New member from France, with a Krag.

Historical threads originally posted to the 'Krag Forum' board
Top Dean
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Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2012 1:58 am

Re: New member from France, with a Krag.

Post by Top Dean »

Your English is good, while not perfect it is good, and I am sure if most of us here in the USA were to respnd in Frech you would laugh and snicker at us trying to use your launage also. Once again welcome aboard!

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Dick Hosmer
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Re: New member from France, with a Krag.

Post by Dick Hosmer »

oxi81, don't worry about your English - we are all friends here, and I actually had a "worse" language "problem" recently with a very nice gentlemen from Australia - a lot of different terminology!

Anyhow, if you really want a military-looking Krag, you will have to make some compromises. Since your barrel has been cut to a non-standard length, there is no military stock which can be directly swapped without modification. Rifles had 30" barrels (except for the exceedingly rare 100 26" versions made in 1902) and carbines, 22"

The PCR (Philippine Constabulary Rifles) and "school guns" (so-called because they were made for issue to colleges) are an identical modification based on a carbine, retaining the 22" barrel. So, a rifle stock is too long, and a PC stock is too short.

The suggestion that you buy another one, in full proper configuration, is really the number one choice, but if that is out of reach, there are options. You could buy a cheap one with uncut barrel plus an extension to fix the stock (as noted in post above). Trying to find all the parts for yours, would be financially prohibitive here, but maybe worth doing in France. I also suspect that parts would be much less hassle than a fully-operable rifle - it certainly was in Australia.

Anyway, stay in touch, and we will help as much as we can.ImageImage

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butlersrangers
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Re: New member from France, with a Krag.

Post by butlersrangers »

Francois: Your Krag has to have an interesting, but untold history (a 'sporterized' U.S. Krag that got to Europe). More detailed photographs of your front sight, diopter rear sight, and stock would allow forum members to offer insights about your rifle. How long is the barrel on your Krag? You said the front sight is a Lyman. Is it possible that the front sight base is a 1903 Springfield 'banded' sight base that is holding a Lyman blade? I think your diopter sight is an early Lyman 48k.
I believe you would like your Krag to look more military. Probably the most practical route is simply to replace the stock with a rifle stock that has been cut-down to carbine length. During the 1920s to 1930s the U.S. government sold off the Krags to citizens. To make the rifles more marketable, some were altered at Benicia arsenal in California. The rifle barrels were cut to 22 inches, a 1903 Springfield front sight was installed and the rifles were given a carbine stock or cut-down rifle stock. These altered rifles are often called 'DCM' or 'NRA' carbines. They were not a military model, but an alteration for the Civilian market. They are attractive and practical. I am attaching a photo of a Krag that was sporterized. I replaced the stock with a rifle stock that was cut down and put a hand-guard and rear sight on it. It has the appearance of one of the 'DCM/NRA carbines'. Also in the photo is an 1899 Krag carbine. Image

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butlersrangers
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Re: New member from France, with a Krag.

Post by butlersrangers »

My fake DCM/NRA carbine at the range:Image

oxi81
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Joined: Fri Dec 06, 2013 9:55 pm

Re: New member from France, with a Krag.

Post by oxi81 »

Hello folks.... Thank you for your welcome and for your interest in my old Krag rifle. :)

There are a wealt of good pictures at the front pagehis web site with all different of t versions and types of makes and models for you to look at. If you have needs for mote detail I am sure the members here that have the 1998 models will be glad to help. I have 3 model 1894 rifle, a model 1896 carbine and a model 1898 cut down, but my cut down 98 is not one for pictures as it is a parts only gun and the Bubba the did the damage to the wonderful rifle should be beat down with what is left of the rifle. Welcome aboard the site, hope we can help you out as much as possible! What part of Frace do you Live in? I live in the RIchmond Virginia area.

I live in southwest of France.
I know that my english isn't very good, but it's my school english and I'm 51 y.o. now. ::)

@Dick Hosmer : I would like to turn my Krag into a PC krag / "school gun" clone similar to this one :

Image

oxi81
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Joined: Fri Dec 06, 2013 9:55 pm

Re: New member from France, with a Krag (pics added)

Post by oxi81 »

The rear sight diopter :
img

img

The Lyman front sight :
img
Lyman mark on the blade (tiny but readable with a magnifier).

No reservation for a military on-barrel rear sight (no threaded holes) :
img

My original sling :
img

img

Francois

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butlersrangers
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Re: New member from France, with a Krag.

Post by butlersrangers »

Francois/oxi81: Thanks for posting the nice additional pictures of your handsome 'sporterized' Krag. Again, I would recommend leaving this rifle as it is. You have a very desirable original U.S. Krag sling. I think your rear sling swivel is a French military one. Your front sight is a 1903 Springfield sight with a commercial Lyman blade replacing the military one. Image

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butlersrangers
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Re: New member from France, with a Krag.

Post by butlersrangers »

1903 Springfield 'upper' bases with original blades and "Marble" brand commercial blade, shown. Image

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butlersrangers
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Re: New member from France, with a Krag.

Post by butlersrangers »

Francois: Your rear 'diopter' sight is a Lyman #48-K made specifically for the Krag. This sight required that extra holes be drilled into the Krag receiver and some wood had to be removed from the stock. My reference source indicates this is the 2nd variation of this sight. The elevation slide was shorter with markings going to 125. The adjustment knobs were regarded the 'Hunter' style rather than 'Target' style. The second variation was made from 1919 to 1947.
It is possible that your barrel is a 1903 Springfield barrel that was shortened at the breech, re-chambered for the .30-40 cartridge, and fitted to the Krag action. Lots of Gunsmiths did this to replace rough & pitted Krag barrels. This would explain the absence of rear sight holes on your barrel. A reused 1903 Springfield military barrel will have an Ordnance Bomb marking and date on the barrel behind the front sight, There is also a notch across the bottom of the barrel for a cross pin that held the rear sight collar in place.Image

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butlersrangers
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Re: New member from France, with a Krag.

Post by butlersrangers »

1903 Springfield barrel with 'notch' (normally on bottom of barrel) for rear sight collar.Image

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