Pawn shop Springfield 1896 30-40 Krag

[zedheadmc]

There is a pawn shop a couple hours away that has a Springfield 1896 30-40 Krag. I think it is a stock/original carbine. I am ignorant of this rifle but is it worth $250.00? Help me out here guy's, what do I look for on this rifle?
Did find a #4 MK1 Enfield at a different pawn shop that the guy would let go for about $200.00. Considering the last one I got was in similar condition for free I decided to pass on it. And I can get pretty nice #4's from Classic Arms Inc. a lot cheaper and a lot nicer.

 

[cracked butt]

If its all original, its worth 5 or 6 times that much. Around here, chopped sporterized krags sell for more than $250.

 

[gunlover_06]

30-40 krag

BUY IT BUY IT BUY IT

I looked at 2 yesterday they wanted $850.00 for one and $500.00 for the other. If you dont want it let me know where it is and i will send money for it.

 

[Hazzard]

Ummm...If you decide not to buy it, where exactly is this pawn shop?

 

[Harry Paget Flashman]

Buy it now! I lucked into one a few years ago for $400 at a pawn shop. I didn't even bother to haggle. A lot of Krag "carbines" were sporterized from the longer models. Still, $250 is a steal.

 

[zedheadmc]

Update

Heres an update. I called the pawn shop. The guy I talked with said with the exception of the peep sight that the rifle was original. But it is tagged for $350 not $250.
But from what some of you have posted it seems it would not matter even if it has been sporterized it would still be worth buying.
I will be going to look at it hopefully tomorrow afternoon.

 

[Pilgrim]

The price probably went up $100 because of your phone call.

Pilgrim

 

[SaxonPig]

I always found the Krag to be very high on the cool factor. Looked for years and finally found one that was already cut up for $75 (1992). Found another for the same price in 1998 that I passed along to a buddy who was looking for one.

An original carbine will sell for $1500.

 

[JesseL]

Does it look something like this?:

 

[zedheadmc]

Thats pretty much what it looks like JesseL. The # on the barrel is 64453 and 1896. Does this help with identifing which model, carbine or long gun.

 

[JesseL]

Thats pretty much what it looks like JesseL. The # on the barrel is 64453 and 1896. Does this help with identifing which model, carbine or long gun.

Nope, not really. AFAIK, Springfield built recievers, numbered them, and assembled them into rifles or carbines as needed.

I believe my Krag started life as a rifle and was later cut down to aproximately carbine dimensions. The front sight is not original, the forend of the stock seems to have been carved into a schnabel shape, and it lacks the carbine sling mount on the left side of the stock. It has also (obviously) had the original rear sight removed, the upper handgaurd has been filled where the rear sight was, and a lyman receiver sight has been installed.

Some interesting links:
http://www.gunsandammomag.com/classics/1896_krag/
http://www.jouster.com/cgi-bin/krag/krag.pl?noframes;read=89
http://www.surplusrifle.com/uskragrifle/index.asp