We know that he was in the Spanish American War and have some other info that looks like he was wounded at the Battle of Santiago de Cuba. Cutdowns hold NO collector value. I am curious: do you reload or buy manufactured ammo? Once it's sold, it's gone for good most likely. There may be a fee for this service. The cartouche is very faint but the correct JSA initials and a barely discernable (and un-photographable) date of 1895 are both present. Krag Jorgensen serial number ranges by year. These rarely come up for sale and this one has a great serial number that is right in the middle of those issued to the Rough Riders. https://archive.org/details/storyroughrider01marsgoog/page/n332, http://oldguns.net/sn_php/mildateslookup.php. The simple answer is that as the M1903 rifle began coming into active service, the Krags were passed first to State regiments to replace the old M1873s, and then as the Springfields and the M1917 rifles equipped the last units of the various State National Guard regiments, the Krags were returned to the Federal Government, which disposed of them as surplus. Turns out it was a cut-down rifle made to look like a carbine. Rider-issued Krags fall in four known serial number blocks, with this one squarely in the first, 26,784-28,995. by Tom Butts Sat Aug 24, 2019 2:11 am. Krag rifle and carbine. But I see that your last name is Earle. . About 60% of the serial numbers are in the 27010 to 28995 range, including #27508, which is only 9 lower than this gun. American forces involved in the Battle of San Juan Hill, also known as the Battle of San Juan Heights consisted of the Fifth Army Corps, divided into the 1st Division with three brigades, and the Cavalry Division (dismounted) with two. By circa 1910, the regular Army was more or less fully equipped with Model 1903 Springfields. In case anyone who sees this who is an arms buff, the model and serial number are: "U.S. Model 1898 Springfield Armory 334043". This is a standard carbine with Saddle ring and bar located . My only thoughts is that it refers to the upgrade in the Trapdoor gun from the previous, which caused a lot of black powder to be released, hence the shooter an easy target for the Spanish army. By 1892, the Krag had officially been adopted by modern militaries and put into production. Few rifles have influenced firearm design and military history as much as the Mauser 98. This is great example of the very hard to find Springfield Model 1898 Krag-Jrgensen Saddle Carbine. This M1896 Krag carbine falls within the range of serial numbers issued to the 1st U.S. Volunteer Cavalry, the Rough Riders (RRs). One was the poem, by Charles H. Hilber. Magazine Carbine, Caliber .30, Model of 1899. Initially, most of the Model 1899 carbines were fitted with Model 1898 sights until superseded by the Model 1901. The model 1898 rifle starts at serial number 109000 in 1898 and ends with 478000 in 1905. gallery practice rifles. Virtually all of the Model 1898 carbines were eventually modified to Model 1899 configuration and fitted with the various updated sights. Learn more about how you can collaborate with us. "Krag carbine rough riders serial numbers" #3 05-30-2021, 09:38 AM themeowman : Join Date: Oct 2009 . If anyone is really interested I'd take an M1A and 2K for the Krag.for a used standard M1A and 2K I'd say that's a pretty fair deal. The M1898 pattern was not approved for until 1898, and was produced in enough quantity to begin issue until after the war. Is it likely that this is the case? The fact that a foreign gun was chosen over the American designs was an unpopular decision with some of the interested parties, and this displeasure was soon voiced to their respective congressional representatives. The Model 1896 carbine saw extensive use with Cavalry Regiments that served in both Cuba and the Phillipines during the Spanish American War including future US President Theodore Roosevelt's Rough Riders. Bolt operation was exceptionally smooth, and the Krag soon gained a well-deserved reputation as one of the slickest bolt-action rifles of all time. The fourth block is over 5,000 numbers, and again lots of units are represented. We have detected that you do not have JavaScript enabled. Two or three prototype Model 1898 Krag sniper rifles fitted with Cataract telescopic sights were assembled for limited testing. A rare opportunity to acquire a well documented Battle of San Juan Hill, Rough Rider-issued Krag carbine in its original and correct configuration. The Krag up at auction Friday at Skinner is a carbine model meant for horse-mounted cavalry use, and as such has a saddle ring mounted to the rifle one of the last U.S.