1898 Krag Jorgensen project

[webradbury]

Well, I'll be starting back work on it today (after cutting the wretched grass). I also got a PM from Buckshot saying my custom, one-off, super cool, special Krag action nut was ready and shipping out! A BIG SHOUT OUT TO HIM FOR HIS SUPERB, TOP-NOTCH, SECOND TO NONE MACHINING ABILITIES!!! The piece of stock he used turned out to be 4140 carbon steel. He said he found this out when his HSS end mill went to a better place after the first cut. It is going to come in handy, especially since I just picked up ANOTHER Krag project. I think this one is going to be a shameless Griffin and Howe knock-off (or rip-off, however you want to look at is), but that's another project thread, another day.

Anyway, haven't gotten much done due to my son being out of school for the summer and he gets completely bored to the point of drooling when I am working in the shop and he has to be out there with me. I have to keep and eye on him or he disappears and the next thing I know, he is writing his initials in the lawn with RoundUp or trying to set the dogs on fire, etc.

[webradbury]

New action nut thanks to Buckshot. This thing is awesome!

Finished rusting all of the small parts today. It should start progressing fairly quickly now. I hop to have it done by October.

[QIDPlb]

I love this project.

[webradbury]

Got the barrel installed and headspaced today.

Won't get another free day for a week. By then the new stock should be in.

I couldn't get the stock/barrel/receiver to line up well and finally pulled a string down the center of the stock. Yep...crooked. A call to Boyds and a few emailed photos later and the are shipping a new stock. They agreed the first on was not straight. It starts going wacky in the barrel channel before the first barrel band. Boyds has been great and replaced it even though it was past the 90 day warranty by two weeks!

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Man, that stinks to find that out after all that work. Only good thing is you'll have learned from your mistakes working on the first stock and your second one will be better.

[prsman23]

Dude. You rock. Seriously. Can't wait to see the other project started
And bad luck on the stock, but more practice right? You get the new one setup in no time.

[lbaize3]

Many, many, many years ago I had a 98 Krag carbine that was a joy to shoot and was pretty accurate (from my memory). Even had a sealed cloth bandolier of 30-40 (30 US Government) that was issued near the time of WWI. Somehow, in my youth, I wanted something else and traded it off. Needless to say, I have long regretted that decision. And I have long looked for another Krag.

So, I am enjoying this thread and appreciate your masterful work.

[webradbury]

Still haven't got the new stock so I decided to work on the handguard. I had this piece of walnut hanging around the shop since the days I used to turn wood and decided to put
It to use. Layout was pretty simple.

I used another rifle I just bought to shape the handguard. I left it a little oversize for final fitting to the other gun.

[webradbury]

Here it is with mineral spirits wiped on...I don't think it looks too bad.

[prsman23]

Looks terrible. I'll have to take it off your hands.

[webradbury]

Thanks. I can't wait to get to work on the Krag I got from you! Hopefully it'll be done before next years deer season.

[webradbury]

Got the new stock and its a lot straighter!
Didn't take a lot of pics but worked on it for four hours today. Shouldn't be to long and it'll be at the range test firing!

[Buckshot]

...........You sure do nice work, and it appears you have considerable experience doing it. I have a nice 1898 Krag. It has a wonderful original military barrel that slugs .301" x .308" with a .310" throat. At some time in the past a PO cut the stock off in front of the rear band to 'Sport-ster-ize' it Looked to have been a nice piece of wood with strong cartouches:



I too bought a stock and handguard from Boyds, but that was probably 4 years ago. No sense in rushing into anything. I'm curious to see how you handle the handguard clips and rivits. I've heard of people using hacksaw blades or the blued steel pallet straps for the clips. If you mentioned it I missed it, but did you have the action and other metal polished and re-blued?

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

[M-Tecs]

webradbury thanks for the great post. Nice work.

[webradbury]

Thanks to all. Buckshot, the plan for the handguard clips is the pallet strap material you mentioned unless I think of an alternative between now and then. The metal finish is polished and rust blued with Mark Lee's express blue...good stuff!

I got a lot done since the last post but unfortunately, have no photos due to my camera sustaining a catastrophic collission with a hard flat surface.

Bur now, the trigger guard, lower band, sling swivel and buttplate are inletted. I have to finish shaping the left side opening for the sideplate and then its final shaping/sanding and finishing.

[Buckshot]

"..........the plan for the handguard clips is the pallet strap material you mentioned unless I think of an alternative between now and then."

I'd sure be interested in seeing photos of that, so get a new camera, would ya?

" The metal finish is polished and rust blued with Mark Lee's express blue...good stuff!"

​Does that require any special equipment?

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

[webradbury]

Not at all. After polishing to 320 grit, degrease completely and start rusting. I do in the kitchen with a cheap aluminum turkey roasting pan. Mark Lee's express blue is a lot fast than the other rusting agents. When you wipe this stuff on it begins rusting immediately. Just follow the instructions. Boil in distilled water only! Card with OOOO steel wool. A small carding brush from brownells works great too for the nooks and crannies.

[Buckshot]

Not at all. After polishing to 320 grit, degrease completely and start rusting. I do in the kitchen with a cheap aluminum turkey roasting pan. Mark Lee's express blue is a lot fast than the other rusting agents. When you wipe this stuff on it begins rusting immediately. Just follow the instructions. Boil in distilled water only! Card with OOOO steel wool. A small carding brush from brownells works great too for the nooks and crannies.

Thanks!

Buckshot

[webradbury]

I've made a lot of progress but still don't have a way of photographing. I finished inletting and assembled the rifle on bare wood.

Side note: since I began working on the new stock, it has finished drying out and warped worse than the first stock! The muzzle end bends down and to the left about 5/8" in both directions. I guess Boyd's is carving the stocks before they are down to the optimum moisture content...I don't know. All I know is I got the stock and it was straight and worked on it a little and put it inside the gun safe. Came back to it about four days later and it's crooked.

Figured out that the bend was under where the magazine of the rifle rests...right in the cradle of the stock...and didn't bend until I cut the sideplate portion out. I think this probably had something to do with it.

Well since I found the spring in the wood, I decided to straighten it, by golly! I wrapped the portion to be heated with cloth and slowly poured hot water on the rag for about 2-3 minutes. Secured it in a quick made jig and let it set for close to 48 hours. It's straight now!!

Put it all together today and headed for the range and it has been a successful endeavor! It didn't rearrange my face and shot three in 2.5 inches at 50 yards.

Now a little finish sanding and on goes the Danish oil!!! I promise I will get a camera or some other means of posting photos.

[gnoahhh]

Whew! The second stock warped too? Glad you got it resolved.

Did I miss you saying what you'll finish the wood with? Straight linseed oil as per original, or something a little more waterproof? How does that blue finish compare to the original Armory finish color-wise? (It's a shame there's no way to duplicate the original receiver finish in a Krag restoration, short of re-carburizing it.)