My New US-Krag 1898

[Cosmiceyes]

OK I saw this on line as the last 3 minutes of a auction,and didn't have the money. I called the people up as I was going to be in Phoenix this past weekend. They save it for me to look at. I paid $450, but had to have it shipped to my FFL as I am not a resident of Az. making it $508.00 total. So Monday I bought this 1902 manufacture of a 1898.It's last Springfield upgrades are dated 1916. Here are the pictures from the sales sight.
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[IROCZ]

Nice carbine, It has a 1903 Springfield front sight on it. A friend of mine has one that actually has a 1903 barrel installed on it. I guess this was pretty common.

[KCSO]

Loks like an NRA conversion. Nice rifle, when sold by the NRA they were $7.50 plus shipping IIRR that would have been back n the 30's.

[Cosmiceyes]

Nice carbine, It has a 1903 Springfield front sight on it. A friend of mine has one that actually has a 1903 barrel installed on it. I guess this was pretty common.

I haven't taken it apart yet to inspect the barrel markings,but have a latter barreled action that has the same front sight.
I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this gun for this price. Anything like it was selling for $1,000.00 plus on all auction sites. I am so glad "God" helped me to find it. The shop was very courteous in helping me get it to a ffl here in kalifornia. I will be calling them again. :)'s

[Char-Gar]

Nice old rifle. Barrel looks to be short, what is the length?

The front sight band is from a 1903 Springfield, but the blade is commercial and not military.

[Cosmiceyes]

Looks like an NRA conversion. Nice rifle, when sold by the NRA they were $7.50 plus shipping IIRR that would have been back n the 30's.

How do you find out about NRA additions? The rear sight is the only difference from the one stolen from me. My Father paid $10.00 from a dealer in when I was in the 2nd grade. He also bought me a Hunter Hamilton .410 single shot,a case of Winchester 220 grain Silvertips,and 10 boxes of .410 6-shot for a total of $25.00. That was in the late 50's. I shot my first deer with it in the Alpine area of Texas. In the 5th grade I shot the biggest Whitetail deer ever with it. My 6th grade year my Father started taking me to norther New Mexico to hunt Mule deer.It wasn't till I was in my 30's that I ever thought I need a new rifle since I wanted a scope on it. Took forever to learn to use a scope! Still laughing as I think of all the shots I didn't make during that learning period. :)'s

[Cosmiceyes]

Nice old rifle. Barrel looks to be short, what is the length?

Measured from the outside front of barrel to the front of the receiver is 21 an 7/8 inch. So that should be just over 22 inches as a carbine. #422xxx makes it the oldest one I have owned. The missing one had 2 Chevy motors for a serial number 283327. The barrel action I am working on is a 454xxx number. I will have to send it to some people to have it restored that a very knowledgeable member told me about.

[bob208]

the hand guard is a rifle hand guard. it is a n.r.a. sporter. bak when I got into krags I had a lot of them offered to me as real carbines.

[Cosmiceyes]

the hand guard is a rifle hand guard. it is a n.r.a. sporter. bak when I got into krags I had a lot of them offered to me as real carbines.

There is a imprint behind the trigger guard that indicates the stock was replaced in the field. The stock dates are 1901,but the manufacture date is October 1902. It is not the hand guard that tells it was a NRA Rifle. It is the pin,and sling swivels.It is the correct rear sight for a carbine by the yardage markings. I am glad they took such great pains to make such a fine rifle for civilians. It is old,and it is fine.

[bob208]

no it is not just the hand guard. it is the sling swivels, the 03 front sight, the rifle rear sight. carbines had a c stamped on all the parts.

not downing your rifle at all. in fact I wish I would have bought one back then or the collection.

[Char-Gar]

You have a really nice rifle. I would be glad to have it and would have paid what you paid to get it.

[Mark Daiute]

Nice rifle. did you say how the bore is? Your rifle has the 1901 rear sight, a favorite of mine. the front sight is the 1905 Springfield sight used on 1903 Springfields and frequently found on DCM rifles as well as rifles sporterized post service. Can't wait to hear how it shoots!

