Krag Ammo Now Obsolete?! =(

[S.B.]

Howdy Mr. Tickle! Welcome to the forum.

Starline does offer brass in many calibers, but I don't think that they offer 30-40 Krag. I believe that Hornady uses PPU/Privi brass for their loaded ammo, but they don't offer brass otherwise. I've written to a couple different cartridge manufacturers and received a (quite curt, to be honest) response from one of them. I believe that someone else wrote to Privi... and they would be the most obvious choice since they already manufacture .303 British, which is just a couple hairs off of 30-40. I'm hoping that Remington is still going to offer it for sale, since there really IS a demand for it (I'm thinking that Midway just didn't want to carry it anymore because of the lack of high volume sales it was generating, and used the Remington excuse to drop the line).

Paul

P.S. I just checked Starline's website, and as far as I can tell, they only offer straight-walled cases. Starline is definitely not making 30-40 Krag!

You're right, they don't list it anymore?
Steve

[psteinmayer]

If you were to resize and load .303, it would be pretty simple. You would seat the bullet based on length and not on neck depth. Charges would remain the same. The neck would only be approx. 0.1 shorter, and should still support a 220 gr bullet. The cannelure would not line up with the neck rim, but that's ok. In my LEE seating die, I would just keep the setting the same as I would for a normal 30-40 case.

Hey Steve, you going to shoot your Krag in the Vintage this year? Also, are you going to shoot in the Roosevelt this year? I'll be there for both (although I'm shooting a K31 this year in the Vintage).

[howie]

If Winchester and Remington quit making 30/40 Krag Brass and ammo I would think another brass company could make a killing making it. I have been watch what is happening with all their brass. I found a article on Remington, Winchester, and Fedral being sold to a large company and will stop making brass or maybe ammo. Could this be true???

[CigarArsonist]

So am I to understand that krag .30-40 ammo is obsolete? Sorry if this is a redundant upon redundant question I just bought my very first Krag rifle 1898 sporterized carbine. Which I obtained for a really cheap price. But after trying to buy some ammunition I have found that it may have been a mistake about it so that it might be a cheap plinking rifle for my sons and I to enjoy I'm told that the things are built like a tank and almost indestructible as long as you don't overload the rounds. At a recent gun show in Vallejo California I was able to obtain about 40 rounds and located some other rounds through another vendor there am I to understand that these bullets fornew brass and new Factory loads or about $2 to $2.25 around?

[butlersrangers]

'cigararsonist' - To Summarize this thread - IMHO:

Speculation on the future of .30-40 commercial loads in the U.S. is built on rumors at this time. It is unlikely the price of .30-40 ammo will ever again match the low prices of high volume production rounds like .30-06, .30-30, or .308. .30-40 Krag has long been 'seasonal' in its production.

It would be neat if another company, like Privi-Partizan, sees the opportunity and adds .30-40 to their extensive line of 'classic' military cartridges. (Once again this is pure speculation).

Most people, who shoot the .30-40 Krag, save their fired Brass and Reload it. This is a fun hobby and makes for relatively inexpensive shooting. Using Cast Bullets makes it even more economical.

.30-40 Reloading Dies are relatively inexpensive. Used reloading equipment and basic Lee equipment is inexpensive.

A bonus with the Krag is that still available .303 British Brass can be re-formed in .30-40 Dies to make useable ammo.

The .30-40 Krag will never be 'obsolete' to those who reload.

[psteinmayer]

Amen that!

[Culpeper]

Krag ammo became obsolete in 1903 with M1903 and the .30-03 round.

The important thing to remember is be ready to buy whatever you find right then. Have money saved up (Lots and lots of money) just for the ammo. You do not want to look at the credit card and see you have enough room for a half of a box.

I am operating out of seven boxes of ammo at the moment. Three have been dedicated to the Winchester and the other four are for 3140 and other eight guns. I am about to start the third reload. I would be hard pressed like you and the others if I had to find fourteen boxes for the Krags. I could have gotten away with it ten years ago but that was a different time.

Reloading is the answer. Reloading is still the answer even if you don't have brass because you can stock up on things until you find either unloaded brass or loaded brass. You can figure out what primers you are going to use then stock up on it. You can do the same with powder, and bullets. I bought four hundred Sierra 220s. One reloading ate 140; the second another 140 put the total to 280. A third would be 420 then, oopsy, look who can't shoot any more ammo 'til he needs to find a paying job to get more bullets. Here I be.

Looks like casting is in my future. Hmmmmmm. >:(

[psteinmayer]

LOL Casting ain't all bad (or so I assume, since I don't actually cast myself). Buck up, happy camper!!!

Culpepper is right. Even if you're not presently reloading, it's wise to start stocking up on supplies. Bullets (I use the Hornady 220 gr RN) aren't cheap, but are a heck of a lot less than factory ammo. Powder too. Find a powder that you'll be comfortable using with several different bullet combinations, just in case you think you'll want to try different loadings. IMR-4350 is the go-to standard for Krags with RN bullets, and works well with many different weights and designs. 4064 is another powder with a wide pallet of bullet/load combinations.

Get a good load manual, such as Hornady's 9th edition, Lyman's 49th edition, Nosler, Sierra, etc. Although most manuals give data for their bullets, the weight data is comparable whether you're working with Hornady, Sierra, Speer, Nosler, etc. If you cast, Lyman's hast data for Cast bullets too. Hornady is my bible!

The point is: The lack of factory ammo for Krags is not a big deal if you reload, and prepare as such.

[CigarArsonist]

Thanks for the great information guys. From the looks of it yes reloading is going to be in my future I found a complete die set on eBay for $50 and I found a complete Lee Reloading system for like a hundred and sixty also on eBay brand new. Let me know if you guys think those prices are too high currently I have about 50 rounds of loaded bullets. I intend on reloading the brass as needed. About how many rounds do you guys keep for recreational shooting.

[Parashooter]

Let me know if you guys think those prices are too high currently. . .

A bit high. Here are Graf's prices -

LEE 30-40 KRAG 3 DIE SET w/FACTORY CRIMP, S/H #5
Our Price: $31.99
Item #: LEE90555

LEE BREECH LOCK CHALLENGR KIT w/VALUE TRIM
Our Price: $129.99
Item #: LEE90030

Shipping: One flat fee of $7.95 per order.

Next task for you: research the distinct meanings of "bullet" and "cartridge". (Hint, bullet is just the projectile; cartridge is the whole assembly.) ;)