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New krag owner trying to learn more about them (Read 7238 times)

Gunnutz KCA Forum Member Offline Krag Enthusiast! Posts: 21 Joined: Mar 18^th, 2020	New krag owner trying to learn more about them Mar 29^th, 2020 at 6:01pm	Print Post
	I recently inherited 2 krag rifles, 1 that looks to be original and the other cut down, stock painted and barrel either nickel or chrome plated. The one that looks original has a very pitted barrel and bore, is there any way to re-barrel or anything else l could do to get it shootable again thank you for any info l can get on it. Serial #164986 not sure what year it was manufactured


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Culpeper KCA Forum Member Offline Posts: 904 Location: Right Coast of Africa Joined: Mar 30^th, 2005	Re: New krag owner trying to learn more about them Reply #1 - Mar 29^th, 2020 at 6:49pm	Print Post
	Welcome to the Forum. Pull up a powder keg and light a pipe and we'll get down to business. You say the barrel is pitted? Have you cleaned it yet to see how it shoots with factory or home rolled jacketed loads on paper? I have a M1917 that looks like Pelosi's heart, black and rotten, but it'll hold the ten ring if I do my part. Maybe your old boy will do the same. Maybe not. Ya gots to check. .

	Deacon in the Church of the Mighty Krag. Member of People Eating Tasty Animals (PETA). (You need to *Login* to view media files and links)
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Whig KCA Official Member Offline Krag Enthusiast! Posts: 1324 Location: Balt MD Joined: Sep 24^th, 2016 Gender:	Re: New krag owner trying to learn more about them Reply #2 - Mar 29^th, 2020 at 6:53pm	Print Post
	Mr. Gun Nutz, Welcome to KCA. You've stopped off at the right place to learn about your Krags and how to best rekindle the old war horses! Your one Krag serial number 164986 was manufactured at Springfield Armory somewhere in the range of December 1898 into January 1899. Since the feds use Krag serial number 152671 as the official Krag serial number made January 1, 1899 requiring registration, it would appear that your Krag was officially born in January 1899. Yours is a Model 1898 Krag rifle. There are original Krag barrels floating around out there for purchase that can be switched with your current worn barrel and some companies that will replace your barrel with a newly made one in great condition. Either way costs money and takes a skilled gunsmith with the correct tools to remove and switch barrels. Re-boring can be done but is not usually the best choice. We have found, though, that many Krags with crappy looking barrels can still be quite accurate. You might want to clean yours up well, have it examined if there is any question of shootability or condition of the bolt and chamber (usually not a problem but I mention it to be careful), get some .30-40 Krag ammo and blast away! You might be surprised at the results you get. At least you could check it out before getting into the cost too deep. If you are able to do so, can you post pictures of your Krags? We love to see Krags and comment on all types of details from good to bad for what you have, always with friendly intentions. I checked the Springfield Research Service manuals and your Krag serial number is not listed as a documented Krag rifle. Only about 5% are listed, so don't fret. Many people ask about that listing. Good luck and welcome again!


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Gunnutz KCA Forum Member Offline Krag Enthusiast! Posts: 21 Joined: Mar 18^th, 2020	Re: New krag owner trying to learn more about them Reply #3 - Mar 29^th, 2020 at 7:15pm	Print Post
	Thank you for the info, they are a very cool part of history l am very intrigued by them. I dropped the nickel/chrome plated one off at my local gunsmith it had a baby crap brown painted stock 🥴 he is working on stripping it, sent me pics and low and behold it has an absolutely gorgeous walnut stalk cartouche still there but very faint looks like it maybe got sanded out before it got painted. It looks to have the original front sight with silver soldered base and blade pinned on but worn down front blade shooting about 14-16” high at 50yds with rear sight all the down


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Gunnutz KCA Forum Member Offline Krag Enthusiast! Posts: 21 Joined: Mar 18^th, 2020	Re: New krag owner trying to learn more about them Reply #4 - Mar 29^th, 2020 at 7:27pm	Print Post
	Oops, l meant walnut stock 🤭 The bore cleaned up pretty nice on that one too. Stock was cut down and barrel cut down to 23 1/2” that’s why l am surprised to see that front sight and not the band with the dovetail blade on it. Trying to figure out how to post pics of the other one now it has a C on right side of rear sight if that means anything, sorry still learning about them. It has a 30” barrel on it also, not sure if leather sling is original to the gun, it has a 75 stamped in it l will try get some pics posted, thank you again


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Gunnutz KCA Forum Member Offline Krag Enthusiast! Posts: 21 Joined: Mar 18^th, 2020	Re: New krag owner trying to learn more about them Reply #5 - Mar 29^th, 2020 at 7:30pm	Print Post
	More 1898 pics


