The good, the bad, and the ugly

[reincarnated]

This is one of the neatest posts in a long time. If it were mine (don't I wish), I would take steps to restore it. But how?

[Dick Hosmer]

How?

Well, you'd need to properly remount the front sight - but ONLY if the original slot IS there. If it is not, then it IS Bubba's work and just happens to have a decent crown. And, if the barrel is NOT right, then the points below would cross the line from (heavy) restoration to outright fraud.

Next, you need to find a stock with a JSA/1902 stamp. Buy a junker with a cut stock because you are going to have to work on the front anyway. Buy and fit a stretcher piece for $45. Get an upper band, which will need to be thinned a bit so as to fit the larger barrel. Emery cloth and elbow grease.

I wouldn't worry about the front sight - get the tall 1898 blade - as no one knows the difference anyway. For the rear sight, find a junker 1901 base and file/stone off the platforms at the front of the ramps. Use a carbine leaf if you can find one, as it will look more correct.

Voila - a "five-footer" restoration, at minimal cost and very little collateral damage.

I never say never, but the chance of finding a proper rear sight is virtually NIL.

[MPF]

I applied some heat with a butane pencil torch and was able to get the solder off. drove out the blade, the pin was already gone.

So far it has resisted my attempts to remove. I gave the seam a shot of liquid wrench and we will take another shot at it later tonight. I am being pretty careful, I don't want to damage the finish more than the person who mounted the '03 sight already did.

I removed the action from the stock hoping that the carver left his name somewhere. No such luck, unless it is under the butt plate. There is a partial stamp under the magazine "perior" Extrapolate to Superior maybe? Anyone know old stock manufacturers? Nothing exciting about the barrel just a "P" as you would expect and a smaller lightly struck "R" or "K".

[MPF]

Well that was fun!

I am sorry to report no slot on the barrel. There is a nasty groove on the top that will have to be covered somehow. Dicks post has me thinking about making an homage BoOF rifle, doing all the things he mentioned EXCEPT put on a 1903 front sight. It wouldn't fool anyone but it would be something different in the collection. Thoughts?

Mitch

[butlersrangers]

'Mitch' - The picture of your new Krag's muzzle is kind of busy with the lead residue and finish wear. I am not totally sure of where the top of the barrel is. If there is a groove across the top of the barrel, it was made later by whoever put the 1903 banded sight on, for the 'cross-pin'.

If a Krag front-sight base was cut down and filed flush to match the barrel contour, the brazed dovetail seam would be pretty discrete and hard to see.

FWIW - Clean off the Lead and any surface corrosion & look very carefully for the remains of a fine brazing seam.

[reincarnated]

An after market stock which might have been labeled "superior" or some such? I think the major makers all sold higher than average wood for a premium. Stoeger's sold some really nice stocks marked "Peerless". Maybe they had other grades also. My bet is that the carving dates from the 1930s.

[Dick Hosmer]

I'd go ahead and make up the faux BoOF for fun, if you want to. There will be enough "wrong" with it that no one would be fooled in a future sale. You can actually have the best of both worlds by keeping the sporter stock, as well, to use for hunting.

Whatever you do to the front sight will work just as well as the abortion that was on there, so you are really not losing anything.

[reincarnated]

Is the distance between the upper band and the muzzle the same on the BoOF the same as for a regular rifle? Was a bayonet used?

[MPF]

Not to beat a dead horse but..I cleaned the barrel with #9 and went over it very lightly with 0000 steel wool, and took a few more pic's. I don't see the remnants of a notched flat on the barrel for a front sight. chalk line is for reference. Hopefully I can get an '03 sight to cover what looks like a hacksaw mark without having it down the barrel too far.

Thank you to everyone for their comments and suggestions.
Per Dick's suggestion I am thinking of making the faux BoOF. Where else am I going to get a 26" barrel, and a good ballpark s/n. But I can't use the existing stock for anything except to keep the action from being damaged. I am a left handed-shooter. Watch for it coming to an eBay auction near you, unless someone wants to jump to the head of the line on this beauty and make me an offer.anyone?.oh Well!

[Dick Hosmer]

Is the distance between the upper band and the muzzle the same on the BoOF the same as for a regular rifle? Was a bayonet used?

Yes, the spacing was identical - everything was just moved 4" back. While the stocks were made new, everything else was reworked. They did not NEED to test the bayonet, but it seems that at least some were made up. A couple (literally) have shown up with slightly larger holes and a "26" stamped on the cross-guard. Joe Farmer got one with his (very high condition) rifle but has VERY wisely refused to show a picture of the marking.