Failed Krag bolt-lug

[Mark_Daiute]

things may have been worse, the bolt handle came up against the "shroud" around the bolt on the 1896 receiver. Primers were not flattened.

[butlersrangers]

Mark, I guess you are saying that the bolt partially rotated 'open'?

Was part of the 'flange' on the bolt-head 'missing', before your Krag Bolt Incident?

[scottz63]

Pretty amazing.

[Mark_Daiute]

Mark, I guess you are saying that the bolt partially rotated 'open'?

Was part of the 'flange' on the bolt-head 'missing', before your Krag Bolt Incident?

Not rotated at all. I was saying the if it had been an 1898 receiver, without the metal recess the bolt handle closes into on an 1892 or 1896 receiver, the bolt may have failed catestrophically. As it was, I had to use a block of wood to open the bolt.

[butlersrangers]

Mark, not to worry, Mr. Krag and Mr. Jorgensen were looking out for you.

Even with the machining simplification,, introduced with the U.S. model 1898 Krag receiver, there was a lot of receiver metal to support the bolt guide-rib and the root of the bolt-handle, if they had to serve as 'safety-lugs'.
(Note the small yellow arrows in my photo).

It makes perfect sense to me that you had to pound open your 'broken bolt' with a block of wood. The cracks allowed the front of your bolt to spread a bit.
(I cannot even begin to insert your bolt into a Krag receiver, without pounding on it with a plastic mallet).

Four questions for you:

1. What was the state of the cartridge-case after this event?
2. Did you experience any hot gases or debris, being blown rearward into your face, during the bolt fracture?
3. Did the missing part of the bolt-face 'flange' break off during this incident?
4. Did your final round sound normal and group with your other shots?

I am glad that you were not injured by this incident and that the other parts of your Krag remained usable.
Your experience is of great interest to other Krag shooters.

[Mark_Daiute]

I need to add that the failure took place over three or four firings. I shot the rifle and opening the bolt felt "stiff", then stiffer until it would not open. Some of the fired cases had split necks, the primers looked fine. Upon closer inspection I found loaded, unfired cartridges that had split necks. The cases were Winchester Western, not old Frankford Aresenal cases.

I fully recognize I should have been more vigilent. I have already replaced the bolt, 1896 bolts from Grandpa's Used Gunparts are available and inexpensive.

[butlersrangers]

Your recollections and observations are very interesting, Mark.

It seems significant, that the failure may have been occurring over a series of several shots, and may have 'forewarned', with an increase in bolt stickiness and effort.

It sounds like, the 'fired cartridge' case-heads and Krag rifle extractor, remained intact?

The 'split' case-necks may have been from the brass simply 'work-hardening' and becoming brittle from age.
This might be totally unrelated to the "bolt-event".
I believe you wrote, that some of the unfired rounds, still in the box, proved to have "split-necks", when re-examined.
'Old brass' and cartridge-cases, after several reloads, require occasional annealing, to avoid 'neck-splitting'.

Mark, thanks for sharing this information. We are all learning from your experience!