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Is 1898 Carbine a Sporter (Read 1696 times)
Bob W.
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Is 1898 Carbine a Sporter
Apr 30th, 2019 at 6:47pm
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I bought an 1898 Krag with 20" barrel and no sights or indication it ever had sights although the forearm is cut open for a rear sight. The muzzle is well crowned with no indication of being cut back. But there are no markings on the barrel. The stock is very nice and has a faint cartouche. The blue and action are lovely.
My questions are:
1) should the barrel be marked? If so, where?
2) Any idea why it would not have any sights?
3) Does it still have value as a martial piece even though it is not complete?
Thanks!
  
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butlersrangers
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Re: Is 1898 Carbine a Sporter
Reply #1 - Apr 30th, 2019 at 7:52pm
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'Bob W.' - It would appear your Krag, #273935, is a cut-down U. S. model 1898 Krag rifle with a model 1899 carbine hand-guard.

Your wood appears to be a cut-down rifle stock fashioned to look like a carbine stock.
I don't see a (carbine stock) barrel-band retaining spring on the forearm tip. The Butt sling-swivel also suggests this was once a rifle stock.
It is likely a close examination of your forearm 'tip' will reveal a wood plug, concealing the stock's lightening channel.

At 20 inches, your barrel has definitely been shortened. Your metal looks refinished with a modern bluing process. Possibly the rear-sight mounting holes have been 'filled' with cut-off screws, that were then filed to blend in.

The usual markings on a Krag barrel are a large "P" (proof) on the bottom of the barrel, (located back near the action), and a fine index-line at 9 O'clock, that lines up with an index mark on the front edge of the receiver ring.

If your wood is original, the most valuable part of your Krag is its hand-guard.
  
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