U.S. Krag Rifle

[captain_chau]

Okay so I'm thinking my next C&R rifle after getting a lee enfield no.4 mk 1 should be a krag jorgensen m1892-99 rifle... so what are the chances I could find one in decent shape, in original condition and around 400-600? also what do I need to know about the krag?

[CEDaytonaRydr]

Okay so I'm thinking my next C&R rifle after getting a lee enfield no.4 mk 1 should be a krag jorgensen m1892-99 rifle...

You have chosen....

Wisely!

They're fantastic rifles. Very smooth action and precise iron sights... (especially the 1902 and 1901 variants)

so what are the chances I could find one in decent shape, in original condition and around 400-600? also what do I need to know about the krag?

You can find them. It will probably be closer to the $600 estimate but they're out there. You need to look for rifling condition, barrel length, headspace and stock condition. A LOT of Krags had the original 30" barrel chopped down to a more "sporting" length. You have to remember, these surplus rifles were available in catalogs for $20-$50 back in the day. Guys would buy them and turn them into cheap (and very effective) deer hunting guns. You can buy "sporters" all day long for $250-$400 but an all original rifle will almost always be $500 or above.

A genuine carbine is going to cost much more but they are out there too. I have an "Infantry length" (30" barrel) 1898 rifle and an 1898 "school gun".

[gunboat]

While I certainly encourage you in your quest for a Krag, I fear $600 will not get you a very good example. M1898s are the most numerous and I think a really good one will bring $800 and will continue to rise in value.
I have a 96 and two 98 rifles and a 99 carbine. I would be reluctant to sell any one of them for less than $800.
my tuppence

[Mike A]

Agree with the above two posts on cost and desirability of the originals. BUT (the big butt), if you just want to find out how the Krag worked/works and where it fits in the world of 19th Century military hardware, a cut down rifle isn't a bad place to start. It works just the same, is easier to carry and store, and a LOT cheaper. It will kick more and make more racket, comparable to the military carbine version. But a lot of fun for the money and a gun that you can shoot and shoot without any guilt about wearing out a valuable collector's item.

(I have one of the "sporters" the NRA sold off during the "other Depression" for $5 to members. It shoots very well and is in almost new condition, except for the chop jobs. I also have a single shot conversion of a Krag action in .22 Hornet made in the 1930s. Also shoots. I've seen such conversions in .25-35 and other calibers. Most are single shots.).

Aside from US and Scandinavian military use, Krags were used a lot in the Mexican Revolution(s) of 1910-34, and in the Caribbean (Haiti, Nicaragua, etc.).

One other thing I've noted: decent Krags, while rising in price, are MUCH cheaper in other parts of the country than CA. What else is new?

[captain_chau]

if you just want to find out how the Krag worked/works and where it fits in the world of 19th Century military hardware, a cut down rifle isn't a bad place to start. It works just the same, is easier to carry and store, and a LOT cheaper. It will kick more and make more racket, comparable to the military carbine version. But a lot of fun for the money and a gun that you can shoot and shoot without any guilt about wearing out a valuable collector's item.

The main reason why I want to get an original version of the krag is that I'm mainly a C&R's collector in that I don't consider modern guns past the m14 worthy of collecting because those rifles have so much history behind it but don't get me wrong I shoot fairly often it's just that I've got different collection for that (a mosin for general shooter and a M1903A3 for competetions)... that and the getting a krag as a shooter is problematic since I've just gotten into reloading so getting the 30-04 might be problematic and expensive atm!

[smle-man]

Be careful: there are a lot of Krags that looks great externally but have nasty bores. Folks would buy them from the NRA, shoot some corrosive ball through them, fail to clean properly or at all and put them away for decades until the heirs want to get rid of grandad's old Krag. Too bad grandad didn't clean it when he had the chance!

A buddy's Krag: Looks fantastic and even had a proper sling and bayonet with it but the bore looked like a mile long gravel road.

[Mike A]

SMLE-man, that is a SAD story. But true, I'm sure. Dontcha hate it when a cosmetically perfect specimen turns out to have a rotten bore? If it were a smaller bore, I'd say get it relined. But that would be a pretty tall order with a 30" Krag. And I've never seen a .30-40 relined before, come to think of it. 30-30s but no .30-40. Maybe it is a bit hot for a liner to stay put? Probably not worth it with a Krag even if feasible. Sad.

[smle-man]

I think anything over about 1,500 FPS will cause the liner to separate. Not sure the exact FPS but it pretty much excludes any high velocity center fire rounds. Bad bores seem to be the rule and not the exception with Krags. When the army pulled troops out of the P.I. after besting the insurgents their Krags were dumped in Manila bay due to the poor condition of the weapons from rust and rotting stocks.

[blackfalcon]

A Krag carbine will set you back at around a grand easy, the rifles may be a little cheaper. Watch "Rough Riders" and you will want a Krag carbine bad.

[smle-man]

Back in the 80s when I lived in IL I was attending a gunshow where a small rural PD was selling its Krag carbines and bandoliers of original Krag ammo to buy pump shotguns for the patrol cars. Can you imagine they still had Krag carbines!? I bought a '96 carbine with the department property tag on the butt. I didn't have any more money for the ammo. I added a '99 carbine and then traded both later on. The '96 carbine was pristine and didn't cost a bucket load of money. Wish I had kept it!

[captain_chau]

isn't it possible to replace the original barrel w/ a new one?

[gunboat]

I understand the DCM or rather cmp, or whatever it is called now, has or had some replacement krag barrels. They are new made, not originals.
If you could find a long enough blank you could also get it threaded (left hand square thread) fitted and chambered.
I think some replacement stocks (newmade aftermarket) are also available.
The cost of a "sporter" plus replacing barrel, stock, handguard, and the missing barrel bands etc. would likely cost more than a decent original.
I think you could safely reline a carbine barrel but finding a liner long enough to reline a rifle would be difficult. It would likely cost several hundred dollars to reline.
30/40 is an easy case to reload and it is a relatively low pressure cartridge.The krag does well with cast bullets, often even in worn bores. A rough bore often will successfully digest jackeed slugs. You just have to shoot both in your weapon and see what happens.
capt. c, if you are ever down my way you can stop by and finger the assortment --
my tuppence

[captain_chau]

thanks guns! I'll keep that in mind

[Mike A]

30" .308 1 in 10" barrels used to be available from PacNor Barrels. I have one (cut to 28") on a re-barrelled Winchester HiWall .30-40. It was originally made as a .30-40, but some genius had replaced the original barrel with an 18" hunk of an '03A3 barrel.....

[gunboat]

At one time, many moons ago, I bought brand new surplus 4 groove 03a3 barrels for $2.50ea and the guy selling them was making at least a 200% profit.
Literally thousands of these barrels were sold as scrap after being cut off just behind the front sight boss.
You will find them on just about every weapon imaginable, some rethreaded, recontoured, and rechambered or just as is.
They were excellent barrels.
my tuppence