My next door neighbor has an interesting Krag

[Keith Herrington]

Owned by his Dad and past to him years ago, it had been refinished (wood and metal). Nice blue job (the metal was not over polished) and stock work but as with many home gunsmiths, too much wood was removed from the stock. It is stamped Steyr on the receiver ring along with the serial number 28X. It is in 6.5X55 caliber of course. It looks to be all there and other than refinish work has not been customized.
Keith

[butlersrangers]

(Keith - Is this the same 'neighbor' that wanted to sporterize the nice Krag carbine a couple of years ago)?

I believe all Steyr Krags were made in 1896 and 1897. If it has Norwegian inspection markings, it is likely a Norwegian service rifle.

If it lacks Norwegian markings, it could be one of the approximate 300 hundred rifles that ended up in South Africa and saw use by the Boers.

Boer rifles are really rare.

Steyr made a total of 33,500 model 1894 Norwegian Krag rifles.

(photo of Boer General Tobias Smuts with Steyr made Krag).

[Keith Herrington]

No, he's a different guy. We got to know each other just recently. The receiver ring is dated 1896. This one is not sporterized, but the stock at least has been refinished in the past. The metal looks too new to be original finish.
Keith

(Keith - Is this the same 'neighbor' that wanted to sporterize the nice Krag carbine a couple of years ago)?

[butlersrangers]

Steyr made 10,000 rifles for Norway in 1896 and the rest in 1897. (33,500 total)

Serial numbers started at #1. Serial number ranges were 1 - 20,000 and 30,001 - 39,000.

Norwegian/Civilian Steyr-Krags were made in 1897. (#3,001 to 7,500)

Some of the 'South African - Boer' Krags fall in the serial number range 100 to 900. (I would expect them to lack Norwegian inspection marks). How they were purchased and got to South Africa has an element of mystery. There are rumors of 'rejected' rifles and parts and use by foreign volunteers.