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Krag w/ Barrel Dovetail (Read 7652 times)

gunboat57 KCA Forum Member Offline Krag Enthusiast! Posts: 220 Location: NW Pa Joined: Feb 9^th, 2013 Gender:	Krag w/ Barrel Dovetail Apr 2^nd, 2013 at 12:32am	Print Post
	I just bought another Krag sporter.� This is a disturbing trend for me. Anyway, when it was sporterized a dovetail for a rear sight was cut right where the rear-most rear sight screw hole is located.� It seems to have been done with some precision using a dovetail-cutting end mill.� What's unusual is the size.� I measure about .540" front to rear rather than the standard 3/8" you usually find.� Was this a standard size at one time?� Any ideas about what aftermarket rear sights will fit? Here's a pic of the dovetail: (You need to *Login* to view media files and links)
	« Last Edit: Apr 2^nd, 2013 at 2:56pm by gunboat57 »
	Tom P.
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gunboat57 KCA Forum Member Offline Krag Enthusiast! Posts: 220 Location: NW Pa Joined: Feb 9^th, 2013 Gender:	Re: Krag w/ Barrel Dovetail Reply #1 - Apr 2^nd, 2013 at 3:00pm	Print Post
	While I'm at it, in the picture of the dovetail, see the collar where the barrel joins the receiver?� At first I thought maybe the barrel had been replaced but that collar is a separate piece. A couple other views: (You need to *Login* to view media files and links) (You need to *Login* to view media files and links) I think the collar is just pressed in place.� Anyone ever seen anything like it?� Maybe just for aesthetics?

	Tom P.
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butlersrangers KCA Forum Member Offline Krag Enthusiast! Posts: 6330 Location: Michigan Bi-Peninsular&Proud Joined: Oct 7^th, 2009	Re: Krag w/ Barrel Dovetail Reply #2 - Apr 2^nd, 2013 at 10:48pm	Print Post
	gunboat57: Probably the Heyday of sporterizing Krags coincided with the age of streamlining. I've seen a number of Krag Sporters that have a tapered collar to hide the square shoulder created by the diameter difference between the Krag barrel and action. Your collar has pleasant lines compared to the tapered 'blob' on my sporter.


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gunboat57 KCA Forum Member Offline Krag Enthusiast! Posts: 220 Location: NW Pa Joined: Feb 9^th, 2013 Gender:	Re: Krag w/ Barrel Dovetail Reply #3 - Apr 2^nd, 2013 at 11:12pm	Print Post
	Wow!� Now that's a taper!

	Tom P.
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knute KCA Forum Member Offline Krag Enthusiast! Posts: 51 Location: Freeport, IL Joined: Jul 2^nd, 2010 Gender:	Re: Krag w/ Barrel Dovetail Reply #4 - Apr 3^rd, 2013 at 3:17am	Print Post
	Are there any more markings on the barrel? I have a similar dovetail with back rear sight hole drilled/tapped into it. But my barrel is actually for a 1903 Springfield and has RIA (Rock Island Arsenal) on it.The dovetail was for the 1903 rear sight, but the gun's original 1896 sight was re-used at the time of the barrel replacement and mostly covers the dovetail.


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gunboat57 KCA Forum Member Offline Krag Enthusiast! Posts: 220 Location: NW Pa Joined: Feb 9^th, 2013 Gender:	Re: Krag w/ Barrel Dovetail Reply #5 - Apr 3^rd, 2013 at 5:58pm	Print Post
	Knute, I've found no markings that would indicate my barrel isn't just an original Krag barrel that's been shortened to 26", nicely re-crowned, and a Redfield band type front sight installed. What 1903 sight do you mean?� I thought the 1903 Springfield rear sight was on a sleeve and didn't use a dovetail. By the way, when I bought this rifle its 1896 rear sight was installed backwards to cover (hide maybe?) the big dovetail.

