Recognize this muzzle cover?

[1563621]

Received this on a krag.

[madsenshooter]

Back in the day that the Krag was used as a target rifle more, there were some companies made them. I think PJ O Hare was one, but he marked his. It would be a good thing for the fellow who leaves his rifle out in the shed or garage. I have one rifle that had the barrel was ruined by little mud daubers building their nest to about the depth of the front sight.

[1563621]

O'Hare was in Newark NJ. Worked there, Of course they are long gone. I've seen the O'Hares, but this one is larger and made different.

[dave]

When pics this rifle were posted before I remarked about unusual muzzle cover, no one commented. But I have no clue!

[Dick Hosmer]

Do you own it, or you just furnished the picture? Wonder how it works - at first I thought the entire rear was cut away at the sight cover, and that that the piece going around the barrel behind the sight was a threaded collar, but that wouldn't work. There has to be some design feature we are not seeing in that one view.

[deadin]

I would guess that the knurled ring is split and is rotated to close the channel for the sight, thereby keeping the cover from falling off.

[butlersrangers]

31114

I have no idea who made this cover. I played a bit with 1563621's photo.

The cover appears slotted and open at the back to slide into position. It looks like the knurled ring can then be rotated to lock the brass cover in place.

[madsenshooter]

I'll look around some more in Dr. Walter Hudson's writings, might find something in there.

[1563621]

Yes, I own it, will ad some more pics. Didn't know it was an oddity.

[1563621]

Yes the Knurled ring turns to lock in place. No makers mark, could have worn off. Or been a custom made?

[butlersrangers]

Here is the sight protector illustrated in Dr. Hudson's book, "Modern Rifle Shooting from the American Standpoint".


31123

[1563621]

3112431125311263112731128Some more pics. Looks like a name, worn off.

[1563621]

3112931130311313113231133

[madsenshooter]

Paul's next brass project? Just kidding, looks to be more trouble than it would be worth, except for stopping pesky little mud daubers. I don't use sight covers on my Garand either.

[1563621]

I never used the site cover either, Just a different one.

[psteinmayer]

Interesting piece... but I bet it would be a pain in the A@# to reproduce without some specific tooling and machines. Would it be worth making one for Bob? I would have to say no since there are real Krag muzzle covers out there and available.

[dave]

Here is the sight protector illustrated in Dr. Hudson's book, "Modern Rifle Shooting from the American Standpoint".


31123

Not quite the same as posters.

[1563621]

It's very well done and I don't think little tommy made it in shop class. [no shop class in 1900]. Maybe another will turn up in 25 years.

[butlersrangers]

"Modern Rifle Shooting From The American Perspective" by Dr. Walter Guy Hudson (1903), page 40:

3114631147

[butlersrangers]

I imagine clever and handy shooters and gun implement companies were improvising Krag front sight protectors in the early 1900s. I am sure the U.S. armory 'issue' muzzle/sight cover did not protect, very well, the coatings of soot or 'blacking' that competitors put on their sight blades, during a match. '1563621' has a very interesting example of such a 'non-issue' device.

[madsenshooter]

Where's figure 8? I want to see if it looks like a 1917 front sight, like one of my cutdowns has. Goes very good with a Leroy Rice peep sight, I can hit pretty good with it.

[butlersrangers]

"Figure 8" is on page 41 (photo #2), that I posted with the partial page of text.

[madsenshooter]

Got it, thanks.