Inherited an old Krag - 8mm model 1889...
At least I believe it's a Krag rifle.
It's made in Denmark in 1911, Copenhagen to be exact.
As I remember it, I believe it was called an "Infantry-model", prepared for bayonet and had sights that could be flipped up and it's graded for 100-200-300-400 metres.. up to I believe 800 metres and the top of it is 1200 metres if I recall the details correctly.
It's quite a long rifle - 133centimetres in all or 52,4" total length.
The Caliber is "8mm m/'89."
The model is an 1889, which was the year it was taken into service by the danish military and was used in the danish military for quite some time, I don't know how long.
It has a magazine well on the right side that flips open and cartridges can be hand feed, by just "pouring" the cartridges in and then closing the magazine cover again.
As you might know, the magazine cover has a springloaded mechanism that puts slight pressure on the cartridges and pushes them up, ready to get feed by the bolt. Quite ingenious and fast system.
It has been re-blued by the danish military only a couple of years ago. Re-blued by the airforce workshop not too far away from where my father lived - by a friend who was able to do it like they did it at that time. (or so I was told)
It's really beautifully made - and nothing have been done to the stock, that still show normal wear and tear.
There is 180 cartridges fully jacketed cartridges - and about 100 cartridges for hunting a kind of soft point rounded nose.
All cartridges are made by the danish military and packed in their official boxes.
They are packed and controlled in 1944 and in '62 and '64. I know some are corrosive.
One of the packs of ammunition is quite interesting - as it was a pack of 30 with fully jacketed projectiles.
Both the fully jacketed and softpoint cartridges have the same bullet weight - which is somewhere between 12 and 13 grams. (not grains).
12.4 or 12.6 grams.. or something like that.
The thing I've never seen before, was that there are 10 cartridges beside eachoder - and "wrapped" in some thin copper or brass, looks like a "vacuum"-packed (but offcourse it's not.), it looks like if you took a piece of paper and folded it down the long side - put in some cartridges and pressed the whole thing flat, forming something like a holder for each cartridge.
There is about 1/3 of a cartridges diameter between the actual cartridges, keeping them somewhat parallel to eachoder.
The cartridges can be lifted up and out of this "wrapping" in a flash as it doesn't enclose the whole cartridge.
Three of these "wrappings" were laid up against eachoder - and a piece of cardboard in a U-shape placed over the bottom/primer-end of the cartridges - the tree "wrappings" and the piece of cardboard was tied up by a thin string to hold it all together and prevent the cartridges and wrappings from getting messed up in the pack/case.
I know that the munitions factory called "Norma" in Sweeden - sometimes makes a series of these cartridges with the original load.
They do this once every 3-4-5-6 years - depending on the demand.
What I'd like to know - is if anyone have any experience with this rifle - perhaps some more history of it.
The info I've found on it have been limited - would love to set up a homepage with more info on this.. quite wonderful rifle.
It was also the first big rifle I ever shot with.
I was 8 or 9 years of age and spent 25 cartridges at that time.
I will try to post pictures of it, when it arrives - it was my fathers rifle and I inherited it, so we'd need to get permission from the police to import/export it first - and then send it off from Denmark to me.
Don't do anything that I've allready done - That'd be just plain STOOOOOOPID.
It's made in Denmark in 1911, Copenhagen to be exact.
As I remember it, I believe it was called an "Infantry-model", prepared for bayonet and had sights that could be flipped up and it's graded for 100-200-300-400 metres.. up to I believe 800 metres and the top of it is 1200 metres if I recall the details correctly.
It's quite a long rifle - 133centimetres in all or 52,4" total length.
The Caliber is "8mm m/'89."
The model is an 1889, which was the year it was taken into service by the danish military and was used in the danish military for quite some time, I don't know how long.
It has a magazine well on the right side that flips open and cartridges can be hand feed, by just "pouring" the cartridges in and then closing the magazine cover again.
As you might know, the magazine cover has a springloaded mechanism that puts slight pressure on the cartridges and pushes them up, ready to get feed by the bolt. Quite ingenious and fast system.
It has been re-blued by the danish military only a couple of years ago. Re-blued by the airforce workshop not too far away from where my father lived - by a friend who was able to do it like they did it at that time. (or so I was told)
It's really beautifully made - and nothing have been done to the stock, that still show normal wear and tear.
There is 180 cartridges fully jacketed cartridges - and about 100 cartridges for hunting a kind of soft point rounded nose.
All cartridges are made by the danish military and packed in their official boxes.
They are packed and controlled in 1944 and in '62 and '64. I know some are corrosive.
One of the packs of ammunition is quite interesting - as it was a pack of 30 with fully jacketed projectiles.
Both the fully jacketed and softpoint cartridges have the same bullet weight - which is somewhere between 12 and 13 grams. (not grains).
