Page Index Toggle Pages: 1 2 [3] 4  Send TopicPrint
 25 1898 cut down rifle? (Read 12714 times)
Galvinator77
KCA Forum Member
*
Offline


Krag Enthusiast!

Posts: 31
Location: Stafford, VA
Joined: Feb 19th, 2016
Gender: Male
Re: 1898 cut down rifle?
Reply #30 - Aug 23rd, 2018 at 12:46am
Print Post  
Guys, thanks for the info! Once I get a front sight back on the barrel (22") I will have a good starting point.

Again, thanks!

Mark ("The Galvinator")
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
butlersrangers
KCA Forum Member
*
Offline


Krag Enthusiast!

Posts: 6330
Location: Michigan Bi-Peninsular&Proud
Joined: Oct 7th, 2009
Re: 1898 cut down rifle?
Reply #31 - Aug 23rd, 2018 at 1:56am
Print Post  
'Mark' - An added thought:

If you make your front-blade height measurements in front of the 1903 base, (from the top of the turned or 'stepped' barrel section to the top of the blade, and stay in the range of .665" to .675"), it will probably correspond closely to the alignment of original sights on the 30 inch rifle barrel.
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Galvinator77
KCA Forum Member
*
Offline


Krag Enthusiast!

Posts: 31
Location: Stafford, VA
Joined: Feb 19th, 2016
Gender: Male
Re: 1898 cut down rifle?
Reply #32 - Aug 23rd, 2018 at 5:16pm
Print Post  
Will try that and let everyone know how it turns out.  Setting this up for CMP Vintage rifle matches (its a Cav carbine clone now) so wanted the sight markings as close to reality as possible.  Have to look at my Carbine rear sight and this rifle rear sight for the differences.

Mark
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
butlersrangers
KCA Forum Member
*
Offline


Krag Enthusiast!

Posts: 6330
Location: Michigan Bi-Peninsular&Proud
Joined: Oct 7th, 2009
Re: 1898 cut down rifle?
Reply #33 - Aug 23rd, 2018 at 7:23pm
Print Post  
Krag carbine rear-sights sit closer to the barrel than their rifle version.

This requires that the carbine front blade also be shorter.

Which Krag rear-sight does your friend have now?

A carbine rear-sight will cost 5 to 10 times what the rifle version does. To find one 'loose' is getting difficult!

Also usefull to know:

Likely due to  barrel & action harmonics, 30 inch Krag rifles were reported to to show 'bullet drift' to the left out to about 900 yards, then it came back to zero and moved to the right.

(I imagine it was rifle barrel/action vibration that caused the bullet to depart the bore and be directed to the left and eventually 'bullet drift' brought the bullet back to neutral and ultimately to the right). "Horizontal Banana"!!!

Carbines showed less 'bullet drift' and it was always to the right.

Hey, tell me more about the Krag carbine - 'Clown Match'.
« Last Edit: Aug 24th, 2018 at 12:23am by butlersrangers »  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Galvinator77
KCA Forum Member
*
Offline


Krag Enthusiast!

Posts: 31
Location: Stafford, VA
Joined: Feb 19th, 2016
Gender: Male
Re: 1898 cut down rifle?
Reply #34 - Aug 28th, 2018 at 12:08pm
Print Post  
His cut down rifle barrel is same length as the issue carbine barrel.  The rear sight is a 1901 rifle sight. The flat milled on the barrel is wider than the one on my original carbine barrel so my earlier thought that its a possible carbine barrel is incorrect.  I will post pictures of the barrel flat.  The M1903 sight band/base that I removed was milled to increase the ID to fit on the barrel. As a result the keyway is very shallow and no woodruff key was used. This probably contributed to the rear of the sight base cracking from recoil.  For the ease of front sight blade replacement/sizing I am thinking that a M1903A3 front sight base is a better choice for his rifle as it will never be mistaken for a legit carbine anyway.My plan is to reduce the OD of the barrel end to fit a stock M1903A3 front sight base  w/ the OEM woodruff key and retaining pin. 

Where are you from in MI??  I graduated from WMU many moons ago. Almost all of my relatives still live in the State.

Mark
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Galvinator77
KCA Forum Member
*
Offline


Krag Enthusiast!

Posts: 31
Location: Stafford, VA
Joined: Feb 19th, 2016
Gender: Male
Re: 1898 cut down rifle?
Reply #35 - Nov 2nd, 2018 at 10:56am
Print Post  
Getting access to an industrial lathe to turn the muzzle end of the barrel down. It has a pass through that will allow me to bring the barrel through the center of the lathe.  Hoping that the lathe dimensions will let me leave the receiver on the barrel for the milling. However if it doesn't I will need to remove the barrel. Can one of you point me to a forum thread or anther source for removing and replacing Krag barrels and head spacing considerations?

Thanks,
Mark
« Last Edit: Nov 6th, 2018 at 12:31pm by Galvinator77 »  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
butlersrangers
KCA Forum Member
*
Offline


Krag Enthusiast!

Posts: 6330
Location: Michigan Bi-Peninsular&Proud
Joined: Oct 7th, 2009
Re: 1898 cut down rifle?
Reply #36 - Nov 2nd, 2018 at 2:39pm
Print Post  
Mark - Since, you are going to the effort of 'stepping' the muzzle area of this Krag barrel, I would recommend you install a 1903 Springfield front-sight base. That arrangement will simply look nicer than a '03A3 sight.

Buried somewhere on the KCA threads is material on making a barrel vise and an action wrench. IMHO - For your project, this would be overkill.

If I had access to a lathe, I would 'Chuck' the barrel (protected with some tape wraps) and support the barrel with the 'tail-stock' fixture at the bore's crown. (I'm sure some protective brass or plastic bushing could be improvised).

