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**44 AMP** · October 10, 2008, 11:22 PM

The case you found is the .30-40 Krag. The .30-40 was the first US military smallbore (.30cal) smokeless powder round. As a civilian round, it kept the blackpowder cartridge type of name (.30-40) as did the smokeless .30-30 cartridge a couple of years later.

Chambered in the Krag rifle, the military knew it as the .30 Army (or .30 US Army), and featured a FMJ 220gr RN bullet @ 2200fps. There was also a civilian loading with a 180gr rn @ 2440fps.

Rifles firing the .30-40 Krag are the military Krag (also known as Krag-Jorgenson), with rifle and carbine models, dating 1892 through 1898. The Winchester 1895 lever action, various winchester single shots (high wall), and their reproductions. Also the Ruger No.3 rifle was produced in .30-40 Krag caliber for a time.

Waaay back when I was about 15, I got a Krag rifle, and rode my bycicle the 11 miles (I was too young to drive) to our local gunsmith's shop looking for ammo. He rummaged abound in the back of his shop for a while, then came out and gave me a coffee can about half full of .30-40 ammo. Some of it was R-P commercial stuff (quite old), and most of it was even older, and was headstamped either .30 Army, or .30 USA, and had long round nosed FMJ bullets. It all shot just fine. recoil was substantial, and the penetration was phenominal! This stuff would shoot through trees a couple of feet thick!

Krags in original military trim are spendy collectors items nowdays, and sporterised ones are often in not such good condition. The newest ones are over 100 years old now, and many have not aged all that well. The Krag bolt action has only a single locking lug, so it is not as strong as contemporary Mausers.

The .30-40 Krag has always had a special place in my heart, due to my childhood memories of it (and it is quite capable of killing anything that walks in North America), and I have wanted another one for years. I recently got a Ruger No.3 in .30-40 Krag, dies and brass, and while I haven't put together any loads yet, I will be able to scratch that particular itch soon.

October 10, 2008, 11:22 PM	#6
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,937	.30-40 Krag The case you found is the .30-40 Krag. The .30-40 was the first US military smallbore (.30cal) smokeless powder round. As a civilian round, it kept the blackpowder cartridge type of name (.30-40) as did the smokeless .30-30 cartridge a couple of years later. Chambered in the Krag rifle, the military knew it as the .30 Army (or .30 US Army), and featured a FMJ 220gr RN bullet @ 2200fps. There was also a civilian loading with a 180gr rn @ 2440fps. Rifles firing the .30-40 Krag are the military Krag (also known as Krag-Jorgenson), with rifle and carbine models, dating 1892 through 1898. The Winchester 1895 lever action, various winchester single shots (high wall), and their reproductions. Also the Ruger No.3 rifle was produced in .30-40 Krag caliber for a time. Waaay back when I was about 15, I got a Krag rifle, and rode my bycicle the 11 miles (I was too young to drive) to our local gunsmith's shop looking for ammo. He rummaged abound in the back of his shop for a while, then came out and gave me a coffee can about half full of .30-40 ammo. Some of it was R-P commercial stuff (quite old), and most of it was even older, and was headstamped either .30 Army, or .30 USA, and had long round nosed FMJ bullets. It all shot just fine. recoil was substantial, and the penetration was phenominal! This stuff would shoot through trees a couple of feet thick! Krags in original military trim are spendy collectors items nowdays, and sporterised ones are often in not such good condition. The newest ones are over 100 years old now, and many have not aged all that well. The Krag bolt action has only a single locking lug, so it is not as strong as contemporary Mausers. The .30-40 Krag has always had a special place in my heart, due to my childhood memories of it (and it is quite capable of killing anything that walks in North America), and I have wanted another one for years. I recently got a Ruger No.3 in .30-40 Krag, dies and brass, and while I haven't put together any loads yet, I will be able to scratch that particular itch soon. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.