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Gunnutz KCA Forum Member Offline Krag Enthusiast! Posts: 21 Joined: Mar 18^th, 2020	Re: New krag owner trying to learn more about them Reply #6 - Mar 29^th, 2020 at 7:32pm	Print Post
	More pics


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Whig KCA Official Member Offline Krag Enthusiast! Posts: 1324 Location: Balt MD Joined: Sep 24^th, 2016 Gender:	Re: New krag owner trying to learn more about them Reply #7 - Mar 29^th, 2020 at 8:27pm	Print Post
	The pictures are showing a pretty nice Krag rifle, so far. If that rear sight with the "C" on the right side of the base is on this rifle, it is incorrect. The "C" marked rear sights were designed for the carbines which had 22 inch barrels compared to the rifle's 30 inch barrels. The ballistics are different and required sights with different graduations for that firearm. If you do indeed have a carbine sight on the rifle, you can purchase a correct Krag rifle sight from ebay or Gun Broker or one of the online parts companies that have them for sale. I have extra Krag rear sights I could "trade" you for your carbine sight, with a little extra cash, depending on the rest of your sight appearance, because the carbine sights are harder to find and usually worth a little more. The M1896 carbine rear sight can be worth $500 or more. Yours might be a M1902 rear sight but I didn't see all of it. That sling looks mighty nice, too! Keep the pictures coming. Thanks for sharing.


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Gunnutz KCA Forum Member Offline Krag Enthusiast! Posts: 21 Joined: Mar 18^th, 2020	Re: New krag owner trying to learn more about them Reply #8 - Mar 29^th, 2020 at 8:52pm	Print Post
	more 1898 pics. I do have a screw for the back of the trigger guard that is missing, just got it online


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Gunnutz KCA Forum Member Offline Krag Enthusiast! Posts: 21 Joined: Mar 18^th, 2020	Re: New krag owner trying to learn more about them Reply #9 - Mar 29^th, 2020 at 8:55pm	Print Post
	Whig, thank you for the info, the rear sight has the peep on the back of it that slides up too not sure if that helps


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Whig KCA Official Member Offline Krag Enthusiast! Posts: 1324 Location: Balt MD Joined: Sep 24^th, 2016 Gender:	Re: New krag owner trying to learn more about them Reply #10 - Mar 29^th, 2020 at 10:05pm	Print Post
	That's the M1902 rear carbine sight with the Sgt Peep flip-up aperture to assist sighting. The carbine base was graduated different for the carbine but the slide is the same on both.


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butlersrangers KCA Forum Member Offline Krag Enthusiast! Posts: 6330 Location: Michigan Bi-Peninsular&Proud Joined: Oct 7^th, 2009	Re: New krag owner trying to learn more about them Reply #11 - Mar 30^th, 2020 at 3:01am	Print Post
	'Gunnutz' - The model 1902 carbine sight that you appear to have on your rifle is a rare sight. Only 1,000 were made. Although rare, your 1902 carbine sight is not in high demand, so it does not seem to command the price that the other Krag carbine sights do. The model 1902 rifle sight is correct for your Krag and very common. The 1902 rifle sight-base is taller than the carbine version. Your rifle will likely shoot quite low, at 100 yards, with its present incorrect rear-sight.


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Gunnutz KCA Forum Member Offline Krag Enthusiast! Posts: 21 Joined: Mar 18^th, 2020	Re: New krag owner trying to learn more about them Reply #12 - Mar 30^th, 2020 at 12:48pm	Print Post
	A couple more pics, trying to get a better rear sight pic


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Gunnutz KCA Forum Member Offline Krag Enthusiast! Posts: 21 Joined: Mar 18^th, 2020	Re: New krag owner trying to learn more about them Reply #13 - Mar 30^th, 2020 at 1:05pm	Print Post
	Thank you butlersrangers for that info, it’s great to have people with the knowledge about these guns for us newbee’s to learn from. It’s interesting because the other 1898 that l have also has that same rear sight. The front sight blade on the other one seems much shorter almost seems like it is worn down kind of rounded off more than this one. I have shot the other one with factory loads 180 gr Hornady soft points it shoots 14-16” high at 50yds, may have to try to find a replacement blade for the front sight if they are available anywhere. Thanks again guys for the info and sharing your knowledge very much appreciated


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Capt. Frank KCA Forum Member Offline Krag Enthusiast! Posts: 153 Location: Dover, Delaware Joined: Jun 13^th, 2018 Gender:	Re: New krag owner trying to learn more about them Reply #14 - Mar 30^th, 2020 at 3:08pm	Print Post
	When I bought my Krag, it's barrel looked rough. After cleaning with Hoppe's no. 9, and C4 carbon remover, it looked fair. Then I used Kroil, and JB's bore cleaning compound. Now the bore looks good, and shoots very accurately.


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