Bllind Hog Finds Acorn at Big Reno Gun Show

[NVcurmudgeon]

Acorn, that is, if it turns out to be a shooter. While wandering the aisles of the BRGS with ammohead today, I saw him suddenly go on point and swoop down upon a good looking Krag carbine. As we looked the Krag got better and better looking, and it was priced very reasonably. Ammohead was quick to point out that he was the first to lay hands on it. I told him, "If you don't buy it, I will." Finally ammohead said, "it's yours." I am now the proud owner of an 1898 Krag carbine, or cut down rifle, I don't really care which. The barrel is 22", and has an arsenal looking crown. Bluing is in very good shape.
there are a couple of hacks in the stock, and a fairly decent ventilated recoil pad. Sights are a bead on a ramp front, and a steel Lyman 57K rear. Trigger is two-stage with a crisp five lb. pull. Oh, the barrel? First patch with Outer's copper solvent showed NO FOULING. Barrel looks excellent, (ammohead described it as "gorgeous.") Of course, everybody knows Krag barrels are often oversized. So it proved, the slug is a whopping .309" and pushing it through indicated that it is tightest at the muzzle. The old gun show truism was validated in this case, "buy when the dealers are all packing up."

[Buckshot]

..........Good find. Congratulations. I had my Krag infantry out last Tuesday shooting 5 test groups of 10 rounds each. I was proud that I have broken myself from the habit of backing the bolt off an inch or so to look in and make sure it actually fed a round.

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

[JDL]

Good on you! One of these days, I'll find an acorn, maybe. A buddy sold a nice Krag rifle a few years ago and I've been kicking myself for not buying it. -JDL

[grumble]

Way to go, Curmudg! Must have been the weekend for acorns. Went to an auction and picked up a sporterized '03 Springfield for $235 that's in better than good condition and unbelievably, a three-screw Ruger in 45 Colt for $2.50. (Yep, the decimal is in the right place.) Got it home, and the only thing wrong with the Ruger is the springs had been replaced with homemade springs that are too weak.

Where's the best place to buy Ruger springs?

grumble

PS-- Glad I FINALLY got a chance to crow about a steal!

[StarMetal]

Grumbel

Get a Wolf spring kit for it from just about anyone, Midway, Brownells, etc.

Joe

[NVcurmudgeon]

Grumble, while I am delighted, (one of TR's favorite words) with my gun show find, I am astounded with yours! Look out, you might wind up with $20 in that Ruger. You had to be the first customer in the door.

[JDL]

grumble,
The springs are gonna cost more than the pistol. Never heard of such:-0. You might contact Ruger and get them for free, as I did for a piston for a .44 Mag auto. -JDL

[StarMetal]

Ruger will want him to send it back to convert to one of the *** new transfer systems. They bugged the hell out of me to get mine back, send me a box and everthing to mail it to them. No way. Get the hint that I don't like that new system? I like the old action alot better. I do the load one, skip one, load four routine. I don't need any factory safety devices thankyou.

Grumble just get you a Wolf spring kit and be happy you got an old model.

Joe

[onceabull]

Geez,I would have gone to $3.00 for all the pieces in a brown sack...Onceabull

[grumble]

I kinda agree with Joe, I'd rather keep it origional. Even though it will never have much collector value (the previous owner botched a re-bluing job, and sanded off all the markings except the serial number), I'd rather it retain as much of its "charactor" as possible.

Auctions are something. 'Course, I only brag about the steals, not the times I get screwed. <GGG>

[Shepherd2]

Get the Wolfe springs. They are better than Rugers.

I sent my old Ruger in years ago to have it converted to the new transfer bar system at their urging. They converted it and sent it back along with my old parts. What had been a very smooth revolver now felt like it was full of grit. I put the old parts back in and they are still there.

[NVcurmudgeon]

First plinking report on my "new" rifle, now blasting its way into its third century. Nevada Duke phoned yesterday and said that the womenfolk had given orders that he had to get out from underfoot. Oddly, the same message had been heard bouncing off my kitchen walls. Accordingly, Duke, his son, friend Mike, and I went out to the boonies for a plinking session. I sighted the Krag in fairly close at 35 yards from my usual wobbly prone position. The final three shots went into 1 1/4". After a few offhand shots proving it was shooting minute of bucket at 100+ yards, Duke wanted to try the Krag on the ballistic turkey provided by Mike. The turkey was at a rangefinder confirmed 250 yards. After three walking-in shots Duke managed two solid hits, from a shaky table rest, with my go to load of 16.0 X 2400 and any cast boolit. The boolit was Lyman 314299 sized .310". Won't know for sure until I get to a genuine range and solid bench, but the old soldier is showing some promise. Best of all we all made it home in plenty of time for our respective Thanksgiving dinners, propitiating the kitchen priestesses.

[NVcurmudgeon]

First real range report on my "new" Krag carbine. Today was dead calm, clear, and cold as a witch's bosom. All groups fired from 50 yd. at 32F. First
two groups were 9.0 gr. Green Dot/Lyman 311413. First group was four in 1.5"
with a definite oops on the fifth shot making it 1.875". Second group was five in 1.5". Next load was 16.0 gr. 2400/Lyman 314299. Two groups in 1.0625" and another in 1.5". The Lyman 311413 load starts at 1240 fps, and the Lyman 314299 starts at 1420, both from my Springfield. Don't know MV from the smalller Krag case yet. Both boolits were sized .310". Targets were 8" black bulls balanced atop the small steel bead front sight. A square blade might have shaved the groups a bit, but it's not bad for 107 years old.

[ammohead]

I told him, "If you don't buy it, I will." Finally ammohead said, "it's yours." I am now the proud owner of an 1898 Krag carbine."

Lest anyone think that I have gone daft or soft or both...it was guilt that made me give up that carbine. A couple of Winnemuccas ago I stole a bubba'd yugo from Curmudgeon for way too good of a price and haven't been sleeping good since.

a well rested
ammohead