Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors Krag-Jørgensen Model 1898

I recently bought a lot of two Krag-Jørgensen Model 1898’s at auction, these are the first I ever owned (or ever wanted to) and it’s the first time I had a chance to closely examine one. They are really very interesting rifles, I really found the design features interesting. I now see why sporting conversions of these were so popular, some of the features make them seem more suited to that than to ‘modern’ military use.

I only wanted one of the two but you couldn’t split the lot. Here are some pictures. Both have 1902 cartouches.





Different front sights, the muzzle cap will not fit on the lower one.

Same Buffington rear sight on both, this sight was one of several used on these rifles over the short period they were in service. The graduations will not be correct for the one I wanted and it’s the one I consider worth the most by far. It was re-barreled about the 1902~1904 period and is now a single shot.





The only thing done to the gun was to replace the barrel, no other modification were required. The bore is off center so the firing pin will hit the rim of a 22 Long Rifle cartridge, doing this also places the rim of the cartridge up where the original extractor will catch it for extraction. It is slightly heavier than an original, 9lbs 10oz compared to 9lbs 8oz, but for use as a trainer it would be almost ideal because everything else is exactly the same as the service rifle - because it is the service rifle, it could be returned to original 30US (30-40 Krag) just by replacing the barrel...but what would you do with a 30" Pope barrel if you did that?



I found a video that really goes into detail on the features of the Krag-Jørgensen (which means it is very long @ 1 hour 45 min.- The Milwaukee Brewer’s started losing, so I watched the whole thing).

Krag 1898 video

After seeing how the magazine on these works I now know one major reason why this rifle was chosen in the US military trials over the others, including the Savage; the Krag-Jørgensen addresses all of the wants that were asked for when using loose ammunition. It can easily be switched to block the magazine for single loading; the magazine can be loaded, unloaded or topped off with the bolt open or closed, with or with out a round in the chamber – and this can all be done in a prone position without having to raise the rifle. The video goes on to explain that after facing the stripper-clip loaded Mauser’s in Spanish-American War our military realized being able to shoot single shot and using loose ammunition was not a very good thing anymore… even though we'd won!

Very interesting conversion Gene. I'm sitting on a pile of 30/40 ammo and hope to find a worthy rifle to shoot it in someday.

Krags are cool, just ask Gary. It looks like both yours started life as 1898 infantry rifles. The rear sights are 1901 sights and they are much like the later sight that was used on the 1903 Springfield. Before you pass them off keep in mind that Redfield made a “no drill” 70 that could be used in place of the 1901 sight. The Redfield 70 uses the screw that holds in the side plate and the receptical for the the magazine cutoff to hold it in place. I have a nice 1896 receiver that’s begging to be built into a “period” Sporter. I’m thinking something along the lines if the 1903 NRA Sporter after I get a project finished to restore one of those I recently acquired. Nice rifles!y

I have an 1896 Krag .30/40 in the same configuration, Fun to shoot with cast bullets and very slick action. Never seen the one in 22. Heard they were out there.

Nice.. and especially with a Pope barrel!

Oh My God!! I hate you, Gene!! I've been hankering for a Pope barreled Krag .22 since I was in diapers! (Naw, I don't hate you. Just green with envy!) Great snag! When I got down to the 7th pic my jaw dropped. I knew right away what it was, and why you would've wanted it. Now you need some .22 Pope Armory cartridges to go with it!

I've owned literally dozens of Krags since my first one 50 years ago. Currently I have a custom Krag single shot in .22 Maximum Lovell and a M1896 done up as a pre-war G&H sporter sporter, the action of which is attributable to a trooper in the 1st Volunteer Cavalry (Rough Riders). One of the neatest rifles ever invented, IMO.

The Ordnance Dept. was casting about for an alternative to using reloaded cast bullet gallery loads for use in Armory's across the country when Pope was approached to come up with a solution. That eccentric bore which allowed use of the stock firing pin and bolt must have been a pisser to engineer- in not just one but each and every specimen.

Wanna sell it?!!

Those are really cool. I didn't know they had conversions like that.

Thanks for the video too.

