New Projects underway..

[Char-Gar]

Two new cast boolit rifles are in the gestation period. I made a short trip to my gunsmith and left a Krag action and a new Remington 2 groove 03A3 barrel.

He will trim, chamber and fit the barrel to the Krag action. The chamber will be a tight and straight 30-40. The action is a good late production example of the Krag.

He is behind in his work and it won't be gone until mid-summer. That is OK with me as it will take me that long to pay for the Son's Wedding Rehersal Dinner and have some loose cash.

While that job is lined up behind the duck and the fish in the gunshop I will start on the Euro Mauser. I also picked up my Brno Persian 98/29 (8X57) barreled action. He has cut and crowned the barrel to 24" and installed a William "Shorty" front ramp.

Tomorrow I will start to drop it in the wood. The wood is AA Black Walnut from Fajen that I have had since 1959. I have installed a good steel pre-ww2 Savage 99 buttplate. The rear sight will be either a Redifeld or Lyman receiver sight. I have both, and have not decided which one to use.

When I have the metal blued, I will also have a "butter knife" handled welded on the bolt.

I have never loaded a single round of 8X57 ammo, but I have a "Karabiner" mold and thought I would give that a go. The barrel in minty and the throat not the least bit worn.

I suspect I will try good old 16/2400 for my starting "swag" load to use for beding and tweaking the rifle.

"Blessed is the shooter, who has access to a truly good gunsmith for they are truly few and far between!"

Any suggestions welcome..

[Bret4207]

Chargar- Why do guys like you have to rub in the "This old Krag action I had lying around" thing. You must know by now that I'm Krag poor. In fact, I'm Krag destitute. Hope it turns out nice.

On the "Euro Mauser"- If the Lyman and Redfield are in equal condition, I'd say go with the Redfield. Why? Because you're recreating a 1940's rifle and Redfield was just a popular as Lyman back then. Plus, it's just a leeeetle bit different and that goes along with your rifle.

BTW- You'll like the 8mm and Karibiner. Nice combo.

[Char-Gar]

The Redfield and the Lyman are both NIB. The Redfield is a very early one, before they marked them 70, 80 and so forth. It has target knobs on it. The Lyman is also all steel (Model 57) and has both hunter and target knobs.

I like target knobs very much!

You don't have a Krag action laying about? I thought everybody did! The trick is to buy junk gun parts and sock them away for 40 years. They start out used gun, become vintage and then classic.

[Phil]

Hi Chargar!

Sounds like a man after my own heart. My Krag is also sporting a 2 groove 03-A3 barrel with a Lyman band ramp front and 48 rear. I got the gun for $45 way back when and the sight was new in the box (very old with the flip up small aperture). I paid more for the sight than I paid for the gun! It shoots very well indeed and is one of my favorite rifles.

Cheers,

Phil

[Char-Gar]

Phil... I have a NIB Redfield rear receiver and a Redfield Sourdough Patridge blade front. The front blade fits the 03A3 band.

I have a Lyman 48 on another Krag sporter and a Pacific on my first one.

I bought my first Krag in 1960 for $15.00. I killed my first deer with it and it is leaning against this desk ask I type.

Krags are adictive..but so are Springfields and a few others.

[Buckshot]

.............I sure miss the big LA Gunshow. Speaking of Krags, several years ago I bought one from a friend. It had been very simply sporterized by cutting off the stock just ahead of the band. I planned on returning it to it's full military glory (at some point) so was in need of some frontal metal parts.

At the gunshow there were always guys selling just parts, and just parts for specific type, like Mausers. There was a guy there with wooden boxes of Mauser parts and he had several stripped Swede actions sitting there for $10 and $15 each. The $10 ones had the holes in the bridge for the target sights. I bought 3 of the $15 ones then completed them off his table (less bolts) for a total cost of $120. Found bolts later, online for $60 each complete.

Anyway, the Krag. There was one guy with nothing BUT Krag parts. All his stuff was in tackle boxes. One was full of stripped actions that he wanted $25 each. I'd have liked to have bought and completed 2 actions. However after buying the bands and stuff I needed, plus I knew I was going to be getting some other stuff later I had to pass. The parts were very resonable as I recall.

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

[Frank46]

Bret, methinks the guys are having great fun at your expense. So I'll chime in w/my .02 cents. My krag was a cut down that I bought for $180 bucks. Still has the military rear sight but a sporting ramp and bead front. Hasn't been shot in about 5 years. Time to start casting boolits for it. Hope you don't stay kragless for long. And don't forget to wax your snow shovel so the snow doesn't stick to it. Thats one reason for me moving to loosiana. Frank

[Bret4207]

Frank and all you other heartless burrdocks- You may have your Krags and Springfields, but I have a $39.00 Turk Mauser! So there! And it won't shoot cast for beans! So HA HA HA!

Oddly, that didn't make me feel one bit better.....

[Phil]

I think I was wrong in my previous post. I think I gave $40 for the Krag and $45 for the sight. Will have to look and see if I still have any of the paperwork, it's been a long time ago.

Cheers,

Phil

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b88/twoprops/Krag.jpg

[Buckshot]

.............Thanks to John Lang, if anyone is needing a Krag action nut for re-barreling, I now know how to make one :-)

http://www.fototime.com/AFAA00BBB05054B/standard.jpghttp://www.fototime.com/0B70F154CE0FFF8/standard.jpg

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