ranger66
01-18-2014, 03:47
I have just discovered that the armed forces museum in Norway has started publishing pictures from their collection. This includes their small arms collection. There are some interesting pictures here that illustrates the development of the Krag.
When the Krag was developed, they didn't start from scratch. In in many ways it was a further development of the Jarmann Rifle. This was the first bolt action rifle, with smokeless powder, for the armed forces in Norway, and one of the first in Europe. Some say it was the first. Krag tried to develop a magazine for the Jarmann. He early undestood the usefulness of high magazine capacity. This picture shows a Jarmann test rifle with a Krag magazine. He called his magazine a capsule magazine. http://digitaltmuseum.no/things/prvegevr-1015-mm-jarmann-kapselmagasin/FMU/FMU.000122?query=jarmann&search_context=1&count=148&pos=8 This was a s early as 1880.
The Jarmann design was not strong enough for modern cartridges. So Krag teamed up with gunsmith Jorgensen for a new design. In the beginning he retained the 10 shot capsule magazine. this picture shows a 1890 model test rifle. http://digitaltmuseum.no/things/repetergevr-65x55-krag-jrgensen-1890/FMU/FMU.000135?query=krag+jørgensen&search_context=1&count=459&pos=12
The capsulemagazine worked well enough. The problem was: Nobody wanted it. The rifle was offered to several European countries but the generals was wery conservative in this matter. They were afraid that high magazine capacity would make the soliders waste ammunition. Krag redesigned the magazine to take only 5 cartridges. He called this a half capsule magazine.
The krag only has 1 frontal locking lug. Many consider this a design flaw, but already in 1892 this was rectified. His 1892 model had 2 frontal locking lugs, although you can't see that on the picture here: http://digitaltmuseum.no/things/repetergevr-65x55-krag-jrgensen-1892/FMU/FMU.000134?query=krag+jørgensen&search_context=1&count=459&pos=11
This model was pantented in the US, with patent number 492,212. Krag saw it as the model that had the biggest chance to be accepted. But he was wrong. The US purchasing commision liked the sleek and light action of the single lug rifle better. They didn't want a 10 shot magazine but they liked the magazine cut off. All this led to the design beeing frozen on the wrong premises (in my view). This also set the premises for the Norwegian design, allthough this action is a little stronger as the guide-rib works as a locking lug.
When the Krag was developed, they didn't start from scratch. In in many ways it was a further development of the Jarmann Rifle. This was the first bolt action rifle, with smokeless powder, for the armed forces in Norway, and one of the first in Europe. Some say it was the first. Krag tried to develop a magazine for the Jarmann. He early undestood the usefulness of high magazine capacity. This picture shows a Jarmann test rifle with a Krag magazine. He called his magazine a capsule magazine. http://digitaltmuseum.no/things/prvegevr-1015-mm-jarmann-kapselmagasin/FMU/FMU.000122?query=jarmann&search_context=1&count=148&pos=8 This was a s early as 1880.
The Jarmann design was not strong enough for modern cartridges. So Krag teamed up with gunsmith Jorgensen for a new design. In the beginning he retained the 10 shot capsule magazine. this picture shows a 1890 model test rifle. http://digitaltmuseum.no/things/repetergevr-65x55-krag-jrgensen-1890/FMU/FMU.000135?query=krag+jørgensen&search_context=1&count=459&pos=12
The capsulemagazine worked well enough. The problem was: Nobody wanted it. The rifle was offered to several European countries but the generals was wery conservative in this matter. They were afraid that high magazine capacity would make the soliders waste ammunition. Krag redesigned the magazine to take only 5 cartridges. He called this a half capsule magazine.
The krag only has 1 frontal locking lug. Many consider this a design flaw, but already in 1892 this was rectified. His 1892 model had 2 frontal locking lugs, although you can't see that on the picture here: http://digitaltmuseum.no/things/repetergevr-65x55-krag-jrgensen-1892/FMU/FMU.000134?query=krag+jørgensen&search_context=1&count=459&pos=11
This model was pantented in the US, with patent number 492,212. Krag saw it as the model that had the biggest chance to be accepted. But he was wrong. The US purchasing commision liked the sleek and light action of the single lug rifle better. They didn't want a 10 shot magazine but they liked the magazine cut off. All this led to the design beeing frozen on the wrong premises (in my view). This also set the premises for the Norwegian design, allthough this action is a little stronger as the guide-rib works as a locking lug.