'concretus' - Welcome to the KCA Forum.
Your Krag, #194608, would have been assembled around April, 1899, as a U.S. model 1898 rifle.
The Stock is a cut-down rifle stock. It has a patch on the forearm tip, filling the lightening-channel, that was exposed when it was cut.
Your stock has been recycled a couple of times. It has three 'Proof" stamps. The foremost "Circled - Script P" was stamped when the Krag it was on was function tested for acceptance. The second "Circled - Script P" was applied when the stock was re-used on a Krag undergoing rebuilding. The plain "P" was applied over the original stamp, when a Krag was again subjected to function testing, likely around WW1.
Your Stock 'Cartouche' Has the letters "J.S.A." above a date. This stands for Joseph Sumner Adams, the shop foreman, where the acceptance inspections were done. I cannot make out the date.
You mentioned, your stock is marked with a "CA". I think, I can just see the edge of an "A" in one of your photos.
Frank Mallory wrote, (in "The Krag Rifle Story"), that around 1908, letters started being stamped on Krag stocks to identify the facility that had done cleaning and repair work.
BTW - Krags were in U.S. Service and National Guard use from 1894 to about 1919. Krag rifles remained even later on U.S. Ships. By WW1, the Army had relegated Krags to 'Training' use or secondary service. A lot of Krags were 'refurbished', during their service time. During the process, rifles were taken apart, parts were checked, refinished, and put together in new combinations of parts.
Something else to note: Your hand-guard appears to be of Italian walnut (which the U.S. used on some Krags). The hand-guard is the correct type for the model 1901 sight, that you have. However, the hand-guard has been 'stepped' for the 'sight-lever'. This should not be necessary, but, for some reason, your rear-sight sits LOW.
I wonder if your Krag has a replacement barrel, possibly made from a 1903 Springfield barrel?
1898 cut down rifle?
- butlersrangers
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- butlersrangers
- Posts: 9893
- Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2009 11:35 pm
- Location: Below the Bridge, Michigan
Re: 1898 cut down rifle?
'Concretus' - Are there any markings on your Krag's barrel?
When commercial gunsmiths needed replacement barrels for Krags, they sometimes used surplus 1903 Springfield barrels. The barrel would be shortened at the breech, re-chambered, and notched for the Krag extractor.
Such barrels are smaller in diameter than a Krag barrel. They will have Armory initials, 'Ordnance Bomb' and a date, stamped on the barrel just behind the front-sight.
An example:
When commercial gunsmiths needed replacement barrels for Krags, they sometimes used surplus 1903 Springfield barrels. The barrel would be shortened at the breech, re-chambered, and notched for the Krag extractor.
Such barrels are smaller in diameter than a Krag barrel. They will have Armory initials, 'Ordnance Bomb' and a date, stamped on the barrel just behind the front-sight.
An example:
Re: 1898 cut down rifle?
Thank you for the nice welcome and details!!
- butlersrangers
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Re: 1898 cut down rifle?
'Concretus' - Thanks for your additional pictures. Your barrel with the "P" (proof) marking is a Krag barrel.
I don't know why your rear-sight is setting so low in its hand-guard.
Attached, is a photo of my model 1899 Krag carbine, showing the carbine version of the 1901 sight with a rifle-style hand-guard.
Also a picture of a Krag stock with an "H.H." marking and Ordnance Dept. crest.
It is my belief that these markings date from a period of rebuild work just prior to WW1.
I don't know why your rear-sight is setting so low in its hand-guard.
Attached, is a photo of my model 1899 Krag carbine, showing the carbine version of the 1901 sight with a rifle-style hand-guard.
Also a picture of a Krag stock with an "H.H." marking and Ordnance Dept. crest.
It is my belief that these markings date from a period of rebuild work just prior to WW1.
Re: 1898 cut down rifle?
Butlersrangers, any opinion on the crown as to whether it is a NRA/DCM conversion or a copy? I checked the Gun Digest article and Concretus' front sight and blade look correct. But I did not see a photo of the crown. I did correct the previous post so people searching the web do not get wrong info on the armory that did the conversions.
Re: 1898 cut down rifle?
"I don't know why your rear-sight is setting so low in its hand-guard." butlersrangers
I have the hand guard that came with the rifle when I bought it. it is similar to yours and not notched. There is a good size chunk out of it at the area of the receiver ring. I believe I have a photo of it in the thread. I found this reproduction one and installed it....I wished the original wasn't messed up....
Thanks to you and all who provided feedback! :)
I have the hand guard that came with the rifle when I bought it. it is similar to yours and not notched. There is a good size chunk out of it at the area of the receiver ring. I believe I have a photo of it in the thread. I found this reproduction one and installed it....I wished the original wasn't messed up....
Thanks to you and all who provided feedback! :)
- Parashooter
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Re: 1898 cut down rifle?
I don't know why your rear-sight is setting so low in its hand-guard.
I suspect you're focusing on the handguard identified as a replacement. This one is really in a semi-finished state and consequently a bit taller than a finished one would be.
- butlersrangers
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- Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2009 11:35 pm
- Location: Below the Bridge, Michigan
Re: 1898 cut down rifle?
Thanks - I didn't know I was looking at two different hand-guards in your photos.
Re: 1898 cut down rifle?
No worries....Eventually I'll look for one similar to the original one.