Krag Collectors Association Forum Archive

Krag Collectors Association Forum Archive
Firearms >> U.S. Military Krags >> Making a List of 1898 Krag Carbines http://www.kragcollectorsassociation.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1543765069 Message started by Whig on Dec 2^nd, 2018 at 3:37pm

Title: Making a List of 1898 Krag Carbines
Post by Whig on Dec 2^nd, 2018 at 3:37pm

With JDRs great new 1898 Krag carbine video, I have been wondering how many people who visit this forum, frequently or infrequently, have an authentic 1898 Krag carbine.

I'd like to start a topic to have any and all 1898 Krag carbine owners reply and give the serial number of their 1898 carbine(s). I know there are few authentic ones but we do have a bunch of us who have added one (or more) of these to our collections. I have been reading these forum messages for a while and have seen many 1898 carbines written about with good pictures. I think it would be an interesting resource to see how many we have as a collective group.

I have one with serial number 120864 with an 1899 carbine stock and a 1901 carbine rear sight.

So, if you can reply with your serial number and stock and rear sight, lets see how many we can account for in what configuration.

Thanks!

Title: Re: Making a List of 1898 Krag Carbines
Post by Dick Hosmer on Dec 3^rd, 2018 at 4:20pm

131024, in original configuration (short stock, 96C sight).

Title: Re: Making a List of 1898 Krag Carbines
Post by Whig on Dec 4^th, 2018 at 12:24am

Dick,

Do you think yours is original or remade to be correct? I have wondered how many original 1898 carbines, unaltered, are actually still out there. I know they can easily be reconfigured to be correct if you can get the 96c sight and correct stock.

I know there are more out there. It'll be nice to see how many we can find amongst ourselves.

Title: Re: Making a List of 1898 Krag Carbines
Post by Dick Hosmer on Dec 4^th, 2018 at 5:34am

I cannot say, it was acquired that way, back in the 1980s. While the wear, etc. IS generally consistant, the possibility of such a reconfiguration is - as you point out - always present.

That said, given my choice, I'd much rather have one with the short stock - which is, after all, the rare (and fortunately unfakeable) part; otherwise, it's really just another 1899, albeit with one with a bit of a cachet, and the hint of mystery.

Another way of looking at things (even if only stockwise, since there is ALWAYS the number issue) is that a short stock MIGHT be original, whereas with the long stock you KNOW it has been changed (but when, and by whom?)

It's a slippery slope any way you look at it; too bad the number data is so thin. The vast majority seem to be in the 118k and 119k areas. Outliers like mine get a raised eyebrow from the git-go, though there IS a small cluster there.

Title: Re: Making a List of 1898 Krag Carbines
Post by Whig on Dec 4^th, 2018 at 9:41am

Thanks, Dick.

Like almost every other aspect of Krag collecting, this just adds to the mystery!

Makes it all the more exciting.