Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Mounting a scope on a 30-40 krag?

A friend of mine wants to know if there is a way to mount a scope on his granpa's 106 year old origional krag without altering it's condition but so he could use it for hunting as his eyes are not to good? Thanks!!

Time for that photo with the hose clamps to show back up.

But seriously--I doubt it. There would have to be mounting holes drilled somewhere.

Check out B-Square. They make several Long eye relief scopes that attach to the mounts for the rear sight, without any additional holes. They make them for Swede mausers and K98's, not sure if they do for the Krag, but you might try. Ryan

Your wish is my command! It is indeed a dandy mounting job!


John

The only feasible way to scope a Krag is either a side mount that positions the scope to the side or a forward mounted scout scope. To mount a scope over the action would require a cartridge deflector of some sort since Krags eject rounds straight up.

If a guy was clever it's possible (but hardly practical) to build a side mount that would attach to the magazine cover plate. Buy a spare one and attach the mount to it, remove the original and replace it with the altered one...and when done, put the original one back on.

Do your friend a favor and talk him out of trying to put a scope on this old rifle.

Just a quick google showed this:

http://www.gunaccessories.com/MilitaryScopeMounts/1898/index.asp

http://www.scopemounts.com/insta_files/98krag.html#top

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=15763&title=SIDE%20MOUNT%201

The first two look like they would work as long as the scope stays off to the side so it doesn't interfere with ejected brass...but the Weaver is a drill and tap job.

The Springfield museum has a Krag with a side mounted Cataract scope and mount that used the side plate and the lower barrel band as mounting points.

Thanks guys for all the info and leads [Humor also appreciated],This gives me a good place to start!!!

I used RickB's technique to attach an old Weaver 330 to check the accuracy of Townsend Whelen's Fred Adolph Krag sporter, using one of the even older Weaver stamped steel four screw side mounts attaching to a replacement side plate. It works fine, is slightly offset to the left. But IMO this will work only with a small lightweight scope. As to the S&K mount, which does not require drilling and tapping, the front of the mount (if I recall correctly) attaches to a ring which goes completely around the front of the receiver and requires cutting a circular groove in the stock to accomodate it.

I should add I do not know of any scout type mount that attaches to the rear sight base or rear sight holes in the Krag barrel, altho such an item would theoretically be simple to fabricate - but again, best restricted to a small light weight scope.

This is an old thread but here is the best option: https://kraghaus.com/

Can he use a peep sight? You have two options for them that are the least invasive. First the Rice Peep Sight simply bolts to the bolt body at the extractor swivel pin.



Then if you buy another cocking piece you could have it milled and a peep attached to it. That way you could restore the rifle to original.

SK makes one, but you have to alter the stock for the forward ring.


It also places the scope offset, however, and I had a heck of a time getting a good cheek weld.

Perhaps try a peep that inserts in place of the cutoff and a screw that replaces the side plate screw. Less invasive and plenty accurate for the ranges you should be considering for the old girl.

The Krag doesn’t lend itself to mounting a scope very well in my opinion.
The Redfield 102K receiver peep sight works very well if you can find one. It is a no drill sight. I can get very good groups at 100 yards with one. I’m in my mid 70’s and a peep sight still works.

Bingo. Any kind of scope mounting on a Krag is awkward at best. Rather than subject one's self to uncomfortable or inefficient half-arsed scope applications that also detract from the balance/handiness of the rifle, do give a receiver sight a fair test. They work, and work quite well as shown here, and there are a bunch to choose from.