I was browsing the upcoming Amoskeag auction, and I noticed lot 549, a 450 Alaskan on a Danish model 1889 action made in 1916, and lot 1251, a .405 Winchester on a model 1898 action. I am not an expert on those calibers, but I wonder if the Krag action is safe with such powerful loads. I understand that the 450 Alaskan is equivalent to the .458 Winchester Magnum, which means that someone made a Krag into a gun that would be at home on an elephant hunt.
http://www.amoskeagauction.com/105/auction105.html
Custom big bores on Krag actions
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madsenshooter
- Posts: 1179
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- Location: Upper Appalachia aka SE Ohio
Re: Custom big bores on Krag actions
Been thinking of a .375 Win or 38-55 in one of my Krags as they are legal for deer here in Ohio now.
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reincarnated
- Posts: 562
- Joined: Sun Mar 11, 2012 8:16 am
Re: Custom big bores on Krag actions
I am not 100 % sure of the provenance on the 2 US Krags in the Amoskeag Auction converted to .405 WCF & .35 WCF. They are from the Mark Benenson estate.
An elderly acquaintance, MD by by profession, was a serious hunter, trips to Africa, Canada & Alaska, etc. He had 2 very similar Krags although IIRC both had darker finishes. The .405 was Doc's back-up & bad weather big bear rifle. The .35 was his wife's African antelope rifle. I once heard her say "it will shoot all the way through an elephant sideways. How much more power do you need?" I shot both rifles & both worked as intended. If I needed a serious bear rifle, I would strongly consider either of the WCF rifles.
The magazines of both rifles had been reworked to allow the use of .405 & .35 WCF cartridges, which have slightly longer OALs than issue Krag cartridges. I do not know if the rifles in MB's collection were once the ones owned by Doc & Mrs, but much of their estate has been circulating for the past 15 to 20 years.
An elderly acquaintance, MD by by profession, was a serious hunter, trips to Africa, Canada & Alaska, etc. He had 2 very similar Krags although IIRC both had darker finishes. The .405 was Doc's back-up & bad weather big bear rifle. The .35 was his wife's African antelope rifle. I once heard her say "it will shoot all the way through an elephant sideways. How much more power do you need?" I shot both rifles & both worked as intended. If I needed a serious bear rifle, I would strongly consider either of the WCF rifles.
The magazines of both rifles had been reworked to allow the use of .405 & .35 WCF cartridges, which have slightly longer OALs than issue Krag cartridges. I do not know if the rifles in MB's collection were once the ones owned by Doc & Mrs, but much of their estate has been circulating for the past 15 to 20 years.