Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice very mid-production (1896) Krag M1896 Rifle, which shortened by 6 inches for drill purposes. It measures was 43 inches in overall length, weighing about 8 pounds with a 24-inch barrel. This made it just about the same length as the Model 1903 Springfield rifle that replaced it, and they were often used for drill purposes by cadets and civil organizations.

The The Springfield Model 1892–99 Krag–Jørgensen rifle is a Norwegian-designed bolt-action rifle that was adopted in 1892 as the standard United States Army military longarm, chambered in U.S. caliber .30-40 Krag. All versions and variants were manufactured under license by the Springfield Armory between 1892 and 1903 and famously served as the longarm during the Spanish–American War. Although Krags were popular, unique and efficient, the side loading gate mechanism was slow and cumbersome to reload in combat compared to the clip loaded Spanish Mausers the Krag was up against.

The M1896 rifle differs from the earlier M1892 version, in that the magazine cut-off operates in down position and a three-piece cleaning rod is stored in a butt trap. It also had an improved rear sight and tighter production tolerances to give better accuracy when compared to its predecessor.

This particular example started life as an Model 1896 Full-Length rifle, as indicated by the receiver markings:

Research reveals that serial number 44095 dates the time of manufacture to the the second half of 1896, which is part of U.S. fiscal year 1897. The stock is fitted with a M1896 solid smooth buttplate with a curved toe and butt-trap. The handguard meets the front edge of the receiver fitted with the correct 1896 pattern rear sight. These are very desirable as a U.S. military service rifle as most of these rifles saw heavy use in the Spanish-American War and early 1900s until the development of the M1903 rifle.

This example is in very good condition, and has a great aged, but well cared for appearance. The stock and handguard are in good condition, and have a nice aged walnut color, though the stock has definitely been sanded a bit, so the inspection cartouche on the left stock above the trigger guard is faded. There are traces of the original stylized "P" on the stock under the trigger guard, along with a freshly struck one, which indicates that the rifle passed overpressure testing twice. The metal components still have some of the original finish, but most is worn to a gray patina. The bore is very good, being bright with clear lands and grooves.

Definitely a very nice example of this type of shortened rifle. Ready to display!

History of the Krag-Jørgensen / Springfield Model 1892–99-

Like many other armed forces, the U.S. Army searched for a new rifle in the early 1890s to replace their old Springfield Model 1873 "trapdoor" single-shot rifles. A competition was held in 1892, comparing rifle designs from Lee, Krag-Jørgensen, Mannlicher, Mauser, Schmidt-Rubin, and about 40 other military and civilian designs. The trials were held at Governors Island, New York. Despite protests from domestic inventors and arms manufacturers (two designers, Russell and Livermore, even sued the U.S. government over the choice) the Krag-Jørgensen design was chosen by the board of officers.

Approximately 500,000 'Krags' were produced at the Springfield Armory in Massachusetts from 1894 to 1904. It was the U.S. Army's primary rifle from 1894 to 1903 (when it was replaced by the M1903 Springfield rifle with its ballistically similar .30-03 cartridge), and found use in the Spanish-American War and the Philippine-American War. 

Specifications-

Year of Manufacture: 1896
Caliber:  .30-40 Krag
Cartridge Type: Centerfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 24 Inches
Overall Length: 43 Inches
Action type: Bolt-Action
Feed System: 5 round side loaded magazine

Note: This gun is NOT considered obsolete calibre, so we are no able to ship to the United Kingdom. Please note that for international shipping, these MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services.