Updated 1896/1898 Serial Number observations

[garksu]

Recently observed;

Highest serial numbered Model 1896 = 109271


Lowest serial numbered Model 1898 = 109292






Tom P.

[butlersrangers]

Tom P. - That is very neat and really narrows the gap between models!

Any more details about the two Krag rifles?

[Dick Hosmer]

Wonder if I'm still good on highest "1896" - 37045; that one's stood for a long time now.

[butlersrangers]

Just for clarity, Dick is referring to the 1896 carbine (& rifle) variant, that is stamped simply "1896" on the receiver and devoid of the word Model in front of the date.

(Mistake Correction - Dick's U.S. Krag, #37045, is a rifle).

[jon_norstog]

Thank you for this post, Tom.

jn

[Dick Hosmer]

Just for clarity, Dick is referring to the 1896 carbine variant, that is stamped simply "1896" on the receiver and devoid of the word Model in front of the date.

And for even MORE clarity (), I must remind my good friend Chuck that 37045 is a rifle - we're only talking the stamping here, not the configuration, as both 1896 rifles and carbines may be found with all three of the "pre-M1898" date-stamp versions. The 96/98 update is wonderful - really narrows the search. makes you wonder, did they do it at a "round" number such as 109275, or did the chips just fall anywhere?

[butlersrangers]

FWIW - The tables in Frank Mallory's book, "The Krag Rifle Story", 2nd edition, (page 280), list U.S. Krag, #109128, as a Model 1898 rifle, destroyed on May 17, 1929, by the Depot Guards at New Cumberland, Pa.

On the surface, this would appear to document a Model 1898 rifle with a serial number that is lower, than the two numbers posted by 'garksu'/Tom P.

People, experienced with Krag models, know well, how easy it is to misread the 1896 stamp, as "1898".
It is also easy to misread and confuse several serial number digits, (especially 3, 6 and 9, with 8).

IMHO - The Depot Guards likely made some occasional clerical errors, when recording Krags destined for destruction.
I can recall at least one instance of a KCA member with a rifle # that was documented as "Destroyed".

Of course, we have no way of double-checking the stamped numbers on a Krag receiver that was turned into scrap.

Since #109128 represents the lowest "documented" serial number for a U.S. Model 1898 Krag rifle, I think the circumstances, under which it was recorded, should be considered and the rifle be regarded as a highly questionable "Lone Ranger".
(I think it is a clerical error)!
The next model 1898 rifle, listed by Mallory, was part of a large batch of model 1898 rifles, starting with #109459, that went to Co. K of the 4th Tenn. Vol. Inf., (date unknown).

It would be nice to know more about the significant model 1896 (#109271) and model 1898 (#109292) Krag rifles, that Tom P. recently observed.
It would appear they 'bracket' an important 'change-over' event!

At Springfield Armory was there a new rifle 'overlap period', with both rifle models being made for a while? Or, did things come to a clean 'stop' and change to making only new rifles and carbines with the 1898 receiver?

[rayncindy1@aol.com]

I have a 30-40 M 1898 with s/n 101077. Ray

- - - Updated - - -

Actually as I look at the s/n, it could be a 1896. Ray

[Dick Hosmer]

I have a 30-40 M 1898 with s/n 101077. Ray

- - - Updated - - -

Actually as I look at the s/n, it could be a 1896. Ray

That low, I'd bet the farm and all the animals on it, that the date is in fact 1896.

[butlersrangers]

Your farm and animals are safe, Dick Hosmer.

Ray's Krag, #101077, is a 'cut-down' model 1896 rifle, that someone has fitted into an altered & cut-down model 1898 rifle stock.


Rays Krag.jpg