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Help please! What exactly do I have?

Posted: Tue Sep 05, 2023 10:36 pm
by Jolson185
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20230905_172950.jpg (583.52 KiB) Viewed 13554 times
20230905_172914.jpg
20230905_172914.jpg (724.27 KiB) Viewed 13556 times
I inherited this 1898 krag carbine from my dad. I know the rear sight is incorrect. Which makes me believe it is not an original saddle ring carbine. The serial number does fall in line with the src production records. I don't know enough about krag rifles to determine if this is just another cut down imposter. Can anyone help me? I can't post pics. Keeps telling me the file is too large.

Re: Help please! What exactly do I have?

Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2023 2:05 am
by Knute1
Hi Jolson185. I'm not a top level expert, but I'll throw some generic things out there to get this going.

What is the length of the barrel from closed bolt face to the muzzle end?

Is the front sight a banded type or does it appear to be soldered to the top of the barrel?

Does it have a hand guard?

If you can't give a serial number, can you give a serial number range?

Saddle ring? (Not always a give away.)

Does the barrel band have a pin in front of it to hold it on or is there a spring stop to push in to set it free?

Can you save your pictures to a smaller size of less than 1 MiB and then try to include in a reply?

That is all I can think of for starters. Others will chime in when they read your post.

Re: Help please! What exactly do I have?

Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2023 2:14 am
by MooseNugget
Hello Jolson185,

If you read the current discussion in the “Chit Chat” section of the forum you may find an answer to your posting photos question. Basically it’s a matter of resizing your photos in one of the many programs that allow you to do so…like Paint or Photo Shop software available on most computer systems.

To provide answers to your question we will need more detailed written descriptions of your Krag or photos. Include things like: serial number, model no#, length of barrel, etc.

Search the KCA website and view the catalog of photos or read previous post that may give you a clue as to what kind of Krag you have?

Good luck!

Re: Help please! What exactly do I have?

Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2023 2:36 am
by Jolson185
Serial number is 124514

Re: Help please! What exactly do I have?

Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2023 2:57 am
by MooseNugget
Dude,

You have what appears to be a legitimate 1898 carbine!

The rear sight alone sells for about $1000 now days!

You carbine was produce around Aug - Sep of 1898.

Only 5000 1898 carbines were produced.

Your carbine falls within the range of manufactured 1898 carbines.

Re: Help please! What exactly do I have?

Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2023 2:59 am
by MooseNugget
The range of carbine serial numbers were produced between serial numbers 118,894 to 134,256.

Re: Help please! What exactly do I have?

Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2023 3:09 am
by MooseNugget
Hmmm, took a look at the rear sight again and it does seem to maybe be a fake? The “C” stamp appears too small and the slide is incorrect for an 1896 rear sight.

Re: Help please! What exactly do I have?

Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2023 3:18 am
by Jolson185
The rear sight is definitely incorrect

Re: Help please! What exactly do I have?

Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2023 3:35 am
by MooseNugget
Is there a “C” stamped on the right side of the rear sight? Photo would be handy.

Re: Help please! What exactly do I have?

Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2023 3:43 am
by Jolson185
Yes but it is an 1800 yd sight and I believe the c is in the wrong font