Krag passed doen through generations

[sendero]

This was passed down to me. My father said it came into the family through the old US Navy Yard in Philadelphia. Stamped 1895.

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]

Used to be a rifle...but still looks nice. How's the barrel? Usually they're about perfect, that's why they hunted and were seen good enough to cut down.

[sendero]

Shoots good. very smooth action.

[butlersrangers]

'sendero' - Neat family heirloom!

Actually, your Krag's receiver, (#26336 or #26836?), marked 1895 (and not model 1895 or model 1896), started its service as an early U.S. model 1896 carbine.

It now has the later type of carbine stock, that has the long forearm. These stocks were developed to make refurbished model 1896 carbines look more like the model 1899 carbine configuration. Your rear-sight appears to be a '1902 carbine sight'.

Your present front sight is a crude commercial replacement. It looks similar to ones turned out by Stokes Kirk company in Philadelphia.

It is possible your Krag was assembled from surplus parts by Stokes Kirk.

Attachment 104415Attachment 104414

[sendero]

That might make sense. I had gone to a big milsurp and antique gun show two weeks ago and they had many krags. I noticed that the base of my rear sight is different. The others gradually sloped up or had steps while mine is more of a hump. SN is 26836

[butlersrangers]

'sendero' - I think your rear-sight may be made up from parts: a Krag 'model 1898 rifle-sight' base and a 'model 1902 sight' leaf.

Springfield did not combine these sight parts, but, surplus dealers did.

A picture of your rear sight with the leaf 'up', so that the Spring is visible, would allow identification.
(1898 and 1902 sight bases are similar, but, used different 'flat' springs and the heights are different).
BTW - The carbine bases for 1898 and 1902 sights were stamped with a "C" on the side.

FWIW - U.S. Krags #26808 and #26862 were documented model 1896 carbines. Your number falls mid-way in-between.

[browningautorifle]

Actually, your Krag's receiver, started its service as an early U.S. model 1896 carbine.

There's a first for me, I've never seen a carbine with the front sight replaced...like that. Couldn't imagine why? Assembled from parts? Sold off and stripped and reassembled?

[butlersrangers]

Maybe the original carbine barrel had a rough bore.

Stokes Kirk describes their (No. 399 D) "carbines" having new rifle barrels, cut to 22 inches and their banded front-sight installed.

[browningautorifle]

having new rifle barrels, cut to 22 inches and their banded front-sight installed.

Makes perfect sense. So, a carbine receiver changed to something...else.

[Frederick303]

I have Stokes/Sedley school rifle of the same vintage, 1894 action body ~20,9xx serial number. Just located south of you in Bucks county.

There were a ton of them made in the WWI era, the catalog shown was a 1918 edition. A lot of them were used by the various guard organization in WWI, as real rifles were in short supply. A lot of them were sold cheap to the users at the end of the conflict, so it is quite possible your grandfather was a gate guard, member of the state guard, bridge guard, etc and got it thorough that method.