highpower3006
New member
I have been looking for a Krag carbine for a long time and I finally got lucky when I stumbled onto this Krag carbine a week or so ago. It's a genuine 1898 model, which is the rarest of all the Krag carbines as they were made for only one year before being superseded by the Model 1899.
Before any starts to warn me about all the fakes and how the stock could be a cut down rifle stock: Yes, I have checked all the little details and this is indeed a genuine '98 Krag carbine. There is no filled cleaning rod channel in the stock, no rear sling swivel and the inspectors cartouche has a 1898 date. The barrel is the correct length and has the correct taper for a carbine and the serial number is smack dab in the middle of known serial numbers for 1898 carbine production.
Normally I don't bother to try and resurrect old military rifles as by the time you are done, you can just find one in better condition that hasn't been screwed with for the same money. This one is an exception though, due to it's rarity and value, and while it does have a couple of issues, they are relatively minor.
When I got it, the rear sight had been change to a 1901 carbine sight and because that style of sight won't fit properly with the stock handguard, the handguard was missing. It also has what looks like a marbles front sight blade, but I already have a correct original blade on the way. I had a 1896 rifle rear sight in my junk box which looks identical to a carbine sight except for the way it's marked and a few other minor differences. I paid $400 for the carbine and sold the 1901 carbine sight for $250, so I have only a buck and a half in this project so far.
I am a patient fellow and will continue to search for the correct rear sight and handguard. I am willing to pay a fair price for the right sight/handguard, but so far my internet searches have not yielded any results.
If any one knows someone with a sight and/or a handguard, please feel free to contact me.
For some reason, I can't seem to get a good photo of the cartouche, but it reads: "JSA" over "1898"
Before any starts to warn me about all the fakes and how the stock could be a cut down rifle stock: Yes, I have checked all the little details and this is indeed a genuine '98 Krag carbine. There is no filled cleaning rod channel in the stock, no rear sling swivel and the inspectors cartouche has a 1898 date. The barrel is the correct length and has the correct taper for a carbine and the serial number is smack dab in the middle of known serial numbers for 1898 carbine production.
Normally I don't bother to try and resurrect old military rifles as by the time you are done, you can just find one in better condition that hasn't been screwed with for the same money. This one is an exception though, due to it's rarity and value, and while it does have a couple of issues, they are relatively minor.
When I got it, the rear sight had been change to a 1901 carbine sight and because that style of sight won't fit properly with the stock handguard, the handguard was missing. It also has what looks like a marbles front sight blade, but I already have a correct original blade on the way. I had a 1896 rifle rear sight in my junk box which looks identical to a carbine sight except for the way it's marked and a few other minor differences. I paid $400 for the carbine and sold the 1901 carbine sight for $250, so I have only a buck and a half in this project so far.
I am a patient fellow and will continue to search for the correct rear sight and handguard. I am willing to pay a fair price for the right sight/handguard, but so far my internet searches have not yielded any results.
If any one knows someone with a sight and/or a handguard, please feel free to contact me.
For some reason, I can't seem to get a good photo of the cartouche, but it reads: "JSA" over "1898"