-made martial rifles to have such a feature. However, I was curious if this may also refer to a group nickname kind of like the "Rough Riders". While the Krag acquitted itself reasonably well during the war, some deficiencies became apparent when it went up against the Model 1893 Mauser rifles used by the Spanish. Broader searches for the term show many other uses as well, often simply to refer to weapons that have not yet started shooting or have ceased shooting at the end of a battle. One suggestion was to adapt the Krags magazine to clip-loading capability. The casehardened receiver is marked "U.S./1895. By 1890 the United States was lagging behind other industrialized nations in the development of a modern military rifle. No, it is not possible than an M1898 Krag-Jorgensen rifle was at the Battle of San Juan Hill nor was it issued to a member of the 1st Volunteer Cavalry, the so-called Rough Riders. This component was seldom usedas cavalrymen routinely carried their carbines in leather saddle scabbardswhich made the attachment more of a hindrance than a help. The vast majority remained stateside for training purposes, although some 2,000 Model 1898 Krag rifles were taken to France during the war by the 10th-19th Engineers (Railway). Personnel files for state and U.S. volunteers can be found in the record series, Carded Records Showing Military Service of Soldiers Who Fought in Volunteer Organizations During the Spanish-American War, 1899 - 1927, Carded service records are arranged by state, type of regiment (artillery, cavalry, and infantry), and then by the number of the regiment. In my many searches of mixing names and locations your post just showed up today. Dolf Goldsmith's The Browning Machine Gun, Volume I states that the Rough Riders' Colt Model 1895, serial numbers 161 and 164, were delivered to the American Ordnance Co. of New York, N.Y.,. In that context, I have no idea what the vertical lines or the "Silent Guns" could be a reference to - although if were done by a veteran who wished to commemorate friends killed at the battle, that could an explanation. After being disposed of as surplus after the war, large numbers of Krag rifles were sold on the civilian market at very attractive prices. Sign up for a new account in our community. PO Box 619999 For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. A number of Krag rifles still remaining in the governments inventory were cut-down, reportedly at Benicia Arsenal, Calif., to approximately carbine length. Or it could have been carved by someone who simply wished to commemorate one of the most famous military engagements at which similar rifles were used. .30-40 Krag, 22" barrel, S/N 28929. Congrats on a very nice gun there. Soon after the Krag carbines were in service, they saw some use against the remaining renegade Apaches who still terrorized parts of Arizona and New Mexico throughout the late 1890s. Rifles and Carbines Models 1892 to 1899: Covering numbers: 1 - 484000. _____ "We make men without chests and expect from them virtue and enterprise. The Rough Rider numbers cluster in 4 ranges: 27010-28995 35164-35741 (only 2 guns in this block) 68013-68758 74097-79499 So how did this rifle come to be in the condition indicated by your photographs? The Rough Rider numbers cluster in 4 ranges: 27010-28995 35164-35741 (only 2 guns in this block) 68013-68758 74097-79499. Made at Springfield Armory in 1898. on GB the NON-Saddle Ringed are selling for $4000. Are all serial numbers matching? (Northwest corner of W. Airport Freeway [HWY-183] & Valley View Lane). I too like the lines of a Krag carbine. Presently it's an unknown, and from some of the other responses I'd say it's unlikely. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Juan_Hill_order_of_battle. Heritage Live! There were many new guns and lots of new gear to see at the 2023 NRA Annual Meeting & Exhibits. The receiver of the new model was marked Model 1898 and serial numbers remained in sequence with the earlier models. You cannot deliberately damage United States Government property that is in your charge, whether you are a Soldier, Sailor or Marine, or United States Government employee. Observed Serial Number List. Recruited by a former New York City Police Superintendent and Assistant Secretary of the Navy by the name of Theodore Roosevelt to fight the Spanish Empire over Cuba in 1898, the unit was known as the Rough Riders due to its heavy recruitment from adventurers, cowboys, and other like-minded outdoorsmen. The Rough Riders used .30-40 caliber U.S. Krag model rifles in the Spanish-American War. There may be a fee for this service. 