The bolts are basically interchangeable, though there is a difference in the root of the handle. You want an 1896 bolt, which has a very short flat on the bottom, as opposed to an 1898 which has a longer flat. An original 1892 bolt (with solid guide rib) would work as well - root is like the 1896. I can see the extractor pin notch on the receiver, so your rifle has been through the 1896 modification process, saving you the expense of a very early bolt. Source for parts: Gunbroker, or Ebay.

Bill:  It looks like the ejector is missing and possibly the magazine follower.  (a basic schematic to help).

"M" is the ejector.  It hinges in the floor of the bolt opening of the receiver, where it lies flat.
  A lobe on the tail of the ejector is acted upon by the Bolt as it is drawn back.  At the end of bolt travel, the ejector rises.
  The tip of the ejector makes contact with the fired cartridge case, which is held against the Bolt face by the extractor.  The fired case flips out of the action when its base contacts the ejector.

Part "S" is a flat spring that powers the follower arm and puts spring pressure on the Magazine gate.

(Here's a more complete schematic from the KCA Photos page).

Bill:  You did a very nice job of cleaning up your 'VFW Krag' recently, so you have some experience.  You might temporarily borrow the bolt and ejector from your VFW gun and put them in your Model-1896 (1892 updated) Krag and take it out for a Range Session.  You may find it to be a very fine shooter.

If your new, 1894 marked, Krag were mine, I would strip off the shiny stock re-finish using little squares of green 'Scotchbrite' pad saturated with Formby's 'Stripper/refinisher'.  Use light pressure and discard the 2"X2" squares as they load up with gunk.

  Once you are down to original wood, evaluate the 'wood repair' and wood color.  You may want to improve the repair.  You may want to darken the stripped wood with stain.  When you are ready, apply multiple coats of heated 50/50 mix of Linseed oil & turpentine.  You can finish with carnauba based 'Trewax', Howard's 'Feed & Wax', or Pledge.

You got your 'VFW gun' looking quite nice, so that gives you a target to aim for with 'stock appearance'.  The missing parts you can acquire at gun shows, ebay, Gunbroker, or from parts sellers listed in KCA 'Classifieds'.  Take your time, don't pay too much, and correctness is optional and up to you, since later parts will work (and were so designed to function in earlier Krag models).

Bill - FWIW:  I have prejudices.  I don't like glossy finishes on gun stocks.  I don't like light walnut stocks on U.S. Military Arms.  (Except for the Italian walnut stocks that were used on some 1899-1901 vintage Krags).  To me a Black walnut stock, that is light in color, screams 're-finished'!
  I believe, with the exception of the first 300 Krags, the ejector remained unchanged.  Typically, unless the bolt is worked vigorously, the Krag ejector is pretty lackadaisical.
  There seem to be three styles of ejector pins.  Your's probably has a simple notch, or possibly is the later style, with a groove all the way around it.

BTW - Ejectors are not too rare and seem to sell for $15 to $25, with pin.  A nice complete bolt can be got for under $100.  Always give careful scrutiny to the locking lug.  (Look for cracks).

Have fun with your 'new' Krag.

Hi Bill,

If the stock is not dark to your liking after you get rid of the shiny stuff, I would recommend Fiebings dark brown Leather dye. (can be sourced at Tandy Leather craft) Get the alcohol based dye, not the water base.  This dye goes on and wipes off easily and I think provides excellent results. It is virtually a dead ringer for the color of old Springfield stocks that were dyed with logwood stain and has the reddish tint that all old riles made by Springfield exhibit.  I just stained a 1889 Danish Krag stock (made in 1910) with this dye that had been stripped, sanded and refinished with probably tru oil by a prior owner.  Now it looks like a 104 year old rifle stock should look, not like a leg on a coffee table. Before and after pics. I have not put any BLO on the stock yet.

I just received the extractor and a hand guard band with a sling swivel. Also won a bolt on auction. A few problems so far. One. I have no ideas how to remove the pin for the extractor (my rifle has the pin installed with no extractor).  Also, the screw for the hand guard band does not fit through the sling swivel I just bought. And, the new hand guard band doesn't quite match the metal on the rifle (this new band is brownish and my rile is mainly just worn bluing). I guess the sling swivel saren't interchangeable.