Sporterized Kraq
I have a sporterized Springfield 1898 .30 U.S. Army (30/40) Krag with RCBS reloading dies, shell holder and plenty of brass (some designated .30 US, some .30 Army and a lot of it 30/40; made by Peters, Remington and Win.). The rifle was sporterized during World War II by a machinist friend of mine at the Waterveliet Arsenal in Waterveliet, N.Y.; he did a beautiful job of bedding and it shoots just great with the Redfield Receiver Sight he mounted on it. In fact, I shot my second bull elk with it just a few years ago. Value??
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Hello JimmyJo...
Sporterized Krag rifles are real common, and the true value is for an unaltered original. Generally speaking (and depending upon how well it shoots and looks), a sporter Krag is only in the $250 - $300 range. If it has a nice scope, you can add a few hundred $$$.
FWIW, the 30-40 Krag cartridge was called the "30 U.S." until 1903, when it was then changed to "30 Army" to avoid confusion with the new 30-03 U.S. Goverment cartridge.
Bert H.
Real Men use a SINGLE-SHOT!0 -
O.K., I'll be the bad guy! I bet that is one really pretty rifle and since your buddy worked at Watervliet, did a super job souping it up! Having brass doesn't help much as there is still plenty about, but the dies would add a few bucks I assume.
Most U.S. Martial collectors (myself included) like the Krag for the anacronism it is, and interest is starting to rise for them again. If the metal/sights etc. have not been changed, then there is some hope of getting someone to buy it for restoration, but I personally look for the cartouches to clinch the deal. I would have to assume that since the barrel was bedded it has been altered too, so I guess that kind of collector interest is gone. TOLD you I was gonna' be the bad guy here! Sorry.
A local shop had a gorgeous '96 (If memory serves) model that was redone with a tiger Maple stock. The metal was reblued, but otherwise the metal was not overpolished, the barrel wasn't cut and the sights were intact. When I say it was pretty, I mean REALLY pretty! Started out at $600, and when they finally sold it 4 years later, it went for $375. Sad thing, but thats the way things like this seem to work out.
I would guess that yours would go for about the same, dependant on the quality of the wood etc. Sorry to be a downer on this, but that would be my best estimate.
P.S. Again, my sloth like typing skills have made me look like a plagerist! I SWEAR there was no other response when I started 20 minutes ago! Sorry Bert, you type too fast for me! HA!HA! Good to see that we basically agree though.
"When I cease learning...I'm dead"(Me)
"Power corrupts...Absolute power corrupts absolutely"(Descartes?)
"History is written by winners"(Patton)
"You get a lot farther with a kind word and a gun than you do with a kind word alone!"(Al Capone)
"There is nothing lower than the human race...except the French" (Samuel Clemens)0 -
quote:Originally posted by 1KYDSTR
P.S. Again, my sloth like typing skills have made me look like a plagerist! I SWEAR there was no other response when I started 20 minutes ago! Sorry Bert, you type too fast for me! HA!HA! Good to see that we basically agree though.
Bill...[:D][:D] (and you didn't even end up coming across as the bad guy)[}:)] FWIW, I work in the Electronics/Computer industry, and typing skills are a must.
Bert H.
Real Men use a SINGLE-SHOT!0 -
I've seen plenty of "hack sporterized" milsurp rifles out there....but I've also seen some really beautifully done Krags, Springfields, and Enfields, and they don't fetch nearly the price that the workmanship deserves.
It's really a shame....but that's the way the market is.
It sounds like you've got a really nice gun. Forget the $$$$ value. Just keep it and treasure it....it'll never bring what it's worth to you.0 -
Amen, Xracer!
"When I cease learning...I'm dead"(Me)
"Power corrupts...Absolute power corrupts absolutely"(Descartes?)
"History is written by winners"(Patton)
"You get a lot farther with a kind word and a gun than you do with a kind word alone!"(Al Capone)
"There is nothing lower than the human race...except the French" (Samuel Clemens)0
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