12.4 or 12.6 grams.. or something like that.
The thing I've never seen before, was that there are 10 cartridges beside eachoder - and "wrapped" in some thin copper or brass, looks like a "vacuum"-packed (but offcourse it's not.), it looks like if you took a piece of paper and folded it down the long side - put in some cartridges and pressed the whole thing flat, forming something like a holder for each cartridge.
There is about 1/3 of a cartridges diameter between the actual cartridges, keeping them somewhat parallel to eachoder.
The cartridges can be lifted up and out of this "wrapping" in a flash as it doesn't enclose the whole cartridge.
Three of these "wrappings" were laid up against eachoder - and a piece of cardboard in a U-shape placed over the bottom/primer-end of the cartridges - the tree "wrappings" and the piece of cardboard was tied up by a thin string to hold it all together and prevent the cartridges and wrappings from getting messed up in the pack/case.
I know that the munitions factory called "Norma" in Sweeden - sometimes makes a series of these cartridges with the original load.
They do this once every 3-4-5-6 years - depending on the demand.
What I'd like to know - is if anyone have any experience with this rifle - perhaps some more history of it.
The info I've found on it have been limited - would love to set up a homepage with more info on this.. quite wonderful rifle.
It was also the first big rifle I ever shot with.
I was 8 or 9 years of age and spent 25 cartridges at that time.
I will try to post pictures of it, when it arrives - it was my fathers rifle and I inherited it, so we'd need to get permission from the police to import/export it first - and then send it off from Denmark to me.
Don't do anything that I've allready done - That'd be just plain STOOOOOOPID.
0
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HappyNanoq,
Congratulations on inheriting such a fine rifle! I am sorry that you have to receive it under these circumstances...
Here are some links to look into, especially the forum that specializes in the Danish Krag:
http://www.jouster.com/cgi-bin/krag/krag.pl?
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Now, some data about different Krag versions, Danish first.
Rifle M1889, This weapon is typical of the period in having a long barrel and stock without pistol grip. A metal handguard encircles the barrel. As originally issued this rifle had no safety catch, a half- cock notch on the cocking piece/firing pin assembly served this purpose. In 1910, this weapon was modified by the addition of a manual safety, wich was placed on the left side of the receiver just behind the closed bolt handle. Overall length was 52.28 inches with a barrel of 32.78 inches, it weighed in at 9.5lb.
Infantry carbine M1889, Introduced in 1924, this weapon also has a metal barrel jacket and a stud for a bayonet. This carbine has the letter F before the serial number. It has a straight bolt handle. Overall length is 43.3 inches with a barrel of 24 inches and a it weighs 8.8lb.
Artillery carbine M1889, This carbine was also introduced in 1924. It is generally similar to the Infantry carbine, but it has a turned- down bolt handle, a triangular upper sling swivel and a stud on the left side of the stock. This stud was used to hang the carbine from a leather hanger worn on the gunner's back.
Engineer carbine M1889, The Engineer carbine was also introduced in 1924. It has a wooden handguard, and the barrel was shortened to 23.6 inches to accommodate the muzzle cap of the Cavalry rifle M1889. The letter I appears before the serial number.
Cavalry rifle M1889, This weapon was introduced in 1914. The rear sling swivel is mounted on the left side jusat ahead of the trigger guard. It has a straight bolt handle and a mounting stud similar to that of the M1889 cavalry carbine on the left side of the stock. The letter R appears before the serial number. This rifle is not fitted for a bayonet.
Sniper rifle M1928, This is an alteration of the rifle M1889 and has a heavier barrel with wooden handguard, a sporting type stock with pistol grip, a turned-down bolt handle, micrometer rear sight and hooded front sight. This rifle weighs 11.7lb and is 46 inches long with a 26.3 inch barrel.
http://www.public.asu.edu/~roblewis/SMLE/IIID2a10b.htm
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Great pictures!
http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/2069/k8810.html
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Lots of history with cartridge drawings and charts:
http://home.sprynet.com/~frfrog/kragrifl.htm
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That should be a good start. Use a good search engine and type in 'Danish Krag rifle' and see what comes up
Best.
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Is this it? http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/2069/k8810.html
Here's a little more info: http://texashideout.tripod.com/Krag.html
BTW, the guy in the picture is Clyde Barrow...of Bonnie & Clyde fame.
Here's the website of the Krag Collector's Association: http://www.kragcollectorsassociation.com/photos.htm
And here's some info on Danish Ammunition: http://home.online.no/~jepsen/Armoury/ammo/tegninger/dk-cartridges.htm0 -
quote:Is this it? http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/2069/k8810.html
That's exactly right. [:)]
I couldn't find a picture of it - but everything seems to fit just that one.
With the right rear sight and I also recognize the safety, bolt, extractor and magazine.
