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Thread: Finally found my Krag

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  1. #21
    Legacy Member butlersrangers's Avatar
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    Just the 'numbered' face of the leaf is in the 'white' on a good condition 1901 sight.

    (I believe some Kragicon rifles, that were 'reconditioned' just before WW1, may have more of a homogeneous 'black-blue' appearance of the metal surfaces, but, the different component parts did not take this treatment evenly).

    BTW - #0000 steel wool (or bronze wool) saturated with Hoppe's #9 solvent can remove surface rust from metal and leave blue and patina intact.

    The edge of a copper penny or brass cartridge case, worked with a film of linseed oilicon, can be used to burnish and breakdown heavier rust deposits into a nice brown patina.
    (Go slow, examine progress by wiping off the rusty slurry occasionally with paper-towel, and renew linseed oilicon. I do a final burnish with rottenstone in linseed oil and the edge of a popsicle stick. This can give a pleasant patina, but, will not remove rust pits).

    Attachment 110456

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  4. #22
    Contributing Member ssgross's Avatar
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    Thanks for the pic of the side. My go to surface rust removal is 0000 steel wool and barricade or kroil.
    I've spent all morning trying to reinstall the trigger. I only found one video that makes it look way to easy and his hands blocked the shot. Does anyone have any tricks to share?

    EDIT: Belay that...I got it! I only spent half the time this morning locating the spring on the shop floor each time it flew out.
    Trick. Clamp the barrel firmly in the bench vice (rubber pads on the vice), pointing out to the right with the trigger's pocket on the receiver pointing up. This allows one to use both hands to compress the spring and get it started. Hold it steady with the left hand and push straight back with the flat side of a screwdriver in your right hand while continuing to rotate with your left hand.
    Last edited by ssgross; 08-08-2020 at 01:48 PM.

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  7. #23
    Legacy Member butlersrangers's Avatar
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    We have shown easier ways to re-install the Kragicon trigger on the Krag Collector's Forum. (Unfortunately, that site is currently down for 'updating').

    I use the shank of a close fitting drill as a 'slave pin', (Oops, not PC)! I put the 'assist pin' through the manufacturing hole in the knuckle of the trigger. The drill shank also fits a small diameter manufacturing hole in the receiver recess for the trigger.

    This 'assist-pin' lines up the trigger assembly for insertion.

    I then put the trigger spring in its hole. I rotate the spring to take advantage of a slight bevel at the spring end.

    I use a (1/2 open) 1903 Springfield tool wide screw-driver as a lever to compress the coil spring with one hand, while pushing the trigger-assembly into place with the other hand.

    That Krag trigger-spring is STRONG!

    Attachment 110461
    Last edited by butlersrangers; 08-08-2020 at 04:01 PM.

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  9. #24
    Contributing Member ssgross's Avatar
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    She's all put back together. I'll get to the stock work next weekend. I want to scrub with mineral spirits and a blue kitchen scrubby to lift the layer of grime. Light wipe with alcohol to even out the finish, maybe a very light layer of stain to hit the couple deeper scratches that go below its existing finish, then linseed oilicon.
    Here is the bore after one pass with JB paste and kroil - pick is more or less average for the whole length. Gonna be another week at least before I get to see how she shoots. But will certainly post back the results.
    Attachment 110483
    Last edited by ssgross; 08-08-2020 at 09:18 PM.

  10. #25
    Contributing Member ssgross's Avatar
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    Brass finally came in the mail! I had plenty of Hornady 180gr SP's on hand and loaded up a bunch. I also drilled and tapped the back of a case for my Hornady OAL gauge to check max case base to ogive to make sure the chamber hadn't been drilled out. I saw a long freebore as expected, but the bullet stays in the case. I bubba-checked the headspace with a case and aluminum tape on the back - bolt closes with 1 piece of tape, but not 2 so headspace appears to be fine.
    I then took the firing pin out of the bolt, and used my just loaded ammo to check feeding. Ejection is fine. Bolt picks up a round fine when the magazine cutoff is off, and skips when the cutoff is on all as expected. However, the lead tip of every round in the magazine hits the left rim of the chamber, and doesn't glide in unless I stick my finger in and re-direct.
    I've read about the problem, and went to Cabela's hoping to find some 220gr round nose. It's like Armageddon has already happened in there - not a single box of ANY 30cal bullets, not a single box of primers of any kind, and the only powder on the shelf was some pyrodex.
    Armegeddon aside, I'd sure like some ideas to make this rifle feed smoothly. I've read about sometimes switching out the cover on the left works, but would rather not. Can the spring be adjusted? The bolt catches on the right side of the case, pushing the nose hard against the left side of the receiver. Can the spring be adjusted to counter that?

