Need A Gunsmith!!!

[5hundo]

I need someone to check out my new 30-40 Krag.I called a guy a few days ago but I have yet to hear back from him and I'd like to take it out to the range this weekend, if I can.

I live in the South Bay area near Lomita. Any suggestions would be more than welcome! Thanks in advance!!!

[gunboat]

Clean it, check the bolt lug for cracking, pop a couple primers in a mt case to check firing pin, load up a few rounds with 311291 and 30gr ball c and have at it -

[5hundo]

Clean it, check the bolt lug for cracking, pop a couple primers in a mt case to check firing pin, load up a few rounds with 311291 and 30gr ball c and have at it -

I'm tempted to do just as you've suggested. In fact, despite the CMP guidelines that say to have a gunsmith inspect the Garands, I didn't do it. However, the CMP test fires their Garands before they're sent out, so they're most likely pretty safe.

...but my Krag is 110 years old and A LOT of crud came out of my bore. It doesn't look very good but the muzzle is still pretty tight. I think it will shoot but I'd really like to have an expert look at it...

[tow4dough]

put on some protective gear and shoot it from the hip.

[5hundo]

put on some protective gear and shoot it from the hip.

Ummm....

No......

[gunboat]

How many 30 year old gunsmiths are experts on the condition of a 110 year old weapon? IF, you have the place available, tie it to an old tire and fire a few full power loads through it, using a long string -------
Personally, I don't fire heavy loads in any of my krags, not because they are unsafe but because medium power cast loads are more fun and easier on the bore --

[5hundo]

How many 30 year old gunsmiths are experts on the condition of a 110 year old weapon? IF, you have the place available, tie it to an old tire and fire a few full power loads through it

Point taken...

Okay, I'll just see how she does at the range and cross my fingers...

(famous last words of 5hundo)

Personally, I don't fire heavy loads in any of my krags, not because they are unsafe but because medium power cast loads are more fun and easier on the bore --

This is one problem that I currently have. NO KRAG AMMO!!!

I was just going to order some commercial ammo from midway until I get a decent collection of brass to reload. They're expensive but I don't really see any alternative.

Between the Remmington and the Winchester, which would you think is a better load? Any experience with either?

http://www.midwayusa.com/browse/BrowseProducts.aspx?t=82579&pageNum=0&tabId=3&categoryId=9363&categoryString=653***690***

[gun toting monkeyboy]

Ok, I am horrible with this myself. I have been collecting C&Rs for almost 20 years now, and I have rarely taken guns to be inspected before shooting them. My standard procedure is to clean them thouroughly, and inspect them for cracks. If I have the headspace guages, I check it. After that, I take a light load and shoot it, well away from my face. The I inspect the case for any bulges, pushed forward shoulders, blown primers, the usual. If it can pass that, I run a few more through it, and then settle down to start shooting. YMMV. As a disclaimer, as it is clearly stated in my screen name, I am a monkeyboy. Anybody that follows my advice blindly gets what they deserve. While this may work for me, if you go blow your hand off, I didn't tell you to do it.

[5hundo]

Ok, I am horrible with this myself. I have been collecting C&Rs for almost 20 years now, and I have rarely taken guns to be inspected before shooting them. My standard procedure is to clean them thouroughly, and inspect them for cracks. If I have the headspace guages, I check it. After that, I take a light load and shoot it, well away from my face. The I inspect the case for any bulges, pushed forward shoulders, blown primers, the usual. If it can pass that, I run a few more through it, and then settle down to start shooting. YMMV. As a disclaimer, as it is clearly stated in my screen name, I am a monkeyboy. Anybody that follows my advice blindly gets what they deserve. While this may work for me, if you go blow your hand off, I didn't tell you to do it.

I supposed I really shouldn't be too concerned about it. Krags have a triple-lug bolt that is fairly "over-engineered" for the power of the cartridge. I'll probably just get some ammo and see how she does...

[smle-man]

I supposed I really shouldn't be too concerned about it. Krags have a triple-lug bolt that is fairly "over-engineered" for the power of the cartridge. I'll probably just get some ammo and see how she does...

Krags have a single lug for the bolt with the bolt handle as the safety lug of last resort. It is properly engineered for the cartridge but certainly not over engineered. Check for cracks at the bolt head.

[gunboat]

They also have a rib on the bolt (3) -- So even if a lug cracked off the bolt would not blow back - But it does put all support umsymetrically on one side which could cause the receiver to bend and fail --

[Xerxes]

Thoroughly clean the rifle

Take off the stock so the barrel and receiver is free to inspect from all sides/angles. Take out the bolt and if possible the magazine (on a Mauser you would take out the group, not sure if Krag can do the same thing easily)

Inspect the barrel and receiver externally for cracks, distortions, bends, etc. You can run your finger down the barrel and receiver to feel for bulging or anything our of the ordinary.

You can use a magnifying glass to look for cracks. They are easy to see, concentrate on looking at the high stress areas (right angles in the metal or in grooves etc).

