need help on 96 Krag

I friend called me yesterday and said that a guy brought in a 96 krag carbine. The guy said that it was his grandfathers. I looked at it today the cartouch is worn off most of the finnish was worn off. By the book everything is right except for the 1896 rear sight is a rifle sight. With out pulling off the handguard I tried to measure the barrel and it appears to be the right length I looked over the front sight and it does not appear to have been monkeyed with. I can buy it for 1200 would this be to much if everything is right except for the rear sight. I know what he paid for it and there is no room to dicker.

Pics please, can't advise you without seeing it. Saddle ring? Serial #? Need more details in order to be of help.

It is at a store I do not know if they would let me take pics the serial was in the 77000 range

---------- Post added at 06:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:23 PM ----------

My biggest worry is it could be a cut down rifle but I could find no evidence of this barrel was the right length the front site did not appear to be messed with

Rice, It appears to be in the correct serial range for a 1896 Carbine.
M1896 Carbines 25135-37582 and 67010-79499
I can't remember the source for this but I had it in my notes. Maybe someone else can verify it.
Salt flat

I did not write down the serial because I did not think you could identify a carbine by the serial# everything looks right (except for the rifle site is a big red flag) as far as I can tell the barrel does not appear to be cut down or the front site reattached. it has the correct sight protector barrel band If I buy it I would be taking a 1200 gamble

Rice,

the rifle sight should raise a red flag. The serial number ranges tell you where some carbines were made, but there were a lot of rifles made in those ranges, too. Post some pictures?

jn

pictures of the krag

Looks to be the real McCoy, from what I can see. The why, of why a rifle sight, has to do with the fact that the carbine sights can bring nigh $500 at times. Traces of the cartouche might still be visible in the right light, but they were placed in a high wear area on the carbines, behind the saddle ring. I used to have more detailed info, but lost it after a computer crash. I'd suggest asking on Culver's shooting page forum for verification of the serial #. There were distinctive "blocks" of serial #s when carbine's were done, and 5madfarmer's has quite a list.

+1 on the Culver page. That's where all the Krag heavies moved.

jn

The serial # is outside the carbine range given by Poyer, but he isn't the greatest authority.