Baltimoreed11754
Member
It was a rifle cut down to a carbine. The ‘03 front sight instead of a Krag front sight is a dead giveaway. They still are a fine rifle.
30/40 Krag ammo
- Thread starter S&WIowegan
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DWalt
Member
In the mid-1970s I had a rifle most do not connect with the .30-40 cartridge, AKA the .30 U. S. Army, the Winchester Model 95. It was in fair condition, but some previous owner had drilled and tapped four holes into the left side of the receiver for mounting a scope. I could never get used to those holes and did not keep it very long. I doubt that I fired more than several hundred rounds through it. Legend says that a fair number of Texas Rangers armed themselves with Model 95s chambered in .30-40. Today, it is one of those many rifles I wish that I had kept.
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cmj8591
Member
You are right about Springfield barrels. I have never seen one that was not stamped with the date of manufacture and the flaming bomb. My 30-40 does not have a date on it's barrel. The other thing that is changing my mind about it being an 03 barrel is the holes for the rear sight were there. It wouldn't make any sense that they would go to the trouble of drilling them and then put that aperture sight on it. I'm sure that this went through a "Bannerman's" type treatment and was sold mail order from the back of a magazine. Probably for $6.95 with free shipping. It has a 5 digit serial number starting with 25xxx and is dated 1895. The barrel is 22 3/4".
CA Escapee
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This gun has a little story to it. My friend bought an old house and while he was cleaning out the attic, he found this gun. It was only the barreled action and the bolt. He gave it to me and I took it home because, well, it was still a gun and it needed a home. The bore was horrible and I figured it would end up in the junk parts pile. Not being one to leave well enough alone, I plugged the bore and filled it with Kroil. Every few days, I would pass a bore brush. To my surprise, the rifling started to appear and soon it was looking pretty good. The next thing I did was start looking for parts. I found the rear sight and trigger guard on EBay and the stock is a Boyd's. My photo isn't the best, but if you look carefully at the front sight, it is apparent that the barrel came from a 1903 Springfield. The cocking piece is dove tailed and it had a fold down aperture sight in it when it came to me. I'm sure it was someones budget deer rifle at one point. It shoots really well for having been made in 1895 and I love to take it out at the range when everyone is banging away with their Tactical Tommy AR. It usually gets a lot of looks and questions. I load a 150 grain, FMJ and 35.5 grains of IMR4895. The Krag action is notoriously weak and you really need to treat it as such. One thing I would do before I shot any Krag, even one from a known source, is to have the head space checked. Once you know it's safe, it's a fun and satisfying gun to shoot.
The neighbor I mentioned in post #8 above used to take his grandfather's Krag to the range and with it on sandbags, he'd bang away at a steel plate at 400 yds.
A lot of the kiddies with their black guns would hear the pinging and stop by to watch. Quite a few would ask, "What is that?" Seems their AR's weren't up to the task and they wanted to know what he was hitting the plate with. They didn't realize you could do that with a 100+ year old gun with open sights.
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cmj8591
Member
The neighbor I mentioned in post #8 above used to take his grandfather's Krag to the range and with it on sandbags, he'd bang away at a steel plate at 400 yds.
A lot of the kiddies with their black guns would hear the pinging and stop by to watch. Quite a few would ask, "What is that?" Seems their AR's weren't up to the task and they wanted to know what he was hitting the plate with. They didn't realize you could do that with a 100+ year old gun with open sights.
I think what has happened is a general decline in the desire to do the work to become a good shooter. I have not shot the Krag outside of 100 yards but I do regularly shoot my 03's, K31 and a couple of AR15's at 300 yards on steel. I shoot open sights and from the sitting and prone position mostly. The guys shooting next to me are using big scopes and ballistic computers and all the toys from the bench. They look at me funny when I unroll my mat and get down on the ground. It could be because they fear that they might have to help me get up. I certainly have no problem with all the technology and I have most of it and enjoy fooling around now and then but there is something satisfying about hitting those targets old school style. My apologies to the OP for the thread drift here.
OP
S&WIowegan
US Veteran
Message received!!
Go to local gun shows and look for the possible 30-40 Krag ammo.
Go to local gun shows and look for the possible 30-40 Krag ammo.
Spurdann
Member
Keep an eye on Steinel (sp?) ammo. It is on his list of upcoming calibers to load.
My American Legion post still uses Krags during parades. They are lighter to carry than our Garands :-D Stopped being able to get 30/40 blanks around 2000 which is why we switched to Garands. Unfortunately our 1873 carbines that we had prior to the Krags were stolen.
Dave Haynes
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I had a Winchester 1895 saddle ring carbine in .30 Army. It was a nice rifle. 30-40 was all over the place in the 70s. Mine was shot a lot but it still went where you pointed it. It seemed about like a 30-30 Win. Mild recoil.
The old Krag is one of those rifles I've always had a hankering to have but never got around to buying. Maybe one of these days...
John
John
DWalt
Member
Back in my old Ohio home town, the Legion also had Krag rifles for parade and honor guard use. Metal was plated, stocks were painted white. I also remember for blank firing salute use at burials, etc., they had 1917 Enfields. That was years ago but I wouldn't bet against their still being in that service.
Targets Guy
US Veteran
That's how my dad got the Krag I now have. Our Legion post upgraded to 1903's after WWII and they burned the Krags. Dad pulled one out of the fire. The burn marks remain on the fore stock.
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DWalt
Member
Why would anyone want to burn Krags? Even back when they were cheap.
STORMINORMAN
Member
Same reason they used to burn witches...? Or your basic heretics?
Well, no... Not really!
Cheers!
Well, no... Not really!
Cheers!
I enjoy shooting my fathers 30-40 Krag with light loads over the years
and have passed this rifle over to my brother to enjoy.
I even down load my 1903 down to "Krag" 180 fps, for when I go deer hunting
to drop a deer , with minimal meat damage, and make for a nicer clean up, job.
Not all rifle bullets have to go 3,000fps to do great things.
and have passed this rifle over to my brother to enjoy.
I even down load my 1903 down to "Krag" 180 fps, for when I go deer hunting
to drop a deer , with minimal meat damage, and make for a nicer clean up, job.
Not all rifle bullets have to go 3,000fps to do great things.
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LVSteve
Member
You don't watch enough movies about zombies, dinosaurs returning, or aliens visiting just to hunt us.
Baltimoreed11754
Member
Buffalo Arms Co has some 30-40 Krag ammo. I have purchased other unusual ammo from them and have been pleased.
It is not cheap.
30-40 Krag Ammunition 220 Grain RN Soft Point Box of 20
It is not cheap.
30-40 Krag Ammunition 220 Grain RN Soft Point Box of 20
cmj8591
Member
I love those bayonets.
Never owned a Krag. Been looking though. I bought a bit of ammo over the years. I saw some the other day. Win and I think 180 gr RN. Did Win ever load Silvertip ammo? I have some that was ugly and run thru a tumbler for a fairly long time. I think I should break it down...JIC. Guy that gave it to me wanted to make it shiney
