I am new to this forum.  I have three krags.  Two are full length and the other one is Sn # 80,703 which is in a carbine saddle ring configuration.  I have a brass muzzle protector for the two full length rifles and the brass muzzle protectors fit.  On the carbine the muzzle protector does not fit.  Is this an indication this rifle was at one time a full length and cut down?  Thanks.

Jeff,

Welcome to KCA. As a current Krag owner, you must realize how fun, and confusing, Krags can be.

You ask a good question. Fred pointed out that the barrel dimensions are slightly different for carbines, with their shorter barrels, than the rifles. The muzzle covers are different.

As Fred said, also, if you have an altered front sight on your carbine, these Springfield Armory covers may not fit.

The pictures below show the rifle muzzle cover and the carbine sight cover. The carbine sight cover protects the sight but not the muzzle. 

The carbine sight protector pushes down over the front sight from the top. Frequent use of these can slightly scratch the barrel where the steel rubs.

The brass rifle muzzle cover/sight protector sells for around $70-80 when they are seen. Sometimes, you can find them floating around at gun shows for less.

The carbine sight protectors usually run around $200 when you can find them. They are quite uncommon.

Note the "c" stamp on the right side of the carbine protector for carbine.

Poyer's lists the muzzle diameter of the Krag rifle as 0.620 inches and the muzzle diameter of the carbine as 0.635 inches. There's your difference.

Hope that helps!

JeffW - Welcome to the KCA Forum.

FWIW - If you see a brass muzzle/sight cover on a Krag (22 inch) 'carbine-length' barrel, (IMHO), it is simply a rifle muzzle/sight cover that someone has 'unofficially' stretched to fit.

Ok here is some data on my rifle.  Barrel - 22 inches, hand guard 6 3/4 inches, Nose 3 1/2 inches, front sight blade .266 high, no C on front sight or on rear sight. 

And another

'JeffW.' - You have a nice looking Krag carbine.

I believe your serial number, #80703, is a bit above the highest range of numbers for the model 1896 carbine.

There are a whole bunch of carbines between #67010 and #79764.

There are a whole bunch of model 1896 rifles, around and after, your number.

(Frank Mallory only found and listed two model 1896 carbines numbered above #79764: #82061 and #82472, both sold from Raritan Arsenal in 1922).

I did measure the muzzle area of a Krag carbine barrel today; my measurements varied between .647" and .652".

Your stock, hand-guard, and barrel appear correct for a model 1896 carbine.

BTW - Additional pictures (for a total of five) can be attached to a Post by going to the left of the screen and clicking on the 'downward-arrow', behind "attachments". This will give you additional 'Browse' boxes to attach pictures to your Post.

Your front sight blade appears too tall. (.266" is the correct measurement for an 1896 carbine-blade, but, that includes the entire blade, (bottom-hidden part to top).
Your rear sight is a model 1896 rifle sight. Carbine leaf graduations go up to '20'. Base and leaf of carbine sight are marked with "C".

The over stamped Model date is an anomaly that has yet to be explained with any certainty. It may have been an unused receiver that was assembled at a date later than when it was made and re-stamped with a later model date.

I have one of these also. It is a Model of 1899 Altered for Knife Bayonet and Sling Carbine (actually a Philippine Constabulary rifle) that is clearly over stamped from Model 1898.

Sometimes I suspect it is not a true over stamp but possibly an error in the stamping or a small fragment of wood or metal that interfered with the correct model stamp. The date die could have even been damaged before a number of receivers were marked.

Interesting anomaly which is unusual but not specifically rare or more valuable.