Inspect the inside of the barrel and check for any burrs, corrosion-rust blooms, blockage. Check to see if the barrel has been bored out as CMP has reported many were bored out to make inoperable-non shooter. This would probably still be safe for the shooter but due to the bullet bouncing down the barrel (like in a shotgun) it won't have any accuracy and unsafe on where it ends up like going over the backstop berm at the range.

Everyone has mentioned the bolt, not sure about the krag but the Mauser's would crack at the lugs in the corner where the right angle is.... sometimes when hot/modern loads are shot in the very oldest Mauser's not designed for such. The Krag was designed for much lighter loading than the later battle rifles so there is not a lot of excess design so it can and does fail. This was the biggest factor for not rechambering to the hotter military loads of the early 20th century and yet another reason (one of many) for ditching the weapon after only 9 years of service and moving towards a modern mauser design.

Check the bolt for smooth action and for any hanging up, excessive friction (just what feels right to you), easy closing, etc.

Poor mans head space check I read at various milsurp rifle forums.
-Go to a safe area where discharging a round is acceptable.
-Not sure about the Krag on if you can remove the firing pin but do so for this method.
-Get modern ammunition that is factory loaded by a reputable manufacture (from more than one manufacture) that you can trust is loaded to proper specification (you get your money back by being able to shoot it after inspecting else just buy yourself some proper headspace gages at $25-$35 each).
-Check to see (using extreme caution and definitely not forcing) that the round will chamber rather effortlessly. The most liked feature reported about the Krag is the smooth feeding action of the rifle.
-Now get a piece of single layer cardboard. Not the corrugated but the thick single layer type like for gift boxes for clothes (tricky part is getting the right thickness for this test to work properly). Put it on the face of the bolt and try to close the bolt on that same ammo again. DON'T USE EXCESSIVE EFFORT!. If it closes with no or very slight effort have it checked with proper head space gages as you might have excessive head space.

If you have snap caps (not likely for a Krag) or maybe some shot brass or dry loaded rounds...... try out dry feeding and dry firing to see if everything seems to work.

As mentioned you can pull apart a round and empty the bullet and powder and semi dry fire by shooting just the primer then examining the primer strike to see if it is consistent with what you usually see on other firearms.

If you reload or know someone that does you can have some "light loads" and test with those then disassemble and re-inspect after each round.

If you have a shooting mount holder you can brace your rifle in this mount and go to a range with protected lanes or on a day with few people and do the tied string method of shooting to be away from the firearm.

You could also just hold/rest the rifle on the bench with just your hand on the grip and all your other body parts away from the weapon and while holding the rifle away from you fire a round. This is not preferred but safer than putting your head and body against the rifle like you use with a proper shooting position.

When you do your test firing do at least 10 rounds at each loading. After each round give the weapon a quick inspection (remove the bolt and look at it and check for cracks and distortion and even powder burns). Check the barrel for any damage/blockage/stuck bullets after each round expended but only after removing the bolt and with no ammo attached or in the chamber (duh! yes that is obvious, but we always say that).

What I read about the Krag that is most important is to watch the loading as this rifle was made before the armies of the world utilized the full power of smokeless powders by using much higher strength steels that were properly heat treated for toughness.

Add to that the age of this rifles, not so much that the steel ages as much as the use/abuse it had over the years and you could be in trouble. Also if you are going to shoot in a cold environment, make sure the metal on the rifle is warm as possible before shooting. Back in those days it was not thoroughly understood how metal became brittle and moderately low temperatures (like at only 20F) and they were not properly heat treated to take into account for this.

I think if you have a basic understanding of firearms and have been around them several years of shooting you can do this yourself. What does not look/feel/smell/taste right probably is not right and then you make certain to have a highly trained professional check it out (spelled $$$$$).

The problem these days is that the so called gunsmiths do not have the extensive experience inspecting/tinkering/repairing old guns like in the past. Kids these days migrate towards computers, real estate, or go to Harvard/Yale to get an MBA to learn how to become a CEO, Director, High level management then rape a company of all its assets by inflating profits so as to declare excessive salaries, bonuses, multiple board seats to get from multiple companies more salary compensation, and just steal any loose cash, change, or anything else left about around the company while going through the secretary pool and having sex with all of them. Few people want to spend a lifetime learning this craft or other similar crafts (machinist, car mechanic, welder, etc) as those are looked at as looser jobs for kids that did not go to bed on time, did not eat their vegetables, were disrespectful to their parents, smoked pot, snuck smoked cigarettes in the bathroom at school, and in general had long arms so there knuckles dragged along the ground when they walked.

I am sure there are a few good gunsmiths around but they command top dollar or get really overwhelmed so their service suffers. With some experience with firearms you could probably do just as good or better job yourself as you have a vested interest in it being safe and will spend more than 10 minutes looking at it.

GOOD LUCK WITH THIS!
....and keep us up to date on what you decided to do, how it all went, and if yours is a safe shooter.