Thanks!
I have decided to send the rifles out to
Griffin and Howe to be rust blued. After researching, I found Griffin and Howe to have a solid reputation and a high level of expertise.
I began work on the restoration of the two US Model 1898 Krag rifles in May of 2022. The goal is to restore both rifles to an arsenal correct configuration as outlined in a 1907 US Ordinance Depot instruction.
Both rifles have a new criterion barrel, walnut stock and hand guard (stained, inlet for the rear sight, and the clips were handmade). The rifles have been assembled with new reproduction screws and when required replacement parts. New old stock parts were generally selected as first choice — for example the bolt sleeves and extractors are new old stock.
Below is the finish that will be applied to both rifles as per the 1907 Ordinance Instruction. One item of note, is the instruction did not include what to do with the rear sight, so I plan on having both rust blued to match. — the leaf will be polished to help highlight the distance graduations.
I plan to ship them out very soon, so let me know if I should consider changing anything.
U. S. Magazine rifle, Cal .30, model 1898 and carbine model 1899.
BLUE IN NITRE: Butt plate and cap, swivels and bands, trigger guard, front sight blade, and magazine cutoff (spring removed)
RUST BLUE: Barrel, front sight base (silver soldered on barrel after bluing), rear sight base, rear sight leaf and slide (do not allow acid into slide and sight screws), safety lock complete (do not allow acid in spring hole), receiver, side plate, loading gate, and magazine cutoff (if spring not removed - do not allow acids in spring hole),
POLISH: Bolt sleeve, extractor (polish to highlight color), rear sight leaf top (to highlight distance graduations), magazine cutoff side when in ON position
BLACK IN MOLTEN LEAD OR QUENCH IN OIL: Finger piece of trigger
BLACK IN OIL: All exposed screws, pins, and rivets.
CLEANED: All parts not enumerated