Care and feeding of the Krag

[pony express]

I've never needed to set my sights that high, usually I use either 400, or just below that at the "B" mark. My '03 hits close enough for steel knockdowns with the sight leaf folded down in the battle sight position.

[CPL Jayhawker Jake]

Finalized on the loadings, going with 16gr of Trail Boss in .30-06, and 12gr in .30-40 Krag.  The two loads seem to group well, and match the point of aim with the sights set to 6 and 4, respectively.  When I get the chance, I'll practice a bit more, and see if the '03's battle sight will work with these loads at ranges less than 100 yards.  Since the battle sight should be zeroed at 547 yards or so, it should be close enough to work.  Thanks for the help/info/advice everybody. 

Now, on to the uniform! 

[Charles Isaac]

Now if I could just get the weather to cooperate, and I can go test these loads out.  Right now, I'm looking at 6 inches of snow, with more coming down. 

Yep, for some strange reason those old Springfield Armory guns won't shoot straight in the snow! 

[Niederlander]

I've found that NONE of my guns shoot very straight in the snow!  (Couldn't possibly be me...........could it?)

[Charles Isaac]

I've found that NONE of my guns shoot very straight in the snow!  (Couldn't possibly be me...........could it?)

Naaawww-it was the snow!

Remember this one I got from that guy up in Alaska?  Bet that's what happened to it-got shot in the snow! Blowed it apart!

[Pitspitr]

And Neiderlander complains about crescent butt plates! Bet that one would be pretty uncomfortable to shoot even with mouse fart loads

[River City John]

That's an after-dinner rifle. You can pick your teeth with it as you sight it in.

RCJ

[CPL Jayhawker Jake]

Yep, for some strange reason those old Springfield Armory guns won't shoot straight in the snow! 

The problem wasn't that the Krag couldn't shoot straight in the snow, it was that the shooter couldn't see the target at 100 yards!


And, possibly, the shooter is too much of a soft millennial to go out and shoot in a snow storm. 

Ouch.  Put a bayonet on that, and you could stab stuff on both ends. 

[Charles Isaac]

Ha Ha! Yep! A shard of walnut with a Krag attached to it!

[cpt dan blodgett]

+1 on the new DCM barrels.  Made the mistake of shooting the 03 at winter range this year missed one at both 100 and 200 leaving me out in the cold.  My fault not the rifle the DCM barrel on it shoots just fine.  Just for grins shot the krag and went 10 for 10, which would have won the match.  I had the DCM barrel installed on it about 3 years ago when I could not put two consecutive rounds on a 20 x 24 target at 25 yards.

[Lord Eoin MacKenzie]

A shooting Question....In the Movie "The Rough Riders"  They showed a fellow using a sling and shooting sticks?
  What type of leather sling should be installed on a Krag, or rolling block?also on a Mauser?
Mills belt for Krag, Bandoleer for Mauser and Rolling block?

[CPL Jayhawker Jake]

A shooting Question....In the Movie "The Rough Riders"  They showed a fellow using a sling and shooting sticks?
  What type of leather sling should be installed on a Krag, or rolling block?also on a Mauser?
Mills belt for Krag, Bandoleer for Mauser and Rolling block?

The experts will undoubtedly know more, but from what I've read, the M1887 leather sling was the standard sling on the Rifle version of the Krag. 

[pony express]

Not sure what sling they used on a Krag carbine, but the rifle one was like the Trapdoor. A 1903 sling will fit, but it's not the same, the Krag sling is one long strip of leather, not in 2 parts like the '03. The sling I have is from S&S firearms, it's OK but not great. it's made from 2 pieces of leather, spliced together, and it's color is a little "orangeish". I think the ultimate one comes from Turner Saddlery, but they may not always have them in stock, takes a good size hide to make one strap that long.

The Spanish used a rectangular black cartridge box (or a pair of them) for both the Roller and Mauser. But for Mexican revolutionary, anything goes, and 2 crossed bandoleers and a big sombrero would work fine.

[Drydock]

There are two appropriate slings for a Krag: the M1887, which is indeed a long piece of leather.  I was lucky to get one from Turner, its on my M1884 trapdoor now.  The other is the 1899 Mills sling, my favorite, I have one of these on my Krag Rifle and my 1895 Musket.

http://onlinemilitaria.net/products/3267-US-Mills-Web-Sling-for-Krag-and-Springfield-Rifles/

These are great slings.  A 1898 and earlier Krag carbine would use the same sling as the earlier Trapdoor carbine, the classic over shoulder cavalry sling and clip.  The 1899 and later carbines had no provision for slings, and were carried in a leather scabbard attached to the troopers saddle.  The rare Engineers carbine (approx 400 made) were M1899 carbines with a rifle sling loop in the butt, with a rifle sling barrel band, and used the standard rifle sling.

[Drydock]

http://www.turnersling.com/special-order-items.php

The best, order one, then use the Mills sling until it shows up!

[Lord Eoin MacKenzie]

Thanks for the Info....It looks like I can use my SMLE sling for a while.
I'll look for pictures of the Pouches and see if I can sew some up.   Along with Boer wars equipment, Bitish?

[Pitspitr]

If I were looking for info on British stuff, I'd be getting in touch with Rattlesnake Jack

[Niederlander]

I can heartily second that!  He's helped me tremendously on my Australian impressions.

[cpt dan blodgett]

Turners actually taking orders for the Krag Sling 1887?  A couple of years ago I tried to order one and they would not even attempt to make one as they could not get the "proper" brass fittings.  I may have to order one for my krag and replace the substandard but overall fairly close replica on it currently

[Lord Eoin MacKenzie]

Rattle Snake Jack,   Are the bandoleers worn by the Boers, British Issue they "found",  The ones that have 5rd clips in them?