I just finished re-doing a Krag sporter. It's stock was a very clunky 60's vintage Bishop aftermarket stock, with the obligatory Monte Carlo cheek piece and enough wood left in the forearm to heat my house in December. I slimmed it down, re-worked the cheek piece into a flat pancake style, removed the cheesy black plastic forearm tip and replaced it with ebony, ditto the grip cap. It's still a work in process - the metal will be rust blued and the Redfield No-Drill receiver sight replaced with a new old stock Lyman 48K I've been hoarding. (Weird in that the wood was cut out for the Lyman sight but they never d/t'ed the receiver for the Lyman sight and used the Redfield instead.)
Original barrel and chamber with beautiful crisp bore. Weight is now 8 pounds even, down from 8 pounds 9 ounces. Over half pound of wood removed in the slimming process!
That's 11 coats glossy spar varnish, blocked out between coats, final coat rubbed out and waxed for a soft luster. Lost the side checkering panels on the forearm in the process, but saved the big diamond pattern on the bottom - debating whether to leave it alone or re-create the side panels. Most likely leave it alone.
"You can lead a man to logic, but you cannot make him think." Joe Harz "Always certain, often right." Keith McCafferty
I have an FN (yup, another one!) on the way, made the same year I put in my first appearance. Nice wood, but no checkering. Appears from pics that the stock was cut in front of the bolt for a receiver sight, then filled nicely. Since scoped guns are like mice around her, I may just fit a peep and call it good. Depends somewhat on the height of the comb. Probably have to replace that tiny factory bead with a cut-down Skinner too. Looks fragile.
Since I got real store-bought eyeglasses last Winter, irons are on the table again.
Crap. I re-weighed the thing on a digital scale and got 8 pounds 4 ounces. Don't know which scale to believe, but leaning toward the digital one. Oh well, still a significant weight loss.
Last edited by gnoahhh; 08/09/22.
"You can lead a man to logic, but you cannot make him think." Joe Harz "Always certain, often right." Keith McCafferty
I hear ya, Pappy. I'm going in for cataract surgery in two weeks. Told the surgeon I want a lens that'll put me back in the iron sights game.
I had that done last month. It made a yuge š® difference.
Not yet for me. Nothing really there as yet. Passed my driverās eye test without specs. Just need a touch of correction at distance, but +2.50 up close.
My talents are in the appreciation of others' works and... Procrastination. Unlike the handsome O/P's rifle here, under my watch on the Bridge, I've prevented an unknown number of Bubbas, just by self restraint! I've played with delving into gunsmithing stuff. Yet ultimately, most of my rifles have avoided "Bubba harm", saved ultimately by procrastination! ; "Procrastination does pay!".
When speaking of US Krag sporters, they seem to be one of the greatest genre for 'utility sporter' potential'. That is, doing most with least! Witness all the now suspect "fake Krag Carbines". Modified rifles. Most all, my contention, "without intent to fake". Alterations now, most a century old! Sporting modifications simply logical, consistent and simple; by chance only as emulating the Carbine design. I have four such alterations in various quite similar 'flavors' plus my surely 'pro', full stock model! One of its occasional appearances, below.
The Krag, US & Norwegian, interesting animals and adding their own flavor in my rifle collecting life! Thanks for sharing that really nice sporter iteration above! Best! John
Just picked up a full length stocked Krag in .25 Krag that needs this kind of treatment (plus a little welding - seems someone wasnāt quite sure what and where they wanted to mount a receiver sight(s) and or scope?? Or they tried reducing weight by Swiss cheesing the receiverš„“š).
"Come, shall we go and kill us venison? And yet it irks me the poor dappled fools, Being native burghers of this desert city, Should in their own confines with forked heads Have their round haunches gored."
I just finished re-doing a Krag sporter. It's stock was a very clunky 60's vintage Bishop aftermarket stock, with the obligatory Monte Carlo cheek piece . . . .
I just finished re-doing a Krag sporter. It's stock was a very clunky 60's vintage Bishop aftermarket stock, with the obligatory Monte Carlo cheek piece . . . .
Man, what you got against MC cheek pieces?
They don't work for a pre-war style sporter built with a 120 year old barreled action.š
"You can lead a man to logic, but you cannot make him think." Joe Harz "Always certain, often right." Keith McCafferty