Krag Rifle Identification Help

[butlersrangers]

'polandaj' - A clear well focused picture of your front-sight and muzzle crown area would tell a lot about your barrel's origin.

There were almost 30 manufacturing operations or steps in the making of a U.S. Krag barrel.

The 15th operation was the machining of a dovetail and the bronze brazing of a 'lug' that would eventually become the front-sight base.

This 'lug' was a manufacturing reference point and helped position the unfinished Krag barrel for rifling, outside-contouring, rear-sight hole positioning, and barrel-thread timing.

At first glance, a Krag front-sight base appears 'at one' with the barrel steel. On close examination, a faint bronze colored seam can be seen.
Springfield Armory did a fine job with the Krag front sights and this discrete bronze 'outline' is often hidden by oxidation, patina, and crud.

The original muzzle-crown contour of Krag carbine and rifle barrels is seldom duplicated on cut-down barrels.

Krag carbine barrels are exactly 22 inches long, when measured from the muzzle to the (closed) Bolt-Face with a cleaning rod.

There was a time when lots of spare Krag parts were available on the civilian market. Dealers and hobbyists could put together rather convincing 'parts carbines'. This may have been done just to provide a useful gun for hunting, shooting, or display.

Of course, there have always been fakers who assembled bogus carbines for profit!

Springfield Armory did not put 1896 rifle sights on carbines or cut down rifle barrels to make model 1896 carbines.

Attached photos with arrows to show front-base seam.

Attachment 111987Attachment 111988

Information

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[polandaj]

A clear well focused picture of your front-sight and muzzle crown area would tell a lot about your barrel's origin.

Snapped some photos that hopefully help. There is a curvature to the barrel crown, making the crown it slightly recessed. I measured the barrel with the cleaning rod against the bolt face (with bolt closed as you suggested) and it's right on 22". If it's off, it's off by less than 1/32".

There are also what look like some tool marks on the barrel under the handguard - perhaps a sign of a person that installed a new barrel but "bit" into the metal while doing so, or didn't care if they marred it up since it's covered.

Attachment 111996Attachment 111995Attachment 111994Attachment 111993Attachment 112000Attachment 111999Attachment 111998Attachment 111997