1899 Carbine Price Range

[Jay Johnson]

I have a really nice 1898 Krag with Italian walnut furniture, they really aren't what I collect but I found a nice 1899 Carbine at a LGS and I'm wondering what the price range should be, here are the details:

*Original finish on metal, I'd grade it a 87-89%
*343,xxx serial number range
*Bore is nice, bright, some pitting, rifling is sharp
*Original stock with 1901 cartouche and proof, unsanded, no cracks or gouges, doesn't look to have been refinished.
*Handguard has the sight bump in front, condition and finish matches the stock
*1901 rear sight is C marked

It passes the sniff test with me, but admittedly I'm not very Krag knowledgeable, but still, it appears original to me.

LGS is asking $1250, I'm tempted to make an offer of $1000 and would probably pay a little more, but only because I'm not in the hunt for a Krag Carbine and I don't go to gunshows anymore, so I'm willing to pay a little bit more for a good example if it's an easy find, and this one was an easy find...

So is $1000 to $1100 a reasonable price?

TIA for your thoughts.

[Dick Hosmer]

Yes, IMHO, that would be reasonable. Not a steal, but not rape, either.

[sdkrag]

Sounds like a pretty good deal.

[Pentz]

Paying a little over going rate for an honest example in that shape, especially one you have hands and eyes on, will never be a decision to regret.

[psteinmayer]

Amen to that!

[jon_norstog]

Jay,

Is it a consignment, or is the shop the current owner? Do shooters in your area have money to burn? If you live in a truly bankrupt state, the market for toys and collectibles may have cooled some. Are hogs flying out the door at your local Harley shop? When you make an offer on something like that its money right now. The asking price is money later, maybe.

An approach that works for me is to ask "how much do you **have** to get for this?" Lot of time that will get you to a lower price without having to show your cards. Take it from there.

FWIW, if it was a really nice original '99 carbine, and that's what I wanted, it would be worth $1,000 to me.

You might try a SAS check on the number before buying. Finding some history on the piece would make it a lot more interesting, at least to me.

Good luck!

jn

[Jay Johnson]

Thanks guys for your input, I went back to the LGS and purchased the rifle today. Jon, I followed your advise and asked how much he had to get for it, he said pretty close to the $1250 sticker but then said he'd let it go out the door for $1200, we have a 8.75% sales tax here and with the DROS fee it would have added about $130 to the rifle, so I'm happy with the deal.

Thanks again everyone.

[Pentz]

California, eh? Have to wait or did you get to use your C&R? Nice purchase that you won't regret. Now where are the Pics!!??

[Jay Johnson]

Yes, California and no, I don't have a C&R, so pics in 10-days or so :D

[Kragrifle]

Is there a cartouche?

[Jay Johnson]

Yes, JSA 1901 and circled proof, stock appears to be unsanded.

[Mike Josephic]

I purchased an 1899 carbine last year. It was in near pristine condition, 95% original blue on the metal parts,
stock perfect and markings correct. However, it cost me about $800 more than you paid.

I think you did very well.

[psteinmayer]

Great buy... Can't wait to see the pictures!

[Jay Johnson]

I picked her up yesterday and after getting her home and wiping her down with a good oil cloth and running an oiled patch through the bore I believe it's better then I originally thought. When I first looked at the rifle I didn't have a bore light and thought I saw some pitting in the barrel, but with a bore light it's bright and shinny, no pitting and strong rifling; muzzle wear is a 1 on a Duff gauge and the crown is undamaged with some bluing present. The rear sight is C marked on the base and ladder and the front sight blade is also C marked. The stock has never been sanded and the original bluing is in excellent shape. It's a beauty through and through :)


http://i316.photobucket.com/albums/mm360/wp64/1899%20Krag%20Carbine/IMG_5966_zpsd33934ca.jpg

http://i316.photobucket.com/albums/mm360/wp64/1899%20Krag%20Carbine/IMG_5961_zps2348b842.jpg

http://i316.photobucket.com/albums/mm360/wp64/1899%20Krag%20Carbine/IMG_5978_zpsab65a4be.jpg

http://i316.photobucket.com/albums/mm360/wp64/1899%20Krag%20Carbine/100_3658_zpsa2fa3706.jpg

http://i316.photobucket.com/albums/mm360/wp64/1899%20Krag%20Carbine/100_3657_zps6d0a4a89.jpg

http://i316.photobucket.com/albums/mm360/wp64/1899%20Krag%20Carbine/IMG_5977_zpsfb2f488f.jpg

