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Identification of 1898 Krag Carbine (Read 11604 times)

herzobase KCA Forum Member Offline Krag Enthusiast! Posts: 7 Joined: Jan 24^th, 2010	Identification of 1898 Krag Carbine Jan 24^th, 2010 at 4:48am	Print Post
	I found your group while looking on the Internet for a forum to help me ID my Krag which I think might be an 1898 carbine. I have read a lot of posts on the Internet but thought I would get better assistance with a group like yours, your help is appreciated. I just joined your group tonight- Bob


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tanker KCA Forum Member Offline Krag Enthusiast! Posts: 57 Joined: Sep 10^th, 2009	Re: Identification of 1898 Krag Carbine Reply #1 - Jan 24^th, 2010 at 11:31am	Print Post
	I might suggest that you post some clear pictures here and provide barrel length, serial number, sling arrangement and any other particular that might help identify the weapon. 1898 Carbines are rare and the serial number range is somewhat known.


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Dick Hosmer KCA Official Member Offline Collector of Springfield Arms, 1865-1915 Posts: 1862 Location: Northern California Joined: Nov 20^th, 2005 Gender:	Re: Identification of 1898 Krag Carbine Reply #2 - Jan 24^th, 2010 at 6:37pm	Print Post
	To save you some time, if the serial number is over 140000, don't waste ANY more effort on wondering whether it is "real" or not - it isn't. If it passes THAT test, then, by all means, please check back with specifics. There were only 5000 M1898 Carbines made at Springfield. A real one (131024) with early short stock (unique to that one model) may be viewed at my website. MANY, MANY M1898 Rifles have been shortened over the years, for hunting use, and some are now being represented as the scarce carbines.


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herzobase KCA Forum Member Offline Krag Enthusiast! Posts: 7 Joined: Jan 24^th, 2010	Re: Identification of 1898 Krag Carbine Reply #3 - Jan 24^th, 2010 at 7:17pm	Print Post
	Thanks to replies to my post last night. I knew when I posted my topic last night that the members are probably tired of hearing about 1898 carbines that aren't carbines. After looking at the photo's on your site I see that my rear site is probably a 1896 and not an 1898, and that is disappointing. My serial # is: 133933 and the barrel length is 22 inches. The stock has a cartouche that has 1898 and three initials on it, also has a fancy P in a circle below the trigger guard.


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herzobase KCA Forum Member Offline Krag Enthusiast! Posts: 7 Joined: Jan 24^th, 2010	Re: Identification of 1898 Krag Carbine Reply #4 - Jan 24^th, 2010 at 7:20pm	Print Post
	I forgot to mention, "Tanker" asked about sling arrangement, this rifle doesn't have a sling, but a ring that slides on a bar on the left side. Hope this helps.


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Ned Butts KCA Forum Admin KCA Official Member Offline Krag enthusiast! Posts: 525 Location: western catskills NY Joined: Apr 1^st, 2002 Gender:	Re: Identification of 1898 Krag Carbine Reply #5 - Jan 25^th, 2010 at 2:48am	Print Post
	The good news is that every thing you have posted so far points toward a carbine. A '96 rear sight would be correct and the serial # is in the possible range. The sling bar and ring are correct for a short forend stock. Does your front band have a hump to protect the rear sight and does it butt up to the sight? The bad news is that with out documentation no one will ever be certain. Unfortunately the serial number range is only that, a range, as some rifles are known to be mixed in. If yours falls in a block of carbines the chances are better for you, don't have my list with me so I can't confirm or deny that. Sounds like a nice piece though, do you know any history behind it or it's previous owners?


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herzobase KCA Forum Member Offline Krag Enthusiast! Posts: 7 Joined: Jan 24^th, 2010	Re: Identification of 1898 Krag Carbine Reply #6 - Jan 25^th, 2010 at 3:44am	Print Post
	Unfortunately I don't know anything about the past history of this item. I purchased it about 20 years ago with the idea that it "might" be a carbine. Looking at this site last night I found that my example had what appears to be a 1896 rear site and at that moment I was discouraged as my thinking was it should have the same year rear site. I still have little knowledge of this firearm, the help of the forum members is greatly appreciated.


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herzobase KCA Forum Member Offline Krag Enthusiast! Posts: 7 Joined: Jan 24^th, 2010	Re: Identification of 1898 Krag Carbine Reply #7 - Jan 25^th, 2010 at 3:55am	Print Post
	"Ned" asked about the front band on my example, the front band has a double hump that butts up against the rear site, this band is held in place by a "spring bar" for lack of the correct term.


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Dick Hosmer KCA Official Member Offline Collector of Springfield Arms, 1865-1915 Posts: 1862 Location: Northern California Joined: Nov 20^th, 2005 Gender:	Re: Identification of 1898 Krag Carbine Reply #8 - Jan 25^th, 2010 at 4:10am	Print Post
	Well, well, well - you, out of all the 2xxxxx and 3xxxxx wannabes, might actually have one! It DOES happen - just doesn't happen often! 133725, 133735, 133791, and 133919 are listed as genuine M1898 Carbines. Yours is close enough that it certainly cannot simply be dismissed out-of-hand, and the stock, which goes with no aother arm is one of the hard parts to find. It should look EXACTLY like mine. The Model 1896C rear sight IS correct. Krag sights often show very little rhyme or reason as to what year model is on what arm.


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herzobase KCA Forum Member Offline Krag Enthusiast! Posts: 7 Joined: Jan 24^th, 2010	Re: Identification of 1898 Krag Carbine Reply #9 - Jan 25^th, 2010 at 4:18am	Print Post
	Thanks Dick for the comments. If there are other things that I should disclose I am happy to do so. I noticed that there is a cleaning rod inside the butt plate, but I haven't pulled it out to see what all is in there, I will do it now and check it out.


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herzobase KCA Forum Member Offline Krag Enthusiast! Posts: 7 Joined: Jan 24^th, 2010	Re: Identification of 1898 Krag Carbine Reply #10 - Jan 25^th, 2010 at 4:41am	Print Post
	I just looked into the cavity of the the butt plate and there is a three section cleaning rod and a metal oiler container that has a knurled head. I don't see a handle for the cleaning rod, one of the cleaning rods has a slit for a patch. I thought there was writing on the rods, but a magnifying glass only shows case hardening colors.


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Dick Hosmer KCA Official Member Offline Collector of Springfield Arms, 1865-1915 Posts: 1862 Location: Northern California Joined: Nov 20^th, 2005 Gender:	Re: Identification of 1898 Krag Carbine Reply #11 - Feb 16^th, 2010 at 4:33pm	Print Post
	Sorry for not responding to personal massage - for some reason I am just not in the habit of checking that area. Don't know what to say at this point. Your carbine appears - based on what has been presented so far - to be correct. As such, it has serious value, $2500-$3000, or so. As to the numbers, what I gave you is pretty much what we have. There is NO itemized "master list" that can be checked. A few groups of records in isolated places have survived, and been collated, yielding about 5% of production. No paid researcher that I know of will go looking for an individual number, given those odds. If I were you, I'd be VERY happy. IMHO, the burden of proof is on the detractors, in this case.


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