1898 Krag Restoration Project

U.S. Military Krags
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P0H0
Posts: 243
Joined: Sun Dec 25, 2022 9:52 pm
Location: Northeast Ohio

1898 Krag Restoration Project

Post by P0H0 »

The handguards are nearly completed — added rivets to the barrel bands. I hope to be staining the stocks this weekend… then bluing is all that remains.
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Last edited by P0H0 on Mon May 01, 2023 5:36 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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psteinmayer
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Re: Reproduction handguards

Post by psteinmayer »

Looking great!

ebruce
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Location: Georgia

Re: Reproduction handguards

Post by ebruce »

Beautiful work! Would very much love to know more about this handguard, i.e., source of blank, equip to produce, fitting clips, etc. Sincerely. bruce.

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P0H0
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Joined: Sun Dec 25, 2022 9:52 pm
Location: Northeast Ohio

Re: Reproduction handguards

Post by P0H0 »

Prestigious Wood Stocks — a Canadian business sells them. The handguards are not inlet for the sights. To inlet the sight, a jig saw and barrel drum sander was used to shape the rear. An original hand guard was used to match up rivet holes and to size and position the sight rear sight. Rivets were brass — others have used nails — with brass black to darken.

Warning — I have the complete stock and handguard from Prestigious —- these are no where near the correct specification. You will need an original stock and a lot of sand paper to shape to final dimension and you will have to inlet for the rear swivel, drill butt plate screw holes and for the barrel band spring.

However, the wood is great — but the cost is a bit pricey. I found Prestigious Wood Stocks also sells on eBay and you can negotiate the price a little there.

https://www.prestigiouswoodstocks.com/p ... od-b-grade

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P0H0
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Location: Northeast Ohio

Re: Reproduction handguards

Post by P0H0 »

Comparing original to reproduction handguard
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Whig
Posts: 1992
Joined: Sat Sep 24, 2016 12:53 am

Re: Reproduction handguards

Post by Whig »

Now if you rub dirty oil on it repeatedly, sand it down unevenly , scratch it up and dent it a bunch and bend and crack it in a couple spots, it'll look just perfect! (Like a lot of mine.) Nice job!

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P0H0
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Location: Northeast Ohio

Re: Reproduction handguards

Post by P0H0 »

I just completed the first stain of both sets.
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MooseNugget
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Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2023 6:22 pm

Re: Reproduction handguards

Post by MooseNugget »

Thumbs up P0H0!!!

I’m eagerly awaiting to see your fully refurbished Krags!!!

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P0H0
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Joined: Sun Dec 25, 2022 9:52 pm
Location: Northeast Ohio

Re: Reproduction handguards

Post by P0H0 »

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

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P0H0
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Location: Northeast Ohio

Re: 1898 Krag Restoration Project

Post by P0H0 »

I assembled the rifles, added a light application of linseed oil, and then shipped them off this morning to Griffin & Howe. It would be nice to have them back for the CMP Shoot in July, fingers crossed.
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