Krag Collectors Association Forum

Hello! New here I want to purchase my first krag, I saw this bad boy in a shop near me. So I snapped some photos with the shop owners permission.

The sights are obviously not original. I just want to know if anyone can tell me if it's original carbine or cut down and if anything else has been replaced with non original parts. I would really like one as genuine as possible and not too massacred. It seems to be in decent shape but asking price is $750 not sure it's worth it.

Thank you!

Definitely a cut-down rifle. Not ugly, and likely good for shooting, but - IMHO - NOT worth $750. T'were me, I'd pass at anything over $350/375.

'Pudding52': Welcome to the KCA Forum. You are very wise to ask questions, before buying!
(At $750, the Gun Shop has priced this 'altered' Krag at around twice its value).

This Model 1896 Krag, serial #62912, was assembled around May 1897, at Springfield Armory as an infantry rifle, with a 30 inch barrel.
Once in civilian hands, an owner or gunsmith 'cut-down' the stock and barrel to make this Krag handier for hunting or other sporting purposes.

This example had the military sights and top wood handguard removed. Open sporting sights, a 'sheard' front-sight and a 'Western' (Redfield) rear-sight,
were dovetailed into the barrel. (BTW - The magazine cut-off lever, for some reason, has been removed).

This Krag is now a 'utility gun', good for Hunting and Range use.
It is priced too high and not practical to restore it to any military configuration.
With judicious shopping, $750 can still buy a Krag rifle in its military form.

FWIW:
Most U.S. Krag rifles remained in active use by the U.S. Army, State National Guard units, the U.S. Navy and U.S.M.C., until around 1908-1909.
Excess Krags were kept in Ordnance Department storage for military preparedness. These Krags were heavily used during WW1 at U.S. Training Camps.
The government began selling the stockpile of Krags, through the Director of Civilian Marksmanship in the mid-1920's to early 1930's, sometimes for as little as $1.50.
It made sense back in that era to turn a long military rifle into something handier for a Sportsman.

Thank you both for the replies I'll pass on this I think and keep searching.

I cannot seem to figure out how to make a new post but have a similar question. my rifle belonged to my grandfather. it is a model 1899 carbine model 1899 serial 280351 Springfield armory 22 inch barrel. pics later trying to find out ow much is original and a value.

Welcome 'Grampsold'!

Welcome! Need pics of course, but so far so good. Carbines were not vandalized anywhere NEAR as much as rifles as they were already short and handy which stopped most of the really bad and un-fixable stuff.

Grampsold1# wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2024 8:11 pm I cannot seem to figure out how to make a new post but have a similar question. my rifle belonged to my grandfather. it is a model 1899 carbine model 1899 serial 280351 Springfield armory 22 inch barrel. pics later trying to find out ow much is original and a value.

Under the title of every section there is a box that says "New topic" click on that and have a go at it