Shot my Krag today. Didn't go well

[Allen]

Thanks madsenshooter! Good advice. I can't stand people on forums that assume since you're a new poster, you don't know shit from apple butter. About 3 different people on here just knew I shot something other than 30-40 krag in this particular rifle, even though I said I didn't. Finally hsd to prove it. I just wish people would start giving people the benefit of the doubt instead of making us feel like we're stupid. I have been in the military for almost 18 years now. I have fired 100's of thousands of rounds in my career. I know a little bit about firearm safety.

[butlersrangers]

Allen, please read:

Allen: Welcome to the KCA Forum. Please watch your tone. Mr. Hosmer did not insult you. You took it that way.
You were sounding incredibly nave and lacking in 'gun knowledge' (Like a kid chasing a ball into the street)!
Everyone has done their best to help you.

[Dick Hosmer]

Welcome indeed!

As butlersrangers said - NO personal slight was intended. I certainly apologize if my comment was taken otherwise.

However, I stand by my statement, in the context it was made.

You may well be very knowledgeable, but, unfortunately, your rimmed case comment did not transmit that fact well. And, you would not believe some of the things we've heard over the years!

It is probably a good thing that this came up, as it illustrates what can happen when one assumes that a rifle which looks nice on the outside has not been fooled with on the inside. 99.5% of the time, it's OK, but look out for the odd one. Thankfully you were not hurt. Actually, considering its' age, the Krag handles gas fairly well.

Again, my apology.

[madsenshooter]

Thanks madsenshooter! Good advice. I can't stand people on forums that assume since you're a new poster, you don't know shit from apple butter. About 3 different people on here just knew I shot something other than 30-40 krag in this particular rifle, even though I said I didn't. Finally hsd to prove it. I just wish people would start giving people the benefit of the doubt instead of making us feel like we're stupid. I have been in the military for almost 18 years now. I have fired 100's of thousands of rounds in my career. I know a little bit about firearm safety.

You're welcome. Myself, I would much rather have a new barrel of chrome moly steel to use. Some think it decreases the collector value, likely would as it's not original, but one could always find an original, if, you wished to sell it a collectible. I made the mistake of selling a good barrel once, to a Lt Col. I think he turned around and peddled the rifle. Had I known he was going to sell it rather than enjoy, I'd have kept it for myself.

[reincarnated]

Duh! It never occurred to me that anyone would run a .30-06 reamer into a Krag parade rifle just so they could shoot available blanks. Sounds reasonable, especially in the days when liability lawsuits were a lot less common. That makes a lot more sense that just running a big drill into the chamber to make the parade rifle "inoperable", which it was not.

Allan, if you put an empty '06 case in the chamber, does it extract? And eject?

[psteinmayer]

I would think it wouldn't extract, as the Krag is designed to grab the rim... and the 30-06 rim is considerably smaller than the 30-40. Could you imagine if some fool tried to fire a live M2 Ball round in that Krag?

[Allen]

No. It would not grab, but it slid out easily. I tried a live 30-06 round without putting it in battery. The round would not seat all the way in.

[gunboat57]

Allen, I hope I didn't offend you by wanting to verify what cartridge was actually used. My training and 30+ years as a mechanical engineer leads me to solve problems by separating out probable causes, starting at the highest and most improbable level and working down. And after 50 years of shooting, I am still learning. My most recent lesson involved trying to chamber a 30-40 Krag round in a 303 British chamber. Or was it the other way around?

I look forward to seeing some pics of your Krag when you are able to post them.

[butlersrangers]

If I recall correctly, military blanks generate considerable pressure. I wonder how safe this apparent VFW practice of altering Krag chambers to take a .30-06 'blank', actually was?
I am very glad Allen did not experience a catastrophe when he fired a .30-40 round in his altered Krag.
Some of the impressions, on the cartridge case he fired, appear to me that there are 'chatter'marks or machined ridges in the chamber wall. This suggests to me that the chamber was crudely altered with a drill rather than a chambering reamer.
I am glad this rifle will not accept a loaded .30-06 ball round. However, I would consider this rifle a dangerous 'time bomb' until it is properly re-barreled.

[psteinmayer]

Agreed! There is no way of knowing whether the strength of the barrel has been compromised... and better to be safe than sorry. Incidentally, have you inspected the bolt to verify that there are no cracks, especially in the locking lug area?

I'm with Madsenshooter: A Criterion barrel may reduce collector value, but in my humble opinion, the value is already destroyed by the chamber being de-milled anyway. If you want it as a shooter, the Criterion barrels are accurate, correct, and preserve the "As Issued" integrity, especially if you intended to shoot in CMP events. The CMP will order and install the barrel correctly for a nominal cost... Far less than you'll pay to purchase an original and have a civilian gunsmith install.