Today was great weather for a Range session. I decided to shoot & compare two model 1898 Krag rifles at 100 yards, to see if one was inherently more accurate than the other.

One rifle was from the 333K serial number range. The other rifle was from the 460K range. Both rifles had nice bores that were shiny and sharp, but, both had some erosion just forward of the rifling lead. The lower serial number had a visibly better bore.

Targets were 6 inch white paper Desert-plates, stapled to a brown cardboard backer. Plates were approximately the size of the 'eight ring' at 100 yards.

After 'sighting-in', ten mixed rounds were fired with each rifle

Ammunition was Winchester factory with 180 grain RN projectile, older Remington 180 grain factory RN, and reloads using 180 grain Sierra RN and 42 grains of W-W 760 ball powder. All three loads seemed to shoot to the same point of impact.

Both rifles had the model 1902 rear-sight and once 'sighted in' held windage consistently. I had difficulty keeping a consistent sight picture with the front blade. I tended to raise the blade higher in the Bull as shooting went on.

I was doing well with the '460K' rifle which seemed to have a better trigger, until I printed the last three shoots in a nice group, just above the 'Bull'.

Next outing, I'll shoot a '335K' model 1898 that has a better bore and a model 1901 sight.

IMHO - Today's session didn't show a clear-cut winner. A thicker front blade and crisper trigger would help me tighten groups. 

I'm in Maine on vacation and haven't been shooting in quite a while. Thanks for sharing your shooting fun with us. Appreciate the details and nice targets.

I was pleased that three mixed 'brands' of 180 grain Krag ammo were basically staying within six inches at 100 yards.

I'm sure the group will tighten up, when I shoot only my reloads.

One of the rifles would benefit from 'smoothing' the trigger-pull.

It was very difficult for my eyes to maintain a consistent sight-picture with the thin front blade. This exacerbated vertical stringing. I may improvise a wider front-sight blade and experiment with different shooting Glasses.

Some Positives:

1. My reloads with 180 grain RN Sierra projectile and 42 grains of W-W 760 shot to same approximate point of impact, at 100 yards, as factory ammo with good reputation in Krags.

2. Fired cases could be chambered easily in both rifles, no matter which rifle they had been  fired in.

3. All 180 grain RN rounds (fired) fed smoothly through both magazines.

4. All 180 grain loadings were very pleasant to shoot.

5. Paper Desert Plates (measuring just under 6 inches), stapled to cardboard, make a useful and cheap target at 100 yards. (I may try vibrant colored ones).