Some few years ago when I was about 12 years old I borrowed a Springfield 30-40 Krag carbine, and shot a big old buck Mule Deer..Later on I owned one for a few years and shot some whitetail with it, and later a cow elk..They are neat old guns and the action is slicker n snot..I have a chance to buy one and my question is how available is ammo and brass?? and where can I find it..

Graf's has both Ray.

Winchester still knocks out a run of ammo from time to time.

If you reload the caliber and really get in a bind for 30-40 brass,,the more common 303Brit brass can be used. A simple trip into the Krag FL sizer gives you a 30-40Krag case,,though it will be a bit short in the neck.

No deer will ever know.

But loaded Krag ammo is still around. Glide through most any decently large gunshow and you can pick up a few boxes generally.
That gives you enough ammo and brass to keep you busy for a while.
New Unprimed brass is still available from different sources at different times with some looking.

I have 2 50-round plastic boxes of fired brass for the 30-40.

This is good info as I just picked up a nice Ruger #3 30-40 that I am thinking should make a great Kodiak Blacktail rifle.

Biebs you already have my address

Phil, PM sent

Ray, the .30-40 has slightly more case capacity than the .308 Winchester (58.0 gr H2O vs. 56 for the .308), and with an appropriately strong action, like a Ruger single shot or a Winchester 1885, the performance should be virtually the same. I had an 1885 in .30-40 and it was a tack driver. It had a 14" twist specifically for the 168 grain Sierra bullet and was meant as a long range varmint rifle.



I let it go with all my other varmint rifles when I quit varmint hunting.

Love the Krag. Have a carbine that’s a pleasure but needs a new ejector. It’s a perfect easy carry woods rifle.

I have two now Ray

The Griffin & Howe 1896 Krag sporterized rifle

&

Browning 1895 .30-40


I love them both. I also think the original recipe of the 220gr @ 2000 will always be effective at the Krag ranges. I purchase brass from Graf's and Midwayusa...as well as Gun Shows

Great caliber + the components are readily available. I load mine with the Sierra 220 G. R.N.

mine is a bubba-up 1898 spr armory in 30-40 krag. grafs has both as setters5 says. i load them up with 165gr ranch dog cast boolit and h4198. its death on deer.



165gr ranch dog left and right arrows

I got some Hornady brass on sale from Midway a few months back. The price beat Grafs but Grafs had more choices. I usually only load the Hornady 220 grain RN but I'm interested in trying out the newer Nosler 220 grain BallisticTip as it was designed for lower velocities of the .300 Blackout, seems perfect for Krag velocities.

I picked this one up at the filer gun show this weekend, its a solid old Krag carbine conversion to a carbine from a rifle, just what I was looking for and the bore is excellent, shot 2.5 inches at 75 yards with a box of old 180 gr. Rem ammo...

fun gun to shoot and I love that slick action, and Im going to cull some whitetail next year with it, shoot some Javalina and pigs. I think I will go with a soft 220 gr. bullet, perhaps the sierra RN...

Have never loaded for the old Springfield Krag, but probably should load it down a bit keep pressure to 30,000 PSI ????perhaps 1900 to 2000 PSI as it only has one lug.?? Anyone loaded for these old guns. Going to play with 220s but the 180s seem to be "the bullet" for the Krag..

Ordered dies, case holder, 150 Hornady brass, got lots of 308 bullets in my shop..

Anybody know what peep (receiver) sight is for the krag?? Lyman or Redfield and what number.LIke the one in Tdoykas photos above.

Ray, I know I have a few peeps for the Krag and will check in a couple weeks when I get home

220 gr bullet at 2000 FPS is about right. The old Krags tended to crack the locking lugs when arsenal loaded to 2200 FPS.

Anyone have a spare ejector for sale?

Thanks Phil, don't forget now!

tdoyka

How soft was that Ranch Dog.
Recovered from a deer?
Velocity?

I see in the loading books, a 220 at 1900 seems to be a good load for the 1903 springfield Krag..

A Win 95 or PHils Ruger #3 would shoot like a 30-06 with no pain, except to the shooter!

It appears that I can go to 35,000 PSI maybe 36,000 according to the book, but they don't tell you with what action do these pressures work..No wonder those guys are law suit shy!! they don't do their homework.

Im going to start with a 220 Sierra at 1900 FPS and just stay there if it shoots good, maybe tweek it a bit for more at some point..

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
I see in the loading books, a 220 at 1900 seems to be a good load for the 1903 springfield Krag..

A Win 95 or PHils Ruger #3 would shoot like a 30-06 with no pain, except to the shooter!

It appears that I can go to 35,000 PSI maybe 36,000 according to the book, but they don't tell you with what action do these pressures work..No wonder those guys are law suit shy!! they don't do their homework.

Im going to start with a 220 Sierra at 1900 FPS and just stay there if it shoots good, maybe tweek it a bit for more at some point..

Don't sale the Krag so short Ray from wiki:

Case type Rimmed, bottleneck
Bullet diameter .308 in (7.8 mm)
Neck diameter .338 in (8.6 mm)
Shoulder diameter .423 in (10.7 mm)
Base diameter .457 in (11.6 mm)
Rim diameter .545 in (13.8 mm)
Rim thickness .064 in (1.6 mm)
Case length 2.314 in (58.8 mm)
Overall length 3.089 in (78.5 mm)
Case capacity 58.0 gr H2O (3.76 cm3)
Maximum pressure (C.I.P.) 47,137 psi (325.00 MPa)
Maximum pressure (SAAMI) not established
Maximum CUP 40,000 CUP

Oh the other hand don't hotrod it. Been shooting my Krag been shooting mine for over 41 years with all kinds of bullets from jacketed to cast to paper patched. Mostly heavy bullets. She's holding up fine, hasn't developed any excess headspace, nