30-40 Krag questions
 

Dad has an old 30-40 Krag that used to be grandpa's. For nostalgia reasons I want to resurrect it and kill a dear with it in Northern MI.

I've done a little research on the cartridge and looks like 180gr and 220gr bullets are the preferred size.

I'd appreciate any input on handloads and / or comments in general. I haven't seen the gun in over 30years and don't recall mfg or model. I do remember it has a top mounted vernier sight and uses a clip instead of a box mag. I going to pick up the gun this weekend then look for some dies, bullets, powder ect.

Thanks in advance!

RE: 30-40 Krag questions
 

I would just use the suggested load from the IMR catalog or what ever reloading manual you happen to have.

As far as I remember, the 30/40 Krag rifle was made in several styes, 1892, 1896 and 1898. Both in a rifle and a carbine.

People bought that gun from military surplus for next to nothing and did all sorts of things with it. Like change the stock and the sights.

If you had a origional Krag Jorgenson Rifle, in origional condition, it would be worth a lot of money right now to the right person.

I would try 45.6 gr of IMR 4350 and work my way up from there in 1/2 gr incriments to 46 gr which is a compressed load. Using a 180 gr bullet and CCI primers,

RE: 30-40 Krag questions
 

I think that both Remington and winchester still provide ammo for the venerable old 30/40 Krag.
I think both their loadings are for 180 grain pills.
It will put down a deer cleanly with a good shot. Here's a Winchester offering.....

http://www.winchester.com/products/catalog/comparerifle.aspx?multiadd=WDMwNDAxLTEtMQ==&ac tion=3&ctype=1&atype=1



And the chart below shows a comparison of Remington's 30/40 Krag loading against a 30/06 core-lokt offering. You can see the Krag is a 200 yard prospect unless you zero it beyond 150 yrds, while the 30/06 provides more distance punch. Nevertheless, the Krag will be a fine deer killer to 200 yards if you can hold steady for the shot.

http://www.remington.com/products/ammunition/ballistics/comparative_ballistics_results.aspx?data=R30402*PR C3006C

RE: 30-40 Krag questions
 

If you have a .30/40 that uses a clip instead of a box magazine, I'd have trouble guessing what it might be. The U.S. Krag has a box lid sticking out theright side of the action that opens out and down, allowing you to dump cartridges into the magazine, which lies beneath the bolt raceway. Then when you close the magazine box, the cartrdges are fed across under the bolt, and rise up into the path of the bolt from the side opposite the lid that opens the magazine. If your rifle is like this, it is a Krag.

There are quite a few other rifles that were made at one time or another to shoot this same round, and most of them are stronger than the actual Krag-Jorgensen itself. But if you stick to a load that uses from 44 to 46 grains of IMR 4350 with the 180-grain bullet, you will have a good, safe and effective load for deer and black bear hunting. It is a good practce to use the slower powders like 4350 in the Krag. That way you can obtain decent velocities without especially high pressures. You don't want to strain any old Krags!

RE: 30-40 Krag questions
 

CZ2506,
Please get back to us after you pick up the gun. I'd be interested in knowing more about it after you get it, especially if you could post a picture or two.
I'm curious about it b/c of your description or memory about it using a clip instead of the side magazine box mentioned by eldequello in his reply.
I'm knowledgable about some older military weapons but don't know about any variants to the 30/40 Krag except the one with the side mag box.

RE: 30-40 Krag questions
 

Sorry for the confusion. I'm sure it's not a Krag Jorgenson rifle. I meant the rifle is chambered in 30 / 40 Krag, but i'm not sure of mfg.

I read in my Sierra book that many of the 30 / 40's had fairly long chambers to allow forthe heavier bullets, and that this could cause accuracyproblems when trying to load lighter (shorter) bullets.

I was thinking about 220 gr RN bullets and H 4831 powder and Rem primers (mostly because I already have the powder and primers for my 25-06). I'll check the rate of twist and in case I decide to go with the 180 gr RN, I also have some H4350.

In the Cedar Swamp that I plan to be in on Nov. 15 (wearing my red and black plaid wool suit) max shot will be <50 yds. I've prayed to the hunting gods my whole life to let me see a whitetail so big I can't stop it with a 220gr bullet moving 1600+ fps.

I'll get some more info from the gun and let you know. Not sure about being able to post pics. I have a digital camera, but I'm kind of a techno retard. Maybe I'll get my son to help me, since he'll be next in line with this rifle.

RE: 30-40 Krag questions
 

No problem with the pics. Further descriptions with telling us about all writing or markings on it will probably reveal the identity of the weapon.
By the way, where in the UP will you be trying to knock down the big buck with cedar bark embedded in his brow tines?
I know a little bit of some of the UP areas. Used to hunt north of Newberry with my granddad in the 60's and 70's .... near Culhane and Bodi Lakes off County Roads 410 in Luce County, basicallly straight north of that skirting the Lake Superior shoreline... hinting wasn't that good back then in that area, don't know about now. .. and also hunted over by the Hulbert Swamp around the same time.
I now hunt Just south of the bridge in Wilderness State Park 7 miles west of Mackinaw ......
I can really appreciate getting a 50 yard shot in a cedar swamp. That is sometimes a long shot!

RE: 30-40 Krag questions
 

I have one chambered in the Model 95 Winchester as well as a U.S. Krag. I often shoot the 190 Grain Hornady SP in them although I don't shoot them much any more. The Model 95 is a later reproduction by Winchester.

RE: 30-40 Krag questions
 

8mm/08-- Grandpa and the boys used to hunt north of Matchwood in Ontonagon County (I've got some great pics from the '30s of their tent camp) so that's where we're headed. I'mnotsure on an exact site, so I'mgoing up inlate Sept. to do a little scouting and grouse hunting.

I got morecurious aboutthe gun so I went over and picked it up last nite.The only marksI can findare on the to of the reciever

"Remington Arms Co. Ilion, NY"
followed by the number "100643"
Pat.Aug ?, 1884, Sept 9, 1884, Mar 17, 1885, Jan 19, 1887
and midway down the barrel "30 USA"

Dad says he thinks it used to have a full length stock that was cut down.

I'd forgotton that when Grandpa's eyes got bad he had it drilled and tapped for a scope. (4x Redfield). One of the mounting screws was drilled through the date on the first Pat. Number.

The only saftey is a halfcock position on the firing pin. That's probably OK since the trigger pull is about 15 lbs!:D

Can't wait to try it this weekend.

RE: 30-40 Krag questions
 

It this the gun that you have?

http://www.remingtonsociety.com/rsa/books/Gene