2023 Rock Island Auction Company. Despite its relative success as a combat arm during the Spanish-American War, the Philippine Insurrection and the Boxer Rebellion, the previously discussed inherent design deficiencies of the Krag resulted in its numbered days as the standard American military service arm. Fixed blade front and 2,000 yard "C" marked ladder rear sights. JimD, As for its overall condition I can recall seeing surplus Krag rifles for sale in the late 1950's - early 1960's that were pristine, and this one is certainly not that. Would be so nice to own a verified RR model, but I enjoy it as is very much. I did a web search of the phrase Silent Guns and could not find it in any of the slang dictionaries of that era mentioned on the web, but to me it seems to imply that the user of the rifle has shot or killed 9 persons in combat. began work on a new service rifle prototype that incorporated some of the desirable features of the Mauser along with an improved cartridge that offered significantly better ballistic performance than the .30-40 Krag. Frequently Asked Questions, Ethnographic Art: American Indian, Pre-Columbian & Tribal, Modern & Contemporary, Prints & Multiples, and Urban Art, Jewelry, Timepieces and Luxury Accessories, All Jewelry, Timepieces & Luxury Accessories. Receiver drawing number consisten with Serial Number. Spanish American War The Krags first significant combat use occurred during the Spanish-American War of 1898 when Model 1892 Krag rifles, along with some of the newer Model 1896 rifles and carbines, were used by U.S. troops in Cuba. [1] Though armoured no better than the average Guardsman, their speed and maneuverability is . As was the case with their infantry counterparts, the cavalry troopers armed with single-shot Trapdoor carbines looked forward to receiving the new bolt-action repeating carbines with great anticipation. The third block of 745 numbers is not quite enough to arm the regiment even if consecutive (which it is not). It can be impossible to distinguish one of these civilian-made cut-down Krag rifles from one of the rifles modified at Benicia and sold via the NRA. Serial Number: 28XXX. Here are just a few of the stand-outs. There were relatively minor changes made to many of the other components, but some of the parts remained interchangeable with the earlier Krags. It is interesting to note that the carbine pictured & described here is close in serial number to the 1895 carbines issued to Theodore Roosevelt's 'Rough Riders'. Are all serial numbers matching? These modifications culminated with the adoption of the United States Magazine Rifle, Caliber .30, Model of 1898. One of these changes was reversing the operation of the magazine cut-off lever to make it more functional. Other militia and volunteer units used the M1873 rifle, the 'Trapdoor Springfield'. I've always admired the Krag Carbines as being especially attractive. If the rifle was purchased by a veteran of the Battle of San Juan Hill, that might be the reason for this carving. It is unlikely that anyone would refer to the Krag as "Silent" even in comparison to the Trapdoor Springfield. Trapdoor in butt with three-piece cleaning rod present. One of the most common complaints was the lack of windage adjustment for the rear sight. As with the Model 1892 rifle, the stocks were marked with an inspection stamp on the left side that contained the initials of Springfield Armorys master armorer and the year of production. JavaScript is disabled. 2012 June 10 Legends of the Wild West Signature Auction - Dallas #6079, 2012 June 10 Legends of the Wild West Signature Auction - Dallas, View Recent Offers on SoldItems in this category. The carbine was part of the American Society of Arms Collector's 2003 Exceptional Arms display at the NRA's National Firearms Museum in the William B. Ruger Gallery. Very expensive and hard to find these days. Congress mandated that any further development on the Krag be suspended and that a Board for Testing Magazine Rifles of American Invention be appointed. Unfortunately that was all . SPRINGFIELD ARMORY. I have an interesting M1898 Krag-Jrgensen rifle that has some wonderful engravings. This sight remained in use until superseded by the Model 1902 rear sight very late in production. 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