Ideal Muzzle Protector

[Knute1]

From a 2/23/1905 periodical of "The Iron Age" is this muzzle protector for the Krag rifle on page 709 from Ideal Mfg. Don't believe I have ever seen one before, but everybody should have one. ;)

https://books.google.com/books?id=3hpKAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA709&dq=krag+rifle+chair&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiU_976zonoAhXTFzQIHcc_CT4Q6AEwCXoECAgQAg#v=onepage&q=krag%20rifle%20chair&f=false

[psteinmayer]

I bet it would make for some pretty easy cleaning. The truth is, however, that it's very easy to remove the bolt, and I always clean from the breech end (except for my Garand, which is impossible). I also use Dewey rods which are coated to protect the barrel interior. I will say that back in the day, when the soldiers were using the steel rods issued to them... something like this would have been a god send to protect the muzzle!

[Rcat7147]

That would be a pretty simple project in the machine shop.
Use brass screws to hold it on the barrel and dont worry with the leather.

[Knute1]

I thought it would be interesting if an original would show up. There may be some around, but those who have them (if they know they have them) may not know what they are used for. I can't imagine that more then a few thousand were made (if that many). Just a small incidental item of the Krag era during a simpler time.

Anybody notice the next article on the "new" hollow set screw? Still in use today and is referred to as "socket head set screw". To some extent it is replaced with Torx. The hollow set screw is still predominant. Must have taken a while for this 1905 concept to come into vogue. My 1947 tractor doesn't have any socket head anything on it, except for what I put on it. Even a flush oil plug is slotted for screw driver on the steering box. A socket head would make it a lot easier to get it out.

I know I've digressed. Just found this interesting as Allen Mfg patented this concept in 1909/1910 and is why we have Allen wrenches (or Allen keys).

[Rcat7147]

I noticed that too. We use the crap out of them at work...I found that more interesting than the muzzle protector!

[Knute1]

An old terminology is "grub screw", apparently for the appearance. The 1903 front sight on my Krag sporter uses a slotted grub screw to hold the sight in. It would be period correct to use a hollow head grub screw, not that my sporter would need to be period correct.