I found this footnote in an article about krag rifles. I wonder if they were arsenal marked? Has anyone ever seen one?

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I think we could use some more info. What periodical was this in? What year? Could you post any of the write-up. I wonder if the Editor got them directly from the arsenal. I am a bit skeptical at this point on the existence of Rock Island Arsenal (RIA) Krags. But I don't know everything.

Personally, I have an 1896 Krag sporter that originated at the Springfield Armory. The barrel was replaced with a 1903 barrel from RIA. The barrel is stamped "R.I.A. 01-09", which means it was made January, 1909. The barrel has an 1896 rear sight (possibly the original) over the rear sight dovetail. The front sight is for a 1903 Springfield. The barrel, as the 1903 does, has a 24" length. The stock was shortened just a few inches in front of the barrel band. I believe it was done by an independent smithy of sorts.

If there were Krags done at RIA it would be very interesting to learn about. Hope somebody comes up with something.

Only government/Director of Civilian Marksmanship (sales) paperwork can validate such a Krag.

The "NRA-DCM" (22inch) carbines with 1903 front-sight exist, but, they are easily faked or duplicated and only identifiable with documentation.

A 24 inch (barreled) arsenal produced Krag, with a carbine stock and 1903 front-sight is very dubious.
FWIW - (I have never heard or read of such an 'official' model).

Such a Krag could be easily fabricated (and many were), by civilian owners and dealers, for Hunting.

The posted paragraph is a very questionable source without further details and supporting evidence.

BTW - The 22" DCM carbines are believed to have been produced at and documented to have been shipped from Benicia Arsenal, in California.

That footnote was from the Frank de haas book "bolt action rifles". It was published in 1970. It mainly deals with sporterizing military rifles. I do not know if what he said is true. I just thought it was interesting.

Thanks, 'King Carp'

I checked my copy of "Bolt Action Rifles", page 124. The actual author of that 'foot note' paragraph was the editor, John T. Amber, a pretty knowledgeable gun guy, back in the day - Editor of Gun Digest.

King Carp, what you found is interesting as you stated. The possibility isn't completely ruled out, just no supporting evidence found at this time. The Editor may have believed what he said as true, possibly misled, maybe not. We have much more resources at our fingertips that he could not have imagined at the time of his writing. I have chased down some rabbit holes and posted on this forum, only to find out I went down the wrong hole or there was no rabbit. But I am still spending some time trying to find little morsels of the Krag mystique. Sometimes I believe I do, not that everybody will be as interested in it as I am. I encourage you to keep on posting things you find interesting. Everybody is pretty respectable on this forum, which I can't say I have always found on other forums.

Thanks

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I have a Krag with these RIA markings on the wrist. It is not a carbine stock but has been cut down. Barrel has been shortened to 24" and the upper band moved back a commensurate distance. There is also evidence of an add on pistol grip that has long since been removed. For some reason the script proof on the wrist appears to have been re-struck to just behind where the add on grip was.
There is also a 1903 front sight band that was added to replace the front site. The thing is whoever performed the stock work did it carefully but the barrel was crudely done and not like what would be expected from an arsenal being left uncrowned. A 1905 bayonet will almost make it around the muzzle with the band placed correctly to lock into the grip.
I only assume it was done by someone with just enough skill to do the woodworking nicely but well enough armed with a hacksaw to reduce the overall length to suit their needs.
The stock relief/milling mortise' have been filled with appears to be sawdust and some sort of binder and the action is marked 1894. Shot factory Rem 180's into little groups with a slightly neglected barrel @ 100 yds. with the 100 yd graduation with the sight completely centered.
I'm sure it's just a conglomeration of parts that happens to work very well from long ago but I get a kick out of it because it shoots like a dream.