Page Index Toggle Pages: 1 Send TopicPrint
My first Krag! (Read 2478 times)
David 1895 Krag
KCA Forum Member
*
Offline


Krag Enthusiast!

Posts: 2
Joined: Sep 14th, 2011
My first Krag!
Sep 17th, 2011 at 12:10am
Print Post  
Can you guys help me identify this Krag, and tell me a value for it?  It was my wife's great great grandfather's in the Spanish American War.  I have a picture of him with it, but it's got a full wood stock down to the tip. Maybe it was converted to a carbine or something? I have no idea.  The serial number is 25xxx.  Thanks!
David
(You need to Login to view media files and links)
(You need to Login to view media files and links)
(You need to Login to view media files and links)
(You need to Login to view media files and links)
(You need to Login to view media files and links)
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
psteinmayer
KCA Forum Member
*
Offline


Krag Enthusiast!

Posts: 2391
Location: Ypsilanti, Michgan
Joined: Aug 30th, 2011
Gender: Male
Re: My first Krag!
Reply #1 - Sep 17th, 2011 at 12:16am
Print Post  
That is a beautiful Carbine!  Looks to be in great condition too.  You should check to make certain it's not loaded... considering that it's cocked.
  
Back to top
IP Logged
 
Dick Hosmer
KCA Official Member
***
Offline


Collector of Springfield
Arms, 1865-1915

Posts: 1862
Location: Northern California
Joined: Nov 20th, 2005
Gender: Male
Re: My first Krag!
Reply #2 - Sep 17th, 2011 at 4:17pm
Print Post  
Sorry to rain on the parade a bit, as it's a very nice-looking piece, however, I strongly suggest that - family tradition aside - your wife's ancestor was NOT holding THAT Krag in the picture. A Krag to be sure, but not that one.

Anything with full wood would have also had a 30" barrel. That barrel does not appear to have been cut, even though the front sight blade has been changed. Other issues: the bolt has been replaced - note placement of gas-escape hole. The rear sight and hand-guard have also been replaced, but not by SA. That sight (a Model 1902, but I cannot tell if R or C) was NEVER used on that model of carbine (which is an early Model 1896). The stock is genuine and correct (cannot be faked), but the hand-guard is not an armory product in its' present form.

If you would post the entire serial number, it could be looked up in the SRS database. We may have something, we may not, but cannot do anything with "x"s. Since you have had it for so long, it cannot possibly be stolen, so, there is no reason to be coy. That is a carbine serial number, however, which absolutely precludes it from being the one in the photo. Am not saying that the gun has not been in the family forever, or did not belong to the gentleman in question, just that it cannot be the same one as in the picture.

The minor warts are fixable, for an expenditure of $500 to $700. The correct M1896C rear sight is extremely hard to find, and - for that reason - has been faked to an unfortunately large degree. Caution will be required.
« Last Edit: Sep 17th, 2011 at 9:03pm by Dick Hosmer »  
Back to top
WWW  
IP Logged
 
David 1895 Krag
KCA Forum Member
*
Offline


Krag Enthusiast!

Posts: 2
Joined: Sep 14th, 2011
Re: My first Krag!
Reply #3 - Sep 19th, 2011 at 12:38am
Print Post  
About how much do you think it might be worth?

The picture I have is one of those "posed" pictures, not a candid shot.  I wonder if the gun in the picture was one that everyone posed with, and wasn't necessarily his at all.  The one I have may have been his actual weapon. 

So am I correct that it's a model 1896 carbine, but with an 1895 dated receiver?  I don't know much about Krags so I just want to know exactly what to tell people when they ask what model gun it is. 

Thanks again for all the info.
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Dick Hosmer
KCA Official Member
***
Offline


Collector of Springfield
Arms, 1865-1915

Posts: 1862
Location: Northern California
Joined: Nov 20th, 2005
Gender: Male
Re: My first Krag!
Reply #4 - Sep 19th, 2011 at 6:05am
Print Post  
The serial number could affect the value in this case, so I'd like to be dealing with a full deck. FWIW, I have no interest in buying the gun, if it were for sale (which I'd advise against, strongly) so, I'm not going to "low-ball" you.

If you have a cabinet (studio) photo, then the arm very likely is a prop. Do you know which unit he served in? Cavalry had carbines such as yours, the infantry had the full-length rifles with long wood and 30" barrels.

What you have described is a not uncommon scenario. Guys would sometimes purchase an arm similar to that which they carried. And, in some cases, during that era, soldiers were even allowed to purchase their weapon(s) at time of discharge.

So, it COULD have been his arm, BUT he would have had to have been in a cavalry unit, AND, he "played" with it, post-service, since that is not an official configuration.
  
Back to top
WWW  
IP Logged
 
Page Index Toggle Pages: 1
Send TopicPrint
Bookmarks: del.icio.us Digg Facebook Google Google+ Linked in reddit StumbleUpon Twitter Yahoo