Krag Collectors Association Forum

Went to a local gun show this morning, really local, I could see it from my house. There were 3 Krags there. One was a fully sporterized 1898 with a cut down stock and barrel for $1500. One was a full Military configuration 1898 in decent shape for $2400. The last one was an 1899 Carbine, all legit I believe, for $1975. Crazy prices!!! This is a small town, small gun show. Ridiculous I say!

Pic of the first 2. Hard to see the tags though.

I hope the guy loves them, because he's going to have them a LONG time - maybe not the carbine. A sporterized Krag, IMHO, is worth NO more than $500, and for that it better be "mint". A more realistic price for sporters is $375-400, and they are SLOW movers at that. The only exception would be a classic from the 1930s, by a known gunsmith such as Alvin Linden.

Although I do agree with Dick, I have seen many Krags sell for unreasonable prices. I think that there is a mystique to Krags that sometimes causes people to over pay for something that they don't know much about or see frequently. How many military collectors have never seen a Krag but might really want one. They can sure sell for a lot, even sporterized ones. I don't think that the general market value has increased on Krags that much yet.

All Krags generally sell good for $1000 average around here. Have been for a few years. That's why I jumped on the one I bought last month for $450. That was a steal here.

Gun show prices here in Canada for US Krags have skyrocketed in the last year or so. I'm unsure why the Krags specifically, but you can't find any Model 1898 rifles or 1899 carbines for less than 4,000cdn, it's gotten ridiculous. I can get an original Webley-Pryse no.4 for less than that.

Even the cut-down bannerman ones are around 700cdn now, which is 500 more than I'd ever consider.

Krag prices have always been high here.

CANADA! Crazy…..I see a rifle with a cut down stock…..butt of stock carved…no top wood….no rear sight…no description of condition of barrel or of function….$1,250.00. A Lee Enfield similarly fixed by Bubba would be priced at $250.00 to sell. I just laugh and move on. Dave

Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are lessons to Americans, about how widespread gun ownership, collecting, and use, can quickly be frustrated and controlled by government Fiat.

It is almost impossible for American, Canadian, or British gun enthusiasts, (who are doing restorations), to help each other by exchanging common gun parts.
Governments restrict the mailing, shipping, and importation of a lot of items labeled as gun parts.

Maybe a more creative labeling process is in order. "Cordless Hole Puncher" etc?

I've helped out several Canadians by shipping them 'machine screws', 'Diopters', and 'micrometer parts'.

Unfortunately on some gun forums, 'know-it-all legal experts' scare everyone with their verbose "expertise" and serve as toadies for the pencil necked bureaucrats.
(The advice is often alarmist and not even correct).

I once made a fair offer for a WW1 Luger magazine to a British collector, who had found it in a box of junk. Kibitzers on the Canadian forum, so scared him, that he ended up taking it to the local Constabulary for destruction. (He probably could have just shipped it, as a 'spring device', and made $125)!