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So I inherited a 1894 many years ago from my Uncle. It is the " Holy Grail" of my service rifle collection. It has a beautiful shinny bore with distinctly sharp rifling. Serial 17615 any help with it`s history would be great My Uncle bought it out of a barrel of Krags and 1903`s at the farmers co-op in Napoleon North Dakota for $15 in the 50`s. She really likes the 220 grain ball she was made for. She gets about 5 cartridges a year when the grand babies are over. WILL HAVE MORE PICTURES SOON.
Does it have the M1896 upgrades? If it has, it is usually called a M1892/96 by collectors.
That is why I am here to ask the experts. I believe the sights have been changed to the 1896 design? Not sure though and would love the input from the people who know. will have more pics soon.
No hit in Springfield Research records. Here are the closest numbers.
17476 92R 09/12/97 DEPT OF DAKOTA INF COMP
17620 92R 09/12/97 DEPT OF DAKOTA INF COMP
Thank You M1903RIFLE, That is only 5 off of the last number and it totally makes sense that it was bought in North Dakota. Do you think I could assume it was issued in the same batch to the Dakotas? That is very cool info either way. I would love to hear what anyone else has to say about this rifle. To me it`s priceless I grew up drooling over it and was loved enough to inherit it from my uncle when he passed. it is the seed that started my collection. I would like to know the approximate value of an early girl like her. The only stamps left on the stock appears to be a Proof stamp on the wrist.
Maybe an expose' of pics is in order?
She has a even Grey patina with no pitting of any kind. The Bayonet 1896 and Scabbard were acquired later but I believe it is the second version with the swivel limiting pin in it? As a child me and my older brothers all used it at one time or another for Deer and Elk hunting. She never failed to deliver exceptional performance. If you all can`t tell "I LOVE HER":).
I've had my share I guess, one rifle/one carbine/one school gun. Had the bayonets and bags of ammo, couple sets of dies and a trim die. Still got the last set. Although I sold my brass and guns, I'd still be hard pressed to resist one of those if it came towards me at a good price... I too like even the look of that one.
Would love to find a nice real carbine for a reasonable price for my collection. REAL is the key BUBBA CARBINES are everywhere. Even a BUBBA done right for the right price would be cool. People are asking crazy money for cutup and band-aided creations that THEY WERE TOLD BY GRANDPA was the real deal.
100% with ya. I've been hunting for a nice Bubba trapdoor carbine for a few months now. Thinking I'll work it into a nice Officer's Carbine style.Quote:
Originally Posted by M1 C FAN
But yes, even badly done chop jobs are still $500 or so. I can find full length rifles (that I wouldn't dare chop, of course) for around $600. It's crazy!
Thank goodness there are not to many people out there dying to sporterize a nice rifle anymore. the 30/40 has moved to the back of the closet for most people if they have ever heard of one. But there are still those who would CHOP a nice rifle to create a Carbine along with a cool story about some history with the cavalry.
The scary thing is the type of folk that would do that is no longer the type of folk that does decent work.Quote:
Originally Posted by M1 C FAN
Not many guys out there doing work like this anymore:
Attachment 100588
I've shown that carbine a few times on the forum but I love it and love showing it :D
Done far enough to not go back and just use it as is. I expect it has an about perfect bore...
You could shave with the rifling and use the rest of the bore as your mirror ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by browningautorifle
Beautifully done sporter. Some of the old jobs were very well done and are still great shooters putting meat on the table every year..... That you can find ammo. You have to be dedicated to spend the money to practice a few rounds and then hunt.
It must've been a trip hunting with your original rifle shown. That big ol' 30" barrel -- you could poke the deer/moose in the eye with that thing haha!Quote:
Originally Posted by M1 C FAN
Yeah when we grew up each of us boys got to use Uncles Krag when we passed Hunters Safety and went for our first year. I Needed a Tree to rest the thing I was only a 102lb 12yr old that was even height with the rifle. I`m sure it looked funny as can be but i can tell you I was so proud to use it I felt 10ft tall. She only gets a handful of shots a year at the range these days.
It's hard not to feel a little strength from our ancestors from these old rifles. It's like grabbing hold of a time machine. The men that carried these, the lives saved, the lives taken, the families fed. It's sobering to think of what they've been a part of.Quote:
Originally Posted by M1 C FAN
From the pictures, it would appear that your rifle is a M92/96...that is a M1892 rifle that was converted to to M96 configuration but using the original stock. I have a M92/96 that is a SRS "hit" having been with the the 25th Infantry Bicycle Troops in 1897.
So my number falls in between the numbers listed to The Dakota Infantry Comp. Were they sent in Blocks of numbers? Just wanting to narrow down the history. Any additional Input is great. Thank You ALL.
Odd are if you don't have a hit, you better not assume. Nice to imagine though...Quote:
Originally Posted by M1 C FAN
Don`t want to assume anything just don`t know how they were sent out. Did they ever send out blocks of rifles to companies to any ones knowledge? Just ignorant.
It's generally assumed no.Quote:
Originally Posted by M1 C FAN
To build on Jim's point, these "hits" are typically found in manifests of a certain company/troop/etc. supplies.
Because of that, if a manifest is found we can pretty much say we know all the rifles that were issued to them. Thus, if this doesn't show up as issued to them in the SRS, it almost certainly was NOT issued to them.
M1 C FAN.. from the photos it appears that the rifle has been modified / updated to a Model 1896 (as has mine).
Thank You Tom in NJ. Yeah, I thought modifications had been done to the sights at least from what I have checked over the years. So would it be just a coincidence then that a rifle with a hit 5 numbers away went to the Dakotas and this one was bought in the Dakotas? Don`t want to beat a dead horse. She is priceless to me no matter the history.:)
Yup.Quote:
Originally Posted by M1 C FAN
It's possible it was issued somewhere else in one of the Dakotas...but it almost certainly didn't go to the same place as the others that are recorded.
Thanks RCATHEY. Wish I could have dug through the barrel of 1903`s, Enfields and Krags my uncle bought her out of. Long lost days.
You ain't kidding!Quote:
Originally Posted by M1 C FAN
My uncle talks of similar arrangements of foreign stuff in the '80s at the local Coast 2 Coast. If only we had a time machine. Answer some questions and snag some souvenirs while we're at it haha.