Have a buddy who usually winds up getting stuck with someone elses garbage. Maybe not this time. About 15 yrs ago he bought a Krag "from a friend of a friend" for $400, made in 1898; infantry version, full stock, made at the Springfield armory. He's never fired it; doesn't even have any ammo for it. Hasn't been touched or modified. The action is smooth as silk and the bolt , from what i can see, doesn't have any cracks. Everything appears original. I believe its a 30-40. Bluing is about 95% original. Stock is clean & crisp, no gouges/dents, and has what appears its military stamp just behind the trigger guard. The stock does have a small straight split about 4" long just above the chamber. My friend is confined to a walker and could use some cash, wants to sell it. My knowledge on Krags is what i've learned from here. I know about its 1 lug bolt, probable difficulty in obtaining any parts for it, and that crack worries me also. I shoot & reload for a few military rifles already and wouldn't mind adding this to my collection, but not as a wall hanger. I've read that using boolits and keeping velocities/pressures low, one can still have some nostalgia with these Krags. But the negatives still bother me a bit, and the bore has yet to be examined. I'm taking it to a large gun shop tomorrow to see what they think of it, examine it, pull the bolt, check bore etc. I'm thinking if he offers more than the original 400, it may even be worth a bit more than that as he would have to sell it. Or, i would buy it myself. Ironically , this dealer has one on the racks now as "antique" and can't sell it for $600. Anyone with Krag experience ?
Talk me out of a Krag
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Tolkachi Robotnik
Member
Have one Krag.
I reload for mine. It backs out the primers slightly and I'll never go up the scale on the powder, will just stick with the start loads. These rifles are very old and don't push a lot of pressure.
The receivers can fail near the barrel attachment. The crack you describe may be part of that sort of failure. You need to have that gunsmith look at it to rule out a wall hanger situation.
The actions were always very smooth. The bolt comes out if you wedge up the extractor. Look down through there with the bolt out and if your eyes are good you can see quite a bit. Very few are in original as issued condition and that would be the highest value.
All the stock needs to be removed to look to see if a metal crack started the wood crack you describe.
Even when working at starting load levels it is more rifle than a 30-30.
If it is sound it will probably increase in value over time. If it is not sound it is not worth $400. I am not sure of value, everything seems high to me anymore.
I reload for mine. It backs out the primers slightly and I'll never go up the scale on the powder, will just stick with the start loads. These rifles are very old and don't push a lot of pressure.
The receivers can fail near the barrel attachment. The crack you describe may be part of that sort of failure. You need to have that gunsmith look at it to rule out a wall hanger situation.
The actions were always very smooth. The bolt comes out if you wedge up the extractor. Look down through there with the bolt out and if your eyes are good you can see quite a bit. Very few are in original as issued condition and that would be the highest value.
All the stock needs to be removed to look to see if a metal crack started the wood crack you describe.
Even when working at starting load levels it is more rifle than a 30-30.
If it is sound it will probably increase in value over time. If it is not sound it is not worth $400. I am not sure of value, everything seems high to me anymore.
krag
Went to that dealer today and got some good news AND bad news for my buddy. All parts are original to the gun. Bolt & barrel were ok. We took off that stock piece above the chamber and there was no evidence of a crack. That stock piece is very thin to begin with and after all these years might have just cracked. One thing i was not aware of was that the original stock was sanded down. Probably because on the left side of the receiver a small replacement piece of wood was inserted and then sanded flush. It had to be in this area only and the rest of the stock was in good shape because he found both its military proof marks. He said he would have no problem firing it. Now the bad. This floor manager offered $175 stating it was in "poor" condition. As i described it above, i don't think as it looks now @ 115 yrs old thats its in poor condition. When he walked away, one of his salesman gave me his private card and offered $300 for it. I don't think if it couldn't be fired either of them would/could have made an offer.
Went to that dealer today and got some good news AND bad news for my buddy. All parts are original to the gun. Bolt & barrel were ok. We took off that stock piece above the chamber and there was no evidence of a crack. That stock piece is very thin to begin with and after all these years might have just cracked. One thing i was not aware of was that the original stock was sanded down. Probably because on the left side of the receiver a small replacement piece of wood was inserted and then sanded flush. It had to be in this area only and the rest of the stock was in good shape because he found both its military proof marks. He said he would have no problem firing it. Now the bad. This floor manager offered $175 stating it was in "poor" condition. As i described it above, i don't think as it looks now @ 115 yrs old thats its in poor condition. When he walked away, one of his salesman gave me his private card and offered $300 for it. I don't think if it couldn't be fired either of them would/could have made an offer.