Markings looks a lot like I remember it - the stampings in the metal frame I mean.
But the year was 1911 though.
Thanks - I really appreciate the help [:)]
You're the greatest.!!0 -
Just found 300 cartridges, packed in 10 cartridge packages.
But manufactured to the old specifications - they're made within the last few years, because of the demand for the ammo - they make this ammo on rare occations.
The ammo is 8mm m/'89 or 8*58RD, specially made for the old danish Krag Jorgensen rifles by "Norma".
They are loaded with the original pressures and bullets weights (updated the bullet though), so no trouble there.
The projectile is a 12.7 grams lead-nosed bullet, like the Norma "Alaska"-projectile.
Prize is a bit rough though - 10 shots costs 22US$.
Don't do anything that I've allready done - That'd be just plain STOOOOOOPID.0 -
Nothing I can Add to already excellent Information already tendered...
Captain Kirk, Tech Staff0 -
You mean we left you speechless, Captain? [:D]
Will wonders never cease!0 -
Peter, original Danish Krag military ammo brings $2 and up a round, bulk. The best price I've seen on Norma SP, and this was from the 1950s or early 1960s, was $24 / 10 rd box . . . this ammo is relatively scarce, at least in the US. The nice thing about the Norma is that it is NC Boxer primed so you *can* reload it. In your shoes, I would keep the military rounds you found in the "shrink wrap" as they are and not shoot them. Original military packaging would greatly increase their value and likely you could promote them into commercial loads at a rate of two to four to one to a collector and at least an even trade with a cartridge dealer.
Again, my personal sympathies on the circumstances which brought the weapon to you, but clearly there are some good memories associated with it, as well, and I hope those will always be foremost in your mind.
"There is nothing lower than the human race - except the French." (Mark Twain)0 -
The Norma ammunition with soft point projectiles are still being produced every few years at portions of 10.000.
At a going prize around the 20-25 dollars (this was a calculation made by me, at the approx. exchangerate today) - but that seems to be the prize for this ammo.
I have no intencion of trying out the original military ammo, other than maybe the one pack that's been opened and is missing 5-10 shots allready.
The packs are : 4 packs of 50 cartridges in cardboard packaging and one pack with 30 cartridge in the metal-"blister-wrapping..thingy".
All stamped/marked with the official danish markings of the military as well as dates, caliber and such.
I knew the original ammunition or should I say the military ammunition in original wrapping/packaging is scarse and hard to come by - at least in Denmark, I know people are ready to buy any amount of this ammo.
This ammo will stay with the rifle - will not be sold at any prize.
I plan to buy some of the new smokeless Norma-ammunition and use that instead - to save the old ammunition and to be on the safe side, allthough the original ammo shouldn't give any problems - as it's been stored properly.
I hope to go reindeer-hunting with it next year - to test it out offcourse, but also to do something that my father did with it.
Thank you everyone, I can see I hadn't searched the right places.0 -
Hello SaxonPig:
I've been thinking about taking a reloaders class in Denmark on a vacation - there are no reloaders classes here in Greenland, but those who have passed the danish reloaders course, may reload here in Greenland - allthough with quite a bit of legal hazzle every time components are bought/ordered.
Reloading is "outlawed" or restricted here.
But there is no way in HE(double-hockeysticks) I'd put on another barrel on this one - I'd rather be shot before doing that.
My father inherited the rifle, back in the late '60's when he worked here in Greenland - inherited it from a hunter-by-profession on my mothers side.
I always had a special likeing for old rifles like these, with their original cartridges and everything.
Anything that's been altered - is just a copy.! That's my opinion.
That's why I'd rather buy the ammo at 2$ each - shoot it on occation, but really enjoy shooting it as it was intended.
Money is of no importance with this particular rifle.
Expecially when the Norma ammunitions factory still spits out a load of these cartridges every now and then.
He brought it back to Denmark and have shot it only on occation.
When the weapons-locker/safe was suddenly full - this was one of those that he'd hate to part with, eventhough he never really shot it.
It just had to be there - now I inherited it from him.
I can always send off the empty cases to a friend in Denmark, who works at his own reload-company.
People have a lot of ammunition reloaded at his company - at special loads, with special projectiles.
I'd love to bring the rifle to him and have a load brought up to speed for this... litterally.. magnificent rifle.
I now own two weapons, that I'd be very very reluctant to part with.
This Krag Jorgensen model 1889 and my Benelli Super Black Eagle.
I don't remember the brand, but there's a bolt action .410 shotgun on the way also - perhaps a .22LR Parker Hale. Depending on what my brother desides for the rifle - but the .410 is also coming.
But I have been thinking about finding a source of cartridge-cases and send them to my friend - and have been thinking about the reloaders course to begin doing this myself.
Don't do anything that I've allready done - That'd be just plain STOOOOOOPID.0
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