Krag ID

[madsenshooter]

Hi jack ok, he got the info he needed. I've decided I really don't need anymore, I can only shoot one at a time anyway. In fact, I need to start some assembly of the pieces I've picked up, I have a grandson who doesn't have one and is reputed to be a crack shot.

[psteinmayer]

Hell Bob, Will that K31 to me!

[5MadFarmers]

Well, you're definitely more retarded than me!

Hence the position of Mayor.

I didn't find it necessary to obtain one from every block with each possible sight, or whatever. I think I have at least one of everything except a Parkhurst, and that won't happen unless the garage sale quality level sees a big increase - not paying retail for one of those.

I probably should have just ran for Governor and shelled out the money for it. If another pops up before summer I probably will. The Governor's mansion is quite nice as I hear it.

Rifles: 92R early (1892R), 92R late (1896R), 92/96R (1901R), 96R (1896R), M96R (1901R), M98R (1902R)

Carbines: 95C (1896C), 96C (1896C), M96C (1896C), M96Cx99 (1901C), M98C (1896C), M99C early (1898C), M99C late (1901C)

Other: School gun (1901C), .22GP (1901R), M98BoOF (1902C), M98BoOF (1901BR)

The accepted models will have some additions and some clarification when the book hits paper. Another scarce model will appear. I already have one.

Come to think of it, that IS pretty retarded, too! And, there are a few duplicates, not considered as part of "the collection". And then there are the TDs . . . . . . . .

Yup, that's another town. You're Mayor there. I don't even own a .50/70 trapdoor at this time. Then again campaign funds roll in all the time.

I have a Redfield front ramp sight for the Krag, in the box, but it's slightly different from the one that gun sports. The one I have mentions it's for a 26" barrel so they intend a snip before installation. While the barrel on OP's gun is crowned he'd have to measure length to see if it's a snipped and crowned rifle barrel or a carbine barrel. Given the receiver I'd guess the latter. In which event it'd be interesting to see if removing that ramp sight turns up the original base or if it was fried off. If fried the barrel gets less interesting.

The stock is rough, the hand guard is missing, the stock is cracked and heavily sanded, the front sight base might be gone altogether, and the rear sight is also missing. So a pretty degraded specimen. That said it's a carbine. For what he paid he has no worries.

___________________

The picture:
First block: 95, 96, M96
Second block: M96, M96 in long nose stock with 1902 sight.
M98, M98 in 99 stock,
M99 first block, M99 second block, M99 third block sans humped guard, M99 third block with hump.

One could add the 96c/long stock with 1896 and 1901 sight, 98C with 1902 sight, and 99c with 1902 so there is room for growth. I could back up that last without effort and likely will for the book as it clarifies the picture me thinks.

The 1898c with long stock and 96c sight is likely invalid. I gave that some thought and the more I though about it the more true it became but I forget why.

Let's not forget the 99 in PC format with JFC cartouche. Have one.

[Parashooter]

. . . I have a Redfield front ramp sight for the Krag, in the box, but it's slightly different from the one that gun sports. . .

The one posted above looks like the old Lyman streamlined ramp w/band, missing its slip-on hood -

[Battis]

It's a Lyman sight. How does it attach to the barrel?

[Parashooter]

Same way a ring goes on a finger.

[jon_norstog]

A couple of years ago I went to a gun show, rare thing for me, and as I was walking past some tables I noticed a Krag bayonet in a picket pin carrier. The seller, a younger gent, told me it was the Cavalry version. I just smiled and started walking away. His partner said to him: "he doesn't believe you." The seller, genuinely curious, asked me "why not?" Bah, might as well. "That leather item you have it in is a picket pin carrier. A picket pin was a hammer looking thing with a pointy end they could stick in the prairie and tie a horse to." He digested that, somewhat warily, and asked about the numbers of bayonets found in them. "Reverse it. If that is the Cavalry version it would be carried by a Cavalry trooper right? They had sabers - not bayonets. Have you ever seen a carbine with a bayonet mount? Where would they mount it?" He laughed and asked me if I wanted to buy a bayonet in a picket pin carrier.

Logic. "Grasping grooves." Presumably, the story has it, used to grasp the rifle for a bayonet thrust. Except carbines don't have bayonets. "Lightening cuts" Dick, "lightening cuts." I know - getting people to not call those "grasping grooves" will be a swim against the tide. Especially given we lose the handiness of calling the internal cuts "lightening cuts."

External lightening cuts.
Internal lightening cuts.

Use to reduce the weight of the piece while providing the required dimensions to be kept. There.

The exterior lightening cuts on the 1896 and 1898 carbines are shorter as the barrel band sits closer to the receiver. This is why I'll have to have an M-1892 carbine stock special made. The lightening cuts on that were "carbine length" so cutting down a rifle stock won't work. An early M-1896 carbine stock with the nose snipped off and a new forearm grafted on would work as the early 1896 stock has the right comb. As we all know early M-1896 carbines stocks are floating around in truly generous numbers.

That's a carbine stock. The lightening cuts are key. Review the distance from the barrel bands to the lightening cuts in the attached picture and then review OP's stock. Carbine.

The receivers didn't travel down the line in order. Think of laundry carts. I dump receivers in a laundry cart and they wheel it to the next station. LIFO right? The transition from rifles to carbines, and then back to rifles, results in the following

All rifles.
Rifles and Carbines
All carbines
Rifles and Carbines
All rifles.

Mixed blocks. One at every transition.

75010 is dead center in the second block of M-1896 carbines. The receiver is a carbine.

Lightening cuts. Defines the early stocks as carbines.

You're missing the carbine (arsenal? field?) modification with sling swivels.

jn

[madsenshooter]

Hell Bob, Will that K31 to me!

There might be a problem with that, my great great grandmother lived to be 101, died in the early 60s. I think I may have inherited those longevity genes, and I've learned a bit about feeding them.

[Bob S]

It's a Lyman sight. How does it attach to the barrel?

There is probably a set screw in the dovetail, under the sight blade. The procedure would be to drive the sight base onto the barrel and once aligned vertically, drill through the hole for the set screw to create a dimple in the barrel, then install and tighten the set screw. The screw head would be counterbored below the dovetail so that the sight blade could be pushed into the dovetail.

If you should ever need to drift the sight blade, beg, borrow or steal a Williams (or similar) sight pusher so you don't put any stress on the base. If you try to drift with a hammer and punch, you could snap the base off.

Resp'y,
Bob S.

[madsenshooter]

Yea, that's the way. Bob, you're up too late!