Buyer Beware - Auction Arms#10132098

[JimmyK]

A good example of a wannabe Red Ryder carbine. This possibly legit carbine has been given a significant facelift. Note the freshly stamped cartouche and proof mark, repro handguard, reworked rifle rear sight modified to appear to be a carbine rear sight and repro carbine barrel band. The front sight, covered by a sight hood, cannot be commented upon. The vendor does NOT identify this as a carbine so commits no fraud should anyone assume that it is a sleeper. www.auctionarms.com/search/displayitem.cfm?itemnum=10132098

[Dick Hosmer]

Sad - the stock's real, even though the cartouches are not, and the number IS legit for a carbine. Metal is in pretty nice shape, actually. If it had just been left alone, might be worth the price. That fake sight is pretty damn obvious, though. Not positive that HG is a repro, but it certainly could be.

[JimmyK]

Dick, it looks like a Ben Rice handguard to me--those were very, very nice handguards. What beats all is that I can make out the original and faint cartouche/proof marks beneath and off-center of the restruck marks. Those faint marks indicate an arsenal refurbishment. Why cover them up with badly struck repro marks?

[cdagnese]

The stock is an 1899 stock - ruined by re-stamping the wrong date on the cartouche and adding a sling ring. What a shame!

[Dick Hosmer]

Nope, sorry, that IS an 1896 stock!

[JimmyK]

Well, the Krag sold for $1706.00. Ouch.

Here are my queries to the seller:
Q: I noticed your auction and had a couple of questions. Are there any reproduction parts on the Krag? Has anything been reworked or modified on the gun?
A: As far as I know nothing has been reworked or modified and no reproduction parts. This item is from my late husband's stash and it is time to move on.
Q: My condolences on the loss of your husband. You may wish to disclose the following modifications to the Krag so as not to mislead purchasers. The cartouche and proof marks have been recently restruck. The rear sight is a modified rifle sight (a common item) made to look like a rare and expensive carbine rear sight. The handguard is a reproduction, as is the sight protector barrel band. It's a shame that the cartouche and proof marks were restruck as this injured some of the collector value of this Krag. Otherwise, the additions or modifications do not injure the value of the Krag, but if not remarked upon, might be mistaken for an attempt to counterfeit a rare complete and original 1896 Krag Carbine.

The above questions and answers were not made public on the Krag, sn 26379 listing. I looked-up some of this sellers other current auctions and noticed some very masculine hands holding a trapdoor for its auction photos. Hmmm. Methinks I'll stay clear of Seller: jr49341.