(The action could be left on the barrel, projecting out of the lathe).

I would turn things at a slow speed and use a File to form a step at the muzzle area, measuring my progress frequently.

p.s. I was born in Detroit and grew up and live in Oakland Co.

Go Broncos!
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
FredC
KCA Official Member
***
Offline


Krag Enthusiast!

Posts: 759
Location: Dewees, Texas
Joined: May 31st, 2013
Gender: Male
Re: 1898 cut down rifle?
Reply #37 - Nov 2nd, 2018 at 2:49pm
Print Post  
Here is one recent thread:
(You need to Login to view media files and links)
In this thread I did refer to a thread I started with some photos. If I remember correctly there is at least one more thread were another member posted photos of the tools he made and used successfully.

Butlersrangers mentioned in the above thread that all the barrel work is believed to have been done before final assembly. Tolerances being what they are some of Krag barrels will be very tight and other so much in order to line the sight up.
With the right lathe and a cat's head at either end of the spindle your work could be done without removing the barrel from the receiver.
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Galvinator77
KCA Forum Member
*
Offline


Krag Enthusiast!

Posts: 31
Location: Stafford, VA
Joined: Feb 19th, 2016
Gender: Male
Re: 1898 cut down rifle?
Reply #38 - Nov 6th, 2018 at 12:22pm
Print Post  
Once again thanks for to everyone's input. Going to remove the action from the stock and try to complete the milling w/o removing the barrel.  Agree w/ using a M1903 sight base for the correct "vintage' look.  The barrel currently has a flat that i can use as a baseline for the new one.  i will monitor the milling to ensure I don't take the flat off before the diameter reduction is completed. Once I get the base installed we will take the "Carbine" to the range to work on calibrating the front sight using all the info provided earlier.

For Butlersrangers.  Go Bronco's!  Graduated in '77.  Spent a lot of time at Selfridge AFB (pre and post ANG days) as a dependent in my youth.  First 2 years of High school were at Mt Clemens (Battling Bathers!) then Dad was transferred to Otis AFB on Cape Cod.  My parents moved back to Mason after he retired for the second time. Mom still lives there.

Mark

  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Galvinator77
KCA Forum Member
*
Offline


Krag Enthusiast!

Posts: 31
Location: Stafford, VA
Joined: Feb 19th, 2016
Gender: Male
Re: 1898 cut down rifle?
Reply #39 - Dec 1st, 2018 at 3:37pm
Print Post  
Update on the front sight replacement.  The lathe I have access to is too deep for me to pass the barreled action through the body. Will have to remove the barrels to turn down the muzzle end.  I have to remove the barrel.  Now to find an action wrench. Think I can come up w/ a barrel clamp.

Mark
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
FredC
KCA Official Member
***
Offline


Krag Enthusiast!

Posts: 759
Location: Dewees, Texas
Joined: May 31st, 2013
Gender: Male
Re: 1898 cut down rifle?
Reply #40 - Dec 3rd, 2018 at 3:30pm
Print Post  
I attached a photo of the action tool that I used. There was another shop made tool posted in the last couple of years, but I did not find it.
It is the one on the left with the 2 different color screws and a little wider than 3/4 inch. I do not remember which clamp I put in the milling machine vice but I turned the other with the auto wrench in the photo. The  1/8 pin on the clamp was put up against the magazine box to insure the clamp did not slip and mark the action. Was not necessary in this case as the barrel was not real tight. The bushing on the right was used to bush for holding the finished barrel. I bored it out after the first use then needed to bush it to finish. The clamp in the middle was used on the barrel.
« Last Edit: Dec 3rd, 2018 at 4:54pm by FredC »  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Galvinator77
KCA Forum Member
*
Offline


Krag Enthusiast!

Posts: 31
Location: Stafford, VA
Joined: Feb 19th, 2016
Gender: Male
Re: 1898 cut down rifle?
Reply #41 - Dec 4th, 2018 at 3:23pm
Print Post  
Hole size in the action clamp?
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
FredC
KCA Official Member
***
Offline


Krag Enthusiast!

Posts: 759
Location: Dewees, Texas
Joined: May 31st, 2013
Gender: Male
Re: 1898 cut down rifle?
Reply #42 - Dec 4th, 2018 at 4:30pm
Print Post  
I did not write the number down and it is hard to measure on the split clamp. Both of my Krags are assembled and I do not want to break them down to measure.
Thought of it later, do you want to borrow this one and the barrel clamp? Pay the shipping both ways and pad the clamps with paste board while you are using them so they do not get scarred up. We can send it today if you want. Send me a private message with your email address and we can work out the details if you want to do this.
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Galvinator77
KCA Forum Member
*
Offline


Krag Enthusiast!

Posts: 31
Location: Stafford, VA
Joined: Feb 19th, 2016
Gender: Male
Re: 1898 cut down rifle?
Reply #43 - Dec 10th, 2018 at 3:47pm
Print Post  
That will work, will PM address. if the shipping cost is not on the lable let me know how much and I will include the reimbursement in the box when i ship them back.  You can ship FEDEX or UPS to my wife's work address for s reduced shipping cost.  She ships stuff worldwide at her job so they come everyday.

Thanks again, Mark!
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
FredC
KCA Official Member
***
Offline


Krag Enthusiast!

Posts: 759
Location: Dewees, Texas
Joined: May 31st, 2013
Gender: Male
Re: 1898 cut down rifle?
Reply #44 - Dec 10th, 2018 at 11:22pm
Print Post  
Will send tomorrow FedEx to your wife's business place.

You do have a large vice and Crescent wrench?
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Page Index Toggle Pages: 1 2 [3] 4 
Send TopicPrint