Using .303 Brit brass in a Krag?

[uscra112]

Nothing wrong with a well executed sporterization. I actually prefer to collect sporters, as examples of the individual gunsmith's art. Gets me away from the holier-than-thou originalist types who sneer if you've got a replacement screw in a barrel band.

That looks like the popular Bishop stock, 444ttd. I've got at least two like that.

My oopsie came from loading at the bench, first time out for a rebuilt Stevens 44 in .25-20 Single Shot. I usually have the club range to myself on weekdays, but this time there was a gaggle of 20-somethings who had come to make noise with AR-15s. They'd never seen a Stevens, much less seen anybody load ammo, and they kept distracting me until.........

The shot was a double charge. No gas leakage. Primer fell out when I opened the action. I was done for the day as I had no range rod with me to drive out the ruined case. Quickload said the pressure was north of 80,000 psi, and the Chrony confirmed the calculated velocity. What happened to the gun was......nothing. Puts the lie to people who say that the old 44 is barely strong enough for .22 rimfires. (Not that I'd recommend doing it again.)

[444ttd]

i still have the fajen(or was it bishop?) stock. i took off the rear sight because i couldn't see the target. my eyes ain't what they're supposed to be either!!!! after i'm done with my son's 93 spanish mauser, i have two 1898 spr armory actions(without bolts) and i want to build a 22 hornet. i'll probably use the fajen/bishop stock after i strip it down and finish it with either lin-speed or minwax antique oil. i should do the stock of my bubba-ed up 30-40 krag and my '93 spanish mauser stock.

[uscra112]

Bolts are getting harder and harder to come by. FWIW here are two photos of cracked bolts, to help avoid getting taken to the cleaners.

[uscra112]

And while I'm posting pictures, here's Hervey Lovell's set trigger for the Krag. Just what you'll want for that Hornet! And a couple of shots of a Krag converted to the .22-3000 R2 Lovell cartridge. Single shot of course. It was common back then to cut the magazine completely off, allowing for a trimmer stock. The scope is unmarked, but the mountings are unmistakably Stith. No idea who built it or when. I really like how the remaining magazine cavity nicely collects the fired brass for me.

[444ttd]

i would luv to do 22-3000 r2 lovell cartridge, but i can't find any 25-20 SS brass. i'm talking to Dan(the bull shop) and he really likes the 22 r lovell, but he's having the same problem. i found a 22 r lovell barrel that could be used in 1898 spr armory action, but..........

Dan helped me to decide on the 22 hornet. he has an old krag that is re-barreled to the 22 hornet.

[uscra112]

Since Jamison/Captech went under, there is no more decent .25-20 SS brass. There wasn't any when I started mucking about with the Lovell almost 20 years ago either, so I worked out a way to make something close enough by swaging down .223 Remington. It's a brutal process, needs an hydraulic press and a lathe, but it can be done. I've been sharing a how-to writeup about once every couple of months for the last couple of years. P/M me a regular email addy and I'll do it for you.

Only other option is to watch evilBay and Gunbroker. Boxes of Griffin & Howe brass do show up occasionally.

Building one from scratch would be spendy. You'd have to have a reamer ground. You're streets ahead if that barrel is any good.

[444ttd]

pm sent

i don't have the hydraulic press or the lathe(my dad just sold it). but i look forward on your write up. i've been looking at evelbay, gunbroker, gun auctions.......i found one guy at a gun show a couple of years ago, but the 25-20 ss were $10 a piece. too rich for my blood. i asked him if could lower the price and he said "nope", so i walked away. it was late in afternoon on the last day, so i figured might as well make a deal, but he said "nope". i should have paid $10/piece(i think he had 100 pcs) for 50 pcs, i had the money, but the way he said "nope" kinda put me off. oh well, you live, you learn, i suppose.

the trigger mechanism is a thing of beauty. i don't wanna know how much it costs, but whatever you say, it ain't enuff. i think that only huber triggers is the last one, but its nowhere near the trigger mechanism that you have.

[uscra112]

The guy was asking ten bucks a piece? Insane. A box of fifty Griffin & Howe brass will go for $100 to $120 on Gunbroker.

Sent you the goods, btw.

