Hello from a new forum member. I have been an active US military collector for over forty years but mostly what I have collected has been '03 Springfields and 1911's. Needless to say my knowledge about Krags is just enough to be dangerous to my wallet.

Recently I found this Krag carbine at a local yard sale and managed to get it for very, very cheap. So far my research leads me to believe that it is a genuine 1898 carbine.

The good: The serial number is 123905 which is in the known serial number range for '98 carbines. The cartouche is nearly impossible for me to photograph clearly enough, but under the proper light it is a boxed "JSA" (hard to make out) over 1898. Barrel is 22" from the breach face to the end of the muzzle and has the correct taper.

The bad: Somewhere in the past the original carbine rear sight had disappeared. A 1901 carbine rear sight was included with it, but wasn't attached, due no doubt, to the fact that it wouldn't fit with the front band. In addition, the handguard was missing.

I located the correct handguard and I found a 1896 rifle sight in my box of junk (sometimes it pays to be a packrat) and I am using it as a place holder until I can locate the correct sight. I bought the carbine for $400 and sold the 1901 carbine rear sight for $250. I also sold a rather beat up 1899 carbine stock I have been sitting on for a number of years (that packrat thing again) for another $250 and paid a $100 for the handguard, so as it sits I have a net $0 in it.

Pics in the next post.

High Power, welcome to the KCA where you will get great feedback about your Krag carbine. I'm a 1911 collector and shooter from many years back and have been active in collecting, repairing, reloading for and shooting Krags primarily for the past few years. I have learned most of what I know about Krags from this website and its great members and reading through many of the recommended references about Krags like Poyer , Farmer and Mallory (and a host of others).

It does indeed look like you have wandered into a great find! The 1898 Krag carbine is one of the more elusive and mis-identified of the Krag firearms out there. The serial number range needs to be correct, the barrel needs to be of correct length, the patina needs to roughly match and the rear sight is best to be a carbine marked sight.

You have most of the above and especially, which you didn't mention, you appear to have an original early saddle ring stock that was used by the calvary to carry the carbine. It is difficult to find an early 1898 carbine sight and many of these carbines can correctly have the 1901 carbine sight on them. A lot of them had the 1896 carbine sight affixed to them at the arsenal. These are hard to find and can cost upwards of $600 for a good one!. The sight you have put on yours is certainly OK until another is found. All of the Krag sights, rifle and carbines, have the same spacing for the two screws but, as you have discovered, the hand guards are different.

Your carbine stock looks to have been refinished at some time and the receiver looks like it may have been reblued also. These are not that important considering the rarity of your carbine. Only 5002 of these were made.

How is the bore? Is there a set of cleaning rods in the butt compartment along with an oiler?

I can't believe what you paid for this treasure! Great find. Keep looking for parts and you may find a perfect sight for this one.

Welcome again and more people will chime in about your carbine soon.

SUPER find, and, due to your good $$$ luck you can pretty much spend what you have to for the 96C sight, and STILL have a bargain!

Do watch out for fakes. 1896 carbine sights have been VERY scarce since the 1970s at least, and some slick operators took advantage of the situation.

From time to time I seem to stumble onto a good deal. It almost makes up for the times I overpaid, or maybe just bought too early.

The last one was a high condition 1917 vintage US Property Colt 1911, that I picked up at another yard sale for $800.

Teaser pic

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Thanks for the tips! Sounds like I am about to head over to Grandpa's Gun parts and pick up the cleaning rod and oiler set.

The front sight does have what appears to be a "C" just barely visible above the front sight base.

Quote:


This is about as good as I can get of the area inside of the loading gate. I can't see a diagonal line, only an area of wear where the rims of the cartridges ride at the rear.


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It doesn't come out well in the pictures, but the nicks and dings do indeed show bare metal in the bottom of them and the high edges also display bare metal.

A picture of two model 1898 receivers.

The top one is in #412K range and, if I have it correctly, shows mottled casehardening colors.

The bottom receiver is in #445K range and may have been 'blued' during refurbishment. (I can't tell for sure).

What do you think 'Whig'?