US Krag rifles

Yeah well, we're talking about 35 years ago, his parents moved from Port Hardy to Port Alberni, he wasn't really into guns and it was just part of the "stuff" they moved.

I oughta tell you about another buddy who misplaced a 280 Ross sporter.

Or my father loaning a very nice sporter 303 LE with a custom stock and ramp sight to an alcoholic buddy and never seeing it again.
 
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I'm bringing this forward again as i know some of you out there may be able to help me find one or your minds may have changed and you want to part with one that you have. I'm looking for the 96 or 98 US Krag, i know there out there so please help me find one. I'm assuming that the going price for these rifles depending on condition ranges anywhere from $600 for a good one to $1200 for a nice all matching example, quote me if i'm wrong, i would like to know though.
 
I don't have a clue about Krags, but a friend of mine has a gorgeous 30-40 for sale. It appears to be all orignal, beautiful condition. He is asking $2800 (I think). I can get you in touch if you want, but it certainly isn't in the price range you were thinking about. I don't recall what model it is either.
 
myenfield said:
I don't have a clue about Krags, but a friend of mine has a gorgeous 30-40 for sale. It appears to be all orignal, beautiful condition. He is asking $2800 (I think). I can get you in touch if you want, but it certainly isn't in the price range you were thinking about. I don't recall what model it is either.
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Wow! that's a little pricey for me, it could possibly be an earlier mod like a 92 or a 94 but if its a 98 then i think that is too much. Even Joe Salter doesnt demand that.
 
I bought a nice, good condition 1898 carbine off of here a few months back... love it, got it for a decent price as well. If you see one just buy it. You can always sell it later right?
 
I dunno if that is reasonable, I think it would have to be a pretty special specimen for that price....yikes.

I have to admit, I haven't seen any in a long while. Always seem to be more 6.5 Krags
 
I emailed my friend about his $2800 Krag and this is what he said:

"The U.S. Krag is a model 1892 (clearing rod pattern)
that has been arsenal upgraded to the model 1896 by
changing rearsight, handguard, filling in clearing rod
groove, and some other minor changes. The serial #
is slightly less than 15K and the body is dated 1894.
The inspectors mark on the stock dates 1895. Bore
very good. Bluing, body and stock finish excellent.
3 piece cleaning rod in butt, original sling, and muzzle
cover. Just a lovely piece that has a nice reddish tinge
to the stock - not like most dark walnut stock Krags."

Like I said earlier, I don't know Krags, but it is really nice.
 
 
Well i finally have gotten a Krag (Thanks John) its a mod 1898 made in 1901 and is in very nice condition. I love it and i can't wait to get it to the range.
Sorry about the pic, i'm still using my phone to take pics.
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All i have heard about these rifles is how smooth the cycling of the action is, when i first put my hands on the bolt and pulled it back all i could think of was butter, it was that smooth.
 
Well all i can say is that this particular rifle that i now own cycles better than any of the enfields i have ever owned, don't get me wrong! enfields are my number one collecting point but this thing is amazing. It's almost like the rounds know exactly where to go, and what i mean by that is each round that i have chambered from the loading gate seems to jump right into the chamber with little to no effort at all, it's like the round is waiting for me to catch up to it by closing the bolt. I can see why people say once you try one you will enjoy it very much. A lot think there ugly! i think they have class. The enfield is a battle rifle, this seems to be more of the sporting kind with military furniture but since i'm not planning on any battlefield excursions this will do nicely at the range.
 
kevwat said:
Well all i can say is that this particular rifle that i now own cycles better than any of the enfields i have ever owned, don't get me wrong! enfields are my number one collecting point but this thing is amazing. It's almost like the rounds know exactly where to go, and what i mean by that is each round that i have chambered from the loading gate seems to jump right into the chamber with little to no effort at all, it's like the round is waiting for me to catch up to it by closing the bolt. I can see why people say once you try one you will enjoy it very much. A lot think there ugly! i think they have class. The enfield is a battle rifle, this seems to be more of the sporting kind with military furniture but since i'm not planning on any battlefield excursions this will do nicely at the range.
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Beautiful rifle Kevwat! I was recently looking at one at a gun show, same as yours pretty much.
 
Really decent US Krags are tough to find. Back in the sixties Marshall Wells stores brought in a bunch of surplus carbines. They were more expensive than new mausers and lee enfields of any mark.
None of them was in particularly good condition and they all had poor bores. They were all gone in two weeks. I can remember the manager of the store telling customers that they were the US version of the 303 and would shoot standard 303Brit factory ammo no problem. I never heard of one blowing up and doubt that there would be a problem as they head space on the rim and most of the bores I've seen and measured were about .311 anyway, so they just as likely fire formed to the chamber. Pressures run in the same range so not much if any problem.
I did see a few that were made into very pretty sporters by a neighbor "Oscar Summerfeldt" now long gone. I know they were re barreled but that was over 50 years ago and I just can't remember to what.

When you can find a clean one with decent bore, grab it if you can afford it. You won't be sorry. None of mine were ever particularly accurate even with hand loads but they were more than acceptable out to 200 yds on deer and larger game. I wish I had kept a couple of them now.

I did pick up a very pretty carbine here a few years ago. Paid a fair dollar for it as well but it had a worn bore and a short upper hand guard. The hand guard looks to be original but who knows what has happened to this rifle over the last 100 years. It puts .311 bullets into 3 inches at 100 yds so I'm not complaining. The astounding thing is that the blueing is about 90% intact.

It's to bad they are so popular in the US, not many made it to Canada. I don't know if any of them were ever lend lease or not. I used to drool over the as new KRAG that Schultz carried on Hogan's Heros. It was probably the cheapest surplus rifle the show producers could get at the time.
 
kevwat said:
Well i finally have gotten a Krag (Thanks John) its a mod 1898 made in 1901 and is in very nice condition. I love it and i can't wait to get it to the range.
Sorry about the pic, i'm still using my phone to take pics.
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Beauty of a rifle!!!
Does it have the "sergeant's rear sight"? There would be a plate on the back of the sight which can be rotated up and snapped in place...it would provide a peep sight, rather then the open notch..
A quick word of advice. Remove the bolt and VERY closely inspect the front locking lug, near the base of the lug on the bolt body. You are looking for any evidence of a cracking. I bought an 1896 rifle years ago and was about to take it out to the range to shoot. Prior to this I took a real close look at the bolt and discovered it was cracked. It went back in the rack and i started looking for a replacement...found an original 1896 bolt in Missouri and had it imported through a friend(the guy would not ship to Canada). Sold th gun years ago and eventually found another 95% 1896 which I still have and have never shot either.
Cheers
 
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