I have three basic rifles that fill my category of cool. They all shuffle back and forth for first place but the rifles are the Savage 99, 1903 Springfields and the Krags (1894, 96 and 98).

Gary - I’ve read about the Krag 22s but always thought they used a standard 22 long rifle. What is the 22 Pope Armory? Also, ya just gotta post a picture of that 96 Sporter!

GeneB - Man, you gotta keep that 22 Krag. The Stevens Pope connection puts it in good stead with a Savage collection!

Hush!

As far as I know they'll shoot regular long rifles. I'm sure Gene will be along to give us the straight skinny. Remember, at the turn of the century the long rifle cartridge was in its infancy and not standardized across the board as it is now. As I recall from talking with Mr. Pope, the .22 Pope Armory cartridge had a bullet designed to perfectly fit the throats that he was cutting back then.

Had a sporterized Krag for some years and wish I had not let it go. It had the slickest bolt action I’ve ever experienced, a trait they were known for.

I think that U.S. Krags were popular sporting conversions because the rifles/carbines regularly sold for less than $10, so nearly anyone could afford one. Also, 30-40 Krag hunting ammo was widely available and powerful enough for bear, elk, and moose in addition to deer. When I was a kid, mil-spec and sporterized U.S. Krags were commonly seen in used gun racks everywhere in New England. Until 1983 I had a sporterized U.S. Krag that was 'smithed by Vermont gunsmith Wilbur Hauck and currently have a sporterized Norwegian Krag in 6.5x55.

This is one of two that I have ever owned. I always was fascinated by the smooth bolt. It wasn't until I got more experience under my belt that I realized it was smooth because of the one locking lug. This particular one is one of the better shooting ones that I have handled.

What a neat piece of history you found Gene, congrats!

Krag actions are smooth as glass because of the relatively tight tolerances between its moving parts and its glass hard carburized surfaces, in conjunction with its ingenious simple design in which the locking lug bears against a raceway, and the long extractor which rides in the split rear bridge. Both features act to keep the bolt from binding as it is moved in and out.

Many have decried its single locking lug in that it makes for a "weak" action. Truth of the matter is that it is fine for its intended purpose- 40,000 psi or so. (Remember this was the 1890's- low carbon carburized steel was the material of choice for a lot of gun makers. Stay at or under that and a Krag will last you another hundred years. Plus it has a huge safety lug also that absolutely will prevent the bolt blowing out in the absurdly unlikely event that the one lug shears off. Michael Petrov did an experiment in which he destruction tested a '98 Krag: Ever increasingly larger charges of Bullseye were employed starting at 5 grains, while firing the gun remotely, until it finally came unglued. The final charge was over 25 grains, making for ungodly pressures. The barrel and receiver ring were wrecked but the bolt stayed put- even though Michael had ground the locking lug off entirely, leaving the safety lug to do all the work.

Anybody who has ever had to load a rifle while suffering with cold numb fingers will speak lovingly of the Krag: just snap open the magazine and dump a handful of cartridges in and slam it shut. Charging clips that actually worked quite well were invented, but too late to assuage the naysayers who said it was slow to reload in combat. There's a guy over on the Krag collectors website who makes nice repros.

Several years ago I saw a custom Krag in 25-35 for sale at a local shop and it was a really nice looking rifle. Went back later and of course it was gone.

Krags rule!

It’s that simple.

I think Im finally down to only 4 rifles in .30 US Army ctg. 2 krags, 2 1895 Wins. They get toted to the field on a regular basis. Prolly elk hunt this year with Krag as it shoots them 220 RN’s so damn well!l and sports a a Redfield #70 receiver sight. Tote 95 SRC for a backup rifle. .

Very interesting rifles, now I know what that brass cap I have had for years in a parts drawer fits!!

Gene

Unfortunate that you were forced to take the second one. Sometimes life throws us curve balls. Nice score GW

It’s interesting how the bore of the Stevens-Pope 22 barrel was drilled off-center at the breech to on-center at the muzzle. That must have been a complicated task to calculate and accomplish.

Notice also that the result of that is the .22 bore is angled down from breech to muzzle. I'm curious to see after Gene shoots it (I hope) how much that effects the sight settings. I'm thinking the rear sight has to be jacked up fairly high.