1898 Krag Jorgensen Carbine

I have the Joe Poyer book on the Krag rifles. The muzzle diameter of an 1898 carbine should be 0.635". That's one way to indentify a cut down barrel.

The American Krag Rifle and Carbine by Joe Poyer --full of all the specifications.

The only thing wrong with a carbine is that you can't hang a bowie bayonet on it...;)

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444 Magnum said:
I have the Joe Poyer book on the Krag rifles. The muzzle diameter of an 1898 carbine should be 0.635". That's one way to indentify a cut down barrel.

The American Krag Rifle and Carbine by Joe Poyer --full of all the specifications.

The only thing wrong with a carbine is that you can't hang a bowie bayonet on it...;)

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Y

You should send me that shabby old frog sticker if you aren't going to take better care of it. I have been a collector of antique knives and US military items for decades. I have owned about everything. The Krag bowie is one that has always eluded me.
 
I removed the handguard, thinking I might find some barrel markings that could give a hint at it's origin. If it had been put together by Sedgley, for example, there'd be an S within a circle stamped on the barrel. Sadly, the barrel's perfectly clean.

Further study shows the stock and handguard are Model 1899 parts, late manufacture replacement parts made for overhauling older carbines. The handguard is designed to fit the 1896 rear sight, which this is. It's a rifle rather than a carbine sight on this one.

This goes against my earlier feeling of an NRA, Benicia produced rifle as supposedly they were all built using 1901 pattern rear sights. It looks like someone just did a nice job of putting a carbine together.
 
30-30remchester said:
You should send me that shabby old frog sticker if you aren't going to take better care of it. I have been a collector of antique knives and US military items for decades. I have owned about everything. The Krag bowie is one that has always eluded me.
Click to expand...

I have three of them. I don't know why, but I always seem to buy multiples and then I'm on to the next thing.

They pop up occasionally. Only 2800 made, not sure how many survived. There's one on fleabay right now.
 
Trooper224 said:
Further study shows the stock and handguard are Model 1899 parts, late manufacture replacement parts made for overhauling older carbines. The handguard is designed to fit the 1896 rear sight, which this is. It's a rifle rather than a carbine sight on this one.
Click to expand...

I thought it was a proper carbine stock as the band is secured with a spring. A band secured by a screw is another indication of a cut down rifle, as is a lack of finger grooves. According to this website, none of the US built Krag rifles had finger groove stocks.

A Quick and Dirty Guide: Military Krag-Jorgensen Rifles – Surplused
 
Another historical tidbit:

When these things were cut down, it was common practice to mount an M1903 front sight. This front sight was interesting to me, because it was like an '03 front sight but not. Some research showed this to be a commercial Stokes Kirk front sight. There's a hole in the rear face, that must have mounted an ivory or gold bead at one time.
 

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The 30-40 Krag is a lot of fun to shoot, but

if you reload ammo for it, don't go past the old maximum pressures
with just the ONE locking lug, that it uses, back in it's day.

I had good luck with 4064, 4350 & 4831 for extra light loads with a 150 gr SP and 180 JRN bullet, at my range.
 
Trooper224 said:
Another historical tidbit:

When these things were cut down, it was common practice to mount an M1903 front sight. This front sight was interesting to me, because it was like an '03 front sight but not. Some research showed this to be a commercial Stokes Kirk front sight. There's a hole in the rear face, that must have mounted an ivory or gold bead at one time.
Click to expand...

I've had Redfield and Lyman front sight blades like that over the years. They are really great with an M1903 you've sporterized with a receiver sight.
 
The history behind these things is the real draw for me, and I think I've nailed it down for this rifle.

W. Stokes Kirk was a purveyor of Army Navy Surplus is the early 20th century. This rifle matches the catalog description of their No. 399 Rifle.
 

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Cut down rifle for sure. The front sight is a dead giveaway. In the 20's it was very common to cut these down and graft an 03 sight on. I'd guess they are more cut down fakes on the market than real deal carbines. But for $500 you did fine. I'd have probably paid that if I saw it.
 
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