Norwegian M1912 Carbine

Hello all, it's finally happened. I have come across and purchased a Norwegian M1912 Carbine and I am super excited to get it here and shoot it! Pics will follow once it arrives, but in the mean time, I have some questions-

For one, research yields that I cannot shoot standard 6.5x55 Swede ammo through it without severely pushing the limits of the rifle. So, I'll have to reload for anything substantial. As I understand, however, I should be able to shoot the little 6.5 Swedish training rounds with the 'Gallery' bullets. I cannot imagine that round will be anywhere near the pressure limits of the rifle but if anyone has tried this and has found poor results, please let me know! Next, if you guys have a favorite load for this rifle, feel free to share!

This is one of those guns I have been looking for most of my gun collecting career and I've never held on in the flesh so this will be quite a surprise. Apart from being careful with the ammunition, what are some things to look for, look OUT for? I am not new to krags in general, just this one. Thanks guys!

Congratulations on obtaining a rifle you'll obviously treasure. Glad to hear that it will be fired and used as it was so designed over a century ago. While I'm all for handloading ammo for vintage rifles, I would also second your caution and encourage the use of loads at the moderate end of the scale. While these are hardly fragile rifles, they are still not a test bed for adventurous reloading. Some of the modern made 6.5x55's can really perform with (higher pressure) ammo appropriate to them. I've owned a Steyr made 1896 "Lang" Krag for years. It seems to prefer the long heavy (156-160gr) round nose bullets as opposed to the 140 gr (or less) modern spitzers. Part of the equation is that older rifles usually have a groove diameter of .267-268 as opposed to the nominal .264 diameter of bullets commercially available. Older vintage Norma bullets with a steel jacket (not kidding about the steel jacket) will usually shoot well even though of .264 diameter. Better yet for plinking is a hard cast gas checked bullet sized no smaller that .266. You'll likely need a Lyman "M" die to properly flare the case neck to seat the bullet. My powder load is 16grs of IMR 4759. Efforts to push velocity above this (about 1400-1500fps) will likely fail due to the very fast twist needed to stabilize the long heavy bullets it was designed for. Post photos of your rifle when you can. Regards.

Superb! I cannot wait to get her here and put some rounds down range. I lucked out and bought a correct muzzle cover from numrich a few years ago when they had them, and I have the sling quick detach end piece from there as well so It looks like instead of buying a sling, I'll be making one since I am not paying the $180 for one that just sold on ebay....

US made 6.5x55 shouldn't a problem in your Krag. It's some of Norma ammo you need to watch out for. Also, for reloading Grafs has the Hornady .268 diameter 16gr roundnose. Moose medicine that should give you the best accuracy too. Blemished bullets over 1/2 off!

Hmm, I had read that Remington, hornady, and Priv-Partizan (to my great dismay) were things to avoid in terms of ammo to shoot in this gun. I would love to be able to shoot partizan 6.5x55 in it but I have read on several forums that the pressures are pushing the rifle's limits a bit....

Check the bore/groove dimensions of your rifle by slugging. If the groove diameter is .268, it is unlikely that any commericial loaded 6.5x55 will be too much for your rifle. Be wary of low loading with slow burning powders too. Several Swedish mausers have been blown up by fellows trying to take it easy on their old pets. A phenomena know as Secondary Explosive Effect (SEE) has occurred in these rifles when fellows tried loading below the recommended amount of slow burning powders. There was a group buy on castboolits.com for a mold that cast oversized bullets for these older, larger bored rifles. Group buy recently closed, but if you watch here: NOE Index of bullets and stuff for sale - Cast Boolits there will probably be some for sale. They often overrun the group buys so there are extras to sell. Top quality molds.

i have one dated 1915 i would not use norma loads in it. starting loads in any of the books would be fine. i used cast bullets in mine a lot when i was shooting it many years ago.

HaHa! It is finally here. Been a long wait but I think she's well worth it! Can't wait to shoot her!

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...489645a1-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...8b0e6902-1.jpg

Odd marking on the underside of the barrel:

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...9c526537-1.jpg

I know that not all swastikas are nazi related, in fact its probably quite the opposite, but anybody have any idea what it means or signifies on a Norge Krag? By the way all the numbers match, every dad-blame one of them! [glowing] :madsmile:

Perhaps rebarelled during the Nazi occupation of Norway. They had control of the arms making.

Perhaps; but it doesn't look like any Nazi proofs I've ever seen before, as much as that would be really neat and add a little to the gun's value. The Nazi reworks and issues I've seen, of which there have been very few, were marked in the normal fashion with the firing proofs and other waffenamps.

I wonder if it's just a Nordic thing, maybe just a big coincidence...

Cast bullet molds for large 6.5 bores now available: NOE 269 145Gr. FN - Cast Boolits Seems to be like some of the history of US Krags, we can only speculate since the guns can't talk, darn it! Mine do call to me sometimes though, and make me buy bullet molds. The place to ask about your barrel proof mark is here: Krag rifles of Norway, Denmark U.S.A.

m4a3sherman: That is a mighty nice 1912 Norwegian carbine you acquired. What is the condition of the bore? In regard to the small swatstika marking on the barrel, I believe that it is a Norwegian marking and identifies the barrel subcontractor. This seems to be a common marking unrelated to the Nazi Occupation of Norway. In regard to factory loads, a good number of contributors to the Krag Collectors Association Forum have reported using factory ammo without signs of excess pressure. If you need a brass base, you could always disassemble factory loads, discard the powder, and reload with an acceptable starting load of a powder you prefer.

Outstanding and unusual find. Nice pictures as well.

@butlersrangers, The bore is very very nice and shiny! I have shot some of the practice ammo/gallery loads of swedish 6.5 through it just to make sure it works and even that groups very well at about 50 yards. I had also considered doing that with some Prvi Partizan 6.5, and it might be what I end up with but Sht_le will be getting back into reloading soon and he has a ton of brass and since the plan is actually that we will end up being roomates soon enough, this summer might bring some reloading experience to me. It will certainly bring lots of mad milsurping! :madsmile:

m4a3sherman: Exceptional Model 1912 carbine -- all matching #s & excellent bore! I am happy for your success. The Krag Collectors Association forum had a response yesterday from a Norwegian, "mussonor", (collector and Norwegian Krag authority). The question concerned the small swastika with numbers on a sporterized Norwegian Krag. Mussonor's answer was that it was an old Norwegian marking identifying a barrel subcontractor, way before the Nazi use of the swatstika.

I figured the swastika had nothing to do with the Nazis since it wasn't in the waffenamp style but its always good to know for sure! Well cool; is there any way to know if the barrel is the original to the rifle? The number match so if it was changed it would have been done in an arsenal. Also, is there a way to know if a rifle made its way into service during the second world war? Were all krags used under the Nazis marked as such or only certain ones?

m4a3sherman: I'd suggest you join (free) and post some pictures and your questions on the Krag Collectors Association Forum. Lots of Krag enthusiasts, including Scandinavians, will see it. There are also photos viewable on the KCA site some of which are Norwegian and Danish Krags. By the way, what is the year stamped on your 1912's Receiver Ring? I imagine it is likely your 1912 still has its original barrel.

It's dated 1915, and I think the barrel is original considering the comparable condition of the finish but one can't be too sure.