danish krag 1889 long model shooting experiences

[jarmann]

hej kragers
SHOOTING EXPERIENCES WITH RIFLE marked as follows
following stamps on krag I have an eye on ??
upper part of receiver marked C , staple with CLOSED legs ,cown on HV , crown on DK
left side of receiver gevaerfabriken kjobenhavn 1891 and M89 ,
no other stamps on metal or woodwork
the staple stamp with cloed legs should mean the 4 grove bore has a freebore (ubergangskonus )from "30mm long "
greetings from flanders
jarmann

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[browningautorifle]

I had a long model US rifle. It shot like a dream and was the single smoothest rifle I've ever owned. The 6.5 cartridge is known for accuracy so it should be an excellent shooter.

[Oldyoti]

Actually, the Danish Krag, is chambered for the (.322") 8x58Rmm Cartridge. The factory duplication ball load pushes the 198 grain bullet at 2740fps with 3310fpe. This smokes the 30-06 hands down. Yet, the working pressure is only 42,000 to 45,000psi, well below the limit of the dual lug Danish Krag.

Finding the brass may be a bit of a challenge though... as to the accuracy... with it's 1~12" twist rifling and a good bore, it should perform equal to it's tack driving little brothers from the US and Norway.

The cases can be formed from 45-90 brass and I believe that Bertram still makes it as well.

JT

[browningautorifle]

the Danish Krag, is chambered for the (.322") 8x58Rmm Cartridge

Guess I'd have discovered that if I'd have looked. At any rate, it should be an excellent rifle for application.

[Oldyoti]

Guess I'd have discovered that if I'd have looked. At any rate, it should be an excellent rifle for application.

I kind of figured you just had a momentary bit of Scandinavian confusion... been there myself.

I have 2 Krags right now, a US 30-40 and a 6.5x55 Norwegian... I've been on the hunt for a Dane for a while though... Want it to be correct numbered and in good shape, untouched, with bayonet and kit if possible.

In any case, Ol' Olé and Erik made a rifle for just about any contingency... the 6.5 is an excellent antelope and deer rifle, the 30-40 is a great elk and "muley" slapper, and with the 8x58 Dane hitting cleanup, it's more than adequate to harvest about anything that roams in the Americas from coast to coast, pole to pole...

JT

[NRA]

30-40 krag most def one of the smoothest bolt actions I own.

[gew8805]

At one time - long ago - Norma loaded and sold the Danish Krag ammunition. I had the opportunity to buy a box at the Richmond show about 20 years ago but didn't have a rifle at that time and left it sitting there. I kicked myself several times a couple of months later when I did get a very nice Danish Krag and have not seen any ammunition since. I'm not a reloader so it sits waiting.

[Oldyoti]

At one time - long ago - Norma loaded and sold the Danish Krag ammunition. I had the opportunity to buy a box at the Richmond show about 20 years ago but didn't have a rifle at that time and left it sitting there. I kicked myself several times a couple of months later when I did get a very nice Danish Krag and have not seen any ammunition since. I'm not a reloader so it sits waiting.

Well... as I see it, there are 4 ways you can go on this, and it's all predicated on how badly you desire to shoot that ol' Dane. Now if you are really chompin' at the bit to shoot it... 'course, 20 years seems like a pretty long time to be chompin'... you could jump into reloading. However it may be a little pricey, likely quite a bit more than you originally paid for the Dane 20 years ago... for sure.

On the other hand, there is an alternative, a less dollar intensive route. You could spring for the components and sidle up with one of the guys here that already reloads for the Dane, a rare bird even in these parts, and you could have him load you up a few. Or, you could continue on as before, searching the tables at the shows for that illusive box of 8x58Rmm cartridgees - that may, or more likely may not, be there...

Or finally, as a last resort, you could turn the old boy for a handsome 20 year profit, to someone who's doing a little chompin' of their own. That way you can rest assured, as certain as the sun rises every morning there'll be that ultimate inevitability... at the very next show, that long sought after box of Danish cartridges will be there waitin' for ya and you'll have enough cash in your pocket to pay for it.... (chuckle)...

JT

[gunboat57]

I just came upon this thread and wanted to warn those who load the 8X58R Danish cartridge that the information listed in "Cartridges of the World" (8th edition) for that round is grossly in error.

Factory loaded cartridges are loaded to a maximum pressure of 28,000 psi and give a mv of around 2200 fps with a 198 gr bullet.

It was originally a black powder cartridge which launched a 237 gr bullet at around 1600 fps.

Beware of loaded ammo purchased from places like "Ammo Depot". The 8X58R Danish I bought from them years ago was waaaay too hot. I ended up pulling all the bullets and loading my own powder to safe levels.

[Oldyoti]

I just came upon this thread and wanted to warn those who load the 8X58R Danish cartridge that the information listed in "Cartridges of the World" (8th edition) for that round is grossly in error.

Factory loaded cartridges are loaded to a maximum pressure of 28,000 psi and give a mv of around 2200 fps with a 198 gr bullet.

It was originally a black powder cartridge which launched a 237 gr bullet at around 1600 fps.

Beware of loaded ammo purchased from places like "Ammo Depot". The 8X58R Danish I bought from them years ago was waaaay too hot. I ended up pulling all the bullets and loading my own powder to safe levels.

Tom,

So what was the "Ammo Depot" stuff doing to your Danish Krag...?

The 303 British and others were black powder rounds in the beginning as well, yet they operate nicely today at much higher pressure...even in their original rifles like the Lee Medford... as well as the Lee Enfield...

the Norwegian and Danish Krags both have dual locking lugs fitted. Both the front lug and the bearing bolt rib are timed to lock together... Both rifles are of superior metallurgy to the US Springfield Krag which has only a front locking lug, with the bolt rib left a tad loose as a safety lug...

The Norge and Dane if in good mechanical shape are both 42,000 to 45,000 PSI actions... The US Krag in good shape is rated at 38,000 to 40,000 CUP... a bit higher if you are using the ANSI PSI scale, but in the same ballpark. Loading manuals state around 40,000 PSI is the top end for the single lug US Krag. I load 38 gr. of IMR-3031 behind a 168 gr Hornady BTHP which gives an accurate 2400fps or so, hovering in the 36,500 CUP range and works real well in my 30-40. 42gr of IMR-4831 pushes a 140 gr. Hornady HPBT at about 2470 with around 40,000 CUP in my 6.5 Norwegian, again, accurately and without signs of over pressure or strain...

Now there isn't more than a couple of drops of water difference in the carrying capacity of the 30-40 and the 6.5x55 cases. The 8x58 Dane however is a whole different dog... by comparison its case is huge with 20% more powder holding capacity, so it takes a bit more propellant to fill the case to the same pressures as it's little brothers when you light 'er off.

I agree, that the COTW#8 loads seem a bit warm, a bit hotter than I would load in any case... yet Norma loaded these loads for this rifle for decades with no outbreaks of blown up Danish Krags as a result. The Dane is quite robust with it's dual lug action... yet I would check it over well to start with, flux the bolt and lugs and check the lug timing... once satisfied that it a-okay, begin with 42 grains of IMR-3031 behind a 196-198 grain bullet... this is a good starter load in this cartridge and will yield around 2200 fps... if the rifle is in good shape,it will handle a lot more though.

JT