Krag Collectors Association Forum

My father in law recently gifted me his gun collection, and in it was a 1898 rifle(I believe), and some other interesting guns that were his grandfather's. I don't know a lot about these, so looking for whatever information can be provided. Will attach some pictures for reference, and can provide additional information as needed!

Thanks in advance!

*edit to include link to Google drive with photos
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ ... n_-6zxPU4d

The pictures didn't load properly for me. I did see that it is a Model 1898 Krag with, I believe from what I saw, a Model 1901 rear sight. Maybe others can see them better. Front sight and muzzle pictures are needed. How is the bore? Full rifle pictures from each side would help also.

Nice rifle to get from your father-in-law. Welcome to Krag Land!

Thanks Whig!

I'll grab some more photos tomorrow. Anything else you'd like to see pictures of?

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OEDpHS ... sp=sharing muzzle
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Og_8f9 ... sp=sharing side 1
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NoQwCI ... sp=sharing side 2
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OKpW4i ... sp=sharing front sight
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OJLy2K ... sp=sharing front sight 2

'Jmccorkel' - Welcome to the KCA Forum.

That is a neat old family Krag that you have been gifted!

Your Krag, serial number 371204, was assembled as a model 1898 infantry rifle at Springfield Armory, around January-February 1902.

After it entered civilian hands, it was altered to make it a more practical hunting rifle. The barrel was shortened from its original 30-inch length and the front sight was remounted.
The rear-sight is a model 1901 rifle sight, (possibly original to your rifle).
Your shortened rifle was placed in a model 1899 carbine stock, with a [J.S.A. - 1901] acceptance cartouche and a circled "P" function 'proof' stamp.
Someone removed the wooden handguard, that once covered the top of the barrel in the rear-sight area. Rifle sling-swivels were added to the stock butt and forearm.
The barrel-band is the model for the 1899 carbine. The small "U" should be on the right-side of your Krag.

Possibly a gunsmith or previous owner stamped ".30-40 Krag" on the receiver ring and the name & date, "Roy Sommerfeldt Apr. 10, 1924" on the barrel.

I have taken the liberty of copying and editing some of your photographs. (They are interesting and will not be visible for long, posted to an external site).

'Jmccorkel' - The butt-plate 'trapdoor' and holes in your Krag's buttstock were for a three-section cleaning-rod and small nickel-plated oil bottle.

Very cool, thanks for all of the info and the re-upload of pictures for me!

butlersrangers wrote: ↑Mon May 23, 2022 7:11 am Possibly a gunsmith or previous owner stamped ".30-40 Krag" on the receiver ring and the name & date, "Roy Sommerfeldt Apr. 10, 1924" on the barrel.

The name I can say is my wife's great-grandfather. Unsure as to who did the stamping, but id have to imagine he did.

It is pretty cool how your wife's ancestor, Roy Sommerfeldt, 'hand-stamped' his name and a date on the barrel. I particularly like, the backwards "D".

"1924" is likely the year, it came into Roy's possession.
He may have bought it through the U.S. Army's Director of Civilian Marksmanship or from a commercial company, like Stokes-Kirk of Philadelphia.

It was common for new civilian owners to alter, the surplus long Krag rifles, into carbine length Hunting rifles.

Whoever re-attached the front-sight base, did a neat job.

(Attached: Two pages of an "American Rifleman" article, from 1931, and the cover of a Stokes-Kirk catalog, from the 1920's era).

Thanks! Im fairly certain he/his ownership time with said rifle would have solely been in WI. Not sure if that narrows down the probable purchase point. Also one of the other interesting pieces he gave to me (also another one of Roy's guns) is this L.C. Smith 10GA.. SN range says build date was some time in 1890!