Questions on my 1899 Kraig

[muleyy]

and a closeup of the serial number - I have not found the website to look this number up btw

[Dick Hosmer]

Marc,

Well, the picture swap explains a lot, but doesn't actually change anything.

Sadly, the gun is still a mish-mash of mixed-vintage parts. 1898C stock (correct for 112000-135000 only) with M1902 rear sight (never used with that barrel band), receiver has been drilled for some sort of scope mount (BIG no-no), barrel has been chopped and a non-Krag front sight installed, etc., etc.

Great hunting gun - absolutely no collector value whatsoever.

Below is what a real 1898 Carbine should look like.

Regards,

Dick

[butlersrangers]

'muleyy': Your Krag, #482456, was built as a Model 1898 Rifle, around September, 1903, near the end of Krag rifle production. Krag receivers were numbered prior to assembly and went into parts bins. They were not built and issued in numerical order, so dating is approximate.

I agree with Dick Hosmer that your Krag is a 'mixmaster' of parts:

You have a model 1898 rifle action and barrel that was cut down to carbine length and a commercial banded front-sight was put on it. It was put into a model 1898 carbine stock. It seems to have a model 1899 carbine barrel-band. Commercial sling swivels look to have been added.

If I am not mistaken, your rear sight is an 1898 rifle sight base with an early 1903 Rod bayonet Springfield leaf. I believe the 1898 leaf spring has been improperly inserted and wedged into the base from the front. At first glance this is confusing and looks something like an 1896 carbine band with sight protecting ears.

This hodgepodge of parts is suggestive of surplus 'parts guns' that were assembled by private sporting goods companies like Stokes Kirk.

[psteinmayer]

I thought something looked wrong about that spring sticking out the front of the sight too.

[butlersrangers]

'muleyy': Your rear sight's spring (1898 model sight base) should appear like this from the bottom.