[KCSO]

I have a couple books on Krag rifles and actually had a documented NRA Krag. They did the conversions in the 20's and 30's and sold to members for low prices compared to other guns of the time. I also had a genuine Krag carbine that I ended up trading for 3 Model 8 rifles.

Basicly what the NRA did was to take Krag rifles and cut the stocks and fill the holes and put a springfield 03 sight base on the rifles. 22 inch barrels were the norm sam as the Krag carbines. Some of the rifles were rebarreled with 03 barrels too. I currently have a Sedgley Krag and a 96 that i rebuilt into a sporter myself. Imay end up selling the sporter as I am forced to shoot left handed now and the offset scope on the Krag doesn't help that a lot.

[gnoahhh]

The work was done at the arsenals, then sold through the DCM. Back then you had to be an NRA member to buy a gun through the DCM. The NRA itself had nothing to do with the conception of these rifles. The modifications done to Krag rifles sold as DCM sporters was no different than the simple modifications done by countless gunsmiths and home hobbyists "back in the day". The only way to know if a rifle is a true "NRA" Krag sporter is if the paperwork that came with it from the DCM is still with the gun. When the paperwork is extant, then it's worth a ton of money. Without the paperwork, not so much as there's really no way to tell who did the modifications.

[Cosmiceyes]

No there isn't any paper work. The one that was stolen was a carbine,and had different rear sights with original front sights.When my Dad bought it for me the Krag was covered with cosmoline.We had to take it down,and used solvent on the metal parts.We took the stocks to the car wash which they looked almost black/dark brown color out.I enjoyed the brass front sight blade,and the peep sight the feed store had. It attached with out drilling.
I have Joe Poyer's book on the US Krag.It has been helpful for a inexpensive book.It arrived this morning at the ffl dealer.So I will go fill out the required kalifornia paperwork,and wait 15 more days before I can pick it up. :)'s

[Cosmiceyes]

I picked the Krag up Saturday. I have been playing with it so much I forgot to tell ya'll. Now I can take my own pictures of it ,and the targets. The barrel action will go to get reworked as only the action is of value. Since it was a rifle it will become one again. I will have to find a really good barrel maker to make it a top notch paper puncher. :)'s

[Cosmiceyes]

no it is not just the hand guard. it is the sling swivels, the 03 front sight, the rifle rear sight. carbines had a c stamped on all the parts.

not downing your rifle at all. in fact I wish I would have bought one back then or the collection.

I have the "C" on the barrel band,the stock swivel plate,but there is a square piece of wood on the front of the stock where it was shortened. Barrel should be 24 inch,and not 22. There isn't a Band spring holding the barrel band on,just a pin through the stock.I did find by serial number that this was a Springfield modified gun for action in China during the boxer rebellion.I am getting copies signed,and sent to me. I will have to take the but plate off,as there is a bunch of tar like **** plugging it up about 2 inches in?????? Wonder what's up with that????

[pietro]

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Who knows ?

I once took the steel BP off a rust-free '93 Mauser, that had reddish- brown crud underneath, that I took to be human blood (sic) from a buttstroke ?


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[bob208]

actually that c on the barrel band is a u. it is there it means up or facing the muzzle. so the internal taper lines up with the taper on the barrel and stock.

[Old Iron Sights]

Nice pickup. Been watching Krags lately and the prices have gone really crazy.

[Cosmiceyes]

.

Who knows ?

I once took the steel BP off a rust-free '93 Mauser, that had reddish- brown crud underneath, that I took to be human blood (sic) from a buttstroke ?


.

I have picked some of the tarish substance out mixed with grass or straw,and it has become even harder. I made a little digging tool out of a 12 inch piece of 1/8 steel rod. I beat the end flat on my vise with a slight bend in it to work like a shovel.
On the reddish brown stuff if it was blood you would have a huge rust spot. It will do that in less than a day.

[Cosmiceyes]

Nice pickup. Been watching Krags lately and the prices have gone really crazy.

Yes Sir they have. Even all old Military rifles from single shot to bolt action. When I saw the sale price I jumped on it as fast as I could! Had to drive from the L.A. area to 30 minutes east of Phoenix to buy it. I was worse than a excited child till I brought it home. Now I have to touch it everyday as I clean every inch of it. Slowly,and completely. When I'm finished I will take my own pictures! :)'s