Some brief and rambling thoughts on the Krag-Jorgensen rifle and various devices to load the magazine rapidly.

Chapter 1 - The Original Sin.

Given the mechanical genius and aptitude of Ole H. J. Krag & Erik Jorgensen, there is no doubt in my mind that a successful 'stripper clip' or magazine charger system for their action could have been devised and supplied. Likely, it even was, right from the beginning!

In 1889 there was a 'clip' for dumping rounds into the magazine of the Danish Krag, (with its forward opening gate). This system reportedly worked, but, was dropped because of weight and expense factors.

Author, Karl Egil Hanevik, reports of 1891/1893 period clips, that were submitted to Norwegian and U.S. rifle trials.

I suspect there was little interest in these devices because .... well, the countries that adopted the Krag wanted good single shot rifle function, with a magazine in reserve.

Part of the U.S. criteria, for the intended service rifle, was that a partially empty magazine could be 'topped up', without even having to open the bolt or rotate the cut-off.

The magazine cut-off, angled extractor 'claw', bevel on the cartridge rim, and eventually the 'bolt hold-open pin', all were features that made the Krag a smooth and fast loading single-shot.

The 1893 Board On Magazine Arms Report specified: "It is essential that the magazine may be readily loaded or replenished with single cartridges".
It also allowed: "It is desirable that the magazine be susceptible of easy loading from auxiliary chargers or packets, and essential that these chargers or packets form no part of the magazine mechanism".

Although envisioned and thought desirable, at the time of the Ordnance Board Tests, a clip or charger was not especially wanted, or compatible, with the higher priorities of convenient single-loading and a magazine that could be held in reserve and easily topped up with loose cartridges.

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