Opinions on a Boyds 1898 Krag Rifle Stock.

[robh5]

Does any one have an opinion on a semi-inletted Boyds Krag rifle stock? Is there still a lot of final fitting and also, do they get the right profile and depth for the grasping grooves?
Thanks.

[psteinmayer]

Of course, this is just based on hearsay... but I have heard that Boyds stocks are complete nightmares! An enormous amount of carving and final fitting to do before you will be close to getting the barreled action into the stock!

[Dick Hosmer]

I'd suggest waiting to find an original stock, especially if you are concerned about your wood-working skills. They DO turn up, though nice ones are not cheap.

Or, you could buy a cutoff and a forend. Or, you could buy a cut-off rifle with crappy metal (which could be sold to defray the overall cost) plus a forend. Or, you could sell your stuff and put the money against a complete rifle. Lots of options!

[Fred]

There is a Krag rifle stock on eBay now

[WHG]

I don't know how their Krag stocks are, but I got one of their M1 Garand stocks a few years ago. I didn't have to do any inleting to get it to fit. Just finish sanded it and applied BLO and was ready to go.

[robh5]

Dick, Can a 1898 stock be used for a 1896 with the required work for the bolt recess? Doing that work would not be a problem for me. But I don't know if there would be any other modifications. As you said original stocks turn up occasionally, but more often they seem to be for 98's. I've been looking for a 96 rifle stock for a long time. Thanks.

[Dick Hosmer]

I see no reason why an 1898 stock could not be reworked into an 1896 - only the area around the bolt is different. Having said that, I'd still try to find an 1896 - they show up too, just not as often. Plus, you wouldn't be "spoiling" a stock that could have been used by someone else.

I think my choice would be to find a bubba 1896, sell the metal, and get a repro forend. Less work than inletting a new stock. Forends should be pretty straight-forward to fit. That way the bolt cut is done exactly right, you might still have a trace of a cartouche, and would not be tempted to patronize the a-hole who rents fake stamps.

[JBinIll]

Here's another place that has Krag stocks but their web page hasn't been updated in years.I was told this is where S & S Firearms gets the stocks they offer-

http://www.dunlap-woodcrafts.com/MilitaryStocks.php#23

http://www.ssfirearms.com/products.asp?cat=28&filter=krag

[Ned Butts]

There is also http://gunstockduplicating.com/index.html They are the successors to Mike Kokolus. Before Mike lost his battle wit cancer he made the best reproduction stocks on the market. I saw the new owners at a Harrisberg show a year or so ago and the quality looked as good. Mike had patterns for US Krags and Norwegians so hopefully they will continue to make them. I believe that they are made on order. Mikes stocks were not cheep but they were worth the money.

[madsenshooter]

I have one of Boyd's carbine stocks around here somewhere. I remember the grasping grooves didn't look right. They resembled an original stock that had been sanded. I haven't put anything in it to see about fit otherwise. Right now, I'm realizing I haven't seen that thing for quite sometime.

[M2Phil]

I did a Boyd's "semi-inlet" 98 Krag rifle stock a couple of years ago. There was no part of the stock that didn't require significant to major work in fitting, inside or out. From the buttplate tang to the forend tip, and everything in between. Everything. External shape, inletting, everything. Grasping grooves were more of a suggestion than a reality. It was a nice enough piece of walnut, but for the money and the work involved, better to start off with a blank. I'm in the process of adapting this stock to a 92/96 action now. As Dick Hosmer has pointed out, it's just a matter of enlarging the cut-out for the bolt handle seat and flaring the wood around it.
Don't really have any knowledge of these other companies, except for using a couple of the S&S replacement forends, one was great, the other just OK.
The fellows on this forum are pretty enthusiastic about Krags, and if they can steer you to a better solution to your stock problem, well...

[robh5]

Custom Rifle Stocks are located about half an hour from were I live. I've seen them set up at various gun shows, but never noticed any military stocks in their displays. Gave them a call this afternoon. They do make a Krag 96 rifle stock, price range was around $340.00 ?. I was told that they are not drilled out for the rods and oiler though.

[robh5]

I think a re-pro forend is the way I am going to go. Any opinions who offers the best ones? Thanks.

[madsenshooter]

http://www.partsforantiqueguns.com/Krag%20%28Springfield%29%20Upper%20Handguards.htm I believe these folks also make the ones S&S sells.

[Kragrifle]

Guys, there are very nice 1898 Krag rifles everyday on Gunbroker for under $1000, and often under $800 that are real guns, with real markings and that will hold their value (at least until the Democrats completely eliminate the 2nd Amendment). So, why buy a fake (reproduction)?

[Dick Hosmer]

Guys, there are very nice 1898 Krag rifles everyday on Gunbroker for under $1000, and often under $800 that are real guns, with real markings and that will hold their value (at least until the Democrats completely eliminate the 2nd Amendment). So, why buy a fake (reproduction)?

A big +1!