CMP 1899 Krag carbine questions?

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

It looks as though the barrel may be a replacement as the current sight base does not seem wide enough to conceal the original sight dovetail.
Thoughts?

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

Another bit on which I need some expert advice. Which of the magazine cutoffs is appropriate for the 1899 as I need a replacement?

Short / long / long rifle?

[butlersrangers]

Model 1898 and model 1899 Krag receivers use the Magazine Cut-Off Lever with the short shaft.

I have been seeing cut-down Krags at gun shows for ages with that "Curtain Rod Fixture" front-sight. I don't know who made them. They are hideous and make me cringe.

I suspect they were a hardware store (non-gun) item, that got improvised into a 'gun-sight'.

They were probably driven on and held in place by friction. They are common.

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

Model 1898 and model 1899 Krag receivers use the Magazine Cut-Off Lever with the short shaft.

I have been seeing cut-down Krags at gun shows for ages with that "Curtain Rod Fixture" front-sight. I don't know who made them. They are hideous and make me cringe.

I suspect they were a hardware store (non-gun) item, that got improvised into a 'gun-sight'.

They were probably driven on and held in place by friction. They are common

Thanks on both fronts. Now I know which cutoff to seek. And I will not loose anymore sleep wondering where that hideous sight came from.

Any wagers on weather or not I will find a dovetail under said hideous sight?

[browningautorifle]

Any wagers on weather or not I will find a dovetail under said hideous sight?

I think you'd see the evidence now, I expect it was a rifle barrel before.

[butlersrangers]

FWIW - I recently bought an altered model 1896 Krag barrel on ebay, which I thought to be a 'cut-down' rifle barrel.

Upon direct observation, it appears to be a model 1896 carbine barrel, that had the original front-sight cut and filed down, before being 'dovetailed' for a (backwards?) Marble's front-sight.

Note the ghost outline of the original Krag FS Base.

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

I saw four Krags this week end. Only one had the original sights.