Is it a real carbine or a Frankenstein

U.S. Military Krags
Whig
Posts: 1992
Joined: Sat Sep 24, 2016 12:53 am

Re: Is it a real carbine or a Frankenstein

Post by Whig »

Ned, Your link to Joe Farmer's website doesn't work anymore since he moved and doesn't have a new website developed yet. He has said people can still contact him through his e-mail address to buy his fantastic, tremendously under-priced Krag reference. It is a great addition to any Krag library. His e-mail address is:

5madfarmers@gmail.com

Ned Butts
Site Admin
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Location: Western Catskills NY

Re: Is it a real carbine or a Frankenstein

Post by Ned Butts »

Thanks I thought his email was in there, fixed it

ddabrown
Posts: 5
Joined: Fri Mar 10, 2023 10:34 pm

Re: Is it a real carbine or a Frankenstein

Post by ddabrown »

Thank you everyone for your advice. I am going to digest it all purchase a few books do a exam and figure out what this Krag is. My goal is to figure out what all the parts belong to. Very interesting weapon. There is alot of history here. Thanks again for all your help. Will post update when completed.

Whig
Posts: 1992
Joined: Sat Sep 24, 2016 12:53 am

Re: Is it a real carbine or a Frankenstein

Post by Whig »

Good luck. Keep us informed and let us know how we can help.

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Dick Hosmer
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Joined: Sun Nov 20, 2005 4:11 pm

Re: Is it a real carbine or a Frankenstein

Post by Dick Hosmer »

I think that Joe Farmer has retired from collecting. I know he has retired from work, even though he is quite young, and I understand he has moved south, possibly Florida. At one time he had spoken about opening a restaurant. He is, hands-down, the best researcher I have ever met, though his presentation style was a bit strange. He basically did his research for his own edification, and only published the Krag book with reluctance. It is but a very small part of his overall work. Whatever he is doing and wherever he is doing it I wish him well. Here is an example of an 1898 carbine as originally configured. somewhere I have a list of 1898C numbers gleaned from various sources - am trying to find it for inclusion into our database.
M1898 Carbine OA.jpg
M1898 Carbine OA.jpg (42.72 KiB) Viewed 636 times
Last edited by Dick Hosmer on Wed Mar 29, 2023 4:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Whig
Posts: 1992
Joined: Sat Sep 24, 2016 12:53 am

Re: Is it a real carbine or a Frankenstein

Post by Whig »

I haven't added to this list in a while but it's still rather up-to-date since we rarely see any new Model 1898 carbines.

These are ones owned by current or former KCA members who have listed their Model 1898 Krag carbine serial numbers here.

We need more. 12/5002= .0024%. We're just shooting up in those percentiles!

M1898 carbines so far (Rearranged based on serial numbers):

119744 Butlersrangers
120021 Whig
120864 Whig
122309 Val99
123263 WillRiley
123682 Leadhead
125062 Culpeper
126417 98src
128176 JDR (in the UK)
130275 Scott Culbert
131024 Dick Hosmer
134317 98src

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Dick Hosmer
Posts: 2273
Joined: Sun Nov 20, 2005 4:11 pm

Re: Is it a real carbine or a Frankenstein

Post by Dick Hosmer »

Good news - I finally found my old 98C list, with 162 numbers. Bad news - I had never made notes as to where I found them, some must be SRS, others were ones gleaned from other sources. The other bad news was that the file was not directly transferable, so I had to copy it to a modern spreadsheet.

The only thing I can say at this point is that, when I compiled the list I had good reason to believe they were genuine.

Interestingly enough, 4 from the list above were also on mine, so we have a net gain of 158.

What is the group's pleasure? Shall I add them as possibles (at this point I cannot say - beyond my own - how they exist) a few at a time? Is there a way to list them in bulk, if I sent the numbers to Ned?

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Dick Hosmer
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Re: Is it a real carbine or a Frankenstein

Post by Dick Hosmer »

IS there a way to list/submit groups of numbers at the same time, when the ONLY thing that changes is the serial number?

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Dick Hosmer
Posts: 2273
Joined: Sun Nov 20, 2005 4:11 pm

Re: Is it a real carbine or a Frankenstein

Post by Dick Hosmer »

I've gone through SRS again, and started a new spreadsheet, including that, my old list, and what we have on KCA. Out of nearly 200 numbers total, there is not ONE single case where a number is "yes" on all three lists! Not sure what that means! Whig and Culpepper share the honor of actually having a VERIFIED 98C. Everyone else, no matter how close, is wishful thinking at this point. Chuck, IIRC, somewhere you mentioned 180962. Is that something you could recheck, because 130962 would be very believable.

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butlersrangers
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Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2009 11:35 pm
Location: Below the Bridge, Michigan

Re: Is it a real carbine or a Frankenstein

Post by butlersrangers »

Dick - Krag #180962 is definitely NOT a U.S. model 1898 carbine.

I have a Benicia Arsenal 'shipping ticket' for the sale of a "U.S. Rifle, cal. .30, M-1898, Krag, cut down",
(to carbine size and fitted with a M-1903 Springfield front sight).

This undoubtedly describes the alteration of a model 1898 Krag rifle to a 'so-called' - DCM/NRA Carbine.

Number "180962" has been pencilled on this 'shipping ticket', likely long ago, possibly at Benicia or by the original civilian owner, Mr. West(?).

If someone has U.S. Krag model 1898 rifle, serial #180962, and it is cut to carbine length, I would provide them with this paperwork to document a Benicia altered "DCM/NRA Carbine".
Attachments
benicia_receipt-edit1.jpg
benicia_receipt-edit1.jpg (212.63 KiB) Viewed 524 times
Last edited by butlersrangers on Thu Apr 06, 2023 6:51 pm, edited 6 times in total.

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