A Split Stock from barrel whip!

The Krag trigger-guard screws are very close together. If barrel is not held in channel by band or anchor-screw, the barrel rises putting lots of torque on the wood, causing splits in front and behind the magazine box.

How close is your band to fitting? The Krag rifle barrel-band can be 'spread' a bit by twisting a screw-driver blade in the gap. (I do this to get the band over the retaining pin that goes through the stock, in front of the 'clamped' band).

IHHO  - If spreading the band won't work, you are best off to reshape and fit a barrel-band to the forearm now and re-finish the area, where wood was reduced.

(If the spread band will slip onto the stock, you can file a narrow channel, around the stock, for it to clamp into and be retained. The channel will be hidden by the band).

That step in the stock begs for a barrel-band. With a File, the shaping won't take long.

Protect the finished stock area, behind the 'Step', with some wraps of masking-tape.