Date for First Production of. Model 1898?

[Navy87Guy]

I know the Government fiscal year ran from July 1 to June 30…but is there an established date for when the first Model 1898 was produced?

I just won an auction with one that has serial 111726. That’s only about 2400 higher than the lowest recorded serial number in the KCA database. I’m sure it would have been within the first few months of production (Springfield turned out 41,588 rifles that year - which is an average of 3,500 per month)…but I can’t find a date when the Model 1898 was put into production.

Any insights would be appreciated!

Thanks!!

[Whig]

Welcome to KCA! Post pictures when able please.

There may be some other opinions here but my records show that the first Model 1898 rifle was serial number 108900 which would have been made around June 1898. Models were changed based on production costs, weapon enhancements and parts availability.

Serial number 111726 was made around July 1898. Your Krag is considered an antique and does not require FFL transfer. See what those numbers do for you.

[Navy87Guy]

Thanks for the info! That aligns with what I was able to track down. I was figuring around July.

I should get the rifle next week and I’ll post photos and a detailed description as soon as I can.

Thanks!!

[butlersrangers]

Navy87Guy - Welcome to the KCA Forum!

FWIW - Joe Poyer's book, "The American Krag Rifle and Carbine", has tables that list the first Model 1898 rifle being completed on July 8, 1898, at circa serial number 109,000.
It is likely your rifle, #111,726, was assembled in July of 1898.

For years, the lowest 'known' Model 1898 Krag rifle has been serial number 109,342, owned by Wayne Gagner.

It is known that some Model 1896 Krag rifles were completed and numbered after the Model 1898 production started:
The appendix, in Frank Mallory's "Krag Rifle Story", 2nd edition, lists a Model 1896 rifle #109,128 being destroyed at the New Cumberland Depot.
A KCA member 'Colorado John' had a model 1896 rifle numbered 109,027.
Rock Island Auctions sold Model 1896 Krag rifle, #109,058, a number of years ago.

July of 1898 had to be a hectic crazy time at Springfield Armory!

[Navy87Guy]

@butlersrangers - Great gouge…thanks! I definitely need to add some Krag books to my reference library!

SRS lists three rifles between 111682 and 111767 that were assigned to the Tennessee 4th Volunteer Infantry, Company K. The 4th Volunteers were formed in July 1898, landed in Cuba on Dec 1, 1898 as part of the occupation force, and disbanded in Savannah GA in May 1899. Certainly no guarantee of provenance, but an interesting possibility to consider!

[butlersrangers]

If your serial number was not listed in the documentation of rifles issued to the 4th Tennessee Volunteer Infantry,
it is pretty much a guarantee, that it was not in the crates that were sent to them.

U.S. Krag rifles and carbines were not assembled and crated in numerical order.
Close does not work with U.S. Krag serial numbers.

[Navy87Guy]

If your serial number was not listed in the documentation of rifles issued to the 4th Tennessee Volunteer Infantry,
it is pretty much a guarantee, that it was not in the crates that were sent to them.

U.S. Krag rifles and carbines were not assembled and crated in numerical order. Close does not work with U.S. Krag serial numbers.

So what accounts for the huge gaps in the SRS records? If not being listed is exclusive, then how are the rest accounted for?

Not being critical - just trying to understand how things “work”.

I appreciate your insights!

[Whig]

The Springfield Research Service records list only about 4-5% of all Krags manufactured. Many of these listings are not specifically important from an historic perspective. Many different sources of records were used initially to compile the SRS database and many times these records were vastly incomplete.

read my summary about the SRS records I wrote a while ago. It might help:

viewtopic.php?t=3955

Most of us who collect Krags have been anxious to see if a new acquisition is listed in the records. Most of the time, we are disappointed.

I actually acquired a pretty beat up, but still good, Krag carbine that came with documentation, to which I added more, to show it is one of the few authentic Rough Rider Krags! The serial number is clear to which soldier it was assigned to and an interesting history of the soldier is documented. This adds a bunch to the value of the carbine.

Many SRS "hits" are just documentation notices that make it interesting but add little value to the Krag. Value mostly is related to any historic use of the weapon, a specific war or battle, or a certain person who is well known who was assigned the firearm. These kind of SRS "hits" are exceedingly rare.

BUT, they are still out there! Keep looking!

[Navy87Guy]

The Springfield Research Service records list only about 4-5% of all Krags manufactured. Many of these listings are not specifically important from an historic perspective. Many different sources of records were used initially to compile the SRS database and many times these records were vastly incomplete.

Thanks…that’s kind of what I thought. I’m just trying to understand why not being listed in SRS would be definitive - when there are so many gaps in the records.

[Whig]

Navy- I added some more info to the post above. here's the link for the Rough Rider carbine:

viewtopic.php?t=3865&hilit=kerney+rough+rider

Gaps in records are important from the perspective that, if documentation exists to show some specific serial numbers WERE issued to certain soldiers, ones that were NOT in those specific, and potentially well-documented, records, would prove that non-documented serial numbers were not issued. I don't have the logic in front of me that a well-known Krag historian used to describe this with quite certain clarity but, it's pretty dependable. Unless, that is, you can find new, and well-supported, documentation that adds to the list!

I don't have the energy now to copy this write-up from his book on Krags about this topic. maybe I'll do it tomorrow, with clear credit given to the author.