Fake Carbine??

I have come across a Krag Carbine that I wouldn’t mind owning as a shooter.
I just don’t want to pay a “collectible” price for what I believe is one of those carbines that Dick Hosmer has so succinctly described as being from the “cesspool” of fake carbines that are out there. Here is the best description I can come up with at this time:

Receiver marked “Model 1898” Serial # 209530 (circ 1899??)
22” barrel w/correct front sight. Rear sight is either a M1898 or a M1902. (I don’t know how to tell the difference). The sight does NOT have a letter “C” anywhere on it and is marked 2 to 20.
Stock is a 32”, no provision for a sling bar and the butt compartment is for an oil bottle. The front band is retained by a spring.

Now as to condition…. Very nice bore (That’s why I would like it as a shooter)
The stock has been sanded and refinished. The cartouche is still somewhat visible but unreadable. No sign of a ramrod channel. No splits or cracks that I could find.
Receiver, barrel and bolt exterior are finely pitted with no original finish whatsoever. Looks like a wire wheel was used to clean them up. I couldn’t pull it out of the stock, so I don’t know what the underside looks like. It is also missing the magazine cut-off.

All in all, probably not worth trying to restore, but OK as a shooter (if the price is right.) The owner seems to think it should bring around $800. I don’t want it that bad.

Is this a “arsenal” rebuild, a “shade tree” rebuild, or is there any way to tell ?
Where would a reasonable price point be?

Thanks,
Dean

The serial number puts it out of contention for a real M1898 carbine ( too high ). It sounds like the stock could be a real M1899C stock. You didn't mention the front sight or the hand guard, both of which would bear close scrutiny. Pictures would let us tell if it is a "shade tree" rebuild. It could be worth $400.00 as a shooter.

The front sight looks just like the one on my rifle. I'm pretty sure it's legit. (Or is there some difference between rifle and carbine front sights?)

The handguard is the "flat" one without the raised portion in front of the rear sight.
Anything else I should look for? It looks just like the M1899's pictured on the Web, but, as you said, the serial number says otherwise.

My Krag knowledge is pretty weak as I've never owned a carbine and I only have the one rifle, a M1898 Rifle, serial 431525, cartouche 1903.