Well, now I have done it.

[Pb2au]

I went to a gunshow around last weekend and this followed me home.
100730

If my understanding is correct, this particular specimen was born in 1899, in a rifle configuration. Along it's life someone cut it down, added the tactical Schnabel-ish carving on the end of the forearm and performed a pistol-grip-prosthesis on it, as well as a rear sight-ectomy. Despite bubba's best efforts, it really isn't too bad of a looker.
The bore is in fine shape with bright sharp rifling. I slugged it and it is 0.3080" on the money. I haven't done a throat pound cast yet.
It does have a snazzy Pacific peep sight! (for tactical long range engagements.)

Dies are here, brass is hopefully on the way.
I am concerned, I heard that Krag rifles hate to be alone.........

P.S.
yes, those are sugar cubes. Yes, i am a dinosaur.

[nagantguy]

Very nice find very nice looks like bubba couldn't cut chop an file the pretty out of that one. If they are anything like nagants then you are correct they hate to be alone and have been known to drive new owner crazy in the search for others to keep it company.

[jimb16]

I've found that Enfields, M1 carbines and Garands all suffer from that particular malady. And worse, if you leave a pair of them alone together in a closet or gun safe, they breed!

[Scharfschuetze]

Looks like you have a cast boolit rifle extraordinaire!!!!

[Pb2au]

That's what I thought. I've read time and time again here how highly folks here regard the Krag as a cast shooter. Not to mention the general coolness of the Krags.
It's been one of my bucket list guns for a long long time. I had just never connected with one till last Saturday.
It looks like my brass should be here early this week, so next weekend should be the maiden voyage.

[MBTcustom]

I wants me some some u that mmmmhmmm. Broke me a string on my banjo when I sees it here mmmhmmm.
Very very nice!
I woulda scooped that baby up in a heartbeat. Last one I saw at a gunshow around here, when I asked the guy what the price was, I made the fatal error of letting an obnoxious "Gfaaaa!!!" through my mind and out my lips when he told me his over-inflated, collector grade price. Kinda killed my chances at talking the guy down.

[smokeywolf]

Congratulations on your acquisition. Check the bolt lug carefully for any cracks. Fairly rare, but it does happen. Keep your loads well below original max. pressures.

Some info here; http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?230855-Global-arms-777

smokeywolf

[bob208]

if it is dated 1899 on the receiver then it was a real carbine. so you would need a stock and hand guard.

[gnoahhh]

I wants me some some u that mmmmhmmm. Broke me a string on my banjo when I sees it here mmmhmmm.
Very very nice!
I woulda scooped that baby up in a heartbeat. Last one I saw at a gunshow around here, when I asked the guy what the price was, I made the fatal error of letting an obnoxious "Gfaaaa!!!" through my mind and out my lips when he told me his over-inflated, collector grade price. Kinda killed my chances at talking the guy down.

How true, Tim, that so many guys think these altered Krags are worth the same as straight original ones. Of course, I'm from an era when sportered Krags fetched $30-50 all day long at the gun shows, and $100 would buy a pristine original one.

Also, you might reconsider scoping a Krag if you ever latch onto one. Remember, they eject straight up, making a center-mounted scope problematic. Typical scope mounting on a Krag is done with side mounts, with said scopes offset way to the side too. Makes for awkward shooting, IMO. I feel Krags are one rifle that work best (and look best) with receiver sights when in sporter trim. Also, a Krag has the peculiar issue of the magazine box being right where the heel of your hand wants to rest when carrying it one handed. Adding a scope just compounds that issue of comfy portability.

[Pb2au]

if it is dated 1899 on the receiver then it was a real carbine. so you would need a stock and hand guard.

It is dated 1898.
I'm still in learn mode on Krags, so all info is greatly welcomed!

[Scharfschuetze]

I've got Poyer's book on the Krag and if you are interested, I can check and see what year and month your Krag was made. If in fact it's a Model of 1898, it was made between 1898 and 1903, but we can distill it down more precisely if you want. Just post your serial number with the last few digits as Xs.

[Pb2au]

Serial number 172xxx

Many thanks sir for the help!

[swheeler]

Nice rifle! Looks like you have an altered Model 98 rifle manufactured in 1899

[Scharfschuetze]

February 1899 for the manufactured date.

