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Krag Carbine Question (Read 2274 times)
Bill G
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Krag Carbine Question
Jul 28th, 2012 at 12:32am
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Hello - Fairly new to Krag collecting, a little over a year. Lot of fun, but a lot to learn. First question: I have an 1898 saddle ring carbine with original stock, 1898 dated receiver. Oddly, (to me) it has an '05 type front sight which I thought was only common to cut-down rifles. (Maybe someone dropped an 1898 cut-down rifle action into the stock). I'm thinking of replacing the barrel with a stock 1898 or 1899 unit which I know will be hard to find
(replacing the '05 sight seems like it would be a can of worms), but am wary of barrel replacement because of possible indexing problems....obviously if the index marks don't line up, the front sight & sight screw holes will be mis-aligned. Were the Krag barrels installed into the receivers at the arsenal, THEN indexed and then the front sight stud flat milled in? Any help would be greatly appreciated...thanks.
Bill G.
  
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Dick Hosmer
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Re: Krag Carbine Question
Reply #1 - Jul 28th, 2012 at 1:58pm
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What is the serial number?

Is it a Krag barrel with an '05 (technically, you are correct, but 99.9% of the people seem to refer to them as '03) sight band added, or, a set-back and rechambered .30-06 barrel?

I believe the barrel was completely finished, including sight, before installation.

An 1899 carbine barrel should solve your problem.
  
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psteinmayer
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Re: Krag Carbine Question
Reply #2 - Jul 28th, 2012 at 3:06pm
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Bill,

Replacement Carbine barrels are available. 

You can order a Criterion barrel from the CMP.  It will come "In The White" which means that it is un-blued, and does not have the front sight post installed.  It will be properly machined for the extractor cut and for the front sight post.

You might also try Numrich.  They definitely have 30" rifle barrels, and I have heard they do have carbine barrels, but I can't say for sure.  If they do, it will come blued and machined, and with the front sight post installed.  I have heard of some people being unhappy with barrels from Numrich.  I have ordered other parts from there, and had no problems... so I guess it's a crap shoot.

IMHO, I would go with a Criterion barrel.  You would have to finish it and have a proper sight post installed, but they are very good barrels.  I recently replaced my Garand barrel with one from Criterion and it's great!

Best of luck... and let us know how it turns out!
Paul
  
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Ned Butts
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Re: Krag Carbine Question
Reply #3 - Jul 29th, 2012 at 2:03am
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Bill G wrote on Jul 28th, 2012 at 12:32am:
(Maybe someone dropped an 1898 cut-down rifle action into the stock).   


To me this is what opens a can of worms. Depending on the serial number you could be "faking" (I believe unintentionally) a very rare and valuable collectors piece, that somewhere down the line could sell for may times its actual value!! Unless it is a verified carbine leave it as is and shoot it for fun
  
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