New Krag, but modified

[Sailct41]

Hi everyone, I just picked up this Krag from 1904. The normal sights have been removed, the stock and barrel have been bobbed. I don't recognize that rear sight. Anyone have some help for me here with info. Only paid 200 and it should be a nice shooter. I would love to here the experienced tell me what was done and what if anything I could do to bring it back to original

Information

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[browningautorifle]

Not just the rear sight, but what's the story on the front sight? They were just silver soldered on and that one has a sleeve like a 1903 sight.

[Sailct41]

Sorry I don't have a story, bought it from a nice young man that lives out in the desert west of phoenix. Thought it was interesting and is the first modified milsurp I have besides the Mosin I played with.

[andiarisaka]

I think you should just enjoy it as is, they can be surprisingly accurate. But some guys just gotta go restoration. That'd be pretty costly. You'd need a new barrel, available from the CMP for less than $200, a new forearm to graft on, around $70, another rear sight and its screws, maybe up another $70, shop around for that, and a minor repair to the wood on the left side, easy enough to do. Oh, upper band, they sometimes bring upwards of $100 now. Also a reproduction handguard, another $70. Maybe another front sight stud and blade too. The Pacific receiver sight that is on it could bring up to $70 to help finance part of the restoration. Also rear sling swivel, and middle band with swivel, stacking swivel for the upper band you'll have to buy. So you'd have around $600 to put in it, plus your initial investment and likely never get anything like that out of it.

[browningautorifle]

Sorry I don't have a story

I didn't really mean you, there are several here that live Krags and I was hoping when they jump in to answer your other question, they'd answer mine. I've seen some school guns that had a Springfield 1903 sights tooled on and wonder if this might be a case. Thing is, it looks like a Krag sight put on a Springfield base...odd...anywayzzz, it'll make a nice shooter. Much like I'm doing with mine.

[andiarisaka]

Sometimes the sight studs were removed when the barrel was shortened and lots of ways were contrived to put them back on the shortened barrel. I have one front sight here that appears to have had a homemade band riveted to the original stud, another one was welded onto a homemade band. That one was an oldie, the blade is held on with pin that is more a rivet, and old 92 sight. I guess once they got fiddling with the front blade thickness and height they saw the folly in that method of attachment. I really can't see enough of the OPs sight to say what it is.

Oh, I discovered how to enlarge the photo. Looks similar to the one I have that has the band riveted to an original sight stud. After enlarging, I can see that the stock might be an 1896 stock, has a scalloped cut around the bolthandle.

[Salt Flat]

That is a nifty rifle. Leave it as it is! It has a very nice dark patina stock with crisp finger grooves. These are becoming a piece of Americana and cross over into vintage sporting collectibles. I can see it hanging in an old hunting cabin in Alaska or Montana or anywhere the deer run. Salt Flat

[Sailct41]

I don't know Jack about Krags that is why I picked one up. Your posts have been helpful and I will leave it as I found it. I did however put a little bore cleaner and chucked up a 30 cal brush and removed about 75 years worth of grime. now the bore is clean although not really shiny, a little frosted. the ammo gets here tomorrow so it will be nice to try it out this weekend. Does anyone reload for this on the forum?

[MasterChief]

Got this example about 20 years ago. $125 at a gun shop in Bakersfield. I call it 'Edgar'.

It's a real tack-driver at 50 yards but unfortunately the head space is excessive. Sone day I'll custom-tailor some reloads with the case shoulder blown forward.

By all means, enjoy yours for what it is: poverty hunter's low-buck deer-getter.

[browningautorifle]

I reload, I use a 150 gr FMJ (30 cal) of course and a lower load of IMR 4895. Standard rifle primer...trim case to length. They are milder loads and don't stress my brass, which is in short supply around me.