Cosmoline
Member
I would never advise anyone to try to sell a used gun to a dealer. They will NEVER offer you FMV because they have to keep a profit. And some can be pretty brutal about it. Photos would be required to do a proper assessment here, but you should run some searches on GB of completed auctions to get a sense of its actual value. Then I'd suggest having the fellow post it for sale on GB or a collector's board.
Again there are no photos here, but unless the thing is rusted up and bubbafied that is way too low.
Again there are no photos here, but unless the thing is rusted up and bubbafied that is way too low.
Without pictures it is hard to evaluate value, a sanded stock could be an arsenal rebuild, but not a heavily sanded stock.
A $400 Krag with all matching parts, high bluing, and a good barrel is something I would jump on.
While it is true that finding parts for a gun that old takes work, you can find parts, but unless you are doing something stupid, you probably won't need parts.
The Krag is the smoothest action I have ever operated . The box magazine clever, it is too bad that the action was not made out of alloy steels because it would be a dynamite rifle in a high pressure cartridge.
As long as you keep to vintage pressures and loads, your Krag will be fine to shoot. Finding brass is the hardest part, it took me months to get 30-40 brass as the stuff is seasonal.
Even in its original loading the 30-40 Krag is more powerful than a 30-30, it was well liked prior to WW2 by hunters, and around WW1, by target shooters. The round and rifle are perfect for cast lead bullets.
A $400 Krag with all matching parts, high bluing, and a good barrel is something I would jump on.
While it is true that finding parts for a gun that old takes work, you can find parts, but unless you are doing something stupid, you probably won't need parts.
The Krag is the smoothest action I have ever operated . The box magazine clever, it is too bad that the action was not made out of alloy steels because it would be a dynamite rifle in a high pressure cartridge.
As long as you keep to vintage pressures and loads, your Krag will be fine to shoot. Finding brass is the hardest part, it took me months to get 30-40 brass as the stuff is seasonal.
Even in its original loading the 30-40 Krag is more powerful than a 30-30, it was well liked prior to WW2 by hunters, and around WW1, by target shooters. The round and rifle are perfect for cast lead bullets.
AlexanderA
Member
As a collector, I would easily pay about $600 for a Krag in the original condition you describe. (That is, if I didn't have three of them already.) The dealer's offer is insultingly low. A cracked handguard means nothing. Check the buttstock recess for the oiler and jointed cleaning rod that belong there.
Suburban Redneck
Member
Krag
I agree, they'll never give you what it's worth.
I lucked out and found an old Mdl.1899 Krag carbine, and I bought it to a local gunsmith, and was told its been cut down, and he offered me $75 for it. I decided not to sell it, and after several thousand rounds, it's still one of my best shooters. (turns out it wasn't cut, the length is correct for a Mdl1899 cavalry carbine)
I agree, they'll never give you what it's worth.
I lucked out and found an old Mdl.1899 Krag carbine, and I bought it to a local gunsmith, and was told its been cut down, and he offered me $75 for it. I decided not to sell it, and after several thousand rounds, it's still one of my best shooters. (turns out it wasn't cut, the length is correct for a Mdl1899 cavalry carbine)
Thanks guys for all your input. Tough decision. If i wasn't reloading for about 10 different calibers now I think the decision would be easier. How many are enough ? Its going to be a job someday disposing what i have already. Additionally, as we all know, components at this time are tough. I have .30 cal lead boolits in 170,173, & 183, and thats the route i would go if i shot this. Have enough primers. I would need some starter brass, dies, and maybe some powder.
Tolkachi Robotnik
Member
Adding a .30 caliber is not much of a load.
With .308 bullets already a Krag is easy to feed. It does not take a lot of powder and is very simple to come up with a load if you have all the components except the brass already. The rifle can be used on about anything in North America. It might not be the most powerful rifle but it is enough gun.
I guess I am not doing a very good job of talking you out of it....
With .308 bullets already a Krag is easy to feed. It does not take a lot of powder and is very simple to come up with a load if you have all the components except the brass already. The rifle can be used on about anything in North America. It might not be the most powerful rifle but it is enough gun.
I guess I am not doing a very good job of talking you out of it....
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