30-40 Krag, just acquired

shuvelrider · November 28, 2015, 09:04 PM

This one was made in 1899, got it from my LGS From the owners personal collection, I traded him a 1955 Marlin 39A Mountie .22 and some assorted older ammo. Also got a couple boxes of Rem ammo for it in another ammo swap. I buffed it down with some 000 steel wool to remove old grime from the wood, now I'm applying BLO.

Tidewater_Kid · November 29, 2015, 12:34 AM

Looks nice from what I can see. I looked at one at a show today and it was crazy money to me. Sounds like you did good on that one.

TK

Gunplummer · November 29, 2015, 10:03 AM

Looks like a deal to me. As with all military rifles, the uncut stock is the hard thing to find.

Dragonflydf · December 5, 2015, 11:04 PM

If you have never shot a Krag before, you will be very pleased and wonder why you had not bought one sooner.....

kilimanjaro · December 5, 2015, 11:27 PM

Smoothest US issue bolt rifle, bar none.

Underneath the starry flag,
We'll civilize 'em with a Krag.

Gavlan · December 6, 2015, 06:57 AM

" Smoothest US issue bolt rifle, bar none ".

Smooooth as budder,,,

James K · December 6, 2015, 01:08 PM

Please stick to factory loads or handload equivalent. That single locking lug is not up to handling anything much more as the Army found out when they tried to increase the velocity.

(The Norwegian Krag can handle higher pressures because both its lugs bear, while on the U.S. Krag, only the front lug bears, the other being a safety lug.)

Jim

cjwils · December 6, 2015, 02:10 PM

There is a Krag collector's forum where you can learn and get advice from expert Krag collectors.
http://www.kragcollectorsassociation.org

shuvelrider · December 6, 2015, 08:03 PM

I've joined the Krag Collectors site already, thanks. I will reload, but will keep the loads mild with 150gr fmj for target use at the range. Just enough to "ring" some steel plate.

kilimanjaro · December 6, 2015, 08:23 PM

I'm a firm believer in light reloads for firearms that are over a hundred years old. The quality of the steel alone is a good reason, then comes wear and tear on softer steel on top of a century of wear and tear, possibly brittle or non-yielding screws, pins, and wood, then comes the availability of parts to repair, and availability of gunsmiths to make repairs, the expense of the firearm in the first place, and it's resale and historical value.

cjwils · December 7, 2015, 12:15 AM

The Springfield Krag action was designed to feed long, heavy, round-nosed bullets. In the Krag that I had (several years ago), pointed bullets would often jam, with the point catching an edge at the entrance to the chamber. I changed to reloading Hornady 220 gr jacketed round nose bullets and never had another jam. As I recall, the formula to duplicate original Krag ballistics with that bullet is to use 40 grains of IMR 4350 powder. You can confirm that at the Krag forum.

Gavlan · December 7, 2015, 07:06 AM

I like to keep my loads on the light side usually no faster than say 1200 fps , I shoot only cast in all my oldies and my Krag loves the Ideal 311284,, 220 gns ( I might be wrong but I believe it was designed with the Krag in mind ).

My Loverin design 311407 ,,177gns shoots pretty darn good also..

Have fun,,

November 28, 2015, 09:04 PM	#1
shuvelrider Senior Member Join Date: October 2, 2011 Location: West Coast of Michigan Posts: 132	30-40 Krag, just acquired This one was made in 1899, got it from my LGS From the owners personal collection, I traded him a 1955 Marlin 39A Mountie .22 and some assorted older ammo. Also got a couple boxes of Rem ammo for it in another ammo swap. I buffed it down with some 000 steel wool to remove old grime from the wood, now I'm applying BLO.

December 5, 2015, 11:04 PM	#4
Dragonflydf Senior Member Join Date: November 21, 2014 Posts: 217	If you have never shot a Krag before, you will be very pleased and wonder why you had not bought one sooner..... __________________ Jack, You have Debauched my sloth !!!!!! https://www.facebook.com/shoot.the.guns.of.history

November 29, 2015, 12:34 AM	#2
Tidewater_Kid Senior Member Join Date: July 3, 2005 Location: Alabama Posts: 925	Looks nice from what I can see. I looked at one at a show today and it was crazy money to me. Sounds like you did good on that one. TK

November 29, 2015, 10:03 AM	#3
Gunplummer Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 2010 Location: South East Pa. Posts: 3,364	Looks like a deal to me. As with all military rifles, the uncut stock is the hard thing to find.

December 5, 2015, 11:27 PM	#5
kilimanjaro Senior Member Join Date: November 23, 2009 Posts: 3,963	Smoothest US issue bolt rifle, bar none. Underneath the starry flag, We'll civilize 'em with a Krag.

December 6, 2015, 06:57 AM	#6
Gavlan Senior Member Join Date: September 27, 2015 Posts: 108	" Smoothest US issue bolt rifle, bar none ". Smooooth as budder,,,

December 6, 2015, 01:08 PM	#7
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	Please stick to factory loads or handload equivalent. That single locking lug is not up to handling anything much more as the Army found out when they tried to increase the velocity. (The Norwegian Krag can handle higher pressures because both its lugs bear, while on the U.S. Krag, only the front lug bears, the other being a safety lug.) Jim

December 6, 2015, 02:10 PM	#8
cjwils Senior Member Join Date: November 28, 2010 Location: Washington state Posts: 401	There is a Krag collector's forum where you can learn and get advice from expert Krag collectors. http://www.kragcollectorsassociation.org

December 6, 2015, 08:03 PM	#9
shuvelrider Senior Member Join Date: October 2, 2011 Location: West Coast of Michigan Posts: 132	I've joined the Krag Collectors site already, thanks. I will reload, but will keep the loads mild with 150gr fmj for target use at the range. Just enough to "ring" some steel plate.

December 6, 2015, 08:23 PM	#10
kilimanjaro Senior Member Join Date: November 23, 2009 Posts: 3,963	I'm a firm believer in light reloads for firearms that are over a hundred years old. The quality of the steel alone is a good reason, then comes wear and tear on softer steel on top of a century of wear and tear, possibly brittle or non-yielding screws, pins, and wood, then comes the availability of parts to repair, and availability of gunsmiths to make repairs, the expense of the firearm in the first place, and it's resale and historical value.

December 7, 2015, 12:15 AM	#11
cjwils Senior Member Join Date: November 28, 2010 Location: Washington state Posts: 401	The Springfield Krag action was designed to feed long, heavy, round-nosed bullets. In the Krag that I had (several years ago), pointed bullets would often jam, with the point catching an edge at the entrance to the chamber. I changed to reloading Hornady 220 gr jacketed round nose bullets and never had another jam. As I recall, the formula to duplicate original Krag ballistics with that bullet is to use 40 grains of IMR 4350 powder. You can confirm that at the Krag forum.

December 7, 2015, 07:06 AM	#12
Gavlan Senior Member Join Date: September 27, 2015 Posts: 108	I like to keep my loads on the light side usually no faster than say 1200 fps , I shoot only cast in all my oldies and my Krag loves the Ideal 311284,, 220 gns ( I might be wrong but I believe it was designed with the Krag in mind ). My Loverin design 311407 ,,177gns shoots pretty darn good also.. Have fun,,