steal on a 30-40 krag

[alexander45]

A local shop has a 30-40 krag rifle that's been sitting there for quite a while marked down to $299 a fair bit of the finish is warn off, but the rifling looks good other than the globs of dust in there from it standing around and the action is super super smooth.
1.Should I jump on it ?
2.Any thing to look out for?

 

[Curator]

Check the bolt locking lug for cracks--not always easy to see but there is only one and some Krags have failed because of this fault. Magna-flux is the best method but an old-timer showed me how he used lighter fluid to check for cracks. He dipped the part in the fluid, wiped it dry then took it into strong light. Fluid weeping out indicated microscopic cracks in the metal. Krags are great rifles and if it has a good bore it will be a shooter. Remember all of them are 110 years old, so don't think about hot-rodding it.

 

[alexander45]

Hmm not sure if there going to let me pour lighter fluid into there merchandise

 

[Tolkachi Robotnik]

Right about not pushing it.

If you load for it, stay at the bottom. They really only have one lug. They are all smooth of action as far as I know. They are not much higher power than a 30-30 but a little stronger.

 

[PapaG]

Stick a good alnico magnet to one end of the bolt and shake some fine iron filings on the lug area. They will line up with cracks.

 

[Jim K]

First question is the overall condition. If the military stock is intact and in decent shape, that alone about makes the deal a good one. If it is a hacked up, chopped up, "sporterized" mess, with a hacksawed stock and barrel, it could be worth a couple of hundred as a hunting rifle, depending on the bore.

Jim

 

[alexander45]

The stock was intact and in fairly good condition for a 110 yo battle rifle

 

[Steel Horse Rider]

If the stock is intact and the bore is good I would certainly buy it, but then at least half of my rifles are over 60 years old.......

 

[Carolina Kalash]

for that price and for it to have an original un-cut stock on it, i'd jump all over that

 

[tark]

My friend is a Krag collector. He has several guns in 99% condition, each worth thousands of dollars. He told me to tell you that if the gun is in original military configuration, with a good bore, it is worth more than the asking price. Even if the wood is beat up and most of the finish is gone.

Be wary, the above posts warning of cracks are all correct and sound advice is given. The lighter fluid test is a good one. Ask the seller if you could remove the bolt from the gun [rather tricky to do] and take it outside. Tell him that if it passes the test you WILL buy the gun. That is usually enough to get their co-operation. Squirt the bolt in the lug area and wipe off any excess fluid. Take a magnifying glass with you. after a few seconds fluid will be visible seeping from any cracks. If you spot what looks like a crack, dry the area with a cotton ball and dust it with some flour. If there is a crack, you will see fluid continuing to seep from the crack and it will be very visible in the flour.

Good luck, hope the bolt is sound. If it is keep your loads on the low end of the scale.

 

[Willie Sutton]

Great rifles, and I concur with all that's been written above. Smoothest bolt action ever made, and just a joy when shot with loads approximating .30-30 ballistics.


Willie

.

 

[carbineer]

Way more information is needed to asses value. Barrel length, stock length, front sight configuration, hand guard present, front/upper band, middle band and retention style, rear sight model/style, model of rifle. Then depending on above answers quite possibly the serial number. But with all that said,even if it is a cut down(which seems likely), it could be worth the price in parts or as a hunter or shooter. If done by Bubba not likely though!!

 

[win71]

I think so too

for that price and for it to have an original un-cut stock on it, i'd jump all over that

I would too. At one time I hunted with a guy that used a Krag. I had an Enfield. That Krag was definitely smoother. Years later I hunted with a Win Mod. 95 in 30-40 caliber. With 150's it was a couple hundred fps faster than a 30-30 and with better bullets.

 

[alexander45]

Went down and really had a look at it today after reading up on it and it's most definitely a rifle cut down to carbine size by some ding ding barrel was too long no c markings on the sights

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I'm cheap so I would try putting $250 cash down on the counter and see if the owner takes it. Worse that can happen is you have to pay the full $299. (or maybe he will ask for $275)

 

[bannockburn]

At that price and in that condition I think I would offer $250 on it as well. In my case I could always use it for parts for my Krag.

 

[tark]

Ouch. The cut down part hurt to read. But it is very hard to find a Krag in ANY condition with a good bore. I think I would buy it, 299 isn't much money these days. Factory Krag ammo is a bit hotter than 30-30, actually just below 303 British ballistics.

And I can tell everyone reading this, that the Krag may be the smoothest TURN BOLT bolt action, but there is one Straight pull bolt action that makes it seem positively sticky; the Ross M-10 sporter in 280 Ross caliber. With rounds in the magazine, I can point the muzzle at the ground and the bolt will run forward and chamber the round with its own weight. a gentle nudge locks it up. Ive never felt anything smoother.

 

[Jim Watson]

Depends on whether it was cut to carbine length by a ding ding or by Benicia Arsenal for NRA sales in the 1920s. An NRA carbine is not worth as much as an uncut rifle and not nearly as much as an original carbine, but it is worth way more than a gunsmith cutdown.

 

[shooter1niner]

if it is not completely original save your money. Every time you pull the trigger on a Krag your puttng your health on the line. Just my $.02