New to me 1898 cut down "Short Rifle"

[Jason60chev]

Thanks for the comments.

From the measurements, I think that the stock may be longer than 38"......standard OAL of the PC/School/Short rifle stock. Even if i were to have a new 22" barrel installed, a bayonet would not attach as it would be shorter than the 23" the barrel is now. Besides, there is a long waiting list to sedn something to CMP.....I am already on it, for something else.

Also, the repro barrels do not have the correct thread on the rear sight mounting screw holes.

Would you still be upset if I used a beater bayonet? Or purchased a replacement Guard to modify, rather than having the existing barrel turned down? Wouldn't that entail removing the barrel in order to mount it into a milling machine? I will discuss that with my gunsmith.

Forend replacement splice? Why would I remove the whole forend on this rifle? Actually, I will not see this rifle until next October, when I come home. The idea was to have my 01-FFL ship it to the gunsmith to have the front sight installed and contour the muzzle (It's already been cut down and re-crowned.....Not by me), then have Gsmith ship back to my 01-FFL so that I can do the paperwork when I come home. Why not wait til I come home, you may ask?.....Because I will only have 30 days and I have stuff to do. Besides, Gsmiths aren't know to be fast. He may not be done by time I have to return overseas and he may not be willing to hold onto the rifle for another year until I can come home again to get it.

Actually, I have a barreled receiver on the way, which I am going to have to find a stock for, so I might just do the barrel turning for the bayonet on that....or the separate stripped receiver and barrel that I have for another build. Have to find a stock fot it, so I could do the forend splice thing on that and set it up to accept a bayonet.

I appreciate the comments.

I received enough criticism from the M1 Garand crowd "Purists" when I had a BM59 built, about "destroying" a piece of history.

[Jason60chev]

I was thinking along that line. Is it possible to turn down the muzzle to accept the bayonet ring without removing the barrel. Having to go that far would add more expense.

I am not at home to attempt any of this, myself. I will need to send it to a competent gunsmith so I can enjoy the rifle when I come home in October.

To me, the answer is simple and totally obvious. Replicate a "school gun". The 23" barrel is like nothing else - cut it to 22" with a proper crown, and reduce the area ahead of the front sight base to take a standard bayonet. You have harmed nothing but will end up with something believable. Stock work should not be difficult, though you might have to plug the lightening groove - but that would be "correct" for that length barrel. Totally "win-win".

[Jason60chev]

Understand about altering the bayonet. Was going to try to find a beater bayo and fix it up. Am just trying to keep expense of turning the front of the muzzle.....unless that can be done WITHOUT removing the barrel.

I also agree with Culpeper that the muzzle should be altered to fit the bayonet if you must. Don't ruin the harmless bayonet. It never did anything to you! Keep it intact for the next Krag enthusiast.

[Jason60chev]

Received measurement fo stock OAL from my dealer.......it is 39 9/16 Inches long.....

[Kerz]

...
I received enough criticism from the M1 Garand crowd "Purists" when I had a BM59 built, about "destroying" a piece of history.

The folks on this forum are really great! Most helpful, friendly and at times humorous. Like a family, well some families. Ha. I'm always impressed with their knowledge. When it comes to everything Krag, this is the goto place.

Yeah, as to the Garand forum. You can guess what I think about that attitude. BTW the BM59 is a really neat rifle.
Vic

[psteinmayer]

I agree about the "Purists" too! Some of these so called "Purists" are the same guys who blow hard about having their Garand be "As Manufactured" with matching numbers and absolutely museum quality finish... something we all know is practically impossible (Garand parts are not serialized... they are assembly numbers, and most issued arms go through some type of arsenal rebuild at one point or another).

[Jason60chev]

Certainly, yes. Many are expecting pristine, unmolested, un rebuilt, fresh from the armory floor examples for the price one would pay for a complete mixmaster. True, M1 parts are not serialized, but there were enough revisions that, if one were to take the time to study, that a representative rifle from a particular month/year could be assembled. I did that with a March 1944 rifle, recently, but getting the wear pattern of all those parts to match....UGH!!!! Also, compound the "matching" parts philosophy to the fact that Springfield Armory worked on the Last In-First Out inventory system. So, it is quite possible for a later rifle to have earlier and mixed parts if those parts bins hadn't been replenished. Of course, they were making rifles to fight a World War....NOT for future collectors.

I also recently assembled my most difficult M1 (Yes this reply is off topic from Krags).....an All Beretta Danish Contract rifle. Trying to locate ALL "PB" marked parts......yes, they were all marked.....was a chore and a little on the expensive side. But whata neat example for my M1 collection.

[Culpeper]

I received enough criticism from the M1 Garand crowd "Purists" when I had a BM59 built, about "destroying" a piece of history.

It's not that most of us are purists (Okay, maybe there are a few that are) but most of us are shall we say semi-purists. The Garand guys have their flavor of the disease and we have ours. One can not just run out and just get parts anywhere for a Krag. They have to be stripped off an existing gun. I think most guys here will agree restaint and caution for the future krag owners is the word of day. I have bubba'd Krags that I have taken out of circulation and would have no problem turning a muzzle. I presumed your stock had been cut back a bit when they lopped off the front of your barrel. So if your stock is intact please do not cut on it. There are too many "carbines" from the early 20th century floating around.

Find the crappiest bayonet you can get for twenty bucks and open the hole up. But if you could, though, stamp some place on it that it was modified or changed as a warning to future purists and the unsuspecting. However, I think Mr. Hosmer has the correct solution.

Those Garand guys don't have a leg to stand on. >:( You cannot swing a dead cat without hitting some site that sells trigger guards and assemblies. They are common. On the other hand no one is making new op rods yet some dweebs insist on cutting them short. I'll shut up and color when someone starts making op rods.

I know your pain about being overseas. Did that for years on RAID and VOSS programs.

Soooooooo. When do we get to shoot that BM-59?

[Culpeper]

I agree about the "Purists" too! Some of these so called "Purists" are the same guys who blow hard about having their Garand be "As Manufactured" with matching numbers and absolutely museum quality finish... something we all know is practically impossible (Garand parts are not serialized... they are assembly numbers, and most issued arms go through some type of arsenal rebuild at one point or another).

Don't forget battlefield recovered guns. They put them in a pile and put together everything that was not battle damaged and handed off it to the next guy in line.

[Baltimoreed]

I love my 1899 Constabulary Krag school rifle. Fast handling, light and bayonetable. This is what the bidness end looks like. It came to me missing the screw but its got one now. It also has a nice 1899 bayonet along with my faux Bowie bayonet.
Remember the Maine