Krag Collectors Association Forum

Good day everyone, I just picked what I believe to be a 30-40 Krag on Saturday. I won't make you cry with what I paid for it but I am extremely excited after looking up exactly what I purchased. I have so many questions that need answered. This gun will never be sold. It will be a family heirloom for my children's children.

I would like to learn the history of my specific rifle, if that's possible. I'm going to try and attempt to attach multiple pictures that I've taken for viewing. I look forward to the wealth of knowledge that is encompassed within this site. One thing I have been educated on in the past two days is the fact that it has not been sporterized, it is full length and does not have a cleaning rod/kit in the buttstock.

Please feel free to tell me any information that you have about this rifle and its history if possible.

Cartouche

Bottom Cartouche

Bolt/Action

Looks like a nice solid specimen, used, but not beat-up at all.

Apparently you got a really good deal? Congratulations!

No luck on the history, though - 243757 is closest rifle for which there is any data recorded.

welcome on board, hope you wishes for your rifle do come to pass as I have a Model 1894, Model 1896 and model 1898, while the 98 was very badly tore up but others. I hope I can take parts from the other two as I slowly restore them to make it a good sportier.

Chad S., Welcome to the KCA forum. Your Model 1898 Krag, #243746, was likely built and accepted for Service early in 1900. There is a nice agreement between probable time your rifle was assembled and your stock's 1900 acceptance 'cartouche'. Krags were not built in numerical order. It appears the receivers were numbered and went into parts bins and randomly pulled out for assembly.

Thank you Gentlemen for the welcome. Yes, I am super excited with my find and look forward to many years of sparce use, maybe even a deer, under it's belt.

Thank you for the info Mr. Hosmer. I'm thinking what you're refering to is whether or not my serial number was registered with any military unit. That is a shame, I was hoping to add to the history of the weapon.

Top Dean, good luck with your rebuild. I personally will most likely only ever own this one due to the deal that I got but I will remain more than appreciative and take good care of her.

Butlersrangers, thank you for that info. Although I knew it was a Model 1898, and through a quick search realize that the cartouche on the stock meant that it "Entered" service in 1900, I was confused on just exactly when it was manufacturered. So thank you for that info.

I have questions now and am sure that I'll have many more to come.

1. How do I, for a lack of a better word, "Clean" the rifle? I have come to understand that referencing the term "Clean" and a 30-40 Krag is not a good combination. But you must do something to take off the grime around the edges. (Look at my pic of the serial#) Also there must be something you do for inside the barrel, the action as well as all exposed metal parts? Would someone please clarify this for me, I want to do it right and not mess it up?

Chad S. - The great majority of U. S. Krags do not have their serial numbers showing up in existing records. Several hundred of the numbers that are recorded were for rifles that were destroyed at Cumberland Depot in Pa.
It would be interesting to know which model of rear sight is currently on your Krag. It is likely your rifle's sight was updated when different models came in to use. Each sight model required a different wood hand-guard. (Here are photos of likely sights: model 1896, 1901 and 1902).

Butlersrangers, my sight is the bottom sight. So what does that mean or tell you about my rifle?