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seniorcatsailor
07-15-2013, 01:09
I have been bench rest shooting a Mannlicher Krag with a shortened Springfield 03 barrel, with the heqavily pitted end cut off, since 1965. All of this shooting has been done with the Lyman 311291 cast bullet using 14 grains of 2400. On a good day I could get 10 shot minute of angle groups. More The shortened barrel was previously found to shoot well in a 30-06 Springfield, but I was not satisfied with the primer protrusion from the case heads after shooting such a light load. I was not willing to shoot a subsequent heavy load to move the case shoulder out again. More recently I completed a sporter with a fancy Herter's stock blank. This rifle has a 2 groove Springfield barrel rechambered to 30-40. I can now get under minute of angle groups. This sporter has a full floating barrel with a glass bedded 1896 reciever. Extra support for the receiver is obtained with a sleeve butting the front and an extra screw through the stock. nto this sleeve. This is the approach I used in the late 1960's for a single shot Krag in .219 Zipper. All of these rifles have the bolt heads hardened to Rockwell C 40-45 followe by Magnaglo inspection for quench cracks.

I know that fussy cast bullet bench rest shooters would not use a Krag action. They would want a modern single shot action and a heavy target barrel for use in 30-40.

madsenshooter
07-15-2013, 07:48
I thought the same about those fussy cast bullet benchrest shooters. I have the makings of a CB Krag benchrest rifle in my cabinet. It's one of those when I get round to it things. Actually, I guess I have the makings of a couple, one in regular 30/40 with a heavy contour Wilson barrel and one to be done in what would be a .303 British necked down to 6mm and blownout, with a Sako barrel. Got a couple old target weight stocks too. Just need some glass like yours!

jon_norstog
07-16-2013, 07:24
Those are some nice rifle, sailor. I'm a sucker for a mannlicher stock, and the Krag IMO makes a nicer mannlicher than the original Mannlicher Schonauer with its fussy little bolt handle. That you can hardly grab wearing gloves. Madsen, there is a 'smith, Roy Bedeaux, in Albuquerque who does really good work, reasonable prices, and is especially partial to Krags. He doesn't have to advertise and doesn't even have a sign on his shop. PM me if you want his phone # and address.

jn