Just shot my first Krag....I'm hooked....

[Dan in NY]

Its a late 1898 with a 1903 dated stock...came with all the goodies..Loaded up some 180 gr. round nose Sierra's and 34 grs. of 4895......Was dinging the 200yd. gong with every shot.....I bought this rifle out of an old collection last year and have been dying to shoot it.....I had a bit of trouble seeing through the little peep sight that folds up & down on the back of the rear leaf sight...It is really a small aperture hole, and even though my vision is 20-10, I don't know what I did wrong...I just folded it down out of the way and used the battle V notch.....

It is so smooth and accurate....I'm tempted to take it Whitetail hunting this fall in the Adirondacks...

Dan in NY

[Bill]

They do shoot very well. Mine has the later sight, which works a little like the 03 sight, very much an improvement over the sight you describe. I have that one as well, but cannot shoot it nearly as well.

I also use 180 round nose bullets, but 4350 powder.

Mine is every bit as accurate as most of my 03s, and much more pleasant to shoot.

[Fishnerd]

Bambi doesn't go too far after being hit with a Krag.
I'll only shoot iron sights <100yds, but you know if you hit the deer. Plus theres no following a blood trail for a few hundred yards. I swear by big (180gr and up) bullets when hunting whitetails. I don't see a need for >3000fps powder charges.

[Dan in NY]

Fishnerd...I agree....

Where we hunt, you'd be hard pressed to get a shot over 100 yds...VERY thick cover, with many shooting lanes only..No open fields, and very hilly as well....maybe an old fire road or two, but mainly thick hardwoods.....I actually bought a rem. 1100 slug gun w/ a Weaver 2.5 scope, just for this application, but I think the Krag will edge it out, when the time comes...LOL

I also picked up an unaltered mint Type 38 Arisaka, 6.5 Caliber, and it was equally as nice to shoot....VERY mild recoil and was also dinging the 200 yd. gong with every shot...(every expensive shot, that is...I was using factory Norma stuff..)

[tmark]

I have an 1898 Krag having 1896 rear sight and handguard. I've never shot it but am looking forward to reloading some new R brass with the 180 gr. bullet after reading the posts about how well and mild the Krag shoots. Thanks for the posts! Thomas

[jon_norstog]

Dan,

I use my Krag elk hunting, iron sights. If the elk are there I'll usually get a shot within 100 yards. For deer the Krag is, if anything, overpowered. But who's complaining?

My first Krag had the same sight you describe. The peep sight was worthless except off a rest, but the open sight was really well placed and easy to use. Current krag has a "Pacific" peep sight on the receiver, which is a poor man's scope. I'd rather carry my Krag all day than any other gun in my closet.

jn

[Fishnerd]

TMark- I can shoot 60 rounds out of my Krag and not have a sore shoulder at the end of the day.
Jon- I believe that a large bullet at 21-2200fps makes a good, swift, knock-down kill for whitetails. I do agree about questioning why some guys see a need for a monster (.300 Weatherby, et al) for killing a deer. I guess they are trying to make up for inadequcies elsewhere.

[tmark]

Fishners, good to know about the nonsore shoulder. After 60 rounds of my M1 Garand, my shoulder is not only sore but also bruised. Sore is an understatement with 30'O6 ammo!

[jon_norstog]

Fishnerd, yeah there's no question that the krag will knock down the biggest whitetail. And you don't even have to use max loads. As far as monster guns, it's like they used to say .. the biger the rig, the smaller the ****.

Only thing I would change is get a Krag with a bubba job, cheap, and leave the nice long rifle at home. You don' wanna drag that 30" barrel through the brush.

jn

[Fishnerd]

Fishnerd, yeah there's no question that the krag will knock down the biggest whitetail. And you don't even have to use max loads. As far as monster guns, it's like they used to say .. the biger the rig, the smaller the ****.

Only thing I would change is get a Krag with a bubba job, cheap, and leave the nice long rifle at home. You don' wanna drag that 30" barrel through the brush.

jn

30" barrel thru the brush? (Fishnerd's nose goes up- thinking he is superior) I wouldn't dare do such a thing. I would only take a 22" barrel thru the brush, for I have a carbine!!! (1895 variant)

(FYI-It gets a real good cleaning as soon as I'm inside)