New Krag owner!

[butlersrangers]

You have been given some nice suggestions. Over the years, I've picked up a bunch of used long gun-cases, almost by osmosis.

My local gun shop has a bin of 'used' cases that come with 'trade-ins'. They sell them cheap. When one catches my eye, I snag it.

It is good to store cases in a dry area of your home. The case lining can absorb moisture. I try not to store guns in cases. I let the cases 'air out'.

When in service, Krags were shipped and stored in wooden crates and protected with cosmoline. (RIG is nicer). In barracks, rifles and carbines were locked in racks.

I don't believe the U.S. service had "gun-cases" for the Krag. Although, the cavalry did carry their Krag carbines in leather saddle-scabbards, when armed and mounted.

I suppose competitors, travelling by rail, may have had leather, canvass, or hard-cases for their match rifles.

[Whig]

I just like to let some of my Krags enjoy the fresh air and not keep them too cooped up! Don't quarantine your Krag!!

[butlersrangers]

Ya, flaunt em!

[TheFlynn01]

Well I would love to flaunt it at the house, but I figure it would be good to have a case that fits for hunting trips and trips down to the range. For some reason those guys don't like it when you come in with the gun ready to go haha.

it is cool to see the crates that they came in. It would be nice to have a rifle rack like that of my own one day. Yet seeing as I have only one rifle, it might be overkill!

[butlersrangers]

Flynn01 - You will soon learn that with Krag rifles, one is not enough!

(btw- I don't display my guns out in the open. Those days are long in the past).

Regarding personal rifle-cases, this is what Dr. Hudson had to say back in 1903:

[TheFlynn01]

wow nice article! Thank you for sharing. It would be nice to get a leather case. Might be worth looking into. What book was that?

Also, how did they install/remove the ejector? It just kinda flops in there and I found it interesting. I have no intention of messing with it, but curiosity compels me to ask.

and that book mentions cleaning rods, I would love to have one that long, anyone got any word on that? The one hidden behind the butt plate seems to only go over half way though the barrel.

[butlersrangers]

Dr. Walter Guy Hudson was a noted U.S. competitive civilian shooter. He wrote "Modern Rifle Shooting from the American Perspective", in 1903, for Laflin & Rand powder company.

I got my copy from QOOP - print on demand.

(Culpeper provide a link to some early shooting manuals in a thread at the top of this KCA page, under 'ammunition/shooting sights').

The Krag 'butt-trap' sectioned rods required soldiers to pair-up and use four sections. They were just for field use.

Barrack's rods were long brass one-piece affairs. They show up at gun-shows, but, have gotten too expensive.
(Some barrack-rods are in attached gun-rack photo).

Quality commercial one-piece rods are better. I like 'Outers' stainless steel rods. (Easy to keep clean)!

[leadhead]

Be careful what you store your Krag in... Some of these
cases could cause you more rust then you can believe.
Denny

[Whig]

Mike, the ejector that you are asking about is held in by a pin sticking out from the left side of the receiver visible when you remove the left side plate. Take a pair of needle nose or other pliers and pull that pin straight out and the ejector will be able to be lifted out. You are right, it just flops around, no spring needed, because it flips up and ejects the case when the bolt is rapidly and proudly pulled to the rear.

You may be asking about the long, M1892 ram rod (cleaning rod) found on original M1892 Krag rifles. These, when original, are very rare and extremely expensive. If you found one, chances are it is a reproduction, even sometimes faked to look old, and it would be north of $500. I would venture to say maybe even more than $1000 for an original.

Pictures below show an original and a reproduction Ram Rod. (The reproduction is fresh blued.)

[butlersrangers]

Flynn01 - I am not sure if you meant "extractor" or "ejector".

I am attaching a 'schematic' showing some of the parts of the Krag.

The ejector is retained by a cross-pin that is hidden underneath the side-plate. It has a groove that makes it easily removed.

The extractor is retained by a vertical pin, that anchors it to the Bolt-Sleeve. The tip of this pin is visible, but, has been slightly 'mushroomed'. It should not be removed unless necessary for repair. (It requires the bolt to be taken apart; driving the pin downward may needlessly damage the pin or other parts).