Norwegian Krag

[6.5swede]

An old N Ontario Finn friend said that, in the fifties, he had skied into
remote POW camps.
In a pile of German mailbags, he found this.

A lapal pin as a "small garden award"? I don't know.





6.5x55 (natch) for scale

[butlersrangers]

'6.5swede' - The pin is a neat POW camp relic.

REICHSBUND
DEUTSCHER
KLEINGARTNER

It does appear to be a Third Reich award or recognition for having a small vegetable garden.

[6.5swede]

German pow mailbag circa 1942

[6.5swede]

German mailbag reverse

[Jdgoltz]

I just bought a barreled receiver at an auction. It is dated 1915 so I'm assuming it is an M1912 carbine. Where would I be able to find enough parts to make it a proper rifle again?

[butlersrangers]

'jdgoltz' - Welcome to the KCA Forum.

Both Norwegian model 1894 rifles and model 1912 carbines were built in 1915. The serial number is the clue to telling what your Krag was originally.

1915 made m-1894 Rifle numbers likely fall between 106,782 to 110,281.

1915 made m-1912 Carbine numbers likely fall between 4,069 to 8,751.

Norwegian Krag parts show up on ebay and GunBroker, but, tend to be very expensive. It is likely cheaper to buy a complete Norwegian Krag than to attempt 're-building' one from parts.

Just a heads up: Norwegian Krag barrels have a Left-Hand Thread.

[Jdgoltz]

Thanks for the information, especially the barrel thread. Serial number says carbine. I'll probably buy a complete one eventually, but rebuilding/refinishing old guns is my hobby so I think eventually it'll get rebuilt. I've just never had a Krag before so its a new type of rifle for me. I've always wanted one so I hurried up and bought it at the auction for $50 thinking it was a US model. 6.5 is a nice cartridge anyway.

[butlersrangers]

If you post some pictures, you will get a lot more information.

How is the bore on your Norwegian Krag?

FWIW - In my experience, the 6.5X55mm is a great cartridge, but, if a 6.5 mm rifle bore is rough and dark, accuracy disappears and bullets begin to tumble.