Beauty ... well Contest, anyway!

[butlersrangers]

Last week I picked-up a Weaver model 440 rifle scope from my local Gun Shop. It cleaned up pretty good and I like the similar appearance to the WW-2 Sniping-Scope, used on the Springfield 1903-A4.

The 3/4" diameter Weaver came with a Stith-Mount, that appears to have been made for a Model 70 Winchester.

My initial plan was to get some Weaver 3/4" rings and use the scope on an altered 1903 Springfield. I soon discovered these 3/4" scope rings are in short supply and expensive.

I did find a good deal on a handsome Weaver Detachable-Mount. I am switching scopes and giving the slender model 440 a trial on a drilled & tapped Krag carbine.

Like the "K-3" Weaver that it is replacing, the 440 prevents the use of the issue Krag 'Safety-Lever'.
The slim scope mounts lower, which makes for a nice 'cheek-weld', and it has about the same eye-relief as the K-3.
The 440's tube is longer, which required the removal of the Marble's rear barrel-sight. The 440 has about 2/3 the field of view of the 1-inch diameter K-3 and is not as 'bright'.

Both of these easily detachable Scopes use the same Weaver #2-Base, so a 'Scope-Switch' takes but a minute. Both Scopes have fine cross-hairs with a 'Lee-Dot'.

If I was going Hunting, I'd put the short/fat Scope back on. But for Range Shooting, this glorified .22 Scope deserves a try! I won't be the first to utilize this 'pioneering' rig on a Krag.

(Personally, I don't think there has been an attractive Scope on a Krag, since the days of the Cataract Telescope Company)!

[FredC]

Interesting look on that 440 scope. I have to wonder if the rear location of the cross hairs and adjustment make it more or less susceptible to parallax error? A good match with the cheek piece will minimize the effect any way.

"(Personally, I don't think there has been an attractive Scope on a Krag, since the days of the Cataract Telescope Company)!" Quote.
I have liked some of the members examples of scout scopes on Krags. Maybe they look good to me because of function. They are out of the way of everything, are quick to line up, and allow you to keep both eyes open while hunting.

[butlersrangers]

'FredC' - I agree with you, (that barrel-mounted), "Scout" type rifle scopes are the most practical solution for 'scoping' a Krag.
Attractiveness would be related to the cosmetics of the scope and rings.

My Weaver 'detachable side-mount' scopes are rather ugly and appear ungainly.
The 'Safety', as issued, can not be worked. The slight 'off-set' of the scope takes getting use to.
The scopes, themselves, are 'old school' and traditional to Krag 'sporters', from the 1930's to the 1950's.
Modern scopes are superior in every way.

The "cheek-weld" with the primitive model 440 scope is rather good, due to how low it is positioned.
The small 3/4" diameter allows lower scope placement, but, at the cost of brightness and narrower field-of-view.

I get a stiff neck, during a long shooting session, using the higher mounted (1") K-3 scope. However, for a quick shot at a Deer, in the Michigan woods, this arrangement might be comparable to a 'Scout' rig.
(It could be improved with a better scope and 'Buehler' type of Safety-Lever).

My mention of the early 'Cataract Telescope' equipment was pure nostalgia. There is nothing practical about it. It would be a fun 'target shooting toy'.

[FredC]

I missed the point that your K3 had a 1 inch barrel. If you like the looks of your 3/4 mount better, have you tried a Weaver J2.5? Also has a 3/4 tube with about a 1" eye piece. The eye relief is fairly long and it is reasonably bright. I posted a photo of mine here: http://www.kragcollectorsassociation.co ... 793#p31793
Josh just told me how to do links, we will see if I understood correctly.

If you are unfamiliar with this old model i can take a couple more photos.

Well I clicked on the link and it worked. The gun is a model 67 Winchester "boys" gun, probably built between 1937 and 1940.


Correction, fixed the "K" not a "J".

[butlersrangers]

I took the 'sportered' model 1898 carbine to the Range today to try out the Weaver model 440 scope.

I had 'bore-sighted' the scope at home by putting the carbine in a "rest", 'aiming' down the bore at a fixed point about 25 yards away, and then adjusting the cross-hairs to fall on the aiming point.

At the Range a cardboard backer was set up at 50 yards. The first trial shot went 6 1/2 inches to the left of where I aimed; elevation was good.
The model 440 has a coarse adjustment system. Several windage corrections were made to 'walk' the shots toward the point of aim.

The sky was overcast so the 'skinny' Weaver gave a dark sight picture. The fine cross-hairs and 'Lee Dot' were a challenge.
The system allowed a good 'Cheek Weld' and I felt no neck strain. There was plenty of eye-relief and no problem with parallax.

Once 'sighted-in', the scope held the settings.

I got a decent 7-Shot group at 50 yards shooting the Sierra 170 grain 'flat-nose' (30/30 bullet), powered by 44 grains of IMR-4831.

I had four left over rounds loaded with the Hornady 110 grain RN soft-point bullet and 26 grains of IMR-4198. These rounds went to a different point of impact, but fit into one inch.

This carbine/scope combination was fun to shoot. I'll have to do it again soon, on a Sunnier Day and at 100 yards!

[FredC]

Those 110s did very well.

[butlersrangers]

Yes, I have to make some more of both loads.

I'd love to 'roll' a woodchuck with the 110 grain load!

The 170 grain load would be great for Michigan 'Whitetails' and maybe a good 100 yard target load.

[madsenshooter]

Still no like button!

[butlersrangers]

'madsenshooter' - I like that you are back to Posting!

[Baltimoreed]

Someone mentioned a Krag scout. My build.