Krag and 3 bullets

[jonk]

FWIW:

1898 Krag. 100 yards. All bullets using 17 gr of 2400.

Lyman 314299- sized to .311. 5".

Lyman 311281. 4"

Lee group buy 170gr FN- 3".

Who says Lee is junk!

For my next trick I'm doing a string with just this powder and mold- 5 shots at 15, 5 at 16, etc. up to 21 to see which groups best.

All were WQWW and 50/50 with gas checks.

[jlchucker]

Have you tried a Lyman 311284?

[jonk]

Whoops, mistype. I meant to say 311284, not 281.

[303Guy]

Do you have plans to test different alloys/hardness boolits?

[jonk]

Alloys, no. The wheelweights were free.

Hardnesses, sure. These were water quenched; if I get leading or other irritating results, I might oven treat them. Though it hasn't been an issue so far.

[Char-Gar]

You mentioned the sizing diameter of one bullet, but not the other two. Were they all the same? You didn't mention the LOA of the rounds. Those Krags have very long throats for the old 200 grain military bullets and seating length will make a difference. You also didn't mention the nose diameter of those bullets. That might be a big factory in the difference. Lylman nose diameters have been all over the map through the production life of these old designs.

I have been shooting Krags for many years and a proper fitting 311284 is hard to beat. The qualifer is proper fitting.

I don't think anybody said Lee is junk. Lee is cheaply made and doesn't give the service life of other better made products, but while they last, Lee molds produce good results.

[StarMetal]

Lyman 314299 and 311284 are the best shooting bullets in my Krag. I size to .313.

[jonk]

All were sized to .311. This is the fattest that will easily chamber without messing with the seating die or brass.

I've never gotten in the habit of measuring noses. I've seen non bore riding designs that shot well and bore riders that didn't; for the sake of a few extra tests loads I'm willing to test them all......but FWIW I suppose I should.

[Char-Gar]

Krag groove diameters are all over the map. My 1901 Krag is .3095 and my 1895 Krag is .312. I have known them to go as high as .314. What is yours?

My 1895 Krag does best with .313 bullets, but I have to neck turn the brass to use the loads. The other Krag does fine with .311 or .312.

[StarMetal]

Krag groove diameters are all over the map. My 1901 Krag is .3095 and my 1895 Krag is .312. I have known them to go as high as .314. What is yours?

My 1895 Krag does best with .313 bullets, but I have to neck turn the brass to use the loads. The other Krag does fine with .311 or .312.

Interesting, my groove is .3095 too but I don't have to neck turn to use .313 boolits

[madsenshooter]

There was a change in Krag chambers around serial #213,000. The neck was tightened up a couple thousandths. Both my 92/96s will chamber a bullet with a max diameter of .312 using Remington brass. In fact, at .312 I could probably load without sizing the neck at all. Both rifles were rebuilt at some point, barrels were like new. I'd guess it was after 1902, since that was the model sight they had on them. I size .311, the barrels both slug .310 groove diameter. I had so many .310 groove diameter barrels, I sold the only .308 one I had so wouldn't have to load different.

[fgd135]

I have an 1896 Krag rifle, rebarreled in an arsenal rebuild in 1901, with an excellent condition .308" bore. Shooting that 311284 sized to .309" and 16 grains of 2400 gives me respectable 2.5"-3.5" groups from the bench at 100 yards.

[jonk]

I continued this experiment with 2400, starting at 15 gr and doing 5 shot strings at 1 grain increments to 21 grains, all with the Lee mold.

By luck, my first choice of 17 was the sweet spot. 3 shots touching and the other 2 of the 5 shot string within 1 1/2". So a 1.5" group overall.

Good enough for me.

[Shiloh]

Mine is .3095. 314299 sized at .312 chambers and shoots fine. What is the nose diameter of the 311284??

Shiloh

[excavman]

I have put together several test loads using 5744 from 16-20 grs, boolits 311466,311407, 311284 and a Lee 180 grn rn gc. All sized 309. I'll get out and shoot them through the crono when the wind lays down a bit. Iron sights @ 100yds.

Larry