Where Did You Find Yours

[butlersrangers]

Jim: Don't shoot any loads using that early Brass! The cases have just become brittle because of time. There is no way to salvage 80 to 116 year old cartridge cases. You can clean and use the projectiles, but, nothing else. Don't test your Guardian Angel further!
.30-40 Brass may be seasonal, but it is still made. (Graf & Sons' has it). If all else fails, 303 British Brass can be fire formed to make useable Brass for a Krag. (Note also, early U.S. Krag ammo was mercuric primed, which is death to brass).

Information

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[RT Ellis]

I acquired two rifles and four carbines. I still have one rifle and one carbine. Of those I have records on:

Rifle M1898 local gun store 1977 $185.50
Carbine M1896 local gun store 1976 $206.70 sold
Carbine M1899 local dealer 1972 $84.00 sold
Carbine M1901 Yuma gun show 1968 $55.00 sold
Carbine M1896 acquired in trade c.1977

I think your best chance of acquiring want you want is through Gunbroker, but you should be prepared to pay a premium price. And no pipe dreams about finding one at 2000 market value.

[Salt Flat]

BAR, That was a good price especially with the good bore. Really nice thing is that the handgaurd, rear sight and buttplate are present. They are usaually gone or messed with. Neat project! Salt Flat

[browningautorifle]

Thanks SF...I'll have this in picture form while I do the work. Hope it turns out well enough to be proud of and put here for viewing. I should have taken pics of the blade before and after. Yes, it was a good price. Otherwise, I wouldn't have touched it.

[browningautorifle]

Agreed. I know it's brittle and out of shape. I have a quantity of good brass and I can buy loaded live here for $42 CDN for 20 rds of hunting ammo. That way I at least have good brass...I also have some newer stuff that's in great shape. I kept some of the oldest and best shape stuff for the cartridge collection...the one you have pictured is one of them but it looks tinned. Mine are not. Unfortunately, 303 brass is just as scarce around here as 30-40.

[butlersrangers]

Jim: Maybe I misunderstood your earlier Post. It sounded like you were reloading 1898 vintage cartridge cases.
The U.S. Frankford Arsenal (FA) went through a period when they tinned .45-70 and .30-40 cases in attempts to reduce corrosion.
Interestingly, during the Spanish American War, the U.S. contracted with Kynoch for a supply of Cordite loaded .30-40 ammo to alleviate shortage of ammo. I believe these cartridges were marked with a "C".
Hopefully, some forum members can direct you to a good source for "Brass Canada"!

[browningautorifle]

I've been re-loading all of it and most successfully. I'll get usually two shots before they crack and some are still good. I don't have much choice here, I have to shoot what I can find. There have been no incidents because of cracked brass to date. I've had lots of 303 and 30-30 and 30 cal do the exact same thing. I have some tinned and "C" cartridges in the collection.

[Dick Hosmer]

I have acquired about 20 Krags over the 45 years I've been collecting - most came from gun shows, but recently Gunbroker has proven to be a good source, as long as you are very careful.

How long is the barrel on your Krag? It looks to be considerably less than 22". School guns and PCRs had carbine barrels which were turned down at the muzzle.

As to your brass, while it really isn't recommended because of the shorter case length, can you not obtain some newer/better .303 cases? That would seem to be a safer alternative to burning up really old Krag stuff which is so prone to failure. You might even be able to sell the rounds you find to a cartridge collector, and finance new brass that way. Good cases, neck sized, should last for perhaps 20 firings, with light/modest loads.

[browningautorifle]

If you mean me, my Krag has a 21 1/5" barrel. It's not a proper anything, but looks to have been cut down to resemble a school gun at some time. Done long ago, it's got the age patina that only time will produce. I suspect it was done way back when no one cared about these old rifles.

[Dick Hosmer]

Wow, that picture is surely misleading, then.

Here is a picture of my "school gun"