Question about a Norwegian Krag

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Dentite

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Hey gang,

I picked up a sporterized Krag in 6.5x55. Based on my readings I think this is a 1912 short rifle/carbine. I have an M96 and love the caliber and had a chance to pick this up for what I thought was a good price so I brought it home.

I always thought the side loading magazine was cool and have been looking for a chance to own one of these.

It's sporterized...original stock but cut fore end and rear sight is gone and has been replaced with a Williams peep. The barrel appears to be uncut and some gold colored metal has been added to the top of the original sight.

I would love it if this thing was in original condition but then again I might not be willing to pay the price for an original. At least the work was done decently well.

Anyway my question is what is the small lever at the bottom of the loading gate/door?

Here:
image_zpsc5bcb9a6.jpg

A couple quick cell phone pics of the whole rifle:
image_zps90acf5e3.jpg

image_zpsafdd5b93.jpg

Any input is appreciated.
 
It appears to flip up and keep the magazine door from opening. Why that's necessary is another question.
 
I wondered about that as well but if the small lever is in the "closed" position as pictured above and the loading gate/door is opened, the lever moves to the open position and stays there even after closing until it is manually pushed back down to the pictured position.

Perhaps mine isn't functioning correctly? It does expose some parts...perhaps this small lever and door exposes parts for service or takedown?
 
On my Springfield Armory Model 1898 the magazine cut-off lever is a small rectangular shaped lever found on the left side of the receiver, close to the rear of the bolt. I think the part on the OP's Norwegian Krag is the magazine cover box hinge pin assembly and maybe has something to do with disassembling the magazine box itself.
 
bannockburn said:
On my Springfield Armory Model 1898 the magazine cut-off lever is a small rectangular shaped lever found on the left side of the receiver, close to the rear of the bolt. I think the part on the OP's Norwegian Krag is the magazine cover box hinge pin assembly and maybe has something to do with disassembling the magazine box itself.
Click to expand...
This.

As I recall the NK's did not have a mag cutoff like the Springfield Krags.
 
The small lever is there so the axis pin for the loading gate can be removed by pulling to the front and the plate is there to cover the the pivot of the magazine follower, which would otherwise be exposed.
If the axis pin moves when the loading gate is opened, it's just binding and not a design feature.
The Norwegian Krags have the same magazine cutoff as the US Krags.

403200363.jpg

-----krinko
 
Krinko, thanks for the post and info. My mag cutoff on the left side works great.

Great photo...I love how crisp the relief cut in the stock around the cutoff lever is. Sadly mine has been sanded and blended but I guess if it was original I probably wouldn't be willing to pay the going rate.

Thanks again.
 
I am not sure about the lever, but don`t always assume that a Krag has been sporterized, there was only twenty some different configurations of that rifle built...............
 
After a bit more reflection, I think the lever is to allow the pin to be rotated so it can be removed to service the magazine.

It's definitely not the magazine cutoff, which is on the other side of the rifle.
 
I got this off Wikipedia, just a thought..............
Lieutenant Tobiensen's 'Speed Loader'
Technical drawing of the 'Speed Loader'

In 1923 Lieutenant Tobiesen, working at Kongsberg Weapon Factory, designed what he called a 'Speed Loader for repeating rifles'. It can be seen as a new attempt to increase the firepower of the Krag-Jørgensen, just as the attempt to convert it to belt feed. Basically, the design consisted of a modified cover that let the user of the rifle attach a magazine from the Madsen light machine gun. The cover had a selector switch, allowing the user to select if he wanted to use the Krag-Jørgensen's internal magazine with its 5 rounds of ammunition, or if he wanted to use the external magazine with 25 rounds.

The design was considered promising enough that 8 prototypes were manufactured and tested. However, in testing it was revealed that the heavy magazine mounted on the side of the weapon not only made the rifle more cumbersome to carry and use, but also made it twist sideways. It was decided that the 'Speed Loader' was not a practical design for military use and no further manufacture took place.

In 1926, a group of seal hunters approached Kongsberg Weapon Factory and asked to purchase a number of Speed Loaders for use when hunting seals from small boats. They were turned down due to the high cost of manufacturing a limited number of the device.
 
303 Tom,

Thanks for the info.

Doing a google image search shows all model 1912 carbines have the same lever mine does.

Tom I say mine is sporterized because all the carbines I've seen have barrel bands and hand guards. This one seems to also have the rear sight mount/dovetail/whatever ground off. Also drilled for a rear Williams peep.

Thanks.
 
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Iron sight:

Thanks for the info and the links.

That's a nice rifle...looks very similiar to mine minus the rear sight.

This is what I have where the rear sight was....I've been looking online for pictures of the rear sight and trying to figure out if my rifle was ground down/smoothed after removal of the rear sight.

You can just make out a screw hole on the far left of the photo.

Does it look like it's been modified to where it's impossible to re-install an original rear sight? (If I can even obtain one).

image_zps8080a954.jpg

Thanks.
 
Attached Pics of my rear sight and how it is attached. Part of the bracket is integral/permanently attached to the barrel. I have no idea if your gun was modified? If so I hope that hole to the rear doesnt enter the chamber?

KragRearSight.gif

KragRearSight2.gif
 
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Iron Sight,

Thanks so much for the great photo. It seems that the rear leaf was removed on mine and the rear sight base was ground down to streamline the barrel a bit.

The dark areas on the right of the ground down area must be the last of the original relief cut for the rear leaf and sight. I bet if you extend your rear sight leaf in the vertical position you'd see the relief cut (the whole thing were I only have one small remnant of it).

What is the "pin" in front of the rear sight base? My barrel has a threaded hold for it but it is missing. Is it "stop" in case the rear sight leaf is extended beyond vertical to keep it from slapping down on the handguard that used to be there?
 
Interesting...seems kinda elaborate to drill and tap the barrel just for that pin. Seems a small extension on the rear sight base would prevent contact with the handguard about as well and more simply.

It's interesting to see how the different rifle makers chose to solve different problems, etc.

Thanks for the pic...very helpful.
 
Wow! That was fascinating. :what:

I'm going to have to try that trigger technique with my Mosins/Mauser/Enfield/Eddy. :scrutiny:
 
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