Chrome Plated Krag 1898

kevs310 · January 24, 2005, 12:40 PM

Has anyone ever seen a chrome plated Krag?
My friend recieved this gun from his grandfather who was a member of the American Legion and used this gun in funerals for the 21 gun salute.
Any info would be greatly appreciated.
sn#142190
Thanks,
kevs310

Jim Watson · January 24, 2005, 04:27 PM

Haven't seen a plated Krag, but nickel and chrome '03s and 1917s are fairly common. Used as you say for funerals, drill teams, and color guards. Nothing official about them that I have ever heard, just something fancy for the drill team.

kevs310 · January 24, 2005, 04:47 PM

The reason I think it is plated is because the gun is in fair to poor condition and rust spots appear to be lifting the chrome in a few places.

Markings on the gun are as follows,
US
Springfield Armory 1898
#142190
These are the only markings I could see on the gun.
Do you have any idea of the value?
I'm sure he would like to know even though it will never be sold,while he is alive anyway!
Thanks again for your help,
kevs310

gordo b. · January 24, 2005, 11:09 PM

Prolly worth $200-300 cash! I would not shoot anything but blanks in it as there is something called "hydrogen embrittlement" on old steel with decratitve plating on it!

Harley Nolden · January 25, 2005, 08:28 AM

Many years ago, The American Legion Posts could get these rifles at no cost. Don't know exactly how they did it, but I have seen posts that have had class III machine guns, even aircraft machine guns, that had not been demilled. As indicated they were drill rifles and some have been demilled and not safe to shoot.

FOR GOD AND COUNTRY
HJN

kevs310 · February 4, 2005, 11:11 PM

Thanks you guys for all the info, I'll be sure to pass it on.
I'm sure he will find it interesting.

James K · February 17, 2005, 11:08 PM

In the 1920's NRA members could buy Krags for as little as $1.50, which was cheap even then. American Legion posts could get them "on loan" from the Army, and no one worried about ever returning them.

As Jim Watson says about later guns, quite a few were nickel or chrome plated for color guards for AL posts, high school and college bands, drill teams and the like. The rust probably did not start under the plating, the rust may have already been there and was just plated over. For the most part, plating was not done by a gun company, but by the local bumper shop.

Harley, you are right about those machineguns. Quite a few posts had and still have a few US or German MGs in the attic. Years ago I was shown some at an AL post that shall be nameless. When I mentioned registration, I got a blank look; no one had ever heard of the NFA or even considered that the guns they "took off Kaiser Bill's guys" might be illegal. I left quietly.

Jim

January 24, 2005, 04:47 PM	#3
kevs310 Junior Member Join Date: January 24, 2005 Posts: 3	Chrome Plated Krag 1898 The reason I think it is plated is because the gun is in fair to poor condition and rust spots appear to be lifting the chrome in a few places. Markings on the gun are as follows, US Springfield Armory 1898 #142190 These are the only markings I could see on the gun. Do you have any idea of the value? I'm sure he would like to know even though it will never be sold,while he is alive anyway! Thanks again for your help, kevs310

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January 24, 2005, 12:40 PM	#1
kevs310 Junior Member Join Date: January 24, 2005 Posts: 3	Chrome Plated Krag 1898 Has anyone ever seen a chrome plated Krag? My friend recieved this gun from his grandfather who was a member of the American Legion and used this gun in funerals for the 21 gun salute. Any info would be greatly appreciated. sn#142190 Thanks, kevs310

January 24, 2005, 04:27 PM	#2
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,535	Haven't seen a plated Krag, but nickel and chrome '03s and 1917s are fairly common. Used as you say for funerals, drill teams, and color guards. Nothing official about them that I have ever heard, just something fancy for the drill team.

January 24, 2005, 11:09 PM	#4
gordo b. Senior Member Join Date: October 20, 2002 Location: Peoples republik of Calif. Posts: 961	Prolly worth $200-300 cash! I would not shoot anything but blanks in it as there is something called "hydrogen embrittlement" on old steel with decratitve plating on it!

January 25, 2005, 08:28 AM	#5
Harley Nolden Staff In Memoriam Join Date: January 8, 1999 Location: Brunswick,GA USA Posts: 1,884	Many years ago, The American Legion Posts could get these rifles at no cost. Don't know exactly how they did it, but I have seen posts that have had class III machine guns, even aircraft machine guns, that had not been demilled. As indicated they were drill rifles and some have been demilled and not safe to shoot. FOR GOD AND COUNTRY HJN

February 4, 2005, 11:11 PM	#6
kevs310 Junior Member Join Date: January 24, 2005 Posts: 3	Thanks you guys for all the info, I'll be sure to pass it on. I'm sure he will find it interesting.

February 17, 2005, 11:08 PM	#7
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	In the 1920's NRA members could buy Krags for as little as $1.50, which was cheap even then. American Legion posts could get them "on loan" from the Army, and no one worried about ever returning them. As Jim Watson says about later guns, quite a few were nickel or chrome plated for color guards for AL posts, high school and college bands, drill teams and the like. The rust probably did not start under the plating, the rust may have already been there and was just plated over. For the most part, plating was not done by a gun company, but by the local bumper shop. Harley, you are right about those machineguns. Quite a few posts had and still have a few US or German MGs in the attic. Years ago I was shown some at an AL post that shall be nameless. When I mentioned registration, I got a blank look; no one had ever heard of the NFA or even considered that the guns they "took off Kaiser Bill's guys" might be illegal. I left quietly. Jim