U.S. Springfield M1898 Krag–Jørgensen .30-40 Krag Bolt Action Rifle C&R
SOLD FOR: $1,525
WOA#: WY240131PA001
Make: Springfield Armory
Model: M1898 Krag–Jørgensen
Serial Number: 332460
Year of Manufacture: 1901
Caliber: .30-40 Krag
Action Type: Bolt action, internal 5 round side-loading magazine.
Markings: The left side of the receiver is marked “U.S. Model 1898. Springfield Armory. 332460”.The left side of the wrist is marked with an inspector mark with the year “1901”. The underside of the grip is marked with a cursive “P” stamp and “U”. The right side of the rear barrel band is marked with a “U”. The left ricasso of the bayonet is marked “1895”. The right ricasso is marked “US”.
Barrel Length: 30”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade post pinned into a barrel mounted base. The rear sight is a 1901 sight with a u-notch blade attached to an aperture slide on a ladder.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The wood stock has a straight grip, cutout for the bolt handle, finger grooves, barrel band with bayonet lug & stacking loop, barrel band with sling loop, underside sling loop, and a metal buttplate with hinged door for storage. The buttplate is pitted and has wear along the edges. There are compression marks, scuffs, and scratches throughout the wood. There are gouges on both sides of the buttstock. There is a large chunk missing from the underside of the buttstock near the wrist. There is a thin shallow hole on the left side of the wrist. There is wear along the top of the forend next to the barrel. The LOP measures 13.3” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The stock rates in about Good overall condition.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is dark and the rifling is shallow. There is heavy erosion in the bore.
In this writer’s opinion, this bore rates 2 out of 10.
Many military and C&R eligible weapons have bores that will show erosion. This is not only due to age but to the fact that corrosive primers were commonly used in ammunition worldwide. For example, the U.S. used corrosive ammunition throughout WWII. The U.S. military did not begin to phase out corrosive-primed ammunition until the 1950s.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains almost none of its metal finish. There are scuffs and scratches throughout the metal surfaces. The small amount of finish that remains has mostly been converted to a patina, especially on the barrel bands There are areas of oxidation on the magazine, receiver, bolt, trigger guard, and the front barrel band. The receiver and magazine have the heaviest amount of oxidation. The action and bolt show operational wear. The screw heads show moderate to heavy use. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle rates in about Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this rifle. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This rifle comes with a leather sling, an M1892 bayonet, a brass muzzle cover, a leather McKeever cartridge box, and an original cleaning kit stored in the buttstock.
Our Assessment: Following the advent of smokeless powder in the late 1880s, the United States Army Ordnance Corps began the process of replacing the aged single-shot trapdoor rifle design. In the early 1890s, trials were held for a new smokeless powder magazine-loaded rifle, which led to the adoption of the Norwegian designed Krag–Jørgensen rifle in the form of the M1892. Production would begin in 1894 and, over the course of several rifle iterations, end with the M1898 in 1903. M1896 and M1898 rifles would primarily see service in the Spanish-American War, where they and their .30-40 cartridge were outclassed by the Spanish M1893 Mauser. One of the primary issues was the side-loading magazine which was slow to load and clumsy in comparison to the charger clip fed Mauser design. This would lead to the development of the veritable M1903 rifle. This is an example of a late production M1898, made in 1901. The stock has wear throughout, though most of it is focused on the buttstock. The metal is heavily worn, especially the receiver and bolt. The bore is very dark with shallow rifling and heavy erosion. The rifle comes with a leather sling, an M1892 bayonet that was made in 1895, a brass muzzle cover, a leather McKeever cartridge box, and an original cleaning kit stored in the bottom of the buttstock. This would fit into any US milsurp collection. Please see our photos.
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