	Tom P.
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knute KCA Forum Member Offline Krag Enthusiast! Posts: 51 Location: Freeport, IL Joined: Jul 2^nd, 2010 Gender:	Re: Krag w/ Barrel Dovetail Reply #6 - Apr 3^rd, 2013 at 11:50pm	Print Post
	Well, I feel silly now. I know that my barrel was originally made for a 1903 Springfield. But it does have a dovetail, but the 1903's may not originally had one. Also, I think the 1903's were generally 24" long like my barrel is, but yours is longer. My barrel is also stamped 01-09 (January 1909)


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gunboat57 KCA Forum Member Offline Krag Enthusiast! Posts: 220 Location: NW Pa Joined: Feb 9^th, 2013 Gender:	Re: Krag w/ Barrel Dovetail Reply #7 - Apr 4^th, 2013 at 11:31pm	Print Post
	I like seeing pictures of people's Krags so I figured I'd better show what I'm working on: (You need to *Login* to view media files and links) Apparently, it was originally sporterized by someone who had a machine shop and knew what they were doing.� Then more recently it was put in a low-end Fajen stock.� I've put a few hours into correcting some bedding problems and refinishing the stock.� Right now it still has the 1896 rear sight which I will probably replace with a Williams of some kind.� A barrel clamp type forward sling swivel is on order, too.

	Tom P.
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butlersrangers KCA Forum Member Offline Krag Enthusiast! Posts: 6330 Location: Michigan Bi-Peninsular&Proud Joined: Oct 7^th, 2009	Re: Krag w/ Barrel Dovetail Reply #8 - Apr 5^th, 2013 at 12:21am	Print Post
	What's wrong with the 1896 sight? William's does not make anything that looks right on a Krag. Another good option would be a Redfield or Pacific 'no-drill' peep. They show up on ebay, gunbroker, and at gun shows.


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butlersrangers KCA Forum Member Offline Krag Enthusiast! Posts: 6330 Location: Michigan Bi-Peninsular&Proud Joined: Oct 7^th, 2009	Re: Krag w/ Barrel Dovetail Reply #9 - Apr 5^th, 2013 at 12:23am	Print Post
	Redfield


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gunboat57 KCA Forum Member Offline Krag Enthusiast! Posts: 220 Location: NW Pa Joined: Feb 9^th, 2013 Gender:	Re: Krag w/ Barrel Dovetail Reply #10 - Apr 5^th, 2013 at 12:32am	Print Post
	I plan to testfire tomorrow.� I'll see if the 1896 rear sight will work with commercial ammo and my reloads.� If so I'll make a piece to fit that big dovetail and tap a hole in it for the rear sight screw to engage.� There's only 1 thread left in the bottom of the rear hole right now. I would like to put a Pacific or Redfield no-drill on my rifle.� An aperture sight would be much easier for me to use.� But because I couldn't resist buying this second sporter Krag now my budget is shot, at least for the time being.
	« Last Edit: Apr 5^th, 2013 at 2:15am by gunboat57 »
	Tom P.
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butlersrangers KCA Forum Member Offline Krag Enthusiast! Posts: 6330 Location: Michigan Bi-Peninsular&Proud Joined: Oct 7^th, 2009	Re: Krag w/ Barrel Dovetail Reply #11 - Apr 5^th, 2013 at 2:12am	Print Post
	gunboat57: That is a nice looking Sporter by the way. Is there any screw or barrel band holding the barrel in its stock channel? If not, it is likely cracks will appear in the stock in front and behind the magazine door and side-plate. If only the trigger guard screws are holding the barreled action in the stock, the barrel will rise during firing and put a lot of stress on the stock in the magazine area. (A temporary solution would be to wrap some paper around stock and barrel and then wrap some strong tape over the paper). Your idea of fitting a metal blank into the dovetail and drilling and tapping a rear hole for the Krag sight is a good one.


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gunboat57 KCA Forum Member Offline Krag Enthusiast! Posts: 220 Location: NW Pa Joined: Feb 9^th, 2013 Gender:	Re: Krag w/ Barrel Dovetail Reply #12 - Apr 5^th, 2013 at 2:25am	Print Post
	Thanks!� I was worried about the stock cracking too.� So just today I drilled and tapped a blind 10-32 hole in the underside of the barrel just forward of the chamber.� In my picture you can see the ugly socket head cap screw I installed which holds the barrel down in the stock channel.� I'll eventually replace the cap screw with a nice low profile head machine screw to recover some style points.

	Tom P.
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