'tgoldie00' - Springfield Armory, due to increased rifle production for the demands of the Spanish War and Philippine Insurrection, was in short supply of cured black walnut stock blanks.
In 1899, there were two contracts with a N.Y.C. lumber firm of Windmuller & Roelker for 13,000 and 20,000 Italian walnut stock blanks.
The Italian walnut stocks were shaped and finished at Springfield Armory and usually have 'cartouche dates of 1899, 1900, 1901, and 1902. Many Italian stocks seem to have gotten 'stained' to darken them, (on the unit level?).
Your rifle, #255275, was likely originally assembled in March or April, 1900.
Caution: To remove your hand-guard, take off the rear-sight , take the barreled/action out of the stock, and slide the hand-guard to the muzzle, which will relieve the 'spring-tension' of the hand-guard 'clips'.
Store the loose hand-guard with coins, (a quarter and a penny), twisted into the spring-clips to counter-act the tension on the wood.
Krag hand-guards crack easily, if unsupported or 'snapped' on or pulled off a barrel. (They don't make them anymore)!
The front barrel-band cannot be removed with the front-sight blade in place. The stock can be removed with the front-band held forward. (A piece of masking tape will keep the band out of the way).
If you feel compelled to remove the front-sight blade, the small pin is 'tapered'.
The pin should be driven 'left to right' to remove. Use a proper small drift-punch and support the barrel and sight-base. (A brushing of parts and soak with penetrating oil helps)!
Nice Sling! How long is the total strap?
The Krag sling was basically a 'carry-strap'. Its use as a 'shooting aid', came into U.S. practice, around 1903.
One improvised 'shooting technique' was, to run the sling through the 'mid-swivel', attaching the Krag sling to the 'stacking-swivel'.
(The model 1907 sling, for the 1903 Springfield, was designed to serve as a carry-strap and a shooting-sling).
BTW - A nice original Krag sling gets priced around $75 to $100, these days. Take good care of it. Repro-slings, for actual use, are cheap.
Attachment 114419Information
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