Which Krag?

sean69

sean69

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So I just picked up a Norwegian Krag off the EE pretty cheap with an eye to restocking it.... it's sportered, but not cut up :)

Trying to figure out which one it is, does not seem to match up to a serial/configuration?

http://kvf.no/guns-rifler.php

- the serial seems to indicate its an M94, but...
- the barrel is too long for a boy's carbine (it's 22")
- the lug and step on the front of the barrel do not match an M94, it appears they are for a nose cap instead.
- not sure what's going on with the barrel, whether they forgot a nine, it wore off or is just dumb luck the serials are exactly 9,000 digits off :)

20170315_151544.jpg


20170315_151528.jpg



If anyone knows... also will be needing almost all the stock hardware except trigger guard & butt plate - numrich seems to have most of it, but thats a last option.

-thanks
-sean
 
Looks like M1894 Long Krag. It falls into the serial numbers I've seen.
1911
94500-99200 serial number range
4,701 produced in 1911.
Finding a correct stock will be next to impossible I imagine.
 
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barrel is way too short for a long krag. and the lug underneath does not match up. it appears to be for a nose cap?

I can make a stock for it pretty easy. :)
 
I wonder if the barrel end was reattached To a shortened barrel? Otherwise it falls into the
Long Krag serial numbers for 1911 production. Looking at the photo of the muzzle,
It looks like something weird is going on there.
 
Based off of C&Rsenal's quick and dirty guide to Krag-Jorgensen's you have a sporterized M94 Krag. The reason being is the Norwegians never had a Krag with a 22" barrel (they had 20.5", but not 22"). Since it also matches up perfectly with a 1911 M94 Krag, that was what it was sporterized off of.
 
I think they're interesting action!

Just about bought one a decade (or two) ago, at the Montreal gunshow. It was redone with a manlicher stock, like this one... but with checkering at the grip and forehand.

DSC_0283KragcarbineSkogNCircleJerseyHultsHatchetElkGlovesShoddyCoddyMasks2013_zpsb0fcb2c8.jpg


That and a nicely re-stocked Steyr M95 are high up there in the rifles I should have bought but didn't :p...
 
machman said:
I wonder if the barrel end was reattached To a shortened barrel? Otherwise it falls into the
Long Krag serial numbers for 1911 production. Looking at the photo of the muzzle,
It looks like something weird is going on there.
Click to expand...


I agree it falls into the correct serial range for a long Krag, even if I am measuring the barrel wrong - I'm not wrong by 6" !! also- yes, Norwegian.

shortened barrel, no - I don't think so, the taper would not match up. could not have been machined that way as the (too shallow) lug stands proud of the barrel.

beginning to think it was a 94 action re-barreled with a carbine barrel.... unless the bayonet lugs on the long 94s were actually a sleeve that fit over the muzzle & sight, that would also explain the lug & step. but that still leaves us with a barrel 6" too short!???

(got your PM - thanks)
 
just in case I am measuring barrel length differently....

muzzle to receiver 21 7/8" exactly.
muzzle to breech/boltface 22" exactly.

that barrel does not match up with anything published & has not been cut either.
 
sillymike said:
I think they're interesting action!

Just about bought one a decade (or two) ago, at the Montreal gunshow. It was redone with a manlicher stock, like this one... but with checkering at the grip and forehand.

DSC_0283KragcarbineSkogNCircleJerseyHultsHatchetElkGlovesShoddyCoddyMasks2013_zpsb0fcb2c8.jpg


That and a nicely re-stocked Steyr M95 are high up there in the rifles I should have bought but didn't :p...
Click to expand...


oooooo pretty. I was thinking close to reproduction military stock. but that is nice too..... hmmmm. I did just buy the rifle on a whim, maybe you will get that opportunity back :)
 
My M94 Krag, dated 1901, also has the exact same work done to the end of the barrel; the re-used front sight that is sleeved onto a shorter, perhaps original, barrel. The barrel lug is nicely ground down the same as well. I haven't been able to determine when this was done, or what variant my M94 was converted to, but the work looks to be done at an arsenal level at any rate.

