The Krag Reputation

[krinko]

I happened to walk into the local shop just as an 1898 Krag was coming in--------so I spent some of the money in the Automotive Repair Fund.
The rifle is an early 1898, with the ladder backsight and unsplit front band. The stock is nice, though no cartouches and the bore is bright and perfect.



They found forty rounds of commercial .30-40 in the dusty recesses of the back room. Twenty Winchester, twenty Remington and all 180 grain PSP.
So it's off to the soggy range as the first snow melts away.
I was not expecting much from this rifle, having bought into the idea that the Krag was "inferior to the 7mm Mauser in every way".
Well, that's just not so.

Offhand, at the 200 yard gong, I had to twitch off the target to make the rifle miss.
At 300 yards, once I found the aiming point, the rifle dropped them all onto the steel----off sandbags.
I was so pleasantly surprised by this that I threw the last five rounds at the 500 yard gong.
There was nobody else on the firing line, so I would be able to hear the distant hits.
I got three hits out of five from a rifle with no windage adjustment...

There is nothing this '95 Mauser will do that the Krag won't do, except for the clip loading thing.



I'll have to call Graf & Sons for the dies---I have about 200 gilding metal round nose 220 grain pull downs that need to be flown.
This is a really nice rifle.
-----krinko

 

[50below]

Looks like you found a very nice Krag. They are not as strong an action as the Mauser, but no one who spent time shooting one would say they lack anything in the accuracy department and their bolt throw is smooth as can be.

 

[BrocLuno]

Very nice find - well done

 

[wrench]

Nice rifle!
I love my Krags-just like you found, accurate and smooth action.
Mine have been great shooters with cast lead bullets.

 

[BADUNAME13]

Sweet. I have a 1895 in 30-40... but I'm envious.

 

[Jim Watson]

The great advantage of the Spanish Mauser over the Krag is usually given by citing US attacks on Cuban defensive positions. That is a tough way to go no matter what your rifle. A company with Krags in a good spot would have been able to give attacking Mausershooters a hard time, too.

 

[Gordon]

Weird that just prior to Col Cooper's passing in his vault I found more 30-40 Krag ammo than any other.He had a couple kewl Krags too.

 

[sappyg]

great pics

looks like you found a winner. i've always wanted a krag.

 

[SaxonPig]

When I was a kid my friend's dad carried a cut down Krag every deer season. I wanted one. Finally got a really hacked up 1898 at a great price and restocked it myself.

The Krag is at a disadvantage in sustained volley fire, and the original 220 grain service load had a rainbow trajectory. But they are beautiful rifles and carry a lot of history.

Here's mine:

 

[JNewell]

Nice comments on a great rifle. I have an unmodified 1896 that I love. FWIW, mine shoots 220 grain RN bullets best. It is a thoroughly pleasant rifle to shoot.

 

[beefyz]

If your interested, this months issue of handloader magazine included an in general article on the krag as well as reloading info on it.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

My Krag is a Model 1898 that has been cut down and sporterized -- some might say bubbaized -- about a hundred years ago. It has a cocking piece sight (probably worth as much as the rifle itself) and shoots 2" groups with 180 grain bullets. It also rides nicely in my saddle boot, which was cut for a Model 94 Winchester.