A few months back, I traded some extra 1903 Springfield parts for a stripped model 1898 receiver. I was intending to use it for a "paper-weight".

I got to thinking about putting some spare parts on it and realized It was a nice looking receiver and I had just about enough parts to build a "Junk Yard" Krag.

A "sportered" barrel arrived yesterday, that I bought for a reasonable price on ebay.

The barrel is interesting in its own right.

I thought I was getting a cut-down model 1896 rifle barrel. In reality, it appears to be a 22 inch model 1896 carbine barrel with a very decent bore. (The chamber and bore look far better than my photo shows).

The original front sight base was cut and filed down. A Marble's front sight was put (backwards) into a hand-cut dovetail.

There is a threaded-post dovetailed into the bottom of the barrel (to be removed) and an extra rear-sight mounting hole. These 'blemishes' will be concealed by the stock and an original sight.

If I radius the sharp corner on the barrel shank, I believe the 1896 barrel will fit on my model 1898 action. The barrel will now screw by hand into my 1898 receiver, stopping about 3/8 of a rotation from the index mark.

BTW - Can any KCA member loan (or sell) a Krag-action wrench?

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I have a Krag "Nut" I could loan you (or arrange a sell if you like it enough).  You'd have to work the "wrench" part out yourself, haha.

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BR,
Your situation sounds like an article I read about a fellow souping up his 1911. After while he had a box of parts that when he put them together they looked remarkably like his original.
When I finally get a desk top receiver to look at, I will not have that problem, no spare parts!
I saw your request for a wrench and was going to offer mine but Rcat's will work just as well. Mine would also need a big wrench to drive it, so that part is the same.

FredC - I have a big Crescent-Wrench that opens to almost 1 & 3/4 inches. Is that adequate to match-up and serve as a handle for your 'machined nut' wrench?

Hello BR, mine measured 1.719 without the receiver. I would say 1 3/4 will be OK especially if it opens a smidgen wider. I used the "auto" wrench shown in the Howto thread. It opens to 6 inches or something crazy like that.
The last fellow that used it cracked something on the receiver and had to do a welding/brazing job to repair. If you remove the magazine door you will have no issues. He had the drive pin against the magazine door when tightening, I think. His was very tight and mine only moderately so.
I have the bolt gauge ready to assemble, I have been fretting on how to package it so it is not damaged in shipping. Could send it at the same time and get that show on the road also.

Having a 'loose' Krag barrel, empty cartridge case, and receiver gives an interesting opportunity to view how parts interact.

FredC and Rcat7147 - I will send you a PM regarding the 'nut-wrench'. If the dimension across the flats is under 1.715 inches, my 15" Crescent-Wrench should work.

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butlersrangers wrote on Jul 17^th, 2019 at 9:45pm:

Having a 'loose' Krag barrel, empty cartridge case, and receiver gives an interesting opportunity to view how parts interact.

I have wanted broken paper weights for some time to look at when questions come up. If you run across another pair of them deal me in.

The inside of this barrel looks better each time I run a brush and some patches through it.

I took the Marble's front-sight and dovetailed 'stud' off the barrel. The dovetails were actually nicely machined on the barrel. I have a couple of 'banded' front-sights that can be polished on the inside to fit.

I assembled parts to give a rough ideal of how this project will look.
(Note - The barrel is one turn from being properly indexed in the receiver).

BTW - The trigger-guard has been 'styled'.

I need to round up a normal trigger-guard, follower/carrier-arm, and butt-swivel, to have all the parts.

Fun like Lincoln Log .... er ... Legos!!

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