Help Me Know What I Found

U.S. Military Krags
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Lostinidaho
Posts: 10
Joined: Sun Sep 20, 2020 3:33 pm

Help Me Know What I Found

Post by Lostinidaho »

Help Me Know What I Found

Cleaning up what is left of my Dad's firearms stuff. Dad passed away more than 10 years ago. I found a Krag stock and a bayonet.

In the picture is my Krag Carbine (1899). I really enjoy shooting it. Its a great firearm. The only problem is the stock has been sanded and civilian shoulder slings have been plugged.

So When I found this stock in my Dad's odds and ends, I though I might have a replacement. I do notice some differences, like the relief area around the bolt and the upper hand guard and barrel band. What year does this stock belong to? Also how can you tell a cut down and reshaped rifle to carbine stock?

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butlersrangers
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Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2009 11:35 pm
Location: Below the Bridge, Michigan

Re: Help Me Know What I Found

Post by butlersrangers »

'Lostinidaho' - Your bayonet appears to be a Mauser bayonet. If you post clear pictures of any markings and give bade dimensions, someone will help identify it.

Your loose stock is for a model 1896 Krag carbine, likely made in 1896-97. The scalloped wood and cut of the bolt-handle area show it to be for the model 1896 action.

The hand-guard and sight-protecting barrel-band only work with a model 1896 sight.
There should be a carbine sling-bar & ring (or inletting for one) on the left-side of the stock, in front of the wrist.

This stock is valuable ($500) to someone restoring a model 1896 carbine. It is not correct for your model 1899 carbine (which looks rather nice). The model 1899 carbine dispensed with the saddle-ring and was carried in a scabbard.

Correct U.S. Krag carbine stocks have a solid tip and the spring for retaining the barrel-band.

If a rifle stock is cut to carbine length, there will be a square-hole in the tip, that needed to be filled. This is because of the length of the lightening-cut in the barrel channel. The rifle barrel-band is clamped in place by the sling-swivel screw. A stock 'cross-pin' prevents the band from moving forward. There will be inletting in the toe of the butt for the rear sling swivel.

Lostinidaho
Posts: 10
Joined: Sun Sep 20, 2020 3:33 pm

Re: Help Me Know What I Found

Post by Lostinidaho »

"Butlersrangers"

Thanks for all the great information. Thanks for the heads up on the bayonet it was just in the picture.

I really like my Krag. I get side tracked by my civil war rimfire carbines. They are fun/challenging projects to reload for but for shear pleasure out comes the Krag.

No inletting or sling ring on the left side of the stock.

Also, no inletting or filled inletting near the toe for a sling swivel.

No filled square hole/groove for the lighten cut under the barrel (see pictures) The growth rings/grain looks continuous at the tip of the stock.
Krag Stock 01.jpg
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butlersrangers
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Re: Help Me Know What I Found

Post by butlersrangers »

That is a real model 1896 carbine stock. It was likely made after the carbine sling-bar was discontinued.

IIRC - Some of the late model 1896 stocks were made without the sling-bar provision.

They were made as spares or 'replacement stocks', to repair damaged Model 1896 carbines .

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