Today was great weather for a Range session. I decided to shoot & compare two model 1898 Krag rifles at 100 yards, to see if one was inherently more accurate than the other.

One rifle was from the 333K serial number range. The other rifle was from the 460K range. Both rifles had nice bores that were shiny and sharp, but, both had some erosion just forward of the rifling lead. The lower serial number had a visibly better bore.

Targets were 6 inch white paper Desert-plates, stapled to a brown cardboard backer. Plates were approximately the size of the 'eight ring' at 100 yards.

After 'sighting-in', ten mixed rounds were fired with each rifle

Ammunition was Winchester factory with 180 grain RN projectile, older Remington 180 grain factory RN, and reloads using 180 grain Sierra RN and 42 grains of W-W 760 ball powder. All three loads seemed to shoot to the same point of impact.

Both rifles had the model 1902 rear-sight and once 'sighted in' held windage consistently. I had difficulty keeping a consistent sight picture with the front blade. I tended to raise the blade higher in the Bull as shooting went on.

I was doing well with the '460K' rifle which seemed to have a better trigger, until I printed the last three shoots in a nice group, just above the 'Bull'.

Next outing, I'll shoot a '335K' model 1898 that has a better bore and a model 1901 sight.

IMHO - Today's session didn't show a clear-cut winner. A thicker front blade and crisper trigger would help me tighten groups. 

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