My Krag is very accurate with hand loads so I imagine yours may be the same as well.
 
Nabs said:
My Krag is very accurate with hand loads so I imagine yours may be the same as well.
Click to expand...

I've used 17gr of IMR-SR 459 as a start for target loading. There​ is a lot of discussion about using factory
6.5x55 on the webs, I wouldn't do that to my N.Krags. I mean, c'mon, they're​ gorgeous, but were designed in the 18th century,
 
Your barrel has been cut, the front sight moved back and the bayonett lug ground off. The bayo.lug and frontsight comes as a sleeve thats soldered to the muzzle end of the barrel.
See these pics. for a close up.
https://digitaltmuseum.no/011024073510/gevaer?i=3&aq=text:"krag"

As for loads for the Krag see this thread:
http://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?403958-Norwegian-Krag-load-data

I've been loading for my own Krag, but it's been a while since I shot it. I did install a taller frontsight blade, so I'll have to get to the range soon.

http://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?509089-Range-report&highlight=range+report
 
B.M.F said:
Your barrel has been cut, the front sight moved back and the bayonett lug ground off. The bayo.lug and frontsight comes as a sleeve thats soldered to the muzzle end of the barrel.
See these pics. for a close up.
https://digitaltmuseum.no/011024073510/gevaer?i=3&aq=text:"krag"
Click to expand...

nope - that doesn't make sense. why cut the barrel then re-machine the step and key? Also note the hole in the rear of the sight, appears to be for a pin. some kind of nose cap/band went on the front of this muzzle. The question is what? and also why is it so long?

Also, why would you grind a lug off if all you have to do is remove the sleeve?
 
I asked myself the same questions, it seems like a lot of work to remount the front sight the way it was done. My initial thoughts were that your and my former M94s were converted to carbines by Kongsberg, perhaps to match the 1912 standard ? That would explain the ground off bayonet lug given the nose cap with bayonet lug already present. I can not find a Norwegian variant that has the front sight arrangement that our rifles have, atleast not yet.

My front sight also has the small hole, perhaps to secure the muzzle cover ?

The one difference from mine to yours is that there is no serial number on the barrel, only the receiver. I did notice all the parts on my rifle came from other M94s. She was definitely rebuilt at some time as, aside from the rear sight base and trigger, all other parts do not match the action.
 
Another thing to consider is possibly the hole in the rear sight was for a jig made specifically for converting these to a sporter.

Its hard to say, but since the barrel length doesn't match up with any known examples and this is clearly sporterized, I wouldn't be willing to trust this example for any information on Norwegian Krags as a whole, unless you had a specific known pattern to compare to (maybe yours and Nabs were sporterized by the same factory).
 
Nabs said:
I asked myself the same questions, it seems like a lot of work to remount the front sight the way it was done. My initial thoughts were that your and my former M94s were converted to carbines by Kongsberg, perhaps to match the 1912 standard ? That would explain the ground off bayonet lug given the nose cap with bayonet lug already present. I can not find a Norwegian variant that has the front sight arrangement that our rifles have, atleast not yet.

My front sight also has the small hole, perhaps to secure the muzzle cover ?

The one difference from mine to yours is that there is no serial number on the barrel, only the receiver. I did notice all the parts on my rifle came from other M94s. She was definitely rebuilt at some time as, aside from the rear sight base and trigger, all other parts do not match the action.
Click to expand...

nobody would go to that much work unless there was a specific reason. that thing that looks like a lug fits into a groove on the sleeve. if you can get a decent pic of a 94 krags muzzle end, you can clearly see where the sleeve starts. the little raised bit at the center - yours probably has mill marks on it, that is probably so it could be filed to fit.

now - I can't find a pic of a Norwegian Krag nose cap that has anything corresponding to that hole in the sight base. Further, there is no windage screw on the 1912s....

20170127073826-3612.jpg


The barrel length does match a US or Belgian Krag, but the calibre is wrong (this is 6.5x55) - more mystery.

Mine is just bolt & butt plate mis matched. everything else is good.

haven't done anything with the 03 yet, looks good though. :)
 
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