krag fix by helping THIS fellow American and buy me a Krag for Christmas!!!   ;D

I did manage to get a poor photo up on the original post. Thank you all for all the kind words. My next days off will be spent cleaning out the  bore and figuring out the disassembly processes.  Time to join the association  too.

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It looks like you might have a model 1898 (three sight notch) carbine rear-sight on your Krag.

Could we see some clear close-up pictures of the sight? Are there any "C" stamps on the eye-piece or side of base?

FWIW - The obsolete model 1898 sight would be an incorrect rear sight for a late Krag rifle, but, it is a rare sight.

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The rear sight is an 1898 model. No C carbine mark. Anyone know the idea behind the three knotched rear sight?

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'unclefrank' - You have a complete model 1898 rifle rear-sight. It was designed by Lt. D.C. Dickson and is sometimes called the "Dickson sight".

This sight (model 1898) was calibrated for a higher velocity .30-40 cartridge, (220 grain RN projectile moving at 2,200 fps), that was decided upon in October, 1898.

Subsequently, it was concluded that this 'hotter' load was resulting in some 'cracked' bolts. (Cracks were appearing behind the single locking lug).

In March, 1900, the 'hot load' was withdrawn from service and velocity returned to 2,000 fps. The Dickson sights were eventually replaced.

Franklin Mallory wrote, in "The Krag Rifle Story", that the Dickson sight was used on model 1898 rifles assembled from August, 1899, to March, 1900.

The sight leaf on many Dickson 1898 sights was removed, put on a model 1902 base, and altered to make a variant of the model 1902 sight, with one notch and corners ground 'round'. (The model 1898 rear-sight bases became surplus). Approximately, 110,000 model 1898 leaves were converted, per Mallory.

Also, according to Mallory, the peculiar outside notches on the 'Dickson' sight were to compensate for 20 mph winds at 1,800 yards.

Attached photo shows a model 1902 rear-sight that was likely the type on your 1903 vintage Krag, when first assembled - IMHO.

How did an 1898 rifle sight get put on your 1903 Krag? (I don't rightly know).

It could have been  a hobbyist, dealer, WW1 stopgap or NG armorer, to replace a broken sight. 

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The 1898 rear sight just leapt off the page and jumped at me!!!  Don't see em very often.  I would get a 1902 sight and put that 1898 sight in a vault... or at least in a display!

Nice looking Krag there Uncle Frank!

How rare is the 1898 sight?

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IMHO and experience - The 1898 Krag rear-sight (Dickson sight) is unusual, but, will show up at larger gun shows that have an amount of Krag rifles and parts.

The carbine version is rarer than the rifle version, because fewer were made. However, a large number of the rifle sights were taken apart to salvage and grind the 'leaf' to make a variation of the 1902 sight.

'Dickson' (1898 rifle) bases are very common in 'loose form' on Ebay.

Many incorrect sights, that are 'marriages' of m-1898 'bottoms' and m-1902 'tops' are around, that were probably assembled by surplus dealers or 'Hobbyists'.

I have seen the Dickson carbine sight priced or 'selling' for around $200-250 in nice condition. The rifle version is probably a $100-150 item.

These are of interest mainly to collectors who have a special interest in sights. They are not 'Hot Sellers'. 'Condition' is very important.

Your Dickson sight is correct and complete, but, on the rough side. I would estimate it as being worth about $100.

FWIW - I believe the Dickson sight would have only been used originally on model 1898 rifles and model 1899 carbines that fell approximately in the 218K to 253K serial number range. Probably, most of these arms received later sight 'updates'.

Creative things were certainly done by Surplus Arms Dealers in the 1920s and 1930s. U.S. Armorers may have done creative things during WW1, when Krags were training and stopgap equipment.

A photo of the model 1902 sight variation using salvaged 1898 leaf (note - someone 'unofficially' has put a washer under the windage knob):

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Thank you for all the replays gentlemen. I scrubbed out the bore, and it looks good. The bolt removal was an education. I picked up some original ammo, so it's time for the range. I plan to handload.

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Of course, this is just my opinion, but I would NOT shoot that original ammo.  First of all, the brass does not hold up well over time and most of the pre-WW1 ammo could have cracks in the cases, which would lead to damaged and unpredictable powder charges... a dangerous situation.  Secondly, the primers used in ammo from earlier than 1950 are corrosive, which I personally would avoid (although I religiously clean my rifles immediately after a range trip or match). 

Your best bet would be to obtain some factory Remington 180 gr Core Lokt ammo... or get some brass from Graf & Sons and load your own. 

Just want you to be safe!

Paul's right, that's good collectible ammo, but, poor shooting ammo.

You guys are right. I saw some at Buffalo Arms that looked very similar

'unclefrank' - Some of the online ammo sellers have fresh Remington (180 grain) .30-40 ammunition available, now, for around $35 a 20 round box.

Most Krags 'like' this loading and it gives you a good start on a 'Brass Base'.

Google search ".30-40 ammo" and start shopping.

I'm also in the camp of not shooting the old ammo.  A friend gave me some 220 gr Remington 30-40 (60s vintage I think).  I chronographed a few rounds.  They were very inconsistent.
2016, 2369, 2144, 2381 fps.  2000 fps is the comfort zone for a 220 bullet.  What I found later was the bullets had galvanic bonded to the brass resulting in excessive and erratic results. 
Vic

Remington has a rebate going on $5/box Core Lokt
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Vic

I ordered up some starter ammo from Buffalo Arms. It's round nosed and looks like the original stuff I have. Next post is a range report!