Krag- who has one, who shoots it?

Per the 308 Krag, I am supposing because this comes from Europe and it has 2 lugs this is a Norwegian Krag. They were made to accept higher pressures. After all the Germans made a few 1000 of these to shoot 8mm, if it can handle 8mm it should handle 308 win. so the rumor is.

indy1919a4 said:

Per the 308 Krag, I am supposing because this comes from Europe and it has 2 lugs this is a Norwegian Krag. They were made to accept higher pressures. After all the Germans made a few 1000 of these to shoot 8mm, if it can handle 8mm it should handle 308 win. so the rumor is.

Click to expand...

8mm mauser from 1900 was not loaded to the same pressures as a modern 308. They were around 35,000 psi I remember reading.

Here is some anecdotal discussion on the subject.

https://forums.gunboards.com/showth...ag-in-8x57&s=47a965aa4355763e82365eedd5e96814

FL-NC said:

Is that actually a doable thing?

Click to expand...

The best approach is to get a Hammond Game Getter.
http://www3.telus.net/gamegetter/operate1.html

This is a centerfire case for your rifle with an off-center primer pocket. On examination, you see the "Primer pocket" is actually a chamber for a .22 rimfire -- it's off-center so the centerfire firing pin will hit the .22 rim. You load it with a nail-driving .22 blank and a sized buckshot (you get a simple sizing die with the kit.)

Mine, for a .30-06, will shoot about 1 1/4" groups at 25 yards, printing right on top of the end of the thick bottom crosswire. I've harvested quite a few squirrels while sitting in a deer stand.

Vern Humphrey said:

The best approach is to get a Hammond Game Getter.
http://www3.telus.net/gamegetter/operate1.html

This is a centerfire case for your rifle with an off-center primer pocket. On examination, you see the "Primer pocket" is actually a chamber for a .22 rimfire -- it's off-center so the centerfire firing pin will hit the .22 rim. You load it with a nail-driving .22 blank and a sized buckshot (you get a simple sizing die with the kit.)

Mine, for a .30-06, will shoot about 1 1/4" groups at 25 yards, printing right on top of the end of the thick bottom crosswire. I've harvested quite a few squirrels while sitting in a deer stand.

Click to expand...

Many thanks, I like that, real neat little set up.. watched it on a few youtubes and it is a slick operation..

indy1919a4 said:

Per the 308 Krag, I am supposing because this comes from Europe and it has 2 lugs this is a Norwegian Krag. They were made to accept higher pressures. After all the Germans made a few 1000 of these to shoot 8mm, if it can handle 8mm it should handle 308 win. so the rumor is.

Click to expand...

someguy2800 said:

8mm mauser from 1900 was not loaded to the same pressures as a modern 308. They were around 35,000 psi I remember reading.

Click to expand...

My understanding is the German 8x57JS load for the K98 was a 196grFMJ @2500fps. Back upthread, it was mentioned that U.S. .30-40Krag was a 220gr, round nose IIRC, @2000fps. I'd say the U.S. Krag's not generating the pressure the K98 is. As I also recall, the 7.62 round... as used by Vietnam-era USMC snipers in their version of the Remington 700... was a 175gr match bullet @2600fps.

Maybe it's just me, but if I were playing with a U.S. Krag, I think I'd rather try a 220gr LFP-GC @~2000fps. Same reasons I'm not flipped over that Turkish magnum crap in the K98. Take it easy and enjoy the gun with ammo that actually works.

Pivot Dr said:

I wouldn’t consider chambering a Springfield 30-40 Krag to 308! The Krag action can’t take the racket, way too much pressure!

Click to expand...

Good thing it's wasn't a U.S. Krag. It is a Norwegian Krag. Some of them were chambered for an 8mm cartridge which was a 6.5x55 necked up. It threw a 150 grain bullet at around 2800 FPS. Sound familiar? Both lugs on the bolt contacted the receiver like the Danish Krags. And the latter were chambered in the 8X58 Danish round with a 159 gr bullet which Norma loads to 2870 FPS

One must remember that All US Krags were built using the same steel and the same heat treatment as the infamous low numbered 1903s. I'm guessing the Scandinavian countries might have used a different steel with a better heat treatment. A Norwegian Krag in good shape should have no trouble handling a 308 round.

You know you can never say never in the Hurly burly world of Firearms..

But what would you say to a belt feed Krag.. It resides at the Kongsberg Weapons Museum... And its a beauty.. Looks like it would tucker a fella out.. I always thought those Mauser Trench Magazines and 1903 Air service rifles were tiring..





As much fun as I am having looking at that ammo drum with that Krag, I bet it is more staged.. This was an early development gun and I bet it used a feed strip..

indy1919a4 said:

As much fun as I am having looking at that ammo drum with that Krag, I bet it is more staged.. This was an early development gun and I bet it used a feed strip..

Click to expand...

That's believable. Japanese machineguns fed 'em horizontal. I recall a German pistol or two that used a block that fed vertical. I recall one old spaghetti western... don't recall the title, but at the time, I was sure it was a put on... one character had a levergun that fed a block horizontal.

mustanger98 said:

That's believable. Japanese machineguns fed 'em horizontal. I recall a German pistol or two that used a block that fed vertical. I recall one old spaghetti western... don't recall the title, but at the time, I was sure it was a put on... one character had a levergun that fed a block horizontal.

Click to expand...

Do you mean the classic.. Adios Sabata..

indy1919a4 said:

Do you mean the classic.. Adios Sabata..

Click to expand...

Yup, that's it... kind of an odd one, I thought at the time. And not a Krag in sight.

Jon Browning worked on and invented Harmonica guns when he was a gunsmith in the 1840s

indy1919a4 said:

As much fun as I am having looking at that ammo drum with that Krag, I bet it is more staged.. This was an early development gun and I bet it used a feed strip..

Click to expand...

The picture is nonsensical. Those links are of the type that require the cartridges to be drawn backwards out of the links (like in a Browning MG). That means that the bolt would have to come back, all the way out of the receiver. A push-through link (like in the M60 MG) or a feed strip might work.

All in all, the picture is somebody's idea of a joke.

AlexanderA said:

The picture is nonsensical. Those links are of the type that require the cartridges to be drawn backwards out of the links (like in a Browning MG). That means that the bolt would have to come back, all the way out of the receiver. A push-through link (like in the M60 MG) or a feed strip might work.

All in all, the picture is somebody's idea of a joke.

Click to expand...

Will not argue, Lets be honest sometimes Museum curators are not the smartest in all the fields they work in.

Trouble with that piece is there is not alot known about it. It was a one off development gun. Also it was developed in a country that got invaded and occupied. That tends to loose prior gun development info fast.

But assuming a few things because I never handled this beastie.. If it was made in the 1910s or so It would have most likely used a Hotchkiss machine gun feed strip which Norway did purchase. Also it would prove interesting to see if the Feed strip was guided/supported into the rifle by the now useless magazine that you see folded forward of the ammo in the photo.

I say load some 220's up and go hunting. Out of a carbine the original load produces around 1850 fps. But if you have the correct sights it shouldn't be an issue.

It was very gratifying to harvest this one with a 117 year old carbine. It is sporterized but done well long before I was born.

Johnm1 said:

I say load some 220's up and go hunting. Out of a carbine the original load produces around 1850 fps. But if you have the correct sights it shouldn't be an issue.

It was very gratifying to harvest this one with a 117 year old carbine. It is sporterized but done well long before I was born.

View attachment 933027

Click to expand...

With the blackout having its following, I've thought of b.o. bullet designs in the krag....