I don't own that trigger. I glommed the pictures off another web site. Have dreamed for years about duplicating it, but life has always been in the way.

[gnoahhh]

Be that as it may, did your smith double check your receiver for straightness and cracks also? You gotta remember that these actions were made of low carbon steel and case hardened to a fare-thee-well. Don't expect the ductility of modern alloys when messing about with them.

That Captech brass at Graf's is sweet stuff. (Captech was the successor to Jamison, but they've gone out of business too. Get it while you can.) At those prices I wouldn't even think of using .303 brass. I just now said the heck with it and ordered 100 pieces of that brass even though I have a couple hundred empties already. With three hungry Krag mouths to feed you can't have enough!

[gnoahhh]

And while I'm posting pictures, here's Hervey Lovell's set trigger for the Krag. Just what you'll want for that Hornet! And a couple of shots of a Krag converted to the .22-3000 R2 Lovell cartridge. Single shot of course. It was common back then to cut the magazine completely off, allowing for a trimmer stock. The scope is unmarked, but the mountings are unmistakably Stith. No idea who built it or when. I really like how the remaining magazine cavity nicely collects the fired brass for me.

Those pics of the set trigger are mine that I posted a long time ago. It's a Pacific double-set that Hervey Lovell used when building my single shot Krag in .22 Maximum Lovell. To use, you push the front trigger forward then touch the rear trigger. It only works that way.

[uscra112]

That Captech brass at Graf's is sweet stuff. (Captech was the successor to Jamison, but they've gone out of business too. Get it while you can.) At those prices I wouldn't even think of using .303 brass. I just now said the heck with it and ordered 100 pieces of that brass even though I have a couple hundred empties already. With three hungry Krag mouths to feed you can't have enough!

Great minds! I did the same thing for the same reason.

[gnoahhh]

Phil, I'm sending you a PM for that advice too.

I'm pretty well set for R2 Lovell brass at the moment. I'm using my stash of G&H stuff to feed the single shot Krag .22 Maximum Lovell, and a single shot 03 Springfield in R2 Lovell. I figured when the brass wore out for the Springfield I would simply re-chamber it for .221/.222/.223 something or other, as the case head diameter is the same as the rim diameter of the .222-family. (The bolt face has a reducing ring set into it to accommodate that diameter.)

Funny thing- last week I bought another R2 Lovell. It's a Winchester high Wall obviously done up long ago in the heyday of the Lovell wildcats. No barrel markings, don't know who did it. Six digit serial number, action probably built in first year of production 1885-1886. With it came a very nice 6x Fecker Small Game scope. After discounting the value of the scope, I'm into the rifle for around $500. The idea was/is to build a .32-40 bench gun around the action so I'll not be using the R2 barrel. I have a .32-40 Ron Long barrel winging its way to me as we speak. (If anybody wants a nice R2 Lovell barrel threaded for a High Wall, let me know. 28", 1 1/16" breech, .9" at muzzle.)

[uscra112]

Roger Wilco.

There's another very fancy High Wall on Gunbroker now:
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/881559382

[gnoahhh]

Roger Wilco.

There's another very fancy High Wall on Gunbroker now:
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/881559382

Yeah, I saw that. With 7 days to go on the auction and all the bid activity already, it'll probably fetch a lot. That one I wouldn't cannibalize for the action!

[uscra112]

I'd buy it if I were young and loaded, only find out that that elegant stock didn't fit me.

[uscra112]

Dibs on the High Wall barrel. Sent you a P/M. ( I think - email has been wonky this morning.)

[444ttd]

Those pics of the set trigger are mine that I posted a long time ago. It's a Pacific double-set that Hervey Lovell used when building my single shot Krag in .22 Maximum Lovell. To use, you push the front trigger forward then touch the rear trigger. It only works that way.

i'm in awe. all i got say is wow!!!

[444ttd]

Roger Wilco.

There's another very fancy High Wall on Gunbroker now:
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/881559382

oh, the cheek piece is on the wrong side. don't they know that i shoot left handed!!!!!!!!


very nice rifle!!!!!!

[Krag 1901]

I have an 1885 Low Wall in .223, tapered octagon barrel, great little gun. I just wish it had an ejector.

[Nick Adams]

Gramp's custom Krag deer rifle ...