Request for help with markings

eric38 · Post by **eric38** » Sun Nov 05, 2023 1:56 pm

Hello ,
I am new on the site and I bought a Krag 1898

, if I take the liberty of contacting you it is because in spite of my research I have absolutely no information on the markings.
to contact you it is that in spite of my research I absolutely did not find an answer
no answer to this problem, only a photograph with a marking seen on internet but nothing to do
but nothing to do with mine.
I would really like to know if this one is genuine or a trick to try and sell it at a higher price.
to try and sell it at a higher price.
I hope that someone on the site can give me an explanation of this marking because
If it is, I will remove it.
Thank you very much for your help.
Eric from France
PS: I don't speak American and the translation is not always understandable.

I'll try to put the photos up:

Demande d'aide sur marquages

Bonjour ,
je suis nouveau sur le site est j'ai acheté un Krag 1898

, si je me
permets de vous contacter c'est que malgré mes recherches je n'ai absolument
pas trouvé de réponse à ce problème , seul une photographie avec un marquage vu
sur internet mais rien avoir avec le mien .
J'aimerai vraiment savoir si celui-ci est authentique ou une magouille pour essayer
de le vendre plus cher .
J'espère qu'une personne du site pourra me donner l'explication de ce marquage car
si celui-ci est faut je l'enlèverai .
Merci beaucoup pour votre aide .
Eric de France.
PS : je ne parle pas Américain et la traduction n'est pas toujours compréhensible .

Je vais essayer de mettre les photos :

butlersrangers · Post by **butlersrangers** » Sun Nov 05, 2023 2:14 pm

'eric38' - Bonjour! Welcome to the KCA Forum. Do a 2nd post and attach the photographs.

Pictures can only be attached after the first post.

KCA members would like to help you with your Krag-Jorgensen.

eric38 · Post by **eric38** » Sun Nov 05, 2023 2:46 pm

Hello butlersrangers , thank you for your message.
I'm having a hard time putting up the photos.

: Capture d’écran 2023-11-05 151226.png (295.37 KiB) Viewed 10171 times

: Capture d’écran 2023-11-05 151747.png (299.76 KiB) Viewed 10171 times

: Capture d’écran 2023-11-05 152020.png (217.06 KiB) Viewed 10171 times

: Capture d’écran 2023-11-05 152210.png (283.66 KiB) Viewed 10171 times

: Capture d’écran 2023-11-05 152334.png (239.31 KiB) Viewed 10171 times

Blueheeler · Post by **Blueheeler** » Sun Nov 05, 2023 4:22 pm

I will guess-14th Regiment, New York Guard, the 10 being a rack number.

waterman · Post by **waterman** » Sun Nov 05, 2023 5:38 pm

The State of New York National Guard, 14th Regiment, Rifle #10 would be my opinion also. My guess is that the markings are original. The paint looks old. I do not think the marking makes much change in the value of the rifle, but indicates military use.

In the photo showing the magazine, the raised piece used to open the magazine appears to be a red or "plum" color. Is the plum color an artifact of the photograph?

That may indicate the rifle has been re-blued in a hot chemical bath after it left military service. In my opinion, a re-blue treatment greatly reduces the value. It is no longer an "as issued" military rifle.

butlersrangers · Post by **butlersrangers** » Sun Nov 05, 2023 6:51 pm

'eric38' - You have a very interesting U.S. Krag. It is amazing to see U.S. Military arms that reside in France!

I believe the New York National Guard (painted) stock markings are original. Your ? (mark) may just be a stencil 'smudge'.
The markings should remain!

It appears that there is some red paint on your magazine-gate latch? (I do not know why)? I would just leave the paint.

waterman · Post by **waterman** » Mon Nov 06, 2023 5:09 pm

IIRC, some Krags went to France 1917-1918. Not for front line use, but for secondary units, railway guards, etc. Did they all come home?

butlersrangers · Post by **butlersrangers** » Mon Nov 06, 2023 7:38 pm

The Krag armed U.S. Engineers were shipped over in 1917, with some rather 'dated' gear.

Their main function was to lay track and operate narrow-gauge railway systems that supplied the trenches, major offensives, and artillery positions.
They soon got more modern arms, U.S. or British, depending on the forces they were supporting.

Being Government Property, I imagine most of the issued Krags were returned to the U.S.A.
There may have been some pilfering, but, a full-length Krag is kind of hard to hide and there were better 'War Souvenirs'. (GASP)!

(It would be interesting to look up the serial number of eric38's Krag, to see if it is listed in surviving data).

eric38 · Post by **eric38** » Tue Nov 07, 2023 12:04 pm

Hello everyone,
thank you very much for all your replies, I am very happy to have a little history on my Krag
because for me it is very important.
For the red it comes from photography, I put you a picture of the complete Krag:

Capture d’écran 2023-11-07 114831.png

Loader photo :

Capture d’écran 2023-11-07 114112.png

I don't think it's been re-tanned. I wanted to do it because I find the look of the tan strange.
Should I leave it like that?

Capture d’écran 2023-11-07 114231.png

For the year of the stick :

Capture d’écran 2023-11-07 114519.png

Do you think it fits well with the rest of the rifle?

Now the serial number:

Capture d’écran 2023-11-07 113015.png

Since at first glance it looks like a military Krag, I'm going to look into the
history of the New York National Guard and why not find some (vintage)
New York National Guard military items.

I hope the translation works well.

Thank you very much.

Eric