I am having a terrible time reducing the pics - be patient! Only 2 of the 3 are usable. Close-up of the s/n was unreadable.

I would most definitely restore that, even though it will take awhile and cost a few bucks. Treat it as a long-term "fun" project. If you rush and pay retail for everything you may approach its' actual value - but not everyone gets to start at the $50 point! Here is what it should look like

Thanks for telling me about the new 16" limit - brought about by the black rifle boys?

Chuck or Dick, Can you put a ballbark figure on 34644's worth if it was restored to original condition, shiny barrel, no pitting? Thank You Mark

I'd concur on the value, might even be higher. The stock and the rear sight will be the big problems. Chuck's idea of using (even if temporarily) a rifle sight is a good one - 95% of the people couldn't tell the difference from 5' away. And, of course you could resell it when no longer neaded. Everything else is common and resonable.

A question, is the stock drilled for three rod sections in a trinagle, or just two, one above the other? If the latter - which are EXTREMELY rare - you might want to consider having a wood expert restore the front of your stock.

In selecting metal parts, be choosy and get the best color/patina match that you can. It's nice that the bore is good but that is not a huge factor in the value.

Eventually, a butt-trap was adopted for U.S. Krag rifles and carbines. This provided a place to store Cleaning-Rod sections. Later, many stocks had the cavity altered to also store an oil container.

On later Krags, the top large hole, bored into the Stock-Butt, had 3 smaller holes (drilled into the bottom) that accepted 3 rod sections.

The early carbine stocks had just 2 holes, to accept 2 cleaning-rod sections.

(Mark - You have to shine a light down the top large butt-trap hole, to see the bottom and how the smaller holes are configured).

Hi Chuck, Thank You for the info; the stock is the more common 3 hole version. Appreciate your advise not to fire and will not do so. The stock butt plate was different then the pic you posted, it is checkered and when opening found a small piece of paper which hopefully you will be able to make some sense of....180 gr s.f. 0-100 yds inches 50 & 3/4, 100 0, 200 -5.5,300 -22.5,400 -5.5, 500 -18.8 Looks like someone has been firing this rifle at some time? Here in ny, close to city there are no good local gunsmiths; we live under the libs rule here and they have done away with them; fortunately we have a cabin in vt and the gunsmith there is very knowledgeable; thing is he is 65 and not that motivated to work anymore. He is good natured and takes on all work but finds himself only able to complete about 50% of it and that can take up to a yr. As you say don't do any harm above all, so would ask you this as you seem to have experience with snapped sight screws; would you be willing to take on the job if it is not doable from this point? Would it be legal to send you the action in the mail? How much would it cost? Mark

Mark sent me a picture of his carbine's butt-plate, which I have edited a bit.

The butt-plate is a 'checkered' one from a 1903 Springfield rifle. Note, the butt-trap 'door' is a larger diameter than the 'door' on a Krag butt-plate.

The butt-end of Mark's stock must have been shortened about 3/4 of an inch. A 1903 butt-plate is about 1/4" shorter, (heel to toe), than a Krag butt-plate.