Krag rifle dated 1902(stock) questions

[ncblksmth1]

Were any of the 1902 Krags parkerized? The one I just picked up has 293xxx serial number with full parkerization and a JSA 1902 Cartouche. What do you guys know?

[M2Phil]

Springfield Armory began Parkerizing M1903 rifles in late 1918, around the end of WWI. Everything before that was blued. Your serial number puts the date of manufacture in late 1900. If it's cheap and the condition is good otherwise, you might have a nice shooter. But it's not original.
Hope this helps.

[psteinmayer]

There are parkerized Krags out there. Krags were used up to and beyond the Great War (WWI), however I've no idea if any were parkerized during arsenal rebuilds. Madsenshooter competes in the CMP Nationals at Camp Perry with a parkerized Krag. He may have some great insight...

[madsenshooter]

I know there was a Veteran's Organization in SC that had a whole bunch of parkerized Krags. That's where my 92/96 came from. Either the fellow who did the parkerizing was a master tweeker, or the rifle had been tweeked before he did his thing. It's very closely fitted and has the best, no overtravel, trigger of any of my Krags. Every bit of wear on the parkerizing, I put there myself. I bought it figuring it'd look about the same in another 100yrs. Long story behind it as it arrived in two pieces. I've found it best to keep a light coat of grease on the bolt body, slows the parkerizing wear.