Custom 1898 Krag Target Rifle

[cprher]

I bought this online several years ago and almost immediately sold it to a close friend.* Well, I just got it back today and I'm very happy I did.* Don't know the name of the gunsmith or when it was built.







The quality of the build is first rate.* Even the butt plate is hand forged and checkered.* VERY accurate due to the Douglas XX barrel and glass bedded action.*






Keith

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.

[browningautorifle]

That sure looks nice, still 30-40 too. That would be nice.

[villiers]

That is a BEAUTY! Congrats!!

[CINDERS]

Just a question the mounts were they for a long tubed scope like an Unertl type just curious.

[cprher]

Just a question the mounts were they for a long tubed scope like an Unertl type just curious.

That appears to be the case. Due to the distance from the rear base to where the rear of scope needs to be for proper eye relief, a long tube appears to be the only type that will work. I'm trying to decide what scope I want to use. I've got my eye on a Redfield 3200. Should know today.
Keith

[Mikesm44]

I'm not usually one to like modified milsurps, but that thing is f-ing gorgeous. Wow. Just wow. I bet it shoots like a dream too.

[browningautorifle]

I bet it shoots like a dream too.

And in 30-40 it wouldn't hurt you either.

[cprher]

I finally had a chance to remove the stock, and found the name W.L. Armitage stamped on the bottom of the barrel near the receiver. The gun was bedded, and the gunsmith added an extra action screw, in a fashion similar to Norwegian Krags. I Googled W.L. Armitage but came up with absolutely nothing. My next step is to write American Rifleman (with pics) to see if they can help me with identifying the name. Next to the name was an "H", but its significance is beyond me. Here are pictures of the bedding, barrel and trigger. The trigger was the most interesting. A Dayton Traister Mk II, it obviously was not made to fit a Krag and had to be heavily modified to fit. But it works to perfection with about a 2# pull with no creep and a crisp letoff. I contacted Dayton Traister and was told they were bought out in 1985, but my contact at DT stated that they made a few Mark II triggers for Krags, mostly in the 50's and 60's, but sold them as late as in the 70's. So this trigger (if not modified by Armitage) doesn't help me date the gun's build.








Keith

[jmoore]

My SWAG for the build would be 1970s. Old Brownell's catalogs might help date the barrel or maybe somebody at Douglas, as it seems it might very well have had the barrel installed by them, judging by the markings.

[cprher]

My SWAG for the build would be 1970s. Old Brownell's catalogs might help date the barrel or maybe somebody at Douglas, as it seems it might very well have had the barrel installed by them, judging by the markings.

I did call Douglas with that thought in mind. However, my contact there was very specific. If Douglas had installed the barrel, then they would have stamped the barrel below the stock line with the last 3 digits of the serial number followed by the month and year of installation (XXXMMYY). Besides the Douglas XX markings, caliber markings (30-40), the H and W.L. Armitage, the barrel is not marked. My gunsmith is personal friends with the Douglas family and gave them a shout as well. His findings confirmed what I was told on my phone call.
Keith