New to me 30-40 Krag

[littlejack]

Last couple days, I disassembled the Krag and give it a good cleaning then reassembled. Little bit of crud in the cracks and crevices. This 120 year old firearm is in great condition. Gave it a "redneck" headspace check. Look to be about .009 - .010. Looks like it gonna be a minimum partial sizing or neck sizing procedure. I'll know more after I shoot a few rounds and check the cases. All in all, very pleased with my purchase. Hope it shoots decently.

[littlejack]

Update:
Been playin with the Krag for the last few weeks. I've been getting some of my cases I received from other members fireformed. I received my 311284 boolit mould, and have been casting and trying out different loads as well. I've been working with RE-7 powder for starters. My last group five shots at 25 yards with 21 grains of RE-7 measured .550 c to c. I know that's a very short distance, but been playin with the original Springfield sight as well. I won a nice Redfield micro adjusment receiver sight on ebay last week. It is the no drill model and comes with the longer side plate screw to mount the sight. Glad of that, as the last holes I had D&T'd at a smith cost fifty dollars a hole. I've been on a short vacation out of town, but the sight has been delivered and is waiting to be mounted when I get home. After I get the old girl sighted with the receiver sight, I'll be shooting at longer ranges. The Lyman 311284 mould cast very nice boolits albeit I would like the driving bands to be .001 larger. The nose section is a couple thousandths over bore diameter, but I can live with that. The mould halves are misaligned approximately .0015 but so far hasn't had any detrimental effect with small amount of test shooting I've done. I don't have too much RE-7 powder left, but do have a few bottles of IMR 4064. We, the Albany Rifle Pistol Club, have a gun show here in Albany Oregon at the Linn County Fair Grounds on Friday the 24th and Saturday the 25th of this month September from 9:00 - 5:00. Maybe there'll be some powder at a decent price to buy?? Anyone in and/or around this vicinity is surely welcome to the gun show.

[littlejack]

The Redfield sight was waiting for me when I came back from a short vacation. It is a nice sight, but needed a thorough cleaning. It was a little stiff from years of dried on oil and dirt. Now, it works nice and smooth. Mounted it on the old Krag, and it fits like a glove. Loaded up some rounds, and headed to the range. At 50 yards, loaded with 23 grains of Re7 and topped with the Lyman 311284, five shots in1 5/16". With 30 grains of IMR 4064, 2 1/16".
At 100 yards, 23 grains of Re7, 4 shots 2 1/8" with that 5th pesky flier out to 2 7/8". With the 30 grains of IMR 4064, 4 shots in 2 1/8" with the flier out to 3 5/8".
I found out that a lot of the difficulty was from the targets I used. At 50 yards, I was using a 12" Shoot-n-c target the target was plenty big enough, but there was no contrast between the black target and the black front blade. At 100 yards, I was using a bigger target with a 5" yellow bullseye. The bullseye and front blade had the contrast between each other, but at 100 yards, the front blade bled outside of the yellow. I did a net check, and this is not an unusual occurrence with other shooters sighting with a receiver sight. The contrast between the target and front blade is definately important to good shooting. One individual suggested using a 9" pie plate, and holding center of same. I have lots of pie plates. If the plate seems to big, there's always the scissors to remidy that issue. So, I'm asking; What have all y'all found to be the best targets for using with your receiver sights?

[HWooldridge]

I use a 10” or 12” paper plate and put a “V” in the center with black electrical tape. I hold on the point of the “V”, so the sight settles at the bottom. Aim small, miss small.

[littlejack]

HWooldridge
The paper plate part sounds good. Anymore, my eyes aren't able to see the V at 100 yards.

[W.R.Buchanan]

I didn't see if anyone said anything about only Neck Sizing your cases. This holds true for any of the Rimmed cases from that era. IE: .303 Brit, Krag, 7.62-54R etc. You'll get more case life out of them instead of one or two loadings with F/L Sizing.

Randy.

[littlejack]

Thanks Randy.
Yes, I've been neck sizing. I guess the biggest issue is the first fireforming of new brass, or used brass that was fired in a different rifle. I've loaded some rounds using the 311284 boolit gc'd (backwards) to get a solid "stop" against the rifling, and push against the bolt face. Maybe shoot them today and see how that works?

[405grain]

I read through this thread and it brings back memories. Back in the mid 1980's I bought a 1898 Krag carbine in Ukiah for $100. This wasn't a cut down rifle, it was the super rare carbine. The guy that I bought it from didn't know what it was, (but neither did I). If I remember correctly I think I took it to the range twice. About a year later I moved to the Bay Area to take a higher paying job, and I sold the Krag. Pretty sure that I got $150 on that deal. Now that I know better I think I'll just hire a guy to kick me in the butt every time that I think about that rifle.

