National Matches and the Krag

[ekpugh]

Does anyone have any references to the participation of Krags in National Matches at Camp Perry. Camp Perry was one of my fathers goals as a youth and he never got to participate. Also is there a vintage competition for these rifles still today?

[butlersrangers]

ekpugh: The National Matches were started in 1903 and fired at Sea Girt, N.J. Frank Mallory, in "The Krag Rifle Story", published a picture of the 1903 Infantry team, led by Townsend Whelen. In 1904, the National Matches were fired at Ft. Riley, Kansas. The National Matches returned to Sea Girt until 1907 when Camp Perry, Ohio, opened.

[butlersrangers]

Krags being fired in a Match (likely at Sea Girt). I purchased the photo on ebay. The picture is marked: "Goldberg Bros. Photographers, 65 Hunterdon St. - Newark, N.J." (undated).

[butlersrangers]

Lt. Col. William S. Brophy, in "The Krag Rifle", utilized an undated photograph of shooters at the National Matches, Camp Perry, Ohio. (He also used photos of 1907 Trophy Match Winner, Sgt. Frank F. Hirsch (Camp Perry) and the 1908 U.S. Navy Rifle Team (Winners of an International Match in Auckland, N.Z.). The Krag continued to see Match use after the adoption of the 1903 Springfield. Last week, some of our KCA forum members were shooting their Krags at the Vintage Match at Camp Perry, Ohio.

[ekpugh]

ekpugh: The National Matches were started in 1903 and fired at Sea Girt, N.J. Frank Mallory, in "The Krag Rifle Story", published a picture of the 1903 Infantry team, led by Townsend Whelen. In 1904, the National Matches were fired at Ft. Riley, Kansas. The National Matches returned to Sea Girt until 1907 when Camp Perry, Ohio, opened.

Great pictures. I wish the book was available to read. I can not afford 200 dollars for the book. Did not Col. Whelen take issue with the 03 Springfield being the better and went to the matches with the Krags and proved them accurate out to 1000 yards?

[ekpugh]

Was there anything done to these rifles or did they just select good shooters from the armory?

[butlersrangers]

Per Brophy: "No special Krag match rifles were made at Springfield Armory. The Armory did, during testing, select those rifles that gave the best results, and issued them for competition"... (page 186, "The Krag Rifle" by Brophy). It should be noted that the Krag was used successfully by the U.S. Palma Rifle Team, at least three times, in International Competition. In 1903 non-standard Pope barrels were used resulting in disqualification and return of the trophy to England.

[reincarnated]

No glasses, safety or otherwise. No ear muffs. Did they use cotton balls in their ears? Huh?

[ekpugh]

No glasses, safety or otherwise. No ear muffs. Did they use cotton balls in their ears? Huh?

My father always used 38 cal shell casings :)

[Bob_S]

I believe it was 1907 when the M1903 supplanted the Krag as THE Service rifle. Many of the score/data books of the pre-WWI period included information, sight settings and Plot data for the Krag/M1898 Ball, so it was still in use by a number of FOF's.

You can shoot an unmodified Krag in the CMP Vintage Rifle class. All shooting is at 200 yards on the SR target. Short range, big target, lots of fun. You can also shoot a Krag with any safe modifications in the NRA Match Rifle Category in any NRA Registered or Approved matches. Don't expect to win the National Championship with one, but if the rifle is in good condition; and the owner is capable of loading good quality ammunition and holding hard, the rifle will shoot Expert class scores out to 600 yards.