Here's my late 1898.....input, please...

[218bee]

My first Krag...I have a VERY basic understanding of them, but would love to hear some more input, good or bad, about this baby....I paid $700 cash for it & the 1899 bayonet & scabbard...It's a 1898, serial#44285x, with a 1903 cartouche and shiny bore...

Thanks...

218bee

Information

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[charles isaac]

Your handguard has been altered, not supposed to have that step in it. The sight (M1902) is correct. Nice breech cover, muzzle cover and bayonet with the early style flush ground rivets. The M1907 sling is late for the gun but were issued late in the Krags service life.

I look at it this way; with $400 worth of accessories, you paid $300 for the rifle.

[charles isaac]

Oh yeah-Nice rifle, you did good!

[218bee]

This sling only has 1 brass claw, and attaches to the rear swivel with a stud...

I thought it was a 1907, but the one claw threw me...

Thanks for the input..The handguard has a step like you said, but also has a joint in it...Tight, but still is 2 pieces...Has anyone ever seen this?

regards

218bee

[sdkrag]

The sling is correct for the rifle. I collected for 20 years before I found my first muzzle cover. Also prior to the internet, availability of receiver covers and cleaning kits was relativly rare here in the midwest. Bayonets as well have gone up in value. I think you did very well for the money.

[charles isaac]

Glanced at the sling too quickly and the eyes are going. Sorry. Put them glasses on.

M1887 sling-nice one-so you only have $200 and some odd dollars in the gun. Those accessories pull some serious cash and on the high side, you could actually sell the accessories for what you have in the whole set up.

Good job!

[krag99]

You didn't get the oiler? too bad !! Wow- Did You get a deal!

[sdkrag]

Look closely. It looks like it's nestled right where it belongs under the cleaning rods.

[218bee]

Yes.....the oiler's there.......Pardon my photography skills.....

Another observation...I took off the buttplate and it is stamped inside with three numbers, "535", as is the trap door....They don't come anyway near matching the serial number, though...Has this buttplate been changed?
Also the handguard seems to have a "step" in it....I took it off and it looks to have been on there for a long, long time....It is one piece, but stepped...Anyone seen anything like this?

Thanks guys...I appreciete the input on this piece...I just gave the bore a few strokes with a cleaning rod and it shines....I can't wait to shoot it....

Rick the (Ret.) librarian says this rifle was in a big batch that went to France in 1917....Can anyone elaborate on this?

Thanks again

1911

[JimF in CT]

The "535" stamped on the buttplate and trap door are "assembly" numbers . . .only meant to keep these two hand-fitted parts together during manufacture.
Numbers have absolutely NO relationship to rifle's serial number.

As to your stepped handguard--
I'm thinking it had a chip or dent in the area and an earlier owner (maybe even Ordnance) sanded the guard at that point to make it more presentable. --Jim