Please clarify "the front sight falls off" is it the blade or the entire sight base? The front sight mounting looks a little odd to me.

Sorry still trying to size my pictures to fit

Interesting sight.  I used to be able to find things given just the date, but I've forgot how and I've now messed with it enough it's getting frustrating.  On to some other little bother.

Hi again I recently added some more photos of the crown. I am concerned that the comment,
"It is questionable if your barrel is correct. The crown looks wrong and sight appears reattached, likely to a shortened rifle barrel."
Will forever put this lovely rifle into the category of being "cut Down" Please take a look at the new pictures in the previous post and provide a second opinion as the barrel looks correct to me. Obviously the front sight has had work done over the years and the rear Sight is incorrect but that should not keep it from being an original carbine. Thanks in advance.

'voydryder' - The barrel crown does look to be the correct contour in your more recent posted photographs.

A Krag carbine barrel should be exactly 22 inches long, when measured from the muzzle to the closed bolt face with a cleaning rod.

The dovetail for the front-sight base on your barrel appears as Springfield Armory did them.

With photo distortion and the front sight loose, it is hard to judge if your sight is the correct distance back from the muzzle.

Springfield neatly bronze-brazed the Krag front-sight bases into the barrel dovetail. These were very strong and with almost invisible seams. It is rare to see one removed from a barrel. (Often this is an indication of a shortened barrel with sight poorly reattached).

I have no intent to offend you or disparage your Krag. Your barrel is likely
a carbine barrel.

However, your front sight has multiple problems: original brazing gone, sight base is detached, base has been shortened, original blade is replaced with commercial one.

Your carbine stock has been re-shaped. The correct rear-sight, sling-bar & ring, hand-guard and correct barrel-band are missing.

You appear to have a model 1896 carbine that regretably was messed with.

You asked for an honest assessment of your Krag. I tried to give you one.

Thank You for your reassessment. At least I know that it is an original carbine. I don't have access to the Krag books to see if there is any history to find in the serial numbers.
As I mention earlier the wood inside the stock is blackened from excessive heat. I wonder if the original hand guard, being thin was burned beyond it's usefulness?
I din't have much luck getting a good picture of the bore, an hints on how to go about getting a good shot inside?

The 'patented' peep sight on the bolt/extractor and reshaped Stock suggest this carbine was used by a 'Hunter'.

Likely the hand-guard, model 1896 rear sight and barrel-band, and sling-bar & ring were removed to increase handiness. The current barrel-band is a model 1899 carbine   band, put on backwards. (The "U" must be hidden on the left side).

Maybe the barrel muzzle area was heated up to knock off the original sight and some hobbiest never finished the project by installing a replacement ramp sight? That might explain 'blackened' wood.