Commercial rifles in 30-40 Krag?

[bluetopper]

Has there ever been any commercial rifles been manufactured for the American public in the old military cartridge 30-40 Krag?

 

[greyling22]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.30-40_Krag

• Krag–Jørgensen
• Winchester High-Wall
• M1885 Remington-Lee (Remington-Lee bolt-action)
• Remington Rolling Block
• Gatling gun, M1893 and later
• Winchester Model 1895
• Ruger No. 1
• Ruger No. 3
• Thompson-Center Encore

 

[earlthegoat2]

The 1885 Winchester came in a slick trapper version a few years back. It is a neat little oddity.

 

[Mosin77]

The above pretty much sums it up. You’re likely to see Krags, both cut down into deer rifles and in original military trim, first and foremost. These are a pleasure to shoot but do not take kindly to hot-rodding as the original load was about the upper limit of what the action could take.

You might see a Ruger No. 3 or a TC, and pretty recently I think they made a Winchester 1885 reissue. A Winchester 1895 (original) will be very uncommon but they are out there. Not sure if any reissues have been 30-40 or if it’s just originals. In my experience a Remington Rolling Block in .30-40 is a very rare gun. You’d have to look long and hard.

The other ones are so scarce you may as well not even bother looking. Or maybe available but for $$$$.

 

[Roverguy]

I have three of the models listed above, and several actual Krags - none completely unmolested and one a nicely “sporterized” 1896, as well as a single shot 35 Krag. In the Ruger No. 3, it handloads to factory 30-06 levels. Any single shot break barrel in 30-30 can be pretty easily rechambered to 30-40.

 

[KansasTrapper77]

My local Scheels has a Winchester 1895 in .30-40 Krag. I want it dearly.

 

[Bazoo]

It’s a caliber I have always had interest in. I want a sporterized Krag I think.

 

[Roverguy]

It’s a caliber I have always had interest in. I want a sporterized Krag I think.

There are still some nice ones to be found but make sure you check bores. Corrosive primers did a lot of damage. There’s a reason 35 Krag was an early popular wildcat !

 

[Scooter22]

Never picked up a 30-40. I'd like one if I found a deal. Funny thing is I knew one of the top Krag collectors in the world. He had hundreds and co wrote books on them. Never looked to buy one from him as I'd only want a shooter. He passed away last year. RIP Doug.

 

[FL-NC]

I have a Krag carbine model that is a professionally "cut down" rifle. It is lots of fun to shoot and well made for a military rifle from that time period. I was able to locate a 4 boxes of Rem core-lock ammo for it a couple of years ago. I used about half a box to get it zeroed at 50 yards, and used 1 round to drop a doe with it 2 years back just to say I did it. Then I cleaned the rifle and hung it on the wall under my old Remington model 11 in 12 gauge. So now I have it tested and ready, with more rounds put away in case I have a notion to shoot another critter with it one day. The rifles in greyling's post sum up what is/was out there. Outside of the Winchester 95 (which saw limited use in the Spanish American war) I have never seen any of the others. Between the cost and availability of the rifles and ammo, and the choices of "better" calibers out there that are much more available and affordable, I personally wouldn't care for a commercial rifle in 30-40.

 

[Remington1911]

I would give my left....well you know....for an 1895 in 30-40, I think those might be stamped 30 army....fuzzy brain can't remember for sure.

I can tell you it is not a bad cartridge, only krag I have is a very very ex new york (again I think) carbine.....might not be new york but I do remember it going back to someplace back east. And it just fun to shoot....I forgot about the old sporter from the FiL, that is or was once a krag rifle, never shot it.

Shooting out of a carbine, you know you pulled the trigger on something, a factory load is stout, but as I understand still very safe in the old guns. I can't remember numbers on it, it has been a few years.

Now I have never been shot at while using it, but never really had an issue with it on the range. The two way range is a different thing all the way around, and I could see the loose cartridge loading be an issue.

Still really cool.

 

[Mosin77]

I have a full length military Krag I picked up at a gun show one time and it’s a really sweet shooter. Unfortunately after I shot it the last time I noticed the tiniest of cracks in the wood at the tang, and of course I have no idea whether that’s a new development or something that’s been there for the last 100 years and I didn’t notice. So for now it’s a wallhanger till I find the time to deal with it properly.

 

[KansasTrapper77]

I think those might be stamped 30 army....fuzzy brain can't remember for sure.
.

The one at my local store is stamped .30 U.S.

 

[Rodfac]

I've had two Springfields Armory Krags for three decades now: a '98 Carbine and a 1900 Infantry rifle. Both guns are in excellent overall condition, really collector items, both wood and metal. The stocks are a beautiful boned reddish color that's the hallmark of those between wars guns. I picked them up back in '88 when not many guys were interested, long before Gunbroker and the internet inflated demand...they were less than $500 each from a dealer at the big Louisville gun show.

Both have good/excellent bores but over sized at 0.310". However, with jacketed bullets they'll do about 2 MOA at 100 from a sling prone position with the rifle and about the same with the carbine off a sandbagged rest. With correctly sized heavy cast gas checked bullets, they'd easily keep 'em all in < than 3" at 100.

The beauty of the Springfield Krag is the smoothness of its bolt in operation. Like butter compared to even a Nat'l Match '03. Loading them from the swing out gate demands some attention...and round nose bullets are preferred as that's what the feed ramp(s) were designed for. They'll feed spitzers but I've had better accuracy with round nose and with no hang-ups from those pointy bullets in rapid fire.

The rifle with the '96 model sight on it did very well for me at Camp Perry in the vintage match where I got a silver with it back in '06. But reloading with loose rounds in the rapid fire phase was a real goat rope. I dropped one round and still scored an 87 for it at 200. I was shooting my own loads with Remington 170 gr .30-30 Core-Locts, at the time.

While the infantry rifle is a joy to shoot, oversized bore and all, it's really too big for hunting. I do shoot it some with cast bullets (Lyman's 311291 gc - a .30-30 bullet design) & it really perks with a mild dose of 4227 for about 1500 fps.

The carbine is another fish entirely. At 8 lbs.+, it's easy on the shoulder even with R-P factory 180's, but really shines with Remington's excellent .30 cal. 170 gr Core-Loct bullet. Loaded for deer, I get 2400 fps out of it and believe me brothers, it's a dandy deer combination. The sights, at least for hunting purposes, are miniscule but with a dab of white-out typewriter correction fluid, that front blade really stands out, with absolutely no glare.

If any of you are interested, PM me and I'll send you some info on my loads for the .30-40. Best regards, Rod

 

[.455_Hunter]

It seemed to me that the recent production Browning/Winchester 1895's have included many .30-40s, putting it probably third behind .405 & .30-06. There are many original 1895's also in that caliber.

 

[Remington1911]

The one at my local store is stamped .30 U.S.

Thats it......I knew it did not say 30-40......I think I saw a model 99 marked the same way.....darn now I got to look up to see if that is correct.

Google to the rescue, it was....there is another.

Old brain, getting that dusty info out is a chore sometimes......still doing better then our commander and chief.

 

[KansasTrapper77]

Thats it......I knew it did not say 30-40......I think I saw a model 99 marked the same way.....darn now I got to look up to see if that is correct.

Google to the rescue, it was....there is another.

Old brain, getting that dusty info out is a chore sometimes......still doing better then our commander and chief.

I hate to insult you in such a way but that doesn’t take much

 

[Remington1911]

I hate to insult you in such a way but that doesn’t take much

I set the bar real low....about 3' below ground level.