[littlejack]

A man with a plan. Lol
There's a few firearms I wish I hadn't sold. It happens.
I've been concerned about loading my brass for the Krag, and getting it fireformed the first firing without causing the fracture line just above the extractor groove. Things did work out with the new cases I aquired from another member here. Before sizing the new cases, I chambered a few in the Krag. Low and behold,
the bolt closed with a definate light pressure. After extracting the cases, I could see where the new case had a ring mark around the shoulder, when it had chambered. So now I don't have to be concerned about the new brass stretching itself apart. Some of the fired brass that I aquired, does the same thing, meaning it must have been fired in a larger chamber. And, aparently some fired brass has been fired in smaller chamber than mine. My 311284 boolits do not have a big enough bore section to contact the rifling and hold the case back against the bolt face. So, it is what it is. So far, after 3 firings, I haven't lost any cases.
Good shooting

[pworley1]

I have never shot anything other than cast in any of mine, but the all like the 311299 and most of the other 180 to 220 choices. almost any fast to medium rifle powder will work, as well as Unique, Red Dot, 4227, so just pock one and have fun.

[littlejack]

I've been playin with Re7, H4198, and IMR 4064. The first two look promising, 4064, not so much "yet". Still working on load development. I don't care for the way H4198 hangs up in my powder measure. But considering the way it shoots, I can live with it. Re7 measures very well. Also, still working on which targets work best for me with with the receiver sight. Getting closer.

[littlejack]

Found out something new to me a couple days ago trimming my 30-40 cases. We all know some of these cases have beveled edges around the perimeter of the rim. I was trimming different makes of cases. R-P different lots, Winchester super-x, rem-umc 30 USA and Graf. I checked some before I started trimming, some needed shortened more than others. I had already set the Forster trimmer when trimming cases before. This was the first time trimming the Graf cases. I noticed that it took more time to trim the first Graf case than the other headstamped cases. I measured it, It came out "short". I had set the trimmer for the beveled cases at the first trimming. Conciquently, the Graf cases with no bevel protruded out closer to the cutter, causing them to come out shorter than the others. Aparently, I'm going to have to adjust the trimmer for different headstamps. Another wrinkle on my horn.

[slam45]

i fought with forester trimmers for years... never did get them right... now i just use file trim dies specific to caliber... not sure if i get them exactly to some book spec, but i do get them all the same...

[Baltimoreed]

The lee case trimmers/pilot are pretty much foolproof. The shellholder bottoms against the entire base and the pilot bottoms out against it so oal will be the same for every case.

[littlejack]

I had forgotten I had used the Lee case trimmer on 30-30 cases years ago. With the different bevels on different brand cases, that would be the way to go. With the way it functions, I do believe they would be the best. All I have to do is order the shellholder and pilot for the 30-40. Thanks for reminding me.

[Shiloh]

Love the pics.

Shiloh

[littlejack]

Updated range report:
Went out today to chase targets around the backboard. The past few days, I've loaded up some test rounds to find out which powders and charges the Krag prefers. It was 50° and overcast today, but didn't feel to bad lookin down through the sights. The two powders I tested were the H4198, and Alliant Re7.
First tested was the H4198. Boolit used was the 311284. The bore riding section of this boolit just fits down inside the muzzle with a little pressure, which imho, makes for a perfect fit. I would be happy if the driving bands were .0005 to .001 larger in diameter. But, the boolit seems to be doing what it's suppose to be doing as is. No lead build up after 40 rounds. Each group were 4 shots @ 50 yards, using a Redfield receiver peep sight. Thr 4198 charges were 20, 22, 24, and 26 grains respectively. First group .700" c to c.
Second group 1.15" with three in .575".
Third group 1.56".
Fourth group 1.66"
Re7 with same powder charges. 20, 22, 24, 26 grains.
First group 1.15" with three in .600".
Second group 1.71" with three in .910".
Third group 2.30".
Fourth group 1.77".
Point of impact with Re7 powder from 20 grain load to 26 grain load was approximately 5" verticle.
Point of impact with H4198 powder, 20 grains to 26 grains was approximately 4.5" verticle. According to the Lyman 49th, the 20 grain load of each powder is approximately 1500 fps. After I decide on what powder and charge to use, I will chronograph for solid velocity measurement. Still working on what target works best for me. These printed home drawn targets worked really well. Picture a 8" black circle with a 4" white center. I'm going to drop back to 18 grains just to see if the smallest groups shrink any. I really dought it though, as my eyes probably won't allow it.
Had a few extra rounds left after the testing. At 200 yards, we have a 14" gong. I managed to slap it around, before heading home.
Great shooting to all.