1901(I think) Springer Model 1898, sporterized.

[luvmy40]

Hi all,
I just found the forum and joined today. I picked up this Springer 1898 at a gun show about 8 months ago and finally got around to shooting it yesterday.







I had a partial box of Western, 180gn that looks to be 1950/1960 vintage, a box of new Winchester 180gn Power Point and a box of new Remington 180gn CORE-LOKT.

I dialed in the windage with the old ammo at 30yards:



Then moved to 50 yards to set the battle sight's elevation:



Then out to 100 to see if my old eyes could still make a hit with irons:





The lone hole near the top of the 100 yard target is the only one of the first 5 to hit paper. The battle sight is set at it's lowest elevation and this was a center hold, covering the target with the blade's bead. I then set up with a lolly pop hold on what was the visible colored circle for the next five and wound up holding a couple inches below that for the last group

[luvmy40]

I'll be reloading as soon as I pick up a neck sizing die. I have a full length die set from CH but haven't snagged their Standard Bushing Neck Sizer yet.

I was almost afraid to shoot this one. It looked good and the bolt locked tight but the guy I bought it from was a bit of a flake and a BSer extraordinaire. "This rifle is a sub MOA gun" "I killed a water buffalo last season with it" and he said he had all the reloading gear for the round but could never make a meet up for it. He didn't know how to remove the bolt, neither did I at that time but it took all of 15 seconds on the interwebz to find detailed dis-assembly instructions.

I found that the rear sight was installed backwards because the top wood is from another production year. That combined with the fairly poor external condition(stained and starting to pit in areas) had me a little worried that I had bought a wall hanger. Thankfully she turned out to be a real sweetheart of a shooter!

[butlersrangers]

'luvmy40': Welcome to the KCA Forum. It looks like your altered Krag was someone's 'Deer Rifle' for many years. I am glad you are having a good time with it.

For many of us, our first Krag was a cut-down Infantry rifle, 'sporterized' to make it more useful for Hunting. They are not worth much, but, fun to fiddle with and shoot.

It looks like your receiver was drilled and tapped for the #2 Weaver side-mount or its earlier version. The #2 is still made and I am attaching a picture of mine. It positions the scope off-set, but, it is solid and works well. I would never do this to a Krag. I bought it this way. It would be fine for Hunting, except, it interferes with the original safety. It is an accurate Range gun.

[luvmy40]

Who ever drilled and tapped the receiver hacked it up pretty good. I doubt the holes will line up with anything even remotely straight. That's OK though as I don't plan on mounting glass on this.

I was happy to find one with the barrel uncut at a reasonable price. I would like to get the correct wood for it some day.

[luvmy40]

I spent just a little time looking at the rifle yesterday and determined that the barely visible stock cartouche is from 1900, the rear sight is a 1901 and as I stated above, the top wood does not fit with the rear sight. The wood was already hacked up for the scope mount so I just trimmed it to fit the properly mounted sight.

So, a few questions:

Is there a data base or formula for finding the manufacture date via serial #?

Do the different year's actions mount the sights in exactly the same place?

Is this possibly a 1900 gun and wood with a 1901 sight?

Would that explain why it shoots 8" high at 100 yards with the sight at it's lowest elevation?

Am I expecting more from the rifle than it was ever meant to be?

Thanks for any input.

[luvmy40]

I found this http://www.bowersweapons.com/SA%20US%20KRAG%20serial%20numbers.htm
It shows my rifle to be manufactured in 1901. Any input on this being accurate?

[butlersrangers]

'luvmy40': Your U.S. Model 1898 (Krag-Jorgensen) rifle, #294378, was probably made around December, 1900.

The Krag receivers were numbered and went into parts bins, before being assembled into complete rifles. The Krag was not manufactured, inspected & accepted for service ('Stock Cartouche' date), or issued to troops in numerical order. Dating can only be approximate and some receivers probably stayed in the 'bottom of a bin' for a while. (Also, many Krags were later 'up-dated, rebuilt or refurbished').

It would be likely your receiver originally went into a rifle inspected, accepted and 'cartouched' in late 1900 or early1901.

All Krag models (rifles and carbines) have the same rear sight screw-hole spacing and position in relation to the receiver. All Krag barrels have the same diameter at that point. (In a nutshell, any Krag rear sight model can fit any Krag barrel).

According to Franklin Mallory, "The Krag Rifle Story", 2nd ed., page 129: The Model 1901 rifle sight "...was fitted to Model 1898 service rifles after August, 1901. ..... It was installed on all Krag rifles issued to Regular Army troops after 1903, and was retrofitted to Model 1896 and earlier Model 1898 service rifles." (Your model 1901 sight is OK on your rifle. The Model 1896 and Model 1902 rear sights are also possible. Each of these sight models has a different hand-guard).

The issue front sight blade (removed from its base) on the model 1898 Krag rifle measures .410". It is possible your sight-blade has been filed down. (This would make your rifle shoot high).

(photos of front blade and KCA photo of different hand-guards).

[butlersrangers]

Bower's Krag info is repotedly bad.

I recommend you buy $20 'starter book', "The American Krag Rifle and Carbine", by Joe Poyer.

The internet can be a terrible source. The various books on the Krag (Mallory, Brophy, and Poyer) are educational and fun!

[luvmy40]

The front sight on the rifle has a bead at the apex so I doubt it's been filed down. Then again, I'm a complete tyro with the Krags so what do I know? :)

According to your pic, the top wood on this stick is the 1898/1902 R&C

Thanks for the help. I'm not going to worry if I don't find the right fixtures for this as I bought it as a shooter but since it shoots so accurately I would like to make it right if at all possible on a reasonable budget.

[butlersrangers]

'luvmy40': It sounds like someone put a commercial front sight blade on your Krag. It may be too short (less than .410 inches). You should measure the actual blade height (not including the base).

Rule: "A higher front blade will lower the shot group".