Just found this krag listed on Gunbroker. Advertised as an 1895 carbine with receiver marked 1896. No model marking. Has 1896 rear sight. S.N.31466. Item # is 373095652.
It peaks my cusiousocity so is it is or is it ain't for real. Only the pros nows.
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. He has clearly read Flayderman, but little else, and did not understand what he read. Some good parts, some are funky (would like to see that barrel band up close). It flunks several tests for that variant, and has been excessively sanded, etc. Similar electropencil work is known on a few other guns, but is really ugly. Basically a POS, and most definitely NOT "original" as claimed; maybe worth parting out, but not for $1500. I wouldn't pay over $600 for it, and then only if I had a buyer for the sight.
Soldier,
I did at one time own a for-real "transitional" that I assumed was a fugazi because it just didn't add up as a carbine. I bought it at the old Tri-state store in Moscow Idaho when I was 17 and used it hunting for many years. It had a 1901 sight and sling swivels. The stock had been smashed at the wrist and repaired with some kind of translucent resin. I figured it had been dropped off a cliff or maybe a horse rolled on it.
I sold that gun to Ron Peterson years ago, it was just daWning on me that it might be a real carbine and a rare one at that.
What Dick says. Those carbines that ended up with swivels did **not** have the saddle ring, and they tended I think to have the late-model sights as well.
You could call Peterson at his shop in Albuquerque and ask him about that gun. It might be available.
jn
But, the short 30" stocked arms with the humped band (such as the one in question) never had sling swivels. It is the 32" stocked carbines that occasionally are found with swivels, so something is wrong here. This one is a cobbled-together POS, at least from a collector standpoint. The seller is - either from ignorance or greed - misrepresenting the piece. The receiver, barrel, stock, and rear sight seem OK, but, IMHO are not worth $1500.