Just got my first Krag, Need some help

[Adam Stephens]

A friend of mine just gave me a Krag, which is awesome as I am a big CR collector and it was one on my to buy list. Problem is the rifle has seen much better days. It is an 1898 which has been hacked into a sporter. The stock has been broken off at the butt and after disassembly some parts are in need of replacement. Looks like the gun was used as a club or something because all the damage seems to have come from the butt being broken off. The firing pin rod is bent and one of the small lugs on the bottom is broken off so that needs replacment, the sear is cracked in the center. It looks like somone tried to lighten the trigger by going at it with and angle grinder, so that will need replacing, the barrel has been dovetailed to fit a leaf srping style rear sight and the front sight has been replaced with a marbles unit. the dovetail is right over the rear sight's front mounting hole. So I'll need to acquire a sight assembly. Barrel length is 26" from crown to bolt face so a cut down rifle and from reading up on the serial number looks to be made circa 1901. Looks like my normal resources for parts are coming up empty. Any recommendations? Good news is I have alot of experience in gunsmithing and a good selection of machinery in the garage so I can do the work myself. I think I'll probably fill the dovetail on the barrel and try to get it as close to a carbine as possible. I'm thinking maybe doing a reproduction stock as stocks seem to be unavailable to retain the overall look and feel of a carbine, collector value may not be there but I figure it's better than leaving it in a sporter configuration. Let me know your guy's thoughts on this. Thanks

Adam Stephens

[Dick Hosmer]

Carbines have 22" barrels, so that would need to be changed, but, before you cut that 26" barrel - since a few Krags were made that length - what is the serial number? Exact number please - no "x"s. If you don't want to put it on the board, I'd appreciate a private email. Many thanks.

Most Krag replacement parts are not a problem. Look at the list of suppliers at www.trapdoorcollector.com If they don't have the parts themselves, they can refer you.

[mjanway]

You must really love to smith to take this on. Depending on how much "Krag" you will be going for in this, the cost will certainly be significant when taking into account the moderate cost of sport-a-rized Krags out there ready to shoot. But you will be saving another Krag and it certainly sounds like you know what you are doing and enjoy it. I say good luck and please let us know how it turns out.

Jack

[Adam Stephens]

Never have been able to let a salvagable gun go to the graveyard and who can argue with free. I shoot all of my curios, except my 1909 argentine mauser which is unfired so the goal is to get it looking good and also operational. Ser# is 383602. If the barrel was cut it was done well and was crowned and finished nicely. I've seen quite a few sporters that looked like the barrel was cut with a hatchet, this was done by someone that knew what they were doing. I can only find two marks on the barrel it is towards the bottom and one I can't really make out what it is, but it is struck in pretty deep, kind of resembles a P. The other looks like a crescent moon, it's fairly light compared to the other. I'll take some pics of Kragenstien as I go through the process. Talked to my buddy who also works on curios and he had an 1898 rear sight in his misc parts pile and I also found some blank dovetail filler stock so current price still free. I was also moving some guns in the safe and noticed my 1917 enfield sporter just happened to have a krag barrel band on it, although it isn't specifically a carbine version, I guess I can use that worst case scenario if I can't manage to locate a carbine band. Have any of you used any of the krag boyd's stocks? I had good luck with one on my arisaka, but the krag action is significantly more complicated for inletting so I want to make sure there aren't any huge hideous gaps or anything with theirs.

[Dick Hosmer]

Well, that s/n is just a bit off what I was thinking - but, is there any possibility that it could actually be 388602? Worse mistakes have been made than reading an "8" as a "3", believe me.

If it is 388, with an originally crowned 26" barrel, you really do not want to cut it further! Look under "Articles" on the home page, with reference to the s/n's of the (100 only made!) BoOF rifles.

[Adam Stephens]

I double checked and it is a 3 for sure even took the 10x eye loupe out to check. I did some reading on the the boof's and in some ways I'm a bit relieved it would have been a sad day if it was one of the 100 since that dovetail has been cut in there. I might just keep it 26" and after looking at the pics of the boofs it does look sexy in the longer stock. After close examination of the barrel it looks like the barrel blue has been touched up right about where a factory front sight lug should have been. It's just a bit lighter than the rest dead center with about the right size solder contact patch. I'll try and get some initial pics up this week. Now time to track down the remaining parts.

[Kavorka]

The CMP has new carbine and rifle barrels for the Krag.the front sight slots are already cut in the barrels.
Dave

[tanker]

I have used a couple of Boyds stocks, one carbine and one rifle, they are acceptable. S&S firearms also offer acceptable repro's and a nice selection of handguards too. I encourage your thoughts on not cutting the barrel, if it ain't broke don't fix it kinda thought. A nicely done shortened rifle stock config is a good look and very functional on the range. If done well the rifle will look and perform nicely. The only draw back to doing a shortened rifle config is the additional parts required, and the tapering of the forend wood to accommodate the bayonet lug and band. To bad I have a Boyds '96 carbine stock I would send you but it wouldn't work on your receiver. Good luck

[Adam Stephens]

Are the OG krag sights dovetailed or soldered on? I can dovetail cut the barrel on my mill if need be but soldering would be much easier. Looks like SS has repro sight bases but their pictures pretty much suck so I can't tell if it's dovetail or not. After some thought I'm going to keep the barrel 26", I just think it's a bit sexier than a carbine. Thanks for all the insight, I can't wait to turn this from a former seal club into a short rifle.

[Dick Hosmer]

The base is brazed to a flat spot (having very slightly undercut ends, which get peened over the base ends) which is basically the same size as the base itself. The Armory did it so well that sometimes it almost appears to be an integral part of the barrel.

Most people attempting to duplicate the procedure - which must have involved some precise jigs and pretty heavy clamping - fall short (some are way short) of the desired effect. I wish you good luck!