Question about a 1892 Krag

[Ned Butts]

From their description " The front cleaning rod was removed, and the groove in the stock filled with a wood plug, which can still be seen"
I would like to see that. With the beaver cut bolt handle cutout in mind, if the cleaning rod channel is actually there then some funny business is going on, if not it is a blatant lie. Fraudulent either way.

[Fred G.]

Yes! Do so. I just saw some good ones on GB that were excellent rifles.
If you see any you’re interested in, reference them here and we’ll give an assessment on them for you!
We are here to help fellow Krag collectors.

[Whig]

Demand a full refund for a mis-represented item and plaster your experience all over the internet, Gun Boards especially, facebook and anywhere else you can make an impression. I have seen this crap before from this company and will never do business with them myself.

I learned from someone else's experience with this company. I have never, and will never, deal with them. That's why you should do others a favor and let them know.

Also, as you said, ask us first and do your homework. $2,000 is a lot to spend when you don't know what you're buying.

Good lesson, again, for all of us.

Good luck!

[indy650]

From their description " The front cleaning rod was removed, and the groove in the stock filled with a wood plug, which can still be seen"
I would like to see that. With the beaver cut bolt handle cutout in mind, if the cleaning rod channel is actually there then some funny business is going on, if not it is a blatant lie. Fraudulent either way.

yeah it never had a cleaning rod that's the first thing I noticed and it is a blatant lie. What a shit company.

[butlersrangers]

FWIW - IMA likely copied their description from a reference book on U.S. Krags.

No one wrote the IMA description, while objectively examining the 'mixmaster' rifle that they sent you.

It will likely be big a hassle returning this rifle to IMA and getting a complete refund.

In your favour, IMA has been incompetent in their identification and description of this rifle.
Or worse, they have engaged in downright fraudulent behavior.

The rifle is not as advertised; IMA is in the wrong and has represented themselves, nationally, as being expert in historic firearms.

You have recourse as a wronged consumer.

[Whig]

I wrote a bad review last night on their website for this fraud sale using the link the op gave in the first post. I wasn't kind in my telling them how they had misrepresented this damaged, altered "original" rifle.

Now, as any guilty party would do, they have ended this rifle's link. They removed it and the pictures altogether. They usually keep sold firearm links up a long time to show off their wonderful sales.

Any further questions about IMA?

[indy650]

I wrote a bad review last night on their website for this fraud sale using the link the op gave in the first post. I wasn't kind in my telling them how they had misrepresented this damaged, altered "original" rifle.

Now, as any guilty party would do, they have ended this rifle's link. They removed it and the pictures altogether. They usually keep sold firearm links up a long time to show off their wonderful sales.

Any further questions about IMA?

what bastards....

[Whig]

I think you can confront them and get a free return and full refund based on their mis-representation. I would also consider, especially if they give you any crap, contacting the attorney general of the state they are located in, which ever that is. They say the restocking fee crap is only if they didn't make a mistake in the sale.

Interesting, they state in their legal disclosure that:

IMA considers all antique guns offered on our website as non-firing, inoperable and/or inert.

If all of these antique rifles I have are all non-firing, inoperable and inert, I can't explain the "bang" that goes off in my antique military rifles that I have shot all of these years! Wow! IMA just taught me something!

[indy650]

I just searched 1892 Krag on their sight and there is a plethora of them and not one I've looked at so far has a cartouche on the stock. Are the cartouches on these guns often wore off completely? I find this suspicious.

[Whig]

Hit or miss. These are very rare in original condition to begin with, cartouche or not, and there are many altered or arsenal upgraded Krags floating around that have numerous variations or changes, official or unofficial, made at different times. (Bubba.) I have seen some nice 1894 cartouches on different Krags over the years, so, there was no effort to erase them all from history. Many of the Krag stocks have been sanded, scraped and/or refinished over the past 120+ years. Retaining or protecting a cartouche was not a priority in the years past. It has only become a valued part of the Krag history as a collectible and added value to the rifle or carbine over the past 40 or 50 years, I would guess. There were many articles in American Rifleman and other gun magazines over the past 100 years about "sporterizing" a military rifle for hunting purposes. They made these inexpensive rifles, that had ample supplies of military ammunition available, into great hunting firearms without a care to the history being lost or value to future collectors like us!

The search is a big part of the enjoyment of Krag lore. But, as we are seeing, there are many shysters out there ready to separate the ignorant or uneducated from their money.

Be prepared and educate yourself before becoming a victim.