Help! on 1898 Krag

[Art Eatman]

Put a buttpad on the stock, got some brass, loaded up some plinkers. Walked outside to benchrest. Loaded five rounds into magazine.

There's nothing to push the cartridges "around the bend" so the bolt picks up the round to chamber it.

Should there be some sort of spring in that loading-gate cover? To push a follower? I have no book on the Krag, and I've made myself leave it alone until somebody tells me some obvious answer.

Thanks, Art

PS: Fired it single-shot; neat! 20 grains of 2400 behind a 170-grain RN. No recoil, low noise. Went Clang! on my 185-yard hanging plate, offhand.

A

 

[George Stringer]

Art, there should be a magazine follower spring. It's a single leaf type. Yours may be weak or missing altogether. This is one of the more difficult parts for the Krag to find. But you might try Trader's Den (218) 666-5083. George

 

[Art Eatman]

"Aha!", he said. Remove stock. Examine closely. Discover spring not installed correctly. Tap out hinge pin of "Coffin Lid". Put spring where belong. Reassemble.

Et voila, messieurs et mesdames! Works just as Mr. Krag intended!

Thanks, George...

Art