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The saga of a 1896 Krag stock

2K views 12 replies 3 participants last post by  TheHighRoadRefugee 
#1 ·
Here, I have a story about a Krag I bought at an auction.
When I looked it over in the dark auction hall, it looked pretty good.
I looked for chunks out of the wood and the typical cracks at the tang. Looked OK. My buddy had my reading glasses on looking at Sterlingworths.
I left a low bid and next day, not attending, my bid won. I got it for less than my high bid. I think it was out the door for $525.00.

Not knowing a lot about these, I wanted one that was more military than my sporterized Krag. The auctioneer delivered it to my house as we had some other business to do. Here I had missed a major crack in the butt stock. At one point it might have been complexly split in two and poorly repaired.

Here's what it looked like when I got it in hand.
Next post will continue my story.
 

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#2 ·
So I get this identified as a shortened 1896 with a different front sight.
Well, I have a buddy here on this forum CaptMidnight who knew of my issues about this rifle and kindly sent me another stock for free.
It had been a little shortened but was solid and had cartouches in the stock.
It arrived and here they lay, mine and his generous gift on the work bench before the operation. The best place I thought to join them you can see.

I had to widen the wood at the bolt notch. Then use CaptMidnight's butt end and my old forend. Took a little adjusting to get them flush as possible.
Got kind of lucky with lining up the two dowels using these marker plugs.
Clamped and by golly, this just might work!

Next post the story continues.
 

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#3 · (Edited)
Today I went to my friends shop where this spent the night drying glue in the clamp and my buddy did some gouging and plugging of some other putty filled spots before I showed up.
Frickin awesome.
My rifle drops right in nice. He taught me a bit about matching the stain on the scrap halves to get these two parts joined to match up nicely. It will get a dark stain. I have some sanding to do but this came out rather well I must say.

My hat goes off to CaptMidnite for the butt half that worked great.
Thank you!
The sanding and staining and I'll update when it's done.

I just ordered my wood that goes on top. I suppose it is called a handguard.
If it doesn't fit just right, I can adjust it I'm sure. The hard part is done.
Top one HERE: < LINK
Here's the rifle as it is today.
 

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#6 ·
I got the stock sanded and stained. It was tough to blend it in but settled for this and gave it a satin poly coating. I gave it a bit of a dark color to look old.

The very top image is when I first got it and under the blue line, I combined 2 images I took tonight.
Now it's assembled and the top handguard is going to take a few weeks to get here. I'll match that up to this color.

Not perfect but for a real amateur, I will be very satisfied. I just hope the handguard lines up with my sight without any further shaping and cutting.

I just realized, I haven't shot this yet.

Well, it can never be original but at least it is close enough to play an extra in "100 Rifles" if they remake the movie.
They say it resembles a Cadet rifle with the bayonet lug.
Did the best I could do.

Oh I might as well add a picture of my other krag sporter here that is a fun shooter.
 

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#11 ·
An update ... I took this out Saturday and shot it about 20 times.
Had to raise my rear sight to the furthest forward position while still laying flat.
This might have something to do with adjustment or it is because the front sight is an add on after the original barrel was shortened and this one was put on.

Consistent groups but the are 2 inches high and 2 1/2 inches to the left at 50 yds. At 100 yds, I compensated and shot at the lower right hand corner of a 16 inch tall 12 inch wide paper target.
( which isn't easy with these sights ) and the average shot hit level with the bullseye and darn close to center.
I know my rifling is still good. My ammo was 180 gr flat nose, cast, gas checked bullets over Varget powder.

This was a dream to shoot. Not a single problem and of course the stock is unaffected from recoil. Solid as an Oak!

Still waiting on the handguard. Got a notice a couple/few weeks ago it would be delayed 3 to 4 weeks.

Just can't figure out how to adjust this rear site yet. Gotta see if YouTube has a video on adjusting it.
 
#12 ·
They sent the wrong handguard after waiting a month for backorder ... sent the 1898 so they paid return shipping and quickly sent the correct 1896 one.
Matching this wood has been difficult but I have it on the rifle.
Still tweaking the stain some but I am pretty satisfied with the near final project.

On my front sight just above the muzzle, there is a tiny screw I need to change out. ( anybody have one? ) It is for keeping the dovetail adjustment in place.
I did get it loose and pushed it to the right and tightened it back up.
I think I went the wrong way ... doh!
It was shooting to the left and I think I should have moved it to the left
( looking down the rifle as if shooting it. )
Not a terrible problem but now I think it will shoot even further to the left.
Never can get this right. I don't think I can adjust the rear site for windage.


Here she is ... Now and before
 

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#13 ·
Since my post, I have changed out the screw and the dovetailed M1903 sight. Have not been out shooting in quite some time, but it will go out with me soon.
The blade is much taller than the one that was in it and was filed down. That screw was tough to get out but it looks good now.
I also did another staining over the whole stock and handguard and they match up really nice.
 

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