A Krag Quandry

[KCSO]

I have a Krag that was given to my by a friend. The gun is a 92/96 that has been "sporterized" by cutting 10" of the fore end off. The gun was used for a meat gun in Colorado for years and other than the bob job is just like it came from the factory. The fore end remaining shows where the 1892 ramrod groove was filled. Now do I find a fore end and muzzle cap and restore the gun? Do I resock and restore? Or should I just leave it like it is and use it? If I restore it I will lose the 92 groove if I do it right, ie splice under the band or restock.

[Char-Gar]

To each his own...but your rifle has a much longer history of "making meat" than "making war". I would let it keep it's own unique character and enjoy it it as it.

If you want to restock back to military, I think Boyds has full military stocks. The needed extra metal could be picked up on Ebay. I think I have a Krag foreend cap somewhere..maybe.

[Buckshot]

..............KCSO, I have a Krag in the exact same condition. Great American gunstocks offers what they call completion wood which is aimed at rifles like ours. In effect it's a partial forend piece that's supposed to be spliced to the existing stock, under the lower band so the splice isn't visible. Plus a handguard.

I bought this completion wood from them but was a bit disheartened by the amount of work I was going to have to do. My forte' is NOT woodworking, so just give me something to sand down and screw the action into. I ended up ordering a Krag stock and handguard from Boyds. The handguard has to have the hole cut for the rear sight, and it has to have the steel retainer bands made or bought and attached. Otherwise it's my level of sanding, minor inletting and then finishing.

However, if you would like to attempt the 'Completion Wood' you can have it for $15 + shp, payable upon your reciept of the items. If you decide you don't want it, or whatever, send it back. Or if you'd like, I could take a couple photo's and e-mail them to you, and THEN you can decide if it's something you want to do.

.............Buckshot

[STP]

I have a "bobbed" one as well, #42XX. The neccesary work to return it to original configuration is more than I want to tackle. I did find a stockmaker from Pa. that will do the work. Too bad the stock was sanded before I ended up with it. A sweety, none the less.

[StarMetal]

Boyds replacement stock is the only way to go KSCO.

Joe

[KCSO]

Thanks Buckshot I will think it over. The big problem here is that the gun is a 92/96. If it were a regular rifle I wouldn't sweat it either way. The 92/96 are rifles that were made in 92 with a ram rod and then re arseneled and the ram rod groove was filled and the regular trap door but plate put on. Normally to repair a bob job I would install a new fore end that would start under the band. If I do that I loose the remaining 92/96 feature, the filled groove. If I mill the groove into the new fore end and fill it I am no different than if I took a regular 96 and faked it. I am calling Doug Mook on this one as the value of a 92/96 is a LOT higher than a regular 98 and I don't want this gun misrepresented in the future. If I keep the gun as is it will go on the block as I don't need a 30-40 hunting gun with a 30" barrel.
I am kind of a stickler on my restorations and I even make my own inspectors stamps with MY initials so no one will ever think the gun is aresenal original.

[Herb in Pa]

Here's #9458 in the 92/96 configuration. I would think if you got the replacement forend and routed out a channel and then filled it back in you would achieve the look you desire.