[leadman]

I have a sporter Krag also with an implanted pistol grip. Unlike yours mine suffers the effects of corrosive ammo.
You will really like shooting it. So smooth you think a round could not have been chambered so you will check it to be sure.

[Pb2au]

Brass arrived today. Oh yeah, pretty happy kid here in Ohio.

[madsenshooter]

I have a sporter Krag also with an implanted pistol grip. Unlike yours mine suffers the effects of corrosive ammo.
You will really like shooting it. So smooth you think a round could not have been chambered so you will check it to be sure.

I remember the first time I shot my Krag in a CMP clinic, which is more or less a 50 round practice match after some instruction for newbs. In rapid fire I kept stopping mid stroke to see if the bolt had picked a round cause it sure didn't feel like it.

There are two models of that Pacific sight, one with 5 clicks per full revolution of the knob, and one with 10 clicks. There's another model that you adjust with a screwdriver.

[IROCZ]

Nice rifle, where did you find brass???

[wallenba]

My white whale.... still looking.

[Pb2au]

Nice rifle, where did you find brass???

Got the brass here in the swapping and selling section.

Quick update;
Took it for a test drive today. All I want to do now is get a job shooting Krag rifles. What a nice bolt action.
Preliminary results look good so far. I need a bit bigger boolit, but other than that things are good.

[Pb2au]

My white whale.... still looking.

It took a while, but I finally connected! Don't get discouraged.
+1 point for a Moby Dick reference. One my favorite books.

[Seabee1960]

This Krag business is more addicting than Crack. I started with one and have a dozen. I am guessing that you have the full 30” barrel (I think I can just make out the brazed on front sight body at the top of the pic) and that the rear sight is a “no drill” type Lyman or Redfield. If this is the case you have a prime candidate for a restoration. Few things make my heart beat faster than a full stocked military Krag. If you have a decent barrel I envy you. Most of the Krags I see have bores that look like stage 4 colon cancers.
Here is a picture of a Krag rifle that was so “Bubbaed” up that I had no choice but to re-barrel and stock with a heavy commercial stock. This is my “cast boolit” test gun. The barrel was from Midway USA ($75) and I bought the stock on e-bay for $40. I had the chamber reamer and cut the barrel threads on my old South Bend 10A. The scope is a garage sale Unertl with a Parsons rebuild.
103106

[Seabee1960]

It shoots like a house on fire. The RCBS 30-180-FN sized at .310 diameter is a great boolit in the Krag. Big Meplat like you want in a cast boolit but enough ogive to function well in the Krag magazine. I like the AA2230 load (29 grains) I read about in an old issue of Hand loader but IMR 4198 seem to give me the best performance. If using the cursed metal patched bullets you will be stuck with a round nose profile or you will have problems with feeding. When reloading cast boolits use some extra care when seating the slug. The Krag case has a very long neck and if you are not careful you will shave lead off one side of the bullet before it gets to depth.103109

[Pb2au]

Thanks for the info Seabee!
I'm heading to the range this weekend with another group of loads to check. I am currently monkeying around with 3031 and 4064. I'm still playing with the Lee 170 grain FN and the Lee 155 grain (for the 303). I am currently sizing to .309, but I am certain that my next go round I will be at .310 or .311. My push through sizer is currently getting operated on to open him up.
The bore is perfect. Once I got the copper out of it, it was a sight to behold.
The original rear sight is missing. The peep is indeed a no drill, a Pacific if I remember correctly. I will measure the barrel tonight to see how long it actually is. The funny thing is it never occurred to me to measure it to see if has been chopped down......derp.
Your Krag in the pic is a looker. If you get tired of it, just send it my way, mine in lonely........:mrgreen:

[Seabee1960]

Monte A. Martinez.

I could make you a deal on one that is the twin brother... Heavy barrel perfect bore and professional head space with a 7 degree crown. Fantastic shooter drilled and taped on the barrel only for Unertl type target bases... I do not need two Krag varmint guns. I have a pristine 98 Krag infantry rifle that came from the Maine National Guard. I got it as a present from a girl's dad who was hoping I would make an honest woman of here. The girl (an old woman now) is long gone but I kept the rifle. Miles web belt and bayonet and all the good stuff came with it. The guy loved me like a son I guess...

As little as 5 years ago you could get a hill-Billy Krag sportier on Gun Broker for south of $200 bucks. I bought many. Restored the ones I could and turned the ones I could not into cast bullet guns. I am serious about the sale. I would not gouge you.