Guns & Outdoors Forum

So what’s this? Has a 1901 sight 1902 cocking piece…. 22” barrel. What say you? Oh it’s “in the back” for inquiring minds….

Not a Krag expert or even close to one by any means, but your big question is "Is it an original carbine, or a cut down?"

Doing all of three minutes of surf-research, it looks like the carbines used a single point saddle ring on a bar at the back of the action on the left side, sooooo. . .probably a conversion (sadly, that seems to be most of them). Also, the forend in front of the band doesn't look quite right in the profile.

Rear sights. . .C&Rsenal did a vid or two on the Krags that would be worth your time. I recall a good bit of back-and-forth having gone on over deciding between the over-complex and expensive Buffington target sight and things that were simpler and more rugged. Some variations may be the result of that rather than accidental parts swaps.

The cartridge is cool. My dad has a '95 Winchester chambered for it. Nearly identical to .303 Brit save for the longer neck and .300/.308 bore/groove dimension. One nation might as well have adopted the other's ammo and saved themselves the R&D trouble.

I'm no expert but have seen a fair number, and refurbished a few sporters, a friend hunted with one. Your's looks original even with the mixed date parts. My guess this is a late production rifle. The kraig had a short 11 year service life and in 1901 they would hvae been working on their replacement, the Springfield 1903. The Kraig had a short service life because of it's rotary magazine, the Mauser stripper clip was a lot faster to reload and it's cartridge was more powerful. The government sold off it's inventory quickly and cheaply so many of the rifles didn't get the respect they deserved. The action is slick and the cartridge was good for deer and elk out to 200 yards. Too many of these guns were shot during hunting season then put back in the closet for another year without cleaning. Because of the corosive ammo of the day there aren't many of these rifle around with good bores.

The bore on this one is mirror. And it is slick!

Original or not, that is a pretty rifle

There was one similar in my late FIL's collection. Unfortunately my wife didn't get to pick that one and her sister has it. I had checked most of the rifles over beforehand and it was on the top of the list to pick after they drew straws to see who went first, second, etc. Anyways I said, get it not because it was an original, but one her Dad had put together from parts. No idea how it shoots as SIL got it and says it is with a friend. Im pretty sure she gave it away or sold it. Either ways its a neat gun and one I would like to have in the safe. If you grab it, keep in mind that there are different barrels for the 30-40 and they don't all match the action. Its been a long time since I researched it so forget details.

Diver43 wrote: ↑Wed Aug 05, 2026 1:36 pm There was one similar in my late FIL's collection. Unfortunately my wife didn't get to pick that one and her sister has it. I had checked most of the rifles over beforehand and it was on the top of the list to pick after they drew straws to see who went first, second, etc. Anyways I said, get it not because it was an original, but one her Dad had put together from parts. No idea how it shoots as SIL got it and says it is with a friend. Im pretty sure she gave it away or sold it. Either ways its a neat gun and one I would like to have in the safe. If you grab it, keep in mind that there are different barrels for the 30-40 and they don't all match the action. Its been a long time since I researched it so forget details.

Shooters supply has a similar one but has a receiver sight installed and the rear barrel sight removed. Still in great shape for its age

One of the slickest feeling actions out there.

Don't know jack
Is there a filler piece for where the cleaning rod would have been ?

Best use of a Krag in a movie by Hollywood. One of my favorite books/movies ever.

JunkCollector wrote: ↑Wed Aug 05, 2026 4:12 pm Don't know jack
Is there a filler piece for where the cleaning rod would have been ?

20260805_120507.jpg

No it’s a carbine stock, no ring, but a true carbine stock

Most don't have anywhere near nice bores
Heard to check bolt for cracks too.
On your own

This is another place where I'd be telling Zee to "Melllllt the Ingotssssss".

The .30-40 is one of those near-perfect cast bullet cartridges - at least in the land of gas checks. It will accommodate good throw weight of 200-220 grains to make up for the comparative loss of velocity, can throw it about as fast as can be thrown out of a 1-10" twist, and has a nice long neck to contain your lube grooves.

The .30-30 was the product of John Browning and Winchester getting clever about how much power could be crammed into a heavily revised, nominally pistol-caliber, 1892 action. The rifles for .30-40 give a bit more breathing space. And yeah. . .Krags are slick. Never did have the planets align on obtaining one...

“How do I load it sir?”


Open the door, toss in some rounds, close the door.

CPJ 2.0 wrote: ↑Thu Aug 06, 2026 1:08 pm “How do I load it sir?”


Open the door, toss in some rounds, close the door.

There is another one at the shop that has been slightly bubba'd that might be a fun shooter if the price was a bit better.