doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com The Krag

There seems to be a lot of customized Krags on the market at this time, many not bad and in the $300-400 range.

I�ve seen a lot written about the Krag and many times the one locking lug is always mentioned as the �Weak� link in the Krag. This is to address the design of the Krag not the strength for a better understanding of the rifle.

Please understand that I do not advocate loading the Krag action up beyond the designed pressure limits. Stick with published loads found in any loading manual.

A few years ago after hearing one warning after another I decided to test a Krag action, to destruction.
I built a box out of wood 2x12�s with a steel top, the inside of the box was painted. I set it up so I could fire it remotely, a long string. Word traveled fast and there were a half-dozen folks on hand for the day. Who could resist seeing a gun blowup?

After everything was ready I fired two factory 220gr rounds to make sure everything was fine, it was.
I loaded all the ammo with Remington brass, 200gr Sierra bullets and CCI large rifle primers.

I then shot the following loads which showed maxim in the loading manuals.
A. 40.2 gr. 4895 All OK no problem opening the bolt
C. 36.3gr. 3031 All OK no problem opening the bolt
E. 40.9gr. 4064 All OK no problem opening the bolt
The following loads filled the case to the base of the bullet.
B. 43.0gr. 4895 All OK no problem opening the bolt
D. 41.0gr. 3031 All OK no problem opening the bolt
F. 44.0gr. 4064 All OK no problem opening the bolt

G. 20.0gr. Bullseye, Very loud noise, flattened primer, bolt very hard to open. I was a little surprised that the rifle was still in one piece.

H. 30gr. Bullseye receiver sheared off at the safety lug, both sides, receiver broke off at the bolt handle, top flange on the bolt face gone, back 3/8� of case gone, could read the headstamp on the bolt face. The barrel and back of the receiver flew out the front of the box and the box was blown apart but the paint was not so much as scratched.

Now to the important part of this experiment. ALL the rounds fired and listed above were fired after the single locking lug had been completely removed. The Krag has a well designed and strong safety lug.

No need to hot-rod the Krag I used one for years on both Moose and Caribou and it did a fine job with factory Remington 220�s.

Most interesting.
Okay, I admittally know very little about the gun. Nothing based on actual experience only what I have heard. Its life as a military weapon was short lived and I believe that is rooted in some of its short comings as a "military" weapon; however as Michael mentions, it was used by many a hunter.

Here is my questions:
1. What can be done to make it into a "classic" sporter? What are some of the details that can be changed and/or added?
2. Can it be chambered for any other cartridges other then the 30-40?

Cool pics of guns would be nice. I do think that a remember a few being on past threads so I will research those.

Answer to question #1 is: Get a new stock, remove military sight & shorten the barrel. Sedgeley (sp?) reworked a lot of them. Did G&H make any alterations? I have what I think is a Bannerman alteration with a WW1 surplus Springfield barrel & Marble's receiver sight. In Muzzle Flashes, Lenz shows a Harvey Rogers Krag sporter on p. 582. That is supposed to be an extreme modification of the military stock.

#2: I have seen classic sporters in .35 WCF and .405 WCF. Both required some work on the magazine to handle the slightly longer cartridges. The man who owned both sporters said the alteration involved grinding away the front part of the magazine well to accommodate the longer cartridges. I have seen minimal alterations of the Krag to 25/35 WCF. I have never shot one but I am told the magazine works & feeds properly. Krags have been made into 22 Hornets, 219 Zippers and 22 Savage High Powers, but I think all were single loaders and were made simply because the actions were cheap and available.

Since June, I have been playing with a minimal sporterization of a Model 1898 Krag Gallery Practice Rifle owned by Terry Buffum. I think the rifle is chambered for 22 Extra Long rimfire. The conversion to rimfire works very well, but the rifle has a .226" groove diameter and an 18" twist. Regular 22 LR ammo does not shoot too well, but I am sure the rifle will shoot well with the proper bullet. I now have bump dies, 4 22 caliber bullet moulds and 5,000 empty primed Long Rifle cases. All I need is some ambition.

MP has suggested sticking to loads published in the loading manuals. Beware of some of the maximum loads in old Lyman manuals. I cracked a bolt with one of them.

I recall that it was common modify the magazine to be flush with the stock, this reduced the capacity to 3 cartridges ? Should be enough for a hunting rifle.

I have a 1998 Krag Sporter with an aftermarket walnut stock, original sights removed, Redfield receiver and ramp front sight installed on a shortened and crowned (by me) 24" barrel. Stock action, magazine and barrel. It's no beauty queen but an A-OK Krag and I would sell it for $375 shipped (FFL required) Can have pix later today if interested. Would include some slightly tarnished 180 gr. Hornady round nose bullets.
(And it is stronger than Michael's as it still has the locking lug, although I don't warrantee it for 30 (???) grains of bullseye!!!).
sdh@montana.net

The flush magazine parts apparently were made by Hart, the same firm that made the speed lock conversions of the Win. 52.

Does anyone have a rifle with the flush style mag that James-I and Waterman are discussing? If yes, can you post some pics of it?
It soulds like a nice detail.

When I ground the locking lug off the bolt I cut through the case hardening using a bench grinder. The case was very thin and the rest under it was very soft and easily removed with a file.

If anyone has a Krag bolt with a cracked locking lug I would be interested in obtaining it for another experiment. I want to see if a cracked locking lug will set back. I can check this with feeler gauges at the safety lug.

I run more then a hundred rounds through my Krag in the summer so would be easy to change bolts and see for myself.

Mine is no beauty but shoots really well.
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