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The Krag is a very important milestone in weapon lineage
for the United States. It was the very first U.S. service rifle that was a bolt action and fired
a small caliber, smokeless powder, metallic cartridge.
Many
variations of the U.S. Krag over the years were produced
including the following:
- U.S. Magazine Rifle, Model of 1892
- U.S. Magazine Carbine, Model of 1892
- U.S. Magazine Rifle, Model of 1896
- U.S. Magazine Carbine, Model of 1896
- U.S. Magazine Rifle, Model of 1898
- U.S. Magazine Carbine, Model of 1898
- U.S. Magazine Carbine, Model of 1899**
The Krags were well liked by troops but were doomed
because of a design that
allowed only for lower pressure cartridges and the
magazine loading system did not lend well to the use of
clips for loading. In 1904 the Krag was replaced by the
U.S. Model 1903 Springfield Rifle as the U.S. service
rifle but still saw limited service through WWI and
after. By the 1930s the military had sold off
its stocks and the Krag became an inexpensive
sportsman's rifle.
Most Krags have been
handed down as an inheritance from a family member
that most likely sporterized the rifle in some manner
and used it for hunting. Up until 1931 the Krag was sold
to American sportsman and collectors for amazing
dollar amounts even by today's standards from $1.50 to less
than $20. The Krag represented an affordable way if not
the only way for hunters in the early part of the 20th
century to purchase a bolt action rifle chambered in a
smokeless powder based cartridge. The 30-40 Krag
cartridge is capable of downing most if not all game in
North America. A large percentage of Krags went this way
and served many years harvesting deer, year after year.
You can purchase sporterized Krags today from gunshows,
online auctions and local stores for between $200 and
$500 depending upon condition.
A Krag in original military configuration brings a
high premium because of scarcity. I rarely see intact
specimens and spent the dollars described in this
article because I knew that I had better if I ever
wanted one. The Krag is not a rifle for a general
collector who is just starting out. The Krag in my
opinion is the type of rifle you obtain after you have
been collecting for a number of years and have purchased
all of the obligatory and inexpensive Mausers and Mosin
Nagants and are ready to spend more to get something out
of the ordinary. Basically it is not the rifle for the faint of
heart when it comes to laying down money for a
collectible. You can find good to very good specimens on
the online auctions starting at about $695. The rifle or
carbine will be intact and will have very little finish
but will have a fair to good bore and the most important
thing is it will be shootable. But, if you are already
used to purchasing M1 Garands, M1 Carbines, and 1903
Springfields then you probably will not bat an eye at
the prices.
**The carbine pictured above is a U.S. Magazine
Carbine, Model of 1899. |
