1898 Target Rifle Build

[JdA]

I recently came in to possession of an 1896 that has been sporterized and an 1898 action that has a nickel plated trigger, bolt, side plate, and magazine gate. I've been contemplating exactly what I should do with the action and today I had the idea of turning it into a target rifle with a new 30" CMP barrel, Leatherwood Malcolm 8X scope shown below on a 1903 Springfield sic (Model 70), and a Walnut Grove Gunstocks highcomb rollover varmint stock also shown below. At this point how large is the KCA lynch mob screaming for my blood?

Thoughts, input, and advice would be greatly appreciated, providing that I'm not banned from KCA for life in the next 24 hours due to my blasphemous thoughts and words.

[Parashooter]

Putting a 30" long, whippy barrel on a half-stock sporter isn't the surest route to either accuracy or a balanced appearance.

Perhaps you might consider a 26" or so target-contour barrel which any competent riflesmith should be able to thread and chamber at reasonable cost.

Your creation is likely to have higher value to others if placed in a more conservative style stock such as Walnut Grove's "American Classic".

http://www.walnutgrovegunstocks.com/storage/IMGP4481.jpg?__squarespace_cacheversion=1357102728698

[reincarnated]

I would point out that the Krag action ejects cases straight up. Steve Earle makes a set of offset scope brackets (IIRC $135?) that will allow the target scope to be offset (to either side), thus allowing for proper ejection.

The reviews on made-in-China Leatherwood scopes have not been all that great. Look at the MVA scopes as an alternative. Also, there are plenty of used Lyman Targetspots or the equivalent for sale at about the same price, plus you get micrometer rear mounts.

The scope in the photo you attached is not a Malcom look-alike. Hard to tell, but maybe it is a Fecker. The section between the mounts looks to be of 2-piece construction.

[butlersrangers]

The Krag ejects fairly straight-up. You would probably have brass bouncing off that target scope and back into the action.

[Rob]

Col Townsend Whelen's sporterized Krag.

"This rifle has the Krag Model 1898 action that was on the rifle with which Townsend Whelen won the Department of California and Army Rifle Competitions in 1903, and with which he shot on the Army Infantry Team in 1903, 1905, 1906, and 1907. In 1909 he had a special Winchester 30-40 Nickel Steel barrel fitted, a special hand made stock by Fred Adolph, and a Lyman No.48 rear sight fitted to the action... the barrel has a matted top. The trap butt-plate contains a broken shell extractor."

[butlersrangers]

JdA: The 'scoped' rifle you have pictured appears to be a Model 70 Winchester and not a 1903 Springfield. Part of its beauty is the stock lines, which avoid an ugly blob of a cheek-piece.
If your Model 1898 Krag action has nickel or chrome plated parts, it will not look very appealing to most Krag enthusiasts.
It would be interesting to know more about your Model 1896 Krag 'sporter'. This might be the Krag you want to play with and invest time, money and effort.
Putting money in a 'plated' Krag is a bad investment, IMHO. That said, here is a picture of a Krag, in a more modern stock, that I think would be nice for your 'target rifle' idea.
A solid butt plate and a barrel band (necessary to prevent the stock from splitting, due to the closeness of the trigger guard screws) would improve this rig.
Also, just a cut-down issue Krag stock, is nice for target shooting.

[FredC]

The gun you are comptiplating will have no value to a collector, but the action will still have easy loading , smooth cycling. If the gun you end up with fits a need go for it. I have one from a grandfather that is almost original and would not dream of modifying it. The one from my uncle was already sporterized sort of bubba style. It now has a stainless 35krag barrel, custom stock, holographic sight, hopefully I finish it before I am too old to shoot it. If I do get to finish it, it will be a superb pig rifle for my ranch. All the features that make a Krag fun to shoot will still be there. Sometimes it the fun of getting to your goal that makes it worthwhile.

[JdA]

Perhaps if I were to tweak the extractor to hold on to the right side of the rim just a little more than the left and tinker with the ejector to throw about 10 to the right?

[JdA]

JdA: The 'scoped' rifle you have pictured appears to be a Model 70 Winchester and not a 1903 Springfield. Part of its beauty is the stock lines, which avoid an ugly blob of a cheek-piece.
If your Model 1898 Krag action has nickel or chrome plated parts, it will not look very appealing to most Krag enthusiasts.
It would be interesting to know more about your Model 1896 Krag 'sporter'. This might be the Krag you want to play with and invest time, money and effort.
Putting money in a 'plated' Krag is a bad investment, IMHO. That said, here is a picture of a Krag, in a more modern stock, that I think would be nice for your 'target rifle' idea.
A solid butt plate and a barrel band (necessary to prevent the stock from splitting, due to the closeness of the trigger guard screws) would improve this rig.
Also, just a cut-down issue Krag stock, is nice for target shooting.

Sorry still recovering from a pretty harsh head injury on the 6th, meds have me a little off my game (okay a lot off my game) I'm not cleared to fire anything bigger than a .22 hornet until September 1st.

[JdA]

The gun you are comptiplating will have no value to a collector, but the action will still have easy loading , smooth cycling. If the gun you end up with fits a need go for it. I have one from a grandfather that is almost original and would not dream of modifying it. The one from my uncle was already sporterized sort of bubba style. It now has a stainless 35krag barrel, custom stock, holographic sight, hopefully I finish it before I am too old to shoot it. If I do get to finish it, it will be a superb pig rifle for my ranch. All the features that make a Krag fun to shoot will still be there. Sometimes it the fun of getting to your goal that makes it worthwhile.

Precisely, I'm not worried at all about collector value. That being said though, I hate that most original rifles have already been butchered. I would never dream of doing these things to an original rifle or a nicely sporterized one. I have also been contemplating replacing all the nickeled parts with original parts and sending the whole affair to Turnbull once I have the action mated to a "30 CMP barrel and nestled into a reproduction stock from S&S Firearms with the correct sights affixed.