[Jay Johnson]

A few more pics.

http://i316.photobucket.com/albums/mm360/wp64/1899%20Krag%20Carbine/IMG_5976_zpsdb4ff618.jpg

http://i316.photobucket.com/albums/mm360/wp64/1899%20Krag%20Carbine/100_3632_zpsfa8b7cc5.jpg

http://i316.photobucket.com/albums/mm360/wp64/1899%20Krag%20Carbine/100_3643_zps5b3be4c3.jpg

http://i316.photobucket.com/albums/mm360/wp64/1899%20Krag%20Carbine/100_3647_zps73f6a8eb.jpg

http://i316.photobucket.com/albums/mm360/wp64/1899%20Krag%20Carbine/IMG_5980_zps0bf638e5.jpg

[Kragrifle]

Very nice!

[Pentz]

Now aren't you ashamed of not leaving that for some more deserving soul? Like me!! Well done in my opinion and I would have done likewise.

[Rick the Librarian]

I agree, great purchase, and like Dick said, a fair price.

[psteinmayer]

WOW! That is a beautiful piece! Let us know how she shoots...

[Jay Johnson]

Took her out to the range today and shot 20-rounds of Winchester 180gr. Power-Point soft point factory ammo, with the ladder up and using the
lower peep (man is that hole small) here's what I got out of her at 100-yard off the bench:

The widest group

http://i316.photobucket.com/albums/mm360/wp64/1899%20Krag%20Carbine/09b22600-be02-4fa1-aff5-d5ce8a373c1e_zps2a573131.jpg

The best group

http://i316.photobucket.com/albums/mm360/wp64/1899%20Krag%20Carbine/55573fdc-92fe-451d-a0ae-b20b6726b562_zpsf57dce75.jpg

[psteinmayer]

Looks like she is tightening up as she warms up. You might want to slug the bore and see where the size winds up. If it's over... .310 or bigger, consider shooting cast loads. It may be surprisingly more accurate! Otherwise, looks like she shoots well!

[jon_norstog]

Jay,

That last 5 looks like a pretty decent average for a Krag in good shape. If you draw a box around the holes, then draw another box with the sides offset inwards one inch or so, to allow for human wiggling errors, you can get an idea of what the rifle itself is capable of.


You see better targets posted, but those are usually people showing off their best. And what Paul kinda says, an old firearm needs a few rounds put though it before it will start shooting right.

jn

[Dick Hosmer]

Always the sh*t disturber, I suppose, but unless I'm missing something (and I did briefly try to reconstruct events by checking the pasters) but I do not believe it was ever stated that the best group was the last group. One thing that IS for sure is that bench-rest or not, that little sight hole is NO friend to old eyes!

Very nice carbine, which will be fun to get dialed in.

[Jay Johnson]

I shot four 5-shot strings, the first was at 50 yards to get a feeling for the sights, the widest group (pictured) was the first 5-shot string at 100 yards then my 13 y/o son shot 5 and sprayed them all over the target, then I finished up for the best group.

I asked my son how his sight picture was using the lower peep, he said it was good, I commented that it was difficult with my eyesight to use the lower peep to which he wondered out loud why his group wasn't as good as mine. I explained to him that his eyesight is better then mine but my experience and technique still gives me the advantage, to which he asked when we're going shooting again :p

[psteinmayer]

I have the 1902 with a pop-up peep on my 1898 rifle. Although I used to use the peep, lately, I find it easier using the open cup. Much easier for my 51 year old eyes to get back on target after a shot with the cup rather than the peep.

[DocCasualty]

Double WOW! Beautiful carbine. Congrats!

[hkp7fan]

I have a very similar 1899 carbine that I purchased in Feb 2012, right after getting accepted to the Army War College. SN 358,XXX, produced in November 1901. I felt about the same as you did, not 100% sure if it was complete and accurate but it looked and felt right.

Since November 1901 was the month and year that the Army War College was founded, I decided "the stars were in alignment" and I bid on it on GB and won. I now call it my "War College carbine". Even though the final impetus for the purchase was only semi-rational at best, it turned out to be genuine and I've never regretted the purchase for a second.

Sometimes you just have to go with what feels right. Glad it worked out for you. :)