Krag butt plate

[Battis]

I'm looking for a butt plate with the trap door for a '96 Krag carbine. I see some for sale but no mention of what model they fit on. Is there a rule of thumb for what plate fits what model?

[wild bill wildbill59]

Saw one last night on ebay

[Battis]

There's a few out there but none give measurements. I think I figured it out from one of the pics.

[madsenshooter]

They're the same for rifle or carbine. There were early rifle models without the trapdoor and no curve to the toe. Watch out on ebay, anything with knurling on it is not for a Krag, though some list them so, they're for 03 Springfields.

[Battis]

Like this one:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Krag-buttplate-/291079269224?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43c5ad2b6

Has anyone here replaced the handguard with a reproduction handguard? Is it worth it?

[madsenshooter]

Yep, that's an 03 buttplate. Since they're so much cheaper, I did fit one of them to a repro 1892 stock I have. Took quite a bit of filing. Your carbine requires a short handguard that tucks into the horned carbine band and the only sight model you'd be able to use is the 1896, either rifle or carbine. The carbine sight is much sought after and expensive. I've had a couple of the repro rifle handguards, one of them had to go back. It fit fine as long as I didn't put the sight in the slot, which was cut off a wee bit. That left a larger gap between handguard and stock on one side. He took it back, reluctantly. Said he wouldn't sell to me again, so I got my sister to buy another one for me, which fit fine. Whenever you mass produce anything, there's going to be an occasional reject. Otherwise quality was fine, good walnut, rivets and bands were much like the original. http://www.partsforantiqueguns.com/Krag%20%28Springfield%29%20Upper%20Handguards.htm I also got a repro handguard from S&S once, it was soft, light wood that drank stain like a sponge and wasn't shaped right where it goes over the receiver ring.

[Battis]

So, the handguard needs the correct sight and barrel ring, and screws, and the only part reproduced is the handguard...
I have a repro saddle ring and bar on the way ($39). Probably call it quits with that, maybe add a buttplate, and just be glad I have a shooter.

[madsenshooter]

Yea, I'd leave the restoration work to someone else and just enjoy it.