Original Item: Only One Available. The Krag Jørgensen system was invented in 1886 by Captain Ole Herman Johannes Krag of the Danish Army and Erik Jorgensen, a Danish gunsmith. The design was adopted in Denmark, and then licensed to various other countries, such as the United States, where rifles were produced at Springfield Armory.

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. The U.S. Krag was replaced beginning in 1903 with the introduction of the M1903 Springfield rifle.

This particular example started life as an Model 1896 rifle or carbine, as indicated by the receiver markings:

It was then converted to an M1899 Constabulary carbine, which was a model built for use in the Philippines. It was basically the same as an M1899 Carbine, but had a full length stock and a bayonet lug, and the muzzle stepped down to accept a bayonet. It also had three sling swivels, for the standard Krag / Trapdoor rifle sling.

In this way, the rifle that helped the United States in the Spanish-American war was used to help police the new territory that came under their influence.

This example is in very good condition, and has a great aged, but well cared for appearance. The stock is in great shape, with only minor chips and dings, and the metal components still have some of the original finish. The bore is very good, being bright with clear lands and grooves.

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. In this later war the rifle was referred to in a song popular with U.S. troops, a parody of "Tramp! Tramp! Tramp!", with a verse running:

Damn, damn, damn the Filipinos!

Cut throat kha-ki-ak ladrones!

Underneath our starry flag,

Civilize 'em with a Krag,

And return us to our own beloved homes.

According to contemporary, perhaps sensationalized accounts, the Krag's complex design was outclassed by the Spanish Mauser during the Spanish-American War, and proved ill-suited for use in tropical locales such as Cuba and the Philippines. American soldiers found themselves unable to match the volume of fire displayed by the Spanish 1893 Mauser rifle, with its box magazine that could be fully reloaded with clips, and a high-velocity, flat-shooting 7mm cartridge which was quickly dubbed the 'Spanish Hornet'. During the American assault on the strategic Cuban city of Santiago, a small force of 750 Spanish troops armed with Model 1893 Mauser rifles defended positions on San Juan and Kettle hills. The attacking force consisted of approximately 6,600 American soldiers, most of them regulars, armed with the then-new smokeless-powder Krag-Jørgensen rifle and supported by artillery and Gatling gun fire. Though the assault was successful, the Americans soon realized that they had suffered more than 1,400 casualties in the assault. A U.S board of investigation pinned the blame on the superior firepower of the Spanish Model 1893 Mauser rifles, although modern analysis has determined that many of the casualties were due to superior Spanish fortifications on the high ground. With the Krag's replacement with the Mauser-derived M1903, the rifle is tied for the shortest service life of any standard-issue firearm in US military history (1892-1903).

The Krag was completely phased out of service in the Regular Army by 1907, as M1903 Springfields became available, however, the Krag was issued for many more years with the National Guard and the Army Reserve, including service in World War I with rear-echelon U.S. troops in France and as training arms at various Stateside bases.

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