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Thread: Springfield Krag won't feed from magazine

  1. #1
    Boolit Master PBSmith's Avatar
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    Springfield Krag won't feed from magazine

    This is a follow up to my recent post regarding bullets that members of this forum have found to feed successfully through an 1898 Springfield Krag magazine.

    When I started that thread, I believed the failure of my 1898 rifle to feed through the magazine was a result of my bullet selection. That is most definitely NOT the problem. The magazine will not even feed a 220-grain, copper-jacketed, factory round nose cartridge, which is close to what the original military rounds looked like. Nor does it feed any of my round-nose cast projectiles.

    When I try to chamber a round from the magazine, the cartridge hangs up about 1/2" ahead of where the bolt first picks it up from the follower.. Only by slamming the bolt handle hard will the bolt kick the cartridge free from the jammed position between the follower and the side plate. Although there is an “edge” where the front of the side plate meets the feed trough of the receiver, bullets pass over this edge freely.

    I can free up the jammed cartridge by simply reaching in with a dowel and pressing the follower slightly to the right (toward the magazine gate). The cartridge then slides up and into the chamber with no resistance.

    I've disassembled the magazine and found no obvious snags. The magazine and its parts are clean, and the follower pivots freely on the carrier.

    Two possible problem causes have entered my mind :
    1. My removal of the magazine cutoff (for placement of a Redfield receiver sight). But my other Krag (an 1896 model) has the same sight and feeds as it should.

    2. A magazine spring that seems to be much stiffer than it needs to be. That spring is tough as a truck leaf spring, making the magazine door very difficult to open and the hinge pin difficult to remove, even when I clamp the magazine door as suggested by an earlier thread on this forum. There's no way that pushing in on the magazine gate with the fingers would relieve the spring enough to drift out the hinge pin.

    I'm wondering if the stiff spring is causing the follower to jam hard against the cartridge, in essence “pinching” the cartridge between the follower and the side plate. As I explained above, if I reach down with a tool and move the follower slightly away from the jammed round, the cartridge slides right on up as it should.

    Possibly there’s another cause I’ve overlooked. Has anyone here experienced the same feed problem?

    Look forward to your replies.

    Edit: carrier/follower terms straightened out.
    Last edited by PBSmith; 08-25-2021 at 02:42 AM.

  2. #2
    Boolit Mold
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    I have heard that early side plates are not compatible with later models, maybe someone at some point put an early side plate on your rifle?

  3. #3
    Boolit Master PBSmith's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DE201 View Post
    I have heard that early side plates are not compatible with later models, maybe someone at some point put an early side plate on your rifle?
    You might have heard correctly, DE. I just compared side plates on my 1896 and 1898. They are in fact different.

    And the cartridge does indeed bear against the sideplate, so if I've got the wrong sideplate, that could be the answer. Thanks for your alert. Maybe another member can take up on this.
    Last edited by PBSmith; 08-25-2021 at 02:41 AM.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master PBSmith's Avatar
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    Had I read my own earlier threads, I wouldn't have started this one. See "Removing Magazine Cutoff, 1898 Krag," started by me on 11-21-2017

    As one responder to that thread pointed out, removal of the magazine cutoff does indeed sometimes cause magazine feed problems. Not always, sometimes.

    The situation I explained in this thread for an 1898 rifle is one of the "Sometimes" cases. I cleaned up the magazine parts, re-assembled, then removed the Redfield receiver sight and re-installed the original magazine cutoff.

    Cartridges now feed flawlessly, including those loaded with the Lee 303 bullet.

    Some Krag owners who wish to keep the Redfield and still have a functioning magazine have made a dummy insert for the cutoff.

    Not sure I will go back to the receiver sight - it never did look right on the rifle.
    Last edited by PBSmith; 08-25-2021 at 04:49 PM.

  5. #5
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    Texas by God's Avatar
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    I’m having the same type problem with my 98 Krag. I will remove the Redfield 102K and put the magazine cutoff back in for a test. Interesting.
    Update:
    Thank you PBSmith! Your knowledge ran the feeding ghost from my built from parts 98 Krag. I removed the Redfield sight and tested it with cast and jacketed with the magazine cutoff present. Hallelujah- SO- I modified the cutoff to be held in place by the sight screw plate and it works.
    The helpful folks and knowledge on this site strikes again!
    Last edited by Texas by God; 09-11-2021 at 07:41 PM.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check