Interesting Find... 1898 Carbine?

Sporterized and unofficial modified Krags
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Local Boy
Posts: 555
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2015 5:03 pm

Interesting Find... 1898 Carbine?

Post by Local Boy »

I came across this interesting Krag carbine at a local gun store the other day. At first glance I thought it was just another over priced mix mash of put together Krag parts that didn't deserve a second look, but curiosity got the better of me.

Serial number is 119559 putting it in the range of 1898 manufactured carbines (depending upon which reference sourced used).

It has a milled muzzle end for a bayonet.

1899 carbine stock with a JSA 1901 cartouche.

1901 rear rifle sight and hand guard.

One of those shiny blued barrel bands.

Funky looking front sight that doesn't look quite right along with a rounded blade.

22 inch barrel with a surprisingly nice look bore.

Consignee was asking $850 but would go down to $750.

What do you guys think? Could it be a legit 1898 Krag carbine???
Attachments
Krag 1898c.jpg
Krag 1898c.jpg (33.17 KiB) Viewed 1317 times
Krag 1898b.jpg
Krag 1898b.jpg (22.62 KiB) Viewed 1317 times
Krag 1898a.jpg
Krag 1898a.jpg (29.46 KiB) Viewed 1317 times
Krag 1898.jpg
Krag 1898.jpg (29.03 KiB) Viewed 1317 times
Last edited by Local Boy on Thu Mar 18, 2021 5:10 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Local Boy
Posts: 555
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Re: Interesting Find... 1898 Carbine?

Post by Local Boy »

More photos.
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Krag 1898g.jpg
Krag 1898g.jpg (32.44 KiB) Viewed 1316 times
Krag 1898f.jpg
Krag 1898f.jpg (27.17 KiB) Viewed 1316 times
Krag 1898e.jpg
Krag 1898e.jpg (28.5 KiB) Viewed 1316 times
Krag 1898d.jpg
Krag 1898d.jpg (59.02 KiB) Viewed 1316 times

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Local Boy
Posts: 555
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2015 5:03 pm

Re: Interesting Find... 1898 Carbine?

Post by Local Boy »

More photos.
Attachments
Krag 1898n.jpg
Krag 1898n.jpg (24.98 KiB) Viewed 1316 times
Krag 1898k.jpg
Krag 1898k.jpg (29.83 KiB) Viewed 1316 times
Krag 1898j.jpg
Krag 1898j.jpg (30.48 KiB) Viewed 1316 times
Krag 1898i.jpg
Krag 1898i.jpg (32.44 KiB) Viewed 1316 times

User avatar
Local Boy
Posts: 555
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2015 5:03 pm

Re: Interesting Find... 1898 Carbine?

Post by Local Boy »

...and more photos.
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Krag 1898o.jpg
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butlersrangers
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Location: Below the Bridge, Michigan

Re: Interesting Find... 1898 Carbine?

Post by butlersrangers »

'Local Boy' - You pose a good riddle on a Thursday morning!

The serial number, 119559, definitely falls in the range of 1898 carbines (and also rifles).
FWIW - It is 185 digits lower than the number on my model 1898 carbine.

The mystery is: Why the 'stepped-muzzle' for a bayonet?

One possibility is that it is a model 1898 carbine that was converted to a "school rifle" and a dealer or hobbyist later installed the barreled/action into a stock from a model 1899 carbine.
(The current carbine stock, with its 1901 'acceptance cartouche' and circled "P",
would have been originally part of a model 1899 carbine, assembled and accepted in 1901).
A model 1898 carbine updated to model 1899 configuration, by S.A. or an arsenal, would likely have a circled "P" but no 'acceptance cartouche'.

Another possibility, is that the barrel is a rifle barrel cut to 22 inches. The shortened new muzzle was 'stepped' for a couple of inches.
A 'bushing', made from the stub of rifle barrel's muzzle-area, was slipped onto the stepped 'carbine' length barrel to provide an economical front-sight.
(I am likely wrong, but in your photo, it appears there could be a 'seam' and sudden diameter change, where I have inserted an arrow).

If I am just fooled by the photograph about the 'bushing', then the first scenario is likely.

If the barreled/action is from a model 1898 carbine, it is a mixed 'parts carbine', with some nice parts.
Attachments
LB-Krag 1898b.jpg
LB-Krag 1898b.jpg (27.81 KiB) Viewed 1299 times

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