Krag Collectors Association Forum

Own tools ... want to make a Krag?

Well not seriously, but, I was on the Numrich Gun Parts site and it is interesting the variety of unfinished Krag parts that have survived.
These must be some of the 'surplus' that Francis Bannerman and others bought at government auctions.
It is kind of amazing that these incompletely manufactured parts survived being sent to war time scrap drives or the junk yard.

These parts probably offer interesting insight into 'how things were made'. These pieces were likely produced at the Springfield Armory Water Shops, but, not machined and finished at the Hill Shops.

How much for a complete set of parts? Would be interesting to look at from time to time. No way would I try to finish any of them!
Link to the page with unfinished parts?

'FredC' - IMHO - These parts were priced too expensive and they will be around for a long, long time.
In addition to finish machining, I'm sure they require heat treat. (They are priced about the same as 'real' parts).

They are pretty useless except for 'interesting display' value, to the 23 people in the country, who care about such things!

I'm no good with posting 'links'.

The unfinished parts are tucked into 18 pages of U.S., Danish, Norwegian, and reproduction Krag 'odds and sods'. These are viewable online by Google searching for the "Numrich Gun Parts" site.

You can search for gun parts by manufacturer and find the Krag stuff under "U.S." or "Krag".

I would buy a set of these unfinished parts, for a display-board, if the Numrich People would bundle them together for $20.

Well, the forgings haven't sold in a 117 years, maybe there will be some action in the next 100 years?

I got to a page on Numrich and saw some of the same photos, I think. Yeah, overpriced and and the descriptions did not fit. In the white to me is finished but not blued. Used in the white!?!? Some looked like corroded finished parts.

What would really be cool is partially finished parts in different stages of completion. could fill in blanks about how they did them.

This site will sell you a complete set of parts to build a Krag.https://www.granpasgunparts.com/1898-krag?rq=krag

Some years ago I was searching for Krag parts on Ebay and found multiple listings of Krag bolts for like $25 still in the original wrapping. There are probably many sources for good, usable Krag parts, unless you really like making your own.

grandpa's is a good site. s&s is another one

https://www.ssfirearms.com/products.asp?cat=124

IIRC - There was some 'family relationship', between S&S Firearms and Granpa's Gun Parts (a.k.a. Movieman630), with Bannerman's.

The late Joe DeChristopher was "Movieman's" Grandfather.

IIRC, there is a link between S&S and the original Francis Bannerman. The story I've heard is that one of the original S's was FB's great-granddaughter or some such, a pre-hippie chick who inherited the scrap after the fire on the island. That was just before the Civil War Centennial, 1958-1960. She discovered that she owned a million or more buttons and realized that the buttons might be worth a buck apiece. Time to take a serious look at all their scrap. Her live-in boyfriend (S) decided that it was in his best interest to marry her. Their grandkids run S&S today.

Back in 1968 to 1975, I use to shoot "CW Skirmish", with the North-South Skirmish Association.
During the Spring and Fall matches ("Nationals") at Winchester, Virginia, there was a large 'Suttlers' Row'.

Several of the vendors were from N.Y.State, S&S Firearms being one of the booths. There were lots of parts and items, that had come out of Bannerman's.

'Suttler's Row' was a great place to get original parts.
Back in those days, a lot of "Skirmishers" fired original weapons and wore original leather & insignia items.

I bought several Indian War 'Farrier Patches' (cheap!), from a N.Y. vendor, who said, he found 'mint' ones "in the middle of moldy bales at Bannerman's Castle".

IMHO - It would be a rare Antique Gun Show or pre-WW-II U.S. Martial Arms Collection that does not contain something that passed through the Francis Bannerman & Son's Company.
There was a time when "gun collecting" was not a hobby or activity enjoyed by the average person. "Collections of Arms" were the purview of Nobles, Governments, and Museums.

Francis Bannerman changed things. He made surplus and historic arms affordable and available. His catalogs provided rudimentary information and stimulated interest. He should be considered, possibly, "The Dean of American Gun Collecting".

The Bannerman family military surplus business existed in some form from 1861 into the early 1970's. During its history, Bannerman's had various N.Y. City locations, last operating from a warehouse at Blue Point, Long Island.

The most iconic Bannerman location would be the Pollepel Island 'Castle Warehouse', on the Hudson River, 50 miles from New York City. Its construction, started around 1905, was prompted, in part, by the reluctance of municipalities to have large stores of munitions stored near centers of population.

"Bannerman's Island Warehouse", Castle, and Family Summer Residence, were not totally complete at the time of his death in 1918. In 1920, his widow, Helen, almost 'bought the farm'.
Enjoying a summer day, she went into the island residence to get a beverage. Tons of explosives spontaneouly ignited, leveling the storage magazine and dropping a huge block of concrete on the hammock, recently occuppied by Mrs. Bannerman.
The explosion sent the heavy magazine doors across the Hudson, permanently damaged the castle roof and walls, and broke windows in a nearby village.
Helen continued to enjoy her summer home until her death in the 1930's. (My kind of woman)!
The island warehouse lost its utility by the 1960's. Sale-able items were moved to Long Island, munitions were deactivated & scrapped, the Smithsonian Museum was given access to desirable historic items, The 6.5 acre island property was sold to the State of N.Y.
In August, 1969, a three day fire broke-out of unknown origin. The island site had been the target of scroungers and vandalism. Nature has continued the destruction. A Trust Organization has made efforts to stabilize the ruins and conducts tours on weekends, during the season.

It is very credible that gun parts and military items were found and rescued from the ruins, after the 1969 fire.

Today, on ebay, a Maryland vendor is selling some barrel-bands, that were reportedly found after the "Bannerman Castle Fire". The bands are listed as being for the Krag, but, are actually British "Baddley-Style Bands", as used on, late 1853 Enfields, Sniders, Martini-Henry and early L-E rifles. "Castle Basement"? .... it could be true.