OMG! I stole a Krag!

[madsenshooter]

Hmm, this'll make a nice addition to the collection. It'll look better with the original model 92 handguard that I have on it. And no ma, I ain't giving it back. http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=209826659

[oldhickory]

You're on a Krag roll! Great rifle at a great price! You done good!

[madsenshooter]

Not doing bad for a guy on unemployment, but I'm going to have to sell some that I've restored to full length to pay for this one! I'm getting too many parts and pieces, it's like taking in breeding animals! I'm excited though, it's my first 4 digit, and looks to be in better shape than 3 others I have that were made the same year. The one linked to above is 116yrs old this month!

[oldhickory]

The Krag makes a great cast boolit rifle. My 1896 gets a cast-only diet.

[elk hunter]

Congratulations, great looking Krag. I'll agree, you stole it. Way less than I paid for a similar 98 a couple of years ago. Krags can be addicting, I'll admit to having a few.

You mention you have parts. I'm in need of some to put my Constabulary rifle back to correct configuration. I need a front band and stacking swivel and a 98 rifle handguard. If you have any of those and want to sell shoot me a PM.

[madsenshooter]

I don't have any of those parts to spare, MUST REASSEMBLE!!! I can recommend the repro handguards sold on ebay, and I thought I saw some originals on gunbroker recently.

[Multigunner]

Not doing bad for a guy on unemployment, but I'm going to have to sell some that I've restored to full length to pay for this one! I'm getting too many parts and pieces, it's like taking in breeding animals! I'm excited though, it's my first 4 digit, and looks to be in better shape than 3 others I have that were made the same year. The one linked to above is 116yrs old this month!

You have entirely too many guns there, its subject to collapse the foundation of your homes due to all that steel.
Out of the goodness of my heart I'll allow you to have this Krag shipped to my home where I'll take good care of it till you can build an addition solely for your Krag collection.
Don't worry if it takes a few years.

[Suo Gan]

Nice looking rifle. Is a sporter stock in the works? :)

[madsenshooter]

Ha! That was on last week's rifle! I'm hoping Hogue will start making overmolded stocks for the Krag soon though!

[oldhickory]

WOW! I was just looking at Krag bayonets...And them rascals ain't cheap! Neither are Mills belts for that matter.

[Bob S]

Congrats, Bob! I was eyeballing that one, too ... but I had just purchased No. 8828 (for considerably more $!), so I opted for a Remington Model 81 instead.

Crown looks good and sharp ... let us know how the bore blooks and how it shoots when you get it.

Resp'y,
Bob S.

[Multigunner]

Heres a old book available as a free download or readable on line.
"Modern Rifle Shooting from the American Standpoint"
http://books.google.com/books?id=Zz4RAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=modern+rifle+shooting+from+the+american+standpo int&source=bl&ots=_tIqDn1jaz&sig=l6nMa3yGf8X3MCHh-ptHX0b63rc&hl=en&ei=LzcyTdq3GcHYgQf89fW2Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBMQ6AEwAA

Theres quite a bit on preparing the Krag for target shooting, and ballistic charts for the .30-40 cartridge.

If one finds a Krag which has DT'ed holes it would be wise to try to match the pattern of holes to known types of receiver sights and scope mounts used by Krag owners and match shooters back in the old days.

[madsenshooter]

Thanks for your comments Bob, always glad to hear from you. Yes, I did notice the squareness of that crown. I also noticed zero rim tracks across the floor of the blued magazine. I am glad that everyone was either asleep, or respected me enough to not bid. However it happened, I'll take good care of it for awhile.

An 81, well, I happen to know this fellow who has a Stith mount for one of them. Least I think I got most all of it. At the moment I can't recall what scope it is for. Course we know you're an iron sight guy. The Stith does allow both, you know, in case you needed the scope to confirm your kill. Nothing like having a spotting scope right close at hand. What caliber is your 81 Bob?

Hey, I just looked at that crown again and it appears they might be some sort of stamp at 12 oclock. Maybe, maybe not, sometimes pixels align weird and make things appear that aren't. I thought I saw cracks in receivers before, for instance. I'll see when she gets here. Tried blowing it up, the pic, still can't make it out, almost appears to be a date, a year maybe. Another Krag oddity perhaps. Nah, probably just turn out to be a nick.

[PatMarlin]

Nice!

I bought a rifle from that guy when he used to sell to California. Be sure and wipe down with an oil rag thoroughly when you get it. I didn't right away and the floor plate had rusted to my shock. Pre-64 model 70.

I think it was due to that FL climate.

[oldhickory]

M-1892 muzzles are supposed to be square and flat with just a hint of a crown, (from the pictures, it looks like this one may have been re-crowned). M-1896 and later rifles have a rounded muzzle with more of a traditional crown.

"The Krag Rifle" by Lt. Col. William S. Brophy, It's pretty detailed and goes into all Krags, American, Danish, Norweigen, accuterments, and ammunition. Also "The American Krag Rifle And Carbine" by Poyer.

[madsenshooter]

Right you are Hickory about 92s having a squared muzzle. Technically, the one I stole is an 1892 updated to 1896 configuration. I was looking at that crown, and wondering if what appears to be "ER", at 12 o'clock might stand for "Emergency Recrown" or something like that. Comparing it to a later one and getting them at about the same angle, they look about the same. The barrel was more likely replaced rather than recrowned, early 92s had problems with the barrel steel. Some of the model 92s didn't even leave the Armory before they were ordered updated to 1896 configuration. Some had already been issued and didn't get their rebuilds until 1901 or later. Some didn't get back for the rebuild at all, those are the unmodified model 1892s we find today. It's about time I found a decent 92/96. I have 4. One has been parkerized and the stock was broken, one was real rusty and had been sanded a bit, one is a cutoff that's been sanded heavily, now a good one, I hope. It'll probably hang out on the rack, while I shoot the others.

[oldhickory]

I'll check in Brophy's book for the "ER" marking on the muzzle.

[madsenshooter]

Thanks Hickory, I'm anxious to get it, hoping the ER is "Experimental Rifling" or something along those lines, rather than just someone's initials.

[ambergrifleman]

Very Nice !!!!!!!!!

[oldhickory]

Thanks Hickory, I'm anxious to get it, hoping the ER is "Experimental Rifling" or something along those lines, rather than just someone's initials.

I didn't find anything in Brophy's book as to the marking. You might want to get Poyer's book on the Krag, it's priced reasonable from Amazon. I have his .45/70 Springfield, M1 Rifle, and M1 Carbine, but not the Krag. They're compact, around 100 pages, concise, and well worth the price, (usualy under $20.00).

[madsenshooter]

Nothing in Poyer, Hickory. It's probably just some former owner's initials.