Sporterized Krag questions

[nf1e]

Howdy Gents,
I just acquired a sporterized Krag rifle with 23 1/2 " barrel in the 405,XXX ser number range. Just wondering if a bobtailed bolt and buckhorn sight might have been a trademark of someone known on the forum. Excellent bluing job and all parts look new. Just curious. Oh yea, this rifle was supposed to have been left in a closet since the early 30s.
Thanks
Art

[psteinmayer]

Could you post some pictures? They might help some of us get a better understanding of what you're talking about.

[5MadFarmers]

Just wondering if a bobtailed bolt and buckhorn sight might have been a trademark of someone known on the forum

Oh yea, this rifle was supposed to have been left in a closet since the early 30s.

That pretty much leaves everyone out but Hosmer. Nobody else on the forum was old enough to be doing gun work in the 1930s....

[nf1e]

Thanks for the humor MadFarmers. That's on of the reasons I have enjoyed reading this forum. I will get some photos up as soon as I can. I was not suggesting that the builder might be on the forum today. Just that someone may have had kind of a trademark by cutting off the tail of the bolt.

[Dick Hosmer]

Removal of the cocking piece head was never common, and, I think I've seen more 03s so modified than Krags. Don't know that it would ID, or suggest the work of, any particular gunsmith though. Apparently the thought was that lock time would be decreased and I suppose that it was, in milliseconds. The knock was that the only way that such a rifle could be re-cocked in the event of a misfire or hang-fire (an issue perhaps more prevalent 'back in the day') was to open the bolt - not something one would want to do if there was a pending ignition problem.

[nf1e]

Thanks Dick, I will get some photos soon. I thought that and the fixed , I think aluminum, buck horn rear sight. Forward rear sight screw hole looks to be filled with a screw that was finished flush with barrel and then the whole shebang was very nicely blued. Springs on the feed door close the thing like a bear trap. You don't want to get your fingers in the way. My other Krags open and close very gently compared to this one.

[nf1e]

May take me a few minutes, but here are a few photos of the rifle I was asking questions about.

[Dick Hosmer]

Not un-atractive, though I'd have done a few things differently, like leaving more wood ahead of the band, and that rear sight is pretty much set for one load, at one (fairly short) distance.

Interesting about the mag box spring tension - have you checked to see that it is assembled the same way as your others?

[nf1e]

Thanks Dick. It may be that my others have been well used over the years. Nothing seems worn on this except the paint has partially come off the sight. I agree with the one load one range on the sights. Strictly for hunting at relatively short range. The bob tailed bolt and the sight is what caught my eye. I have cleaned a ton of crud off the rifle and out of the barrel. Bore is now nice and shiny and guages just under a 1 at the muzzel.

[dave]

Not done by a well known commercial shop, like Sidgley or Stoegers. They always restocked with a sporter stocks.

[jon_norstog]

NF1,

That's a good-looking sporter. I like the treatment on the stock fore-end. You could lose the rear sight and have a Marbles/Lyman adjustable folding leaf sight, or even a set of express sights, and get some versatility and probably a better sight picture.

Good luck.

jn

[nf1e]

I mainly picked it up for the novelty. I will give it a try on steel on my home range just for the halibut.

[psteinmayer]

I'm guessing the barrel length measures 24 inches muzzle to bolt face. Not a bad looking sporter, but I agree about that rear sight. I would look into replacing that!

[adrians]

Nice looking rifle you have there, but as everyone said the rear sight would have to go if you want to get the full benefit out of the 30-40.
My sported krag wears one of the Pacific peep sights which replaces the cut-off lever , it's not a complicated sight and pretty plain looking but it alloys for windage and elevation and gets the job done..
I also bought a "Rice" peep which fits on the bolt but I cant use it on this bolt cos the extractor is riveted on and not screwed on ,,,,, but one day another Krag will come into my life ( I hope anyhoo, ) and it'll get used .

krag& bayos 024..jpgkrag& bayos 038..jpg

[Dick Hosmer]

Uhhh - the Rice came with a special bolt and nut which replaced the "rivet" (actually a snug-fitting pin which is easily pushed out as it is not peened over). If the sight had been designed otherwise it would have excluded 95% of Krag owners as customers! A substitute bolt can be made without too much trouble.