1899 bolt inspectors mark

[Krag 1902]

I recently bought a Krag sporter that I think may have makers marks mixed with arsenal marks on the backside of the bolt handle. My other two Krags have but one inspector's mark at this location, but this new 1899 has three. I suspect the small "x" is the inspector's stamp, but I am puzzled by the small "s" and "3" that may have been added by whomever restocked and rebarreled the gun. The 22 inch barrel has no sight screw holes and a prounounced tapered step at the receiver and a P at the breech end just below the woodline. I have heard that this MAY be Sedgely's stamp. There are no other markings. The gun looks to be mid-late 1920s restock. Yesterday I read in a 1931 American Rifleman that Sedgely used Vickers MG barrels for their Krag sporterizations. If that's true, the one on this gun must have been run until the barrel glowed. I'll shoot some lead bullets through it later this week to see if it'll group.
Does anyone have anything authoritative to say about the three marks on the back of the bolt handle?

[butlersrangers]

"Krag 1902": Welcome to the KCA Forum! If you post some pictures of your Krag's markings, you will probably get improved feedback.

I believe model 1898 and model 1899 Krag bolts are totally the same. I am aware of no source material that identifies the stamps that occur on the bolt handle.

I do have an inexpensive sporter that was put together by Sedgely Co. The rifle was marked with a small 'circled S' on the receiver ring. It was rebarreled using a salvaged .30-03 barrel that came off a model 1903 Springfield built in 1905. The only marking on the bolt, which was specifically fitted to this barrel, was a "4" on the bottom of the bolt root. There are no holes for sight screws on the barrel, but, the remains of notches for 1903 sights (The original top of the barrel is now the bottom). Maximum bore diameter is .308".

If your barrel came off a Vicker's Machinegun, I would expect it to have some British markings and the bore to be .303 (land to land) and .314 (groove to groove).

I photographed three bolts (two from model 1898 rifles and one from a model 1899 carbine). The bottom of the bolt root had a single character (one had a '2' and two had a faint 'V'). The backs of the bolt root had the following combinations: (S,2,five point star, and 6), (A, E, and Z), (s, X, 6).

I have no insights into the bolt markings.

[Krag 1902]

Thanks for responding. I suppose the presence of two other Krags with three stapings on the back of the bolt rules out something out of the ordinary. Tonight I put a glass on the barrel and found one filled sight screw hole in the barrel. One needed a glass to see it. If there is another one, I can't find it.

[butlersrangers]

'Krag 1902': Here is a photo showing sight hole spacing. Also, if the "P mark" on your barrel and index marks on your barrel/receiver look like these photos, chances are you have an original Krag barrel.