30-40 Krag Christmas Present

[kraigwy]

Been looking for a "good" Krag for a long time, but I don't want junk, I don't want modified, I don't want a cut down rifle.

Since I was a kid and thought the Krag was spelled KRAIG (after me).

Well today I found the best, nicest 1898 Krag 30-40 Rifle I've ever seen. NO modifications, not drilled and tapped, no buggered screws, Old but 100% original.

Problem was (I thought), its not for sale, GS owner had it in the back and was showing my wife what to look for in a Krag. Said he wouldn't sell it, wouldn't put a price on it. I didn't care about the price, I wanted the gun.........NOPE. Its not for sale.

I've never seen a nicer Krag.

So I go away pouting, later to find out wifey went back in and talked the guy out of the rifle..........BUT.......its gonna be a Christmas Present.

Hate to see what she paid for it......I bet I would have had to pay more.

So come Christmas I'll post pictures. Now to gather up some reloading gear for a 30-40. And I need to find a Krag bayonet.

 

[Badkarma 1]

Rifle or carbine? In either case congrats, they are beautiful pieces! Dale

 

[kraigwy]

Rifle, I was infantry not calvery

 

[Muley Gil]

Rifle, I was infantry not calvery

You probably weren't "cavalry" either.

 

[Art Doc]

I went deer hunting with a friend and his dad who carried a cut down Krag. I found it unusual, so different from the M98s and 1903s most everyone else toted. Wanted one for the longest time. In 1992 I walked into a show. I was willing to pay $150 for a chopped Krag but mostly I saw them at $200+.

At the very first table lay a badly modified Krag.

I asked.

$90.

Give ya $80 (resisting the urge to rip my wallet from my pocket).

$85.

Done.

Two rows over found used RCBS 30-40 dies.

How much?

$10.

Take $5?

Make it $8.

Done.

Stock was beyond useless. Bought a piece of wood. First (and last!) stock I ever inletted myself. Rear sight OK, front was junk so had a Williams ramp with hood installed.

This is one the wife will sell.

 

[deadin]

Here's my M1898 Krag that I picked up earlier this year for $100.00

Of course when I got it it the stock had been chopped just ahead of the middle band, the hand guard was missing along with the upper band/stacking swivel. After another hundred or so for the missing parts and a new experience of fitting the wood and trying to get the stain to match, I've got a fairly nice cartouched 1902 Krag. I didn't want to refinish the original stock because of the markings.

 

[Frank46]

I got my 1898 krag at a local gun show in new york. A long time ago. She's been cut down both in barrel and stock. Still has the rear military rear sight and a sporter front sight was added. Bore is in pretty good condition. You may remember when the movie "rough riders" came out starring sam elliot and steve berringer. I must have had 4 people come to me asking if my krag was for sale. Nope, still have it. Wether sported or in full military dress to me it represents a different time in our countries history. That and the feeling of operating that slick Krag bolt. Frank

 

[Sprefix]

Great! Now I gotta watch "Death Hunt". Lee Marvin is using a Krag in it. Oh, congrats on the wife......It appears she has some taste after all.....(kidding)

 

[mkk41]

Krags had a short , but storied service life. The actons , being so complex and complicated to machine , were re-used by Springfield Armory to build otherwise new rifles. This one has an 1894 receiver , yet was used to build a new rifle in 1900 according to the stock cartouche.

 

[Wyatt Burp]

I had a cutdown rifle once. It was fun to shoot and a very fascinating gun. I just loved the mechanics of it. I might still have a box of once fired brass you can have, if you paid the shipping.
After you get the gun you have to watch "The Rough Riders" with Tom Berringer while you sit on the couch with your Krag.

 

[steveno]

maybe it is a christmas present your wife bought for herself.

 

[BearBio]

I've got 2. Found one cut down 1898. Bargained it down but still paid too much. Sights etc were original. Two days later, I found a second one, also "bubba'd" BUT with 1903 cartouches. The second one had a1913 dated sling (1907 model). Switched stocks and bought a handguard and I now have a faux "carbine". Have to download pics from the camera today-will post later. However, I bought a Boyd's stock the morning I found the second one. Not sure what I will do regarding the second one. I already have a 99 Savage for a truck gun.......

 

[Art Doc]

Sprefix- Don't forget To Kill a Mockingbird with Gregory Peck. Atticus Finch uses a Krag to shoot a rabid dog.

Tarzan Takes a Mate from around 1934 has an African white hunter packing a sporter Krag, too.

 

[speedyquad]

dad inherited one i bad shape from my mother's great uncle. her brothers took all of the nice guns and left the krag and an unrepairable .22. the krag's stock was cracked in quite a few places and the barrel needed shortened as the end was damaged. a couple of trips to a local gunsmith, who had done other work for dad, proved the gun was salvageable. the hunt for a certain kind of wood for the stock and some other small parts and this is what we picked up a few months later(late '80, no internet yet).
pics taken with a cell cam...dad is not longer with us, the gun sits in his gun cabinet until mom decides it is time for me to have it...

 

[deadin]

For you Krag watchers, don't miss Sgt. Schultz on Hogan's Heros.....

 

[CW Spook]

When I was about 13, I was given a very nice Krag (my first very own rifle) by the commander of the local American Legion post, for being their 'Taps' bugler at funerals. I still have it 53 years later. I also have a Krag sporter I picked up a few years back for about $100. I've got a couple of sets of Lee handloading tools, and I still enjoy shooting the Krags as much as any of the guns I own.

 

[Old 44 Guy]

Gosh, Your story brought back memories. My buddy's father had a Krag 30-40. that we would get a box of shells for $1.95 & take it out & shoot. They were 220 Gr. Rem. & would kick the Bejesus out of us 14-15 year old kids. this was about 1946 or so, anyway after the war. It had been modified with sporter stock & barrel cut down. Many Thanks for this, hadn't thought about the old Krag until now.My buddy is gone & I don't know what happened to the rifle.

 

[klondike]

Yours might have even made it to London in 1917 before it was exchanged for a 1917 Enfield or a Springfield.

 

[GatorFarmer]

I have three of the sporters currently. I don't mind them being modified. Most are handy guns and have seen a century of hunting use and survived. I prefer pre 1899 ones that don't even require shipping to an FFL.

Ammo is now only a seasonal load and is expensive and hard to find though. I wish Prvi would start offering it.

 

[kraigwy]

Yours might have even made it to London in 1917 before it was exchanged for a 1917 Enfield or a Springfield.

Great picture, thanks for posting that