Krag Ammo Now Obsolete?! =(

[Ambrose]

Hello;

I have recently gotten a family heirloom that is incredibly unique, has a wonderful feel, shoots great and for me strikes a harmonious balance of power vs gentle recoil. This treasure is a Krag! To me it's such a special gun, I'd love to shoot it maybe the rest of my life.

I've been buying 30-40 ammo for about 6 months and have noticed a total lack of availability, anywhere for factory cartridges. Reloading is not an option right now, with so many commitments in my life I barely have time or energy to go to the range as often as I'd like never mind clean the guns as often as I should. Online reloaders are exhorbitantly expensive, and I stopped patronizing local gun stores that remanufacture ammo as it's so dirty with their cheap-o powders. Even trading in brass it's not that much cheaper than factory stuff, IMHO not worth it.

Since I don't know a lot about this sort of thing, let me ask others who may know the scoop, is 30 40 availability a seasonal thing and I should husband my remaining factory ammo until the next lot, or is this it and now our Krags are orphaned rifles for good?



Thanks again
A

[butlersrangers]

'Ambrose' - Welcome to the KCA Forum.

For the virtues you mention: accuracy, power, and pleasant recoil, the .30-40 Krag is not obsolete. However, with only approximately 1/2 million rifles ever chambered for it, there is certainly not the demand enjoyed by many other cartridges.

IMHO - the .30-40 Krag has kind of a 'cult' following and most who use it probably reload and enjoy antique military arms.

There are lots of rumors as to whether the .30-40 ammo and brass will continue to be made by Remington and Winchester. In the recent past it appears to have been made on a seasonal basis.

It is easy to make workable .30-40 brass from '.303 British' cartridges cases. That is the route many Krag enthusiasts will take if .30-40 brass is 'out of stock'.

I recommend that you make friends with a 'Reloader', who would be willing to reload your cases for you or with you.

However, you may wish to reconsider your view on 'Reloading' and start learning about it. It is a lot of fun, stretches your 'shooting dollars', and is affordable. (About $100 will get you a basic LEE single-stage press, Dies, and powder scale).

I find the Krag, like most bolt actions, very easy to clean. It takes about 15 minutes with Hoppe's #9, a 36 inch cleaning rod, .30 cal. bronze brush, a jag, and probably six cleaning patches. Powder residue from most appropriate loads cleans very easily.

[craigster]

It's relatively available where I am (NorCal), but it's running close to 40 bucks a box. If you don't reload, buy it when/where ever you can. Save your fired brass, consider it an investment.

[psteinmayer]

I find it at Cabelas here in Michigan from time to time also. As Craigster stated, SAVE YOUR BRASS! Krag bass is getting extremely difficult to find these days. Although you can get multiple reloads from it (I am into double digits on some of mine), it won't last forever. As Butlersrangers said, a LEE challenger press, dies, powder scale, etc. will run you under $100. Other manufacturers are more expensive, but good also. FWIW, I've used LEE products for going on 35 years now with no problems! By reloading, once you offset the initial costs, you can reload 30-40 Krag for dimes instead of dollars!

If you are near me, and still reluctant to start reloading, I can do it for you, provided you provide the brass and cover the cost of powder, primers, and bullets!

Paul

[psteinmayer]

Oh... and by the way... Welcome to the forum!!!

[Culpeper]

I've been buying 30-40 ammo for about 6 months and have noticed a total lack of availability, anywhere for factory cartridges. Reloading is not an option right now, with so many commitments in my life I barely have time or energy to go to the range as often as I'd like never mind clean the guns as often as I should. Online reloaders are exhorbitantly expensive, and I stopped patronizing local gun stores that remanufacture ammo as it's so dirty with their cheap-o powders. Even trading in brass it's not that much cheaper than factory stuff, IMHO not worth it.

It is well that you are buying .30-40 ammo. You need to contiune that however it needs to be tempered with the fact that reloading is in your future. You did not state where you are in the Union but there is not shorage of krag ammo around Gettysburg. There is not an abundance like the usual suspect but it is there for the price and the not a cheap price as you have found out.

So while you are picking up a box of loaded ammo hither and yond you should be picking up a box of bullets at the same time. The bullets will be sitting on the shelf when the time comes for you to start reloading brass. Depending how much you may shoot your beauty will determine your lifetime supply of components. Rest of your life could be two hundred shots. It could be five thousand so you should make a once-in-a-decade purchase of a case of large rifle primers

These are things to think about while you are looking at your Krag and any other arms you may have on hand. The ultimate question is do I have enough brass for the next X years (pick a number) if .30-40 were to end today. Think of any cartridge in the last one hundred years that has not been made but the rifles still exist.

[Ambrose]

Hello to All. I would individually reply but there is a character limit and it's probably a good thing, I could type about the topic all night long!

At any rate you've all been exceedingly kind.

For me right now space and time are the most valuable resources, in a perfect world where factory ammo costs more or less the going rate, it's acceptable to me. It's cheaper for me to buy factory ammo and use the time instead of reloading to work earning more at my day job, what is most valuable is time right now in my life.

Time and energy too, I have spare time but due to having so many commitments etc sometimes I don't have the energy to make 100% of my spare time as I would like to use it. I'm not that old but I am old enough that some people my age are starting to become grandparents. Being that more of my life has been lived after high school than the numerical age when I graduated high school, it's been a while I feel I don't have the energy of a 22 yo any more. Again I am super, super active, but with so many things on the plate, I only have what looks like 16 hands, 3 heads, 6 eyes and 32 feet to propel multiple remote controlled drone spare bodies to toss about from the mothership. It's just that I feel like I need double that!

I do see reloading as a mathematical certainty, it's a question of when. I might just try it for the heck of it but as long as I can get factory ammo I'd rather go that route saving all my brass.

One day I'd love to try a 220 grain FMJ slug with modern powders at even a safe, conservative pressure and see how that compares.

Thanks for the comments and kudos on appreciating this special cartridge from such a special, unusual rifle.

[psteinmayer]

If you DO try your hand at reloading, and want to fire the "Correct" Krag load of a 220 grain round nosed projectile (FMJ is out of the question unless you: A. cast and jacket your own, or B. purchase Woodleigh bullets which will run you upwards of $1.00 a bullet)... here is the closest to the original round as you can get: 220 gr RN over 40.0 grains of 4350 (I use IMR-4350). I use Hornady 220 RN soft point bullets, but Sierra and Speer also both have 220 gr RN bullets. I also use CCI primers, but any decent primer (Win, Federal, etc.) will do fine.

This is the round that I shoot in my 1898 rifle at each Vintage Rifle Match, and it works perfectly for me!

[gnoahhh]

I have around 400 empties, mostly unfired or once fired, so I'm good for a while. I noticed a LGS has three boxes of ammo on the shelf with 5 year ago stickers on them. I guess I should bite the bullet and snag them even though I dislike shooting factory ammo. I could pull the bullets, but my-o-my that's an expensive way to get empty brass.

[Culpeper]

It is an expensive way to get brass I give you that but think about this. You have fire formed brass after you shoot it. That is a good deal if you have a couple of guns that you use for competitions and matches and are serious about your brass fitting the chamber and throat.

I bought a bunch of krag fodder ten years ago for 14.70 a box and getting the brass out of it was expensive even then.

Try getting original brass for a Winchester Lee on the cheap. I have some on hand but, HOO, did it hurt the back pocket for a week or so. Thirty five Samoleans a box is easier by a country mile.