Glass bedding a Krag

[CHW2021]

I have a model 1898 Krag that has been sportered, not by me. The issue is that the stock on the gun is a weak and floppy mess, I happen to like it because it has a nice length of pull and is light weight. I am wanting to glassbed the action and barrel, but, I am not sure how to begin with a rifle with no recoil lug to glass; should I just bed the barrel and call it a day? The forend is contacting the barrel very irregularly (flexing against the barrel) and I am thinking that this is helping me get minute-of-barn accuracy out of a rifle with a good bore shooting mild handloads.
Suggestions?

[musketshooter]

One action screw is not enough! You either need to make and install a barrel band or weld a block on the bottom of the barrel and drill and tap it for the front action screw. There are many areas on the receiver that take up the recoil. It should be obvious where to apply glass bedding.

[CHW2021]

Looking for input, why re-invent the wheel? Your suggestion for a barrel block is not a direction I would have chosen first. I am sure there are more experienced guys than me I can learn from.

[Dick Hosmer]

Yes, and you just got some very good "input" from one of them! Weren't you ever told that you could catch more flies with honey than with vinegar?

All the glass bedding in the world isn't going to help, without some force to overcome the cantilever effect of the Krag action's rear-biased mounting system. The gun was simply not designed to omit the band, period.

[gnoahhh]

It can be as simple as a shallow threaded hole in the barrel to catch a screw coming up through the fore arm (not really recommended), a small block dovetailed into the bottom of the barrel for the same reason, or a band encircling the barrel with a block on the bottom for the same effect (recommended). Anyway you do it is immaterial, as long as you add that second anchor point.

[CHW2021]

Guys, I am appreciative of any input. if I knew the answers I damn well would not have asked. I admit my ignorance of the Krag action and am asking for help. Please???

[Southron]

I would love to be able to help you, but I know very, very little about the Krag Rifle.

I would send an e-mail to the Technical Stall of the National Rifle Association at their HQ in Northern Virginia. They can either answer your questions about the Krag or will give you the name and address of a Krag expert who can answer your questions. I have dealt with them in the past and they are always very helpful.

https://contact.nra.org/contact-us.aspx

[Dick Hosmer]

Do you have an issue stock that hs been slimmed down, or an aftermarket one, such as a Fajen or Bishop?

The basic Krag stock design does not lend itself to glass bedding.

The thin section under the magazine box will flex, having little stiffness in the vertical plane, such as is provided by the dual magazine sidewalls of a "modern" Mauser-type stock.

Take a common yardstick - press on a wide side, it bends. That is the Krag. Now turn the yardstick and press on a narrow side. it doesn't bend. Now imagine two such yardsticks - that mimics your Mauser/Springfield/Ruger/whatever - which now really doesn't bend. That is an oversimplification, of course, but illustrates the principle. You don't have anything to bed "against" with the Krag stock.

Virtually all of the high-grade Krag sporters of the Golden Age ('20s-'30s) had some form of supplemental barrel band, or screw/lug setup. The old-time gunsmiths understood that - given the built-in deficiency in the stock - some pull-down was required at the front. Once you accomplish that, then glass bed the contact/thrust areas to your hearts content.

[raymeketa]

The Krag is a joy to shoot but a PITA to stock. Sometimes I think the best thing you can do is get a rifle stock and sporterize it using the issue barrel band.

But, I did make a custom stock for a cut-off rifle that I had once years ago. It was a Fajen semi finished stock with a pistol grip although I think I may have gotten the last one that Fajen made. Anyway, I made a nice contoured barrel band with a lug on the bottom that I inlet into the stock. A screw came up from the bottom, holding the foreend in place as well as could be expected. Very similar to what you find on the pre 64 Model 70 Winchester.

That thin piece of wood at the magazine is the weakest point in the stock. I took a dremel tool and routed out as much wood as I dared and then built it back up with strips of fiberglass matt. It was a lot stronger and stiffer than the original but not ideal.

Finally, you glass bed any contact points that you can.

Mine shot very well, but it also shot very well before I did all the work. But, it sure looked pretty!

Good Luck

Ray

[CHW2021]

Thank you gents, it seems there is more than I thought that needs to be corrected. Someone did a nice job of making/splicing this stock together, but, it seems that the flex in the magazine area is a larger issue than I suspected; I shall see what I can do for a barrel band and then go from there. It is such a nice action and a nice weight gun I want it for hunting.
I appreciate your time.

[jon_norstog]

My best luck with "stock" Krag stocks has been to give them a good cleaning and glass-bed about 1 1/2-2" ahead of the receiver, also under the barrel band. There should be some pressure on the barrel when you tighten the band up. If the stock looks ratty where the back of the receiver butts against wood, clean and glass in there too. If you get vertical stringing, sand the glass under the barrel band until things are working OK. Sometimes some silicone grease at that location helps. I have also had good luck using silly putty instead of glass under the barrel band.

Good luck to you, CHW

jn