  11. #26
    Advisory Panel browningautorifle's Avatar
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    I've had trouble feeding anything but the 220 rd nose. I used 150 gr pointed and 180 pointed...it was made for the long round nose. Even casting some would be better. It's a length and profile thing. Butlersrangers will have some more on this, also Jon Norstog... They've done WAY more.
    Regards, Jim

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  13. #27
    AlexRod85
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    Wow! Nice looking rifle!

  14. #28
    Contributing Member ssgross's Avatar
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    I don't think it's the spring (but would be happy if I'm wrong), my sidplate fits like a glove - ever so slight lip on the sidplate where it mates on the feed ramp in the receiver (e.g. side plate protrudes a thousandth or 2 into the reciever). If anything, that couple thous. would help it. I've seen the other posts on just the last round not feeding...but for me it's every round.
    I finally found a place on the inter webs with 220 round nose bullets. They're in the mail. I'll shoot the 180 SPs I loaded over the weekend or early next week and post back whether or not case ruptured from a tampered-with chamber (I'm doubtful, but the mathematician in me says it'd be dishonest to say 100% confident without making a casting), and how she shoots.
    I read a horror story on another forum when I was researching the feeding issue - guy says a local gunsmith used a file to cut a half-moon on the left of the chamber, then tacked an ugly weld onto the feed ramp to "push" the rounds right, and welded to on the cover plate.
    EDIT: Just saw another thread here with "my krag will feed almost anything but is more accurate with 220 RN". Made me think that although my SP rounds poke the side of the chamber when I was playing with it on the workbench, when I cycled with a bit more force like one would when on the firing line, they slipped right in, albeit with a bit of friction. Pulling one out shows the soft lead tip deformed with large burr on the left side. Probably also why his doesn't shoot as well with SPs.
    Last edited by ssgross; 09-10-2020 at 09:09 PM.

  15. #29
    Legacy Member butlersrangers's Avatar
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    Lots of U.S. Krags are tolerant of cartridges with different bullet weights and profiles. Most Krags handle 180 grain hunting projectiles well.

    Some Krags are just fussy.

    Springfield Armory and U.S. arsenals just had to check to make sure that there was proper functioning with issue ammo and its 220 grain RN 'jacketed' bullet.

    The inside of the Kragicon's left side-plate plays an important role in smooth and proper cartridge feed. (Occasionally the plate is loose and not properly seated or a model 1896 plate has been put on a model 1898 Krag).
    The inside of the plate should be clean and free of dents and burrs. Rust, crud, or old hardened cosmolineicon can interfere with smooth feeding.

    There is a 'lobe' toward the inside front of the plate. The case-shoulder meets this lobe and it influences the cartridge feed angle.

    Krag owners experiencing feed problems have sometimes found the side-plate to be the culprit. (A spare plate is a cheap and easy test). Some owners have built-up (and re-shaped) the lobe with solder or epoxy to correct the feed-path for a desired load.

    Most of my Krags are not 'cartridge sensitive' and tolerate 180 grain SP's and 168 grain 'spitzers'.

    You may have to alter your Over-All Cartridge Length. Possibly your projectile is seated-out too far?
    The projectile tip may be touching the barrel-breech, before the case-shoulder makes contact and gets directed by the lobe of the side-plate?

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  17. #30
    Legacy Member jon_norstog's Avatar
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    Hello SS! The Kragicon can be finicky about ammo alright. Ive had a few, some would feed anything, some would only feed RN bullets. As a hunter I stick with RN anyway as they expand better than most spitzers at Krag velocities. The hangup seems to be at the joint between the receiver and the side cover plate, where it's supposed to turn the bullet toward the chamber. You should see what my hunting rifle does to "ballistic tips."

    I think you could get in there with a dremel or a die grinder and just fair up that joint. The metal on the side cover is case hardened and will take some work. Be careful not to cut deep into the receiver, which is a lot softer.

    Good luck!

    JN

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