My 1898 Krag - Is It A True Carbine?

[kragluver]

The carbine's front sight was also stamped with a "C". In one of your pictures, your front sight appears to have the "C". I think you do have an original carbine stock. The carbine rear sights were graduated to 2300 yds instead of 2000 I think (I may have those numbers wrong). I believe you have a rifle sight. Only 5,000 Model 1898 carbines were manufactured - original ones are rare. Most Krag's stamped 1898 were full-length rifles and many were cut down after they were sold off (mine for instance). An 1899 cartouche would not be incorrect on an 1898 rifle. The S/N on your Krag is very close to mine - I suspect you have a cut down 1898 rifle mounted in a carbine stock.

The saddle rings were deleted on the later carbines (1899 for sure - not sure about the 1898s).

I cross-checked my copy of Mallory last night and your S/N is definitely in the 98 rifle range. Still a nice looking Krag! Enjoy it

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[andiarisaka]

Your carbine could still very well be a real carbine Dave. The 98 carbines are very hard to prove. The only thing I see wrong is the rear sight, and that may have been changed when it was sent to state service. If I were you I'd post the pics on Culver's Krag forum where some more in the know folks will get a gander at them. The 1899 cartouche would be in line for this rifle, cartouches were done by calendar year and as you've noted the fiscal year, runs into the 1899 calendar year. The barrel appears to be genuine carbine, and not a cutdown rifle barrel. http://www.jouster.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=12

[kragluver]

andi makes a good point. I wasn't trying to say you don't have an original carbine, its just that the s/n looks like it was in the range of rifles per my reference books; however, there is new evidence coming to light regarding Krag's. There's a guy over on the Jouster forum that goes by 5MadFarmers as well as Dick Hosmer that can probably tell you a lot more about this rifle. 5MF has some very interesting research work going on in the area of Krag's that is worth reading.