30-40 Krag Magazine rifle ammo

[Pitspitr]

Thanks Glenn

[Drydock]

Jerry, I'm using the Lee 200 Mold, with my alloy it runs 210grains with the gas check.  It drops .312, I seat the check running it thru a .311 sizer, then lube.  I'm using the Hornaday 220 for the full power military load. Matchs up well with the sight.  For Long range We're shooting paper I believe?

[Pitspitr]

Yes at the DepMo Muster the 500 yd long range will be at paper.

In my case, I'll shoot my trapdoor on the long range. All I really intend to use my Krag for (for now anyway) is the EEM.

[Dead I]

Was the 30-40 Krag ammo used during the Cuban campaign of the Spanish American War Lead or jacketed?


Thanks!   Deadeye.

I think those old Krags fired a 220 grain round nosed jacketed round.  Muzzle velocity of around 2200 fps.  Fast then.

[Charles Isaac]

I think those old Krags fired a 220 grain round nosed jacketed round.  Muzzle velocity of around 2200 fps.  Fast then.

Yes, that loading actually did exist, twice, but there is a story behind it.

2000 fps was the original velocity with a 220 gr bullet. in 1898, there was a 2200 fps Frankford Arsenal loading-an attempt to keep up with some of the flatter shooting military rounds out there. It was quickly pulled from service because it was just too hard on the Krags!

The first caliber of the M1903 rifle, the .30-03, sent a 220 gr bullet at 2200 fps-duplicating the performance of the old Frankford Arsenal 1898 load for the Krag, but it eroded barrels very quickly, so in 1906 the .30-06 with a 150 gr bullet at 2700 fps replaced it.

Anyways, I bought 300 Hornady and 200 Speer 220 gr jacketed .30s on Ebay-back when you could do that-for $80 shipped.

Soon, I'll have to break down and pay the $29=shipping per 100. For me, there's nothing like running a Krag with the 220s it was designed for

[Dead I]

There is a great article on the Krag rifle in this month's issue of the American Riflemen.  They don't deal much with the ammo however.

I love Krags and I own a few.  They are fun to shoot.  For years they were known as the very best Elk guns.  I think because those hard nickle 220 grain bullets penitrated deeply into the animal, even if launched at 2200 fps.

When I was a kid Krags were dirt cheap!  No longer, but nothing is cheap nowadays.

[Delmonico]

There is a great article on the Krag rifle in this month's issue of the American Riflemen.  They don't deal much with the ammo however.

I love Krags and I own a few.  They are fun to shoot.  For years they were known as the very best Elk guns.  I think because those hard nickle 220 grain bullets penitrated deeply into the animal, even if launched at 2200 fps.

When I was a kid Krags were dirt cheap!  No longer, but nothing is cheap nowadays.

Take a long hard look at the ballistics of most of the Brit rounds from that era, esp the dangerous game rounds.  That 2100-22000 fps is about perfect for a heavy round nose lead core jacketed bullet. 

[Dead I]

I like all of the bolt guns of the Krag era.  I shoot an 8mm Lebel, Mannlicher Berthier, 7.65 Argentine Mauser, Krag, 1902 Rolling block in 7x57, 95 Mauser. 96 Mauser and Jap 38...which is a harder shooting rifle. I also shoot an 1891 Mosin Nagant, which kills at both ends.  I like those old bolt guns.  My favorite  however is the 1902 Rolling block.  I shoot them with all kinds of loads, cast and jacketed.  I also like the 1891 Arg. Mauser.  It's very thin and handly. 

They are comfortable old guns.  They don't have muzzle blast anything like a 300 Win Mag.  I load'em down, generally.  I'm trying to just shoot one nowadays. I used to take an arsenal to the range, but no longer.  I just shoot one, the Rolling block, which is a hoot to shoot.

I bought most of my old guns in the 70's, when they were nearly free.  A 1911 Schmidt Rubin straight pull cost $20 - then. I was walking out of a gun show and a guy was standing there with a Jap 99 saying he didn't want to take it home and he'd take $25, so I bought it.  Those Arisaka's are a kick to shoot.

Late 19th Century bolt guns were all different...just inspect one of those Lebels!  So they are fun to shoot and to take apart.  Yeah, I'm death on beer cans and 55 gallon drums.

[Delmonico]

All those rounds started out with a heavy round nose at around those velocitys and shoot plenty flat for a wee bit beyond 200 yards and work quite well. 

Took bullets like the Nosler Partition, Barnes X bullets and the like to make the high velocity whiz bangs reliable.

[Stillwater]

Lever guns are my favorite in firearms. Bolt guns are a close second. I have quiet a few of each. However, I was at loose ends last friday with too much money in my pocket. Six months ago, a friend of mine opened a new gunshop, it is jumping with customers. A lot of people are consigning firearms for sale there.

I went by this gun store just too look around, as usual. There, in a show case, laying in a fifty year old cardboard shipping container, was a Remington made Springfield 03-A3... Still in the cosmoline.

The box showed the rifle was shipped from the Pueblo, CO, arsenal to Tacoma, WA in early 1960. The owner had acquired it through the NRA. The whole story was on the box.

It must have been inherited by a son or a daughter, brought back to California, then put up for sale. What a lucky find, an unfired, unissued, 03-A3 still in the cosmoline.

In California, a mint, unissued, in the cosmoline Springfields, are an extreme rarity and extremely expensive. I happily paid a lot of worthless FRN's for it.

I am still looking for a mint 1898 Krag cabine, if I can ever get a line on one that is in, as new, condition.

Bill

[Dead I]

I have an old Krag 98.  It's bore is black.  It shows pretty good wear.  I suspect it was heavily used.  Over the years I've run across two minty ones and both bores are fine.  One's a 99 carbine.  Neat rifle. 

Does it harm Krag's to fire newly manufactured rounds in them?  Was it only the old ones that erroded the bore?

I've wondered if I can take my worn rifle and rebore it to a wildcat called a 35 Krag?  I'd load it about like a 35 Remington.  I've seen 25 Krag wildcats, but never a 35.  It might be fun to shoot.  Since so many Krags had terrible bores I think that others might have bored them to 35, just like they rebored worn 03 Springfields to 35 whelen.

Sure I'd have to load it to Krag pressures, but it sounds like fun.