1896 SRC almost.

[Baltimoreed]

I attended the Baltimore antique military show yesterday [ it had been covid cancelled for 2 years] and 3 aisles from the end found an affordable [to me] 1896 SRC. It looks legit but with a lightly sanded stock, circle P is gone and side cartouche is very weak. And of course it’s got a rifle sight not the $$$ carbine sight. Guessing that’s what made it affordable. Has a dark bore with rifling so a good cleaning is needed, the metal finish looks honest. I’m a shooter not a museum so that’s no big deal to me. As I had sold a revolver and some moulds at the show I’ve only got a grand in the rifle. The serial number is 79004. I don’t have my Krag book to look up the dom. As I’m at a friends I’ll take photos when I get home. Also found a pair of older 1911 stag grips that will look great on my nickel 1911. Had a good time but imo there were not as many vendors, attendees or WW1-WW2 military rifles as there have been in the past. Tons of ml rifles and pistols, c&b revolvers, swords and knives etc. Thought I wanted a Patton Sword until I saw the prices of them. Saw a M12 trenchgun, a lovely matched brace of nickel Mervin Hurlbert .44 revolvers, a Webley Kaufman and 2 Bulldogs. I had a good time spending my sons inheritance.

[Whig]

Serial number 79004 is not in the SRS. Near other carbines listed. Mook has this manufactured in Sept- Oct 1897.

Sounds like you had a good show to attend, finally. Fake Covid pandemic stopped too many things in this world for politics.

Haven't been to the Baltimore "Gun, Coin and Knife" show in, say, about 45 years! My dad used to take me there with my brothers when I was a kid. I looked at the coins back then!

Would like to see pictures of your new shooter carbine when you get back home and get a chance. Congrats!

[Ned Butts]

We saw that one, thought it was the best Krag buy at the show. Not much metal finish means to me that it had a lot of history. Would have bought it myself if I was shopping for one, well done.
A lot of Krags there at fairly high prices, cheapest one was the one Tom was carrying but no bites on a 98 with Italian walnut stock for under $1000. New MD law on background checks might have slowed private sales and most dealers want to make 100% profit!

[butlersrangers]

It will be fun and educational to see the pictures!

[Baltimoreed]

50B4EE05-6B3C-488B-B18F-77B03143BCE2.jpeg (597.08 KiB) Viewed 1399 times

Just got back home an hour ago, about a 390 mile drive. Ate dinner at the Rocky Mount Cracker Barrel. Good stuff. I’m impressed that I picked a good Krag. I saw the carbines on the wall with correct rear sights. I really wasn’t looking for a Krag carbine as I have a school rifle [a carbine in disguise] and a very nice Krag rifle, actually I wasn’t looking for anything in particular but when I saw it I thought why not. Now I have a complete set. Pictures tomorrow.

Tomorrow…Just wiped it down with some bronze wool. I love the blue extractor. Has a couple of small cracks and a chip or two but for 125 years old it looks pretty nice. Screws look good too. Any thoughts on the stock finish? Thinking it needs something.

[Baltimoreed]

Just tried shooting it some with my school rifle reloads and it’s hitting way low plus my neck sized loads are too long and difficult to close the bolt on. I’m using the notch on the ladder with the ladder laying down flat and a fine bead. I will have to full length size some brass and see how they chamber. Shooting offhand at 40 yds aiming at the top of my skinny bowling pins on my plate rail it knocks them down solidly. Might need to get a shorter front sight. I did cut 2 coils off my mainspring but it had been cut before as neither end was original. Setting off my CCI primers just fine.

[Whig]

Something I have done a number of times with old Krag stocks is remove the wood from the receiver and barrel and take metal off, butt plate, trigger guard, etc. Wipe the stock down with denatured alcohol and make sure you get the gunk and any old varnish off that may have been used. When it is dry, wipe it down repeatedly with boiled linseed oil. It looks dry now and should soak up the BLO well. Occasionally, to get the linseed oil to soak in well, I'll heat the wood up at around 150 degrees in the oven for a short 10 minutes or so. Then put the first coat of linseed oil on right away. It's amazing how well that soaks in and it gives the stock that old oil rubbed look. I love the darkened look of the linseed oil. You can buff it repeatedly with a soft cloth after it is soaked well with BLO.

That's if you want it to look more like it should. Doesn't take long.

The grasping grooves are not too bad, the hand guard matches the stock and I love the saddle ring. Well done!

After you work with the stock, then you can get your front sight blade set right for that rifle rear sight and blast away. Looks like a great find and wonderful addition to your Krag collection!

[Ned Butts]

That front sight blade looks quite tall, certainly too tall for original 96 carbine rear sight. I would find a load that groups well then file the blade till it hits where you want . If your "school gun" load groups well all the better.

[Local Boy]

Very nice find!!!

BTW: Here's pics of my Patton Swords:

- Rusty sword is of Springfield manufacture.
- Bottom sword and scabbard are LF&C

[Baltimoreed]

Very nice Patton Swords. I have a British 1897 infantry pattern sword with an Edward VII cypher.