Hello all new here. neat story how i got my krag

[nicksw81]

Hello all my name is nick and I am new to krags. I joined here after looking around a bit. Very neat story on how I got my 1st krag. So last week I was sitting at the local mechanic shop and an older gentleman walks in. Proceeds to talk business with them and then inquires on local pickups to rent to move some stuff from storag. Now I live in a very small town less than 5000 so I speak up and say I can help out this afternoon I am off work at 4. We exchange numbers and go about our day. 4 o'clock rolls around and I call the guy to meet at his storage. They just moved to Nebraska from Michigan. He hired some college kids to unload his uhaul the weekend before. So we grab a bed and couple of chairs some bedding a few boxes and make the drive to their little apartment and he says that's enough for today (his is prob mid 70's). I say OK no problems give me a call if you need help moving anymore. He makes me take $40 for my trouble and I go on my way. Fast forward to Sunday my phone rings and he says can we move some more I got some kids to help load. I hook up my little trailer and off I go. So moving all the rest of the stuff and about 4 hours later we are done. He pays the college kids whatever they agreed on and some pizza and then asks me upstairs. Walk in the door and his wife is all giddy says did you ask him. He looks over to me and says " so I noticed you are a shooter ( brass and bowling pins in the bed of my truck)". I say yeah mostly .22 and mosin nagant. He says hold on a sec and goes in the other room. He walks back out with a rifle case and says you will get more use out of this than me thank you for helping out when you didn't have to. He proceeds to tell me that his day was in the military as an armorer and when he got out became a gunsmith. That this was one of the first rifles he did. I was speechless. Anyway from what I can tell it is a model 1898 1902 production sporter. Won't let me post pictures first post so they will follow.

[nicksw81]

http://imgur.com/a/c37U7

[Dick Hosmer]

Great story, and a nice rifle too - good for you.

Those extra holes (looks like it went through a progression of sights!) can be made to look a lot better with screws threaded in tight and filed off smooth, then touched up with cold blue.

I hate to ask this but what is the serial number (can't quite make it out - looks like 388 something) and how long is barrel, from muzzle to bolt-face?

[gunboat57]

That is a nice looking sporter! If you are not into reloading yet, now you've got a good reason to. Commercial ammo is fine but you can tell from this forum that you can get great results when you "roll your own".

[nicksw81]

The serial is 383489 and the barrel with a closed bolt will hold 22 inches of brass cleaning rod.

[Dick Hosmer]

Thanks for checking - it's not what it possibly could have been (and that is a good thing, given the mods!).

Enjoy your new rifle!

[psteinmayer]

Welcome to the forum and the wonderful world of Krags!

I agree... Great looking sporter and Great story too! He sounded like a very nice elderly gentleman. You'll find the Krag to be an incredibly smooth and accurate rifle... even when cutoff and sportered! The Redfield rear sight is a nice accurate mod to have. It looks as if it might have had a scope mounted at one time or another.

Like Gunboat stated, reloading is a nice economical way to go for the Krag. Brass is available from places like Midway, Graf & Sons, and Cheaper Than Dirt. You'll find no shortage of help and advice on this and other forums too... Just ask!

Again, welcome.
Paul

[butlersrangers]

nicksw81: Welcome to the KCA forum. Your Krag sporter was a neat gift and should be a lot of fun at the range. Your rear 'no drill' peep sight is a Redfield model 70KH with 'Hunter' knobs. It mounts with a bracket that hooks into the hole for the (removed) magazine cut-off and a longer screw that replaces the issue magazine side-plate screw. This sight sells for around $90 to $125 by itself. I've attached a picture of instructions from an old William's gun sight co. catalog.

[butlersrangers]

nicksw81: It is possible that four of the holes in the wall of your krag's receiver are for a Weaver #2 'side-mount'. This mount (base & separate rings) is still available and relatively inexpensive. There is one of these bases being sold on ebay today for $14.00. This rig positions the scope slightly off-set to facilitate unobstructed ejection with a Krag. BTW - Your 'sporterized' Krag infantry rifle was built around April, 1902. You have a very handsome stock.

[nicksw81]

Just wanted to come back and say thanks for the info.