Krag rifle stock

[browningautorifle]

(think the service round was also 220gr)

Yes it was. When Hornady produced the 220 rd nose flat base, it was just about right. They seem to have ceased production though.

[Doco overboard]

I decided to make a new front sight blade to get point of aim at 100yds. to conserve some ammo while getting started and to shoot some deer this fall. I had a piece of sheet steel surface ground and left enough material to add .060 to the existing .125 that was evident from the top of the sight base using the old blade as a template to maintain the original contour which turned out more than well when final fitted. I'm still having a problem printing left 4- 6" at about 3-4 moa groups after adjusting elevation but I don't know if its the way my eye sees the notch in the 96 sight or maybe sling pressure from testing at prone or the sight is far enough front that I cant see it correctly after trying it out last night. I thought about switching rear sights and hand guards from the unusual Krag posted earlier to get two more inches of sight radius and the windage adjustment that it will afford to see if it works better, but am leery of the swap and breaking up the two rifles and didn't anticipate getting in to all that. I must collect more brass and get more familiar with the rifle before I can even begin to think about a rapid fire drill but I agree it must be a challenge but rewarding as well. I can find no obvious defects with the crown or muzzle with the exception of very slight cleaning rod wear that somebody who knows what their recognizing would only notice and the rifling is prominent and breaks over clean but you never know. Really enjoying the heck out of the project and the challenges it is presenting but a little disappointed with the windage as well because the faux school gun has mild pitting a worn crown and shoots much better with same ammo and much less effort. Could be my vision, its corrected now but could be getting worse, the front sight base, sling or something else I don't know yet. I'm going to get my lefty son to try it and see what happens or try a patch on my left eye from the bench I think too in different light somewhere else.

[browningautorifle]

And...those Springfield sights are fine, fine, fine...and I too had trouble without glasses.

[gc1054]

I've recently started using the EyePal when shooting traditional iron sights (non aperture). Seems to work really well for the Krag, SMLE., and the 1903. Also, I've opened up the rear sight notch on these rifles to 0.062"........really helps a lot for those of us with aging eyes and particularly with the Krag (thin blade and original tiny tiny notch were virtually impossible to see when aligned)

[gc1054]

Docko Ob,
What bullet are you shooting in the windage challenged Krag?
gc

[Doco overboard]

A Remington factory loaded 180, I now have some brass prepped that I'm going to hand-load. Im going to use a minimum start of 4895 and a Hornady 180 rn. for lack of having heavier bullets available to me locally, just to see what happens.

[browningautorifle]

That's about what I was doing. Hornady used to produce a 220 gr RN but the seem to have stopped...just a bit early by my thoughts. Seat these a bit further out and try to achieve OAL. That will help feed.

[Patrick Chadwick]

can find no obvious defects with the crown or muzzle with the exception of very slight cleaning rod wear that somebody who knows what their recognizing would only notice and the rifling is prominent and breaks over clean but you never know.

You can have a yard of perfect rifling from the breech to the muzzle, but it only takes a couple of tenths of a millimeter of asymmetry at the muzzle to send the shots off course. If you can see it, don't assume it's trivial. A light touch with a crowing tool to restore the best possible symmetry will be invisible after a few sessions at the range have dulled the shiny new surface, and it may well cure the off-axis grouping.

the faux school gun has mild pitting a worn crown and shoots much better with same ammo and much less effort.

The wear on the school gun may be symmetrical, and therefore have little effect.