First Krag

[Ned Butts]

Just be very careful to pull the stock straight down gently as the small piece between the bolt and the magazine is VERY fragile!!!!

[butlersrangers]

Front sight blade has to come off to remove upper-band/bayonet lug. Blade is easy to remove by driving its pin, left to right, with a fine drift or punch, while supporting the barrel on a hardwood block. (You can fashion a drift from a nail). Hand-guard should be slid forward off barrel turning it upside down for the spring-clips to clear the front sight base. Don't snap the hand-guard off and on the barrel (It will crack).

[psteinmayer]

I never pulled my front sight blade either. I just cleaned everything with the front barrel band on the barrel. When I removed the stock on my rifle, I think it was the first time it was removed since before 1920... There's a trick that someone told me to prevent your hand-guard from cracking: After you slide it off the barrel, carefully work a penny in the smaller clamp and a nickel in the larger clamp. This will help keep the clamps in the same diameter as on the barrel, and prevent the hand-guard from cracking as the clamps pull closed with no tension. I did this and it worked like a champ! Just be very careful as you work the coins in place.

Where in Michigan are you? I'm in Ypsilanti... I've never met Butlersrangers, but he's a good friend of my Father's! One of these days, I'm going to head up his way for some range time...

Welcome to the forum, and to the wonderful world of Krags!!!
Paul

[true_w]

Thanks for the tips guys. Much appreciated. I probably won't get a chance to tackle these issues until next weekend, but now I know what not to do.

I'm right down the street from you, psteinmayer. I live in Ann Arbor. We will have to get together this summer and hit the range. I usually go to the Sharonville range.

[madsenshooter]

Well, if Paul ever gets around to loading the cast bullets I gave him, you all can get together at Washtenaw's cast bullet matches. I might manage one or two trips this year. It's a long way from Upper Appalachia to lower Michigun!

[psteinmayer]

That would be great Bob!!! We can all go and shoot in the cast match! I still need to slug my barrel, but I'm fairly confident that it'll slug out to under .310 as it's fairly accurate with the .308 jacketed bullets. I am dying to try those cast bullets though!

True, anytime you want to get together is fine with me. where is the Sharonville range? I've shot at Washtenaw, and I go to Bald Mountain with my dad all the time. I was thinking of spending some time at Grass Lake this year, but I'll probably shoot at Washtenaw also... as they have a 200 yard range and I want to practice for Camp Perry (hoping to medal this year). Another choice would be Ralph's in Chelsea (private range), which is also 200 yards.

[true_w]

I believe Sharonville and Grass Lake are one in the same. Sharonville is the name of the DNR range in Grass Lake. I've never been to Chelsea or Washtenaw. Is Washtenaw private? I've also been to Island Lake and Williams. I prefer Sharonville, because it's usually not crowded, plus it's free which is nice. About a half hour to 40 minute drive though.

[psteinmayer]

OOPS... I think I confused Island Lake with Grass Lake. I looked at Sharonville though, and it looks great! Washtenaw is a private club (Washtenaw Sportsman Club) and it's off Textile. They have pop-up military style targets at 200 yards. That's where they hold the Cast Bullet matches that Bob (Madsenshooter) was talking about. Great bunch of guys, and they treated me really nice last year when I shot in a match as a guest. They told me to come back anytime! We'll have to plan on getting together once the weather warms up. You can always join Bob and I at Camp Perry in August too. Lots of Krag shooters at that one...

Paul

[true_w]

Hey Paul,

Sounds good. I picked up some Alliant 2400 the other day, so I just need to slug the bore and order some bullets from Montana or some place. I'm still a new reloader, so I'm not casting my own yet.

Pop up targets at 200 yards sounds like a lot of fun.

[psteinmayer]

I don't cast - just load jacketed bullets... but I have been loading for 30 some-odd years. I have bullets that Bob cast for me, and I'm going to shoot them at Washtenaw this spring in the Cast Bullet Match. Otherwise, I usually shoot Hornady jacketed 220 grain round nose exclusively in my 1898 rifle.

I'm looking forward to getting together this spring! ;D