Krag Sporter Restoration

[Dan Arnold]

I just started a restoration project on a previously cut-down 1898 Krag. I'm not trying to bring it back to original, just fix it up into a respectable deer rifle. I'm keeping a journal of my progress at Krag Diary This is my first project of this type, so I invite everyone to check it out and offer their insights, comments, and questions.

Thanks,

Dan

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.

[jon_norstog]

Dan,

The rifle looks pretty good in its "before" configuration. I would double check, it might have a carbine barrel - otherwise, why the dovetail?

If it were my rifle I would get a Pacific or Redfield peep sight, the kind that screw into the magazine cutoff slot. If you rbine"absolutely have to have a scope, one way to do it would be to buy a spare side plate and weld a mount to that. Keep the original.

I hunt elk mostly with my krag "carbine." It was a bubba job I bought a few years ago and had it rebarreled. It was cheap and had the Pacific sight already. I don't see an awful lot of need for a scope, hunting at the kind of ranges the 30 Army round is good for. Although they really do help sort things out when the light is poor.

Good luck!

jn

[Dan Arnold]

Thanks for the tips Jon. Unfortunately, it doesn't look that good up close. Maybe I should try to sell it on the internet. However, based on your feedback and others, I'm going to go light on the modifications. I think I'll pursue your peep sight recommendation and at least defer the scope decision.

Is the dovetail indicative of an original carbine barrel? I thought the originals were all either integral with the barrel or of the barrel-band type ('03 front sight). My theory was that the dovetail was cut by whomever cut down the barrel originally and he wasn't happy with it (its a little off center and off level).

[andiarisaka]

The dovetail for the front sight on yours is for a commercial sight. Krag barrels were dovetailed, but wider than yours. Then the sight post was brazed to the barrel. What you have there could conceivably go back to original with a barrel from the CMP and a forearm made from European walnut from Dunlap Woodcrafts. I have a forearm on order from them. They don't do their own carving, but supply the wood. The carver missed my forearm on the last go round, with luck it'll make it soon, I've been waiting about 4 months. Here's how I mounted a scope to model 96, it's a Miller Kodiak Dreamount, made in the 1950's, as was the scope. The scope would bring more than the rifle. Basically, the mount is a big leaf spring that attaches to dovetail that has to be mounted on the barrel. In my case I had 2 holes drilled and tapped. With a CMP barrel, which already has 6x32 holes, all one would need is either another hole d&t'd or a mount made that's the same length as the holes already there for the rear sight. Just a blank piece of steel contoured to the barrel with a 3/8" dovetail across it.

[jon_norstog]

Learn something every day!

jn

[Dan Arnold]

Lots of good food for thought there, andiarisaka. Thanks!

[Dan Arnold]

New developments on the front sight front: Krag Diary: New Front Sight