1898 Krag Saddle Ring Carbine HELP

[butlersrangers]

The OP has three threads going on this carbine; (two on Gunboards and one here). This makes for a lot of duplication of effort and possible confusion. I am not an EXPERT, just a STUDENT of Krags.

There is no SRS listing for this Krag, serial number 134317. Only a very small percentage of the almost 1/2 million Krags that were made are listed in SRS Data. (IIRC - about 4%).

The closest listed Krag is #134319, a model 1898 rifle.

The two closest SRS listed model 1898 carbines are lower and higher serial numbers, than the OP's: #133919 and #138709.

Only 5,000 model 1898 carbines were made. Their serial numbers are mixed in with many, many, thousands of rifles with identical receivers. Krags were not assembled in numeric order.
Finished numbered receivers, apparently, went into parts bins to be grabbed rather arbitrarily and assembled into arms.
This is why model 1898 carbines are problematic.

(The later model 1899 carbines were dated 1899 and intended to be carbines. There are some 1899 carbines that are "1898/ over-stamped to read 1899").
Many model 1898 carbines were later refurbished/rebuilt to model 1899 stock configuration. They retain the 'model 1898' receiver marking.

FWIW - 'Frank' Mallory in his book, "The Krag Rifle Story", 2nd edition, included tables of SRS Data. Reviewing the 'Appendix-Tables', I find a handful of model 1898 carbines listed that have numbers above #134317.
Five are listed in the 138XXX range.
Two are #140190 and #140195.
#154770 is listed as a Saddle-Ring carbine in the Springfield Armory Museum.

The highest # is a very suspect one, #156680. It is listed twice in 1929, as a carbine at the U.S. Consulate-Tientsin. That number is also listed, as a rifle in 1899, issued to the 35th USV Infantry!

Most of the model 1898 carbines seem to fall between #118270 and #125062. I think the lowest recorded is #117536. Listed model 1898 carbines are always mixed in with lots of documented rifles.

IMHO - A credible model 1898 carbine in the early (short stock, saddle-ring, model 1896 carbine rear-sight) configuration is a lot more valuable than a model 1898 carbine updated to model 1899 configuration.

The decision should be influenced by price, credibility of the carbine (reputation of seller and uniform age and wear on parts), interests of Buyer and his toleration for risk.
A low price can make such a purchase a 'No Brainer'. At the worst, this Krag has over $1,000 worth of parts.