Krag Model 1898 Rifle……..(f 521)…. SOLD

An excellent Model 1898 Springfield Krag

At present it is becoming more and more difficult to find this type of rifle at this level of condition.  It has not been over used, yet it is not pristine.  It has obviously seen military use, but once again, not suffered unduly from the rigours of army life.  It shows just the correct amount of wear for a grand old lady of its age.  The stock in particular is is fine condition but that does not mean that the ironmongery lets it down in any way.  The action is fine and fully functional, as is the bore, and yet the rifle has just passed the ordeal of the proof house with flying colours.  A collectible rifle like this is exactly why the writer of this page got into classic collectible rifles in the first place.  This weapon has “been there” at turns in history that have shaped the world we live in today.  It is a sheer pleasure just to handle, let alone have the distinct privilege of ever shooting it.  Consider the next stage of this fine rifle’s life as its retirement.  It will probably out-last most of us.  And in that vein, once again, we realise we are only the keepers for a short stage of their existence.

Made in an era where pride in workmanship was almost as important the the workers own meagre lot, a time when the fact that the impoverished workers were turning out a weapon that would stand for Americas integrity as a nation also overshadowed personal welbeing.  The ideals of defence of homeland and protection for every soldier who ever carried the rifle stemmed back to the day the rifle was started.  When each man issued with a fine crafted rifle like this was a trained, highly efficient rifleman.  A crack shot, with eyes so keen and untainted by the digital dot that  he could still see the bull at 1000 yards – without squinting.  When time spent on the ranges practicing the art of musketry was not curtailled by the constraints of national budget.  When ammunition expended practicing was a way of life for a rifleman.  The weapon matched the soldier.  By today’s standards the rifles were over machined and over finished, but America could afford that;  The power house of American production muscle was behind its troops in all but being on the actual battle-field.  The troops were given the best America could muster and that was the Springfield Krag.

Chambered in the U.S. government .30-40 military cartridge with a five shot internal magazine.  This magazine was hand loaded from the bullet belt on the soldiers person but no efficient stripper clip loading device was ever settled upon – this may have been the rifle,s achilles heel.  It could be argued that the American rifleman at that time was so efficient as a shot, that each effective round made up for slower reloading. The rounds are literally dropped into the magazine through the open hatch of the side mounted magazine.   The full length rifle measures 49.1/4″ from muzzle to centre of steel butt-plate.  The round blued barrel is exactly 30″ long.   The bore is rifled with four grooves twisting to the right from the breech end.   The trigger pull is a standard 13.1/2″ to center.The rifle is stocked in a full length ( bar 3″) American Black Walnut stock with handguard over.  Finger grooves run to almost 7″ on each side of the fore-end below the rear sights.  The guard is held in position by two blued spring clips, fore and aft of the sights.  Fitted to the butt is a blued steel butt-plate with cleaning trap in the center.  Both the circular trapdoor and the butt plate have the matching assembly number of  “33” stamped into them.  The thickness of the steel used on the butt-plate would be considered excessive these days but, back then America was able to provide the absolute best for its soldiers and no “skimping” on materials would be even heard of !  There are NO scratches to that plate, no digs into the surface or even the edges, which is extraordinary for that particular component of any rifle.  Anybody who has ever been drilled in the gentle art of rifle drill will know it is almost impossible to place your rifle butt on the ground without incurring some sort of damage !  The rifle strap would be attached to the sling swivel which is in position on the underside of the butt and the forward component which swivels from the mid barrel-band. The mid band is marked with the classic Springfield “U” marking, set on its side and open towards the muzzle end of the weapon.

The model 1898 stock is also distinguished from previous models by the square cut notch recess, cut for the bolt handle on the RHS of the weapon.  Overall, the stock is in wonderful condition with good straight grain and minimal dents or signs of military use.  Clear cartouches are still highly visible and free of dirt.  On the underside behind the blued trigger guard is a clear “92” just above the circled “P” proof mark.  On the LHS of the wrist is the boxed “J.S.A. / 1899” of J. Sumner. Adams chief inspector of arms at that time.

The LHS of the outer action wall, above the side-plate, is clearly marked with the following; “MODEL 1898.   SPRINGFIELD ARMOURY.   325005”  The case colour hardening on the surface of the side plate is interspersed with a mottled silvering effect brought on by time.  The balance of the receiver being blued. The same silvering is in its infant stages on the loading gate to the RHS of the action.  The bolt body is finished in the white and in very good condition with no pitting, just the slightest misting tone creeping into the surfaces.  The long extractor spring which lies along the top of the bolt still has a good strong nitra-blue finish overall.  There is a Mauser-like safety and cocking piece to the rear of the bolt.  The cocking piece being evenly checkered and each of them turning silver grey from their original blue.  The strongest original blue is really confined to the rounded trigger guard which only shows slight fine outer edge wear.

The rear sights are the correct ladder and ramp type with graduations on the LHS of the ramp of 1 to 400 yards.  The ladder with windage adjustment is locked of at the front with a lever and graduated from 400 to 2000 yards.  There are three open “u-notch” aiming points and a small apperture to use.  The barrel and fore-end cap have a good blue to plumb-brown overall finish.  There is a slight silvering to the muzzle all around.  On the toe of the stock, immediately adjacent to the substancial butt-plate, is a minor chip and on the RHS of the butt two minor scratches the worst of which being 1.1/8″ in length.  These in no way detract from the overall feeling of the rifle as a survivor from a time gone by.  A very good example in many ways and ready to take out shooting.

Stock No f 521

£ 1650. SOLD

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