Amazing Tolerances

[butlersrangers]

Yesterday, I loaded up 25 rounds of Winchester Brass that had been fired in two different model 1898 Krag rifles and a model 1899 Krag carbine.

I Neck-Sized the cases with an RCBS F.L. Resizing Die that was backed-off a couple of turns in the press. Before reloading, I tested the fit of the empty resized cases in the actions of the two 1898 rifles, I was taking to the Range.

Today, I find the fired cases (not resized, yet) fit in either of the two rifles, that I shot yesterday. The cases will still also chamber in the three other Krags, they were fired in originally.

I use to keep my .30-40 Brass separated by the rifle I shot it in. (Not anymore)!

I am quite amazed by the close tolerances shown in the chambering of the five Krags, I 'tested' today.

This is nothing like my experience with rifles chambered for .303 British, years ago. Fired brass in my .303 rifles would have required Full-Length Resizing to use in another rifle. My case life was short with complete Head-Separations (with mild loads). I had to segregate my .303 Brass, because all I had was a Lee-Loader that just neck-sized.

[Parashooter]

It's simply the luck of the draw. I have two English and one Australian Lee-Enfields that can happily interchange fired cases. Another, made in Chicopee Falls, MA, will not.

[RichWIS]

The brass fired in my Krag and neck sized will not chamber in my SIL's Krag. Same is true of brass from my 03A3, if neck sized will not chamber in my SIL's A3. Think you got lucky.

[psteinmayer]

I've had similar results in my Krags... although I've never really paid much attention to it. I usually keep my brass segregated, especially since I neck size only. However, since I now shoot cast out of my sporter, I have 200 rounds of brass designated just for that rifle (I expand the necks with a .303 ball, and I taper ream the case necks so the brass doesn't shave the lead as I seat the bullets). I just always assumed that since the chambers were cut using a reamer, they should all have pretty much the same dimensions.... but I'm also naive that way, LOL

[butlersrangers]

???SIL? - Sister-in-Law? ('Interesting Women' - come with Krags and Springfields).

BTW - I tried the fired .30-40 Brass in two more model 1898 Krags and it chambered without a problem. That is a total of seven different rifles, carbines, and 'cut-downs'.

I think that goes beyond chance and good luck. I am thinking it is a combination of good quality control at Springfield and low pressures in the reloads, allowing more 'case spring-back'.

[butlersrangers]

FWIW-Further update: I've now tried 20 'fired' Winchester .30-40 cartridge cases in eleven different Krags. These rounds were fired two days ago in two different model 1898 Krags. The cases have not been resized, since last firing.

I purchased these cases as new unprimed brass. They have been loaded and fired, at least three to four times, in five different U.S. Krags. Prior to each loading, they were only neck-sized with an RCBS F.L. .30-40 Die, backed-off two turns.

All 20 'fired' cases easily chamber in ten of the Krags, ranging from a model 1898 carbine #119744 (1898) to a model 1898 rifle #470165 (1903). Two of the Krags are model 1899 carbines.

The only Krag that would not accept these 'fired' cases is a 'sporter' that was re-barreled by Sedgely & Company. Its barrel is a re-cycled 1903 Springfield barrel that is dated 1905. Originally, the barrel was chambered for the .30-03 cartridge. Sedgely shortened this barrel at the breech and re-chambered it for .30-40.

The 'Sedgely chamber' will accept factory ammo and F.L. Re-sized cases, but, its chamber is tighter than the chambers on my original Krag barrels. It will not accept the 'fired' cases from the military chambers (without F.L. resizing).

[madsenshooter]

There were some minor changes made to the chambers around serial #213000, with the chambers being made a bit tighter. Since many of the earlier made rifles had been rebarreled, it's common to find the tighter chamber dimensions in them. One might see the difference in comparing a 92 with its original barrel and a later made 98.