1898 Krag Problem

F

Fred S

New member
I purchased a Model 1898 30-40 Krag about 9 months ago. It looks to be in great shape. I finally got around to getting some ammuniton and taking it to the range a few weeks ago. I bought 20 rounds of Remington Core-Lokt 180 grain cartridges.

I went to the range and fired 5 rounds and then loaded 5 more and shot them. When I policed up the brass I found that three of them split lengthwise at the neck and shoulder (but not from the mouth) and that some had primers backed out. I fired some more and finally one of them got stuck in the chamber.

I picked up one of the unfired rounds and noticed that the case was cracked from the mouth to the shoulder This is really apparent if I push the pullet at the tip (you can see the brass seperate)

So I took the gun and ammo to the store I bought them at. The gunsmith there said that it is the ammo, that it is old and low pressure caused the primers backing out. They gave me a box of Winchester 30-40 at no charge. The smith did not check the gun.

So I took the gun to the range and fired it. The first round did not eject and had a backed out primer. I fired ten and most had a backed out primer. 6 or 7 got failed to extract.

I notice that when the bolt is closed, I can push it forward a bit and it springs back when I let go. I am not familiar enough with the Krag to know if it is supposed to do this.

What could the problem be? Excessive headspace? Something wrong that is not allowing the bolt to go forward enough? Could the rounds that split have damaged the gun? (It did not fail to extract until abpout 16 rounds were fired the first time) I'm perpelexed.

The bolt and chamber do not show any signs that somebody worked on it or modifeid it.

Any ideas?

Thanks

Fred
 
Went and dug out my own Krag to check: "I notice that when the bolt is closed, I can push it forward a bit and it springs back when I let go. I am not familiar enough with the Krag to know if it is supposed to do this."

I do feel an extremely minute amount of "give" with no cartridge in the chamber. After loading it, I felt a bit less "give". We're talking maybe five or six thousandths of an inch, mas o menos.

I've put a box or so of reloads through mine, with zero problems of any sort.

I doubt your first shots caused any problem insofar as damaging the rifle; the Krag cartridge just doesn't have that much "Oomph".

I'm just guessing--me being way out here in the desert--but I'd guess that there might be some wear or mismatch on the bolt such that the cartridge case is not held firmly against the back of the chamber.

You can take some wax and use it between the bolt and chamber and then mike it. It should be within a thousandth or so of the thickness of the rim of the cartridge case. Or your gunsmith can do this.

If my guessing is all wrong, I just dunno what to tell you...

:), Art
 
COuple things to think about here, folks...

If the unfired ammo had split necks, as mentioned above, then I'd be wary of that particular lot or vintage ammo, it hasn't even been in the gun yet.

Knowing that ammo manufacturers are wary of overpressuring the '98 Krag action, with it's single bolt lug, I'm sure that the fodder is loaded very light.

When I've fired factory 8mm Mauser ammo from Remington and Winchester in my '98 Mausers (good headspace check) I get soot and backed-out primers. And that's another cartridge the factories load light to prevent folks stuffing it into '88 Mausers and blowing themselves up.

So maybe the Krag loads are light enough to do the backed-out primer thingie?

Just my 2-bits' worth.

My '98 Krag has a bit of 'spring' to it when the bolt is closed on an empty chamber, too.
 
Dunno if it's the burn-rate of 2400 or what, but I've shot light loads in '06, .308 and .30-40 with 20 grains behind any old bullet that was handy. (Okay, 30-caliber bullet. Hmmphhh.)

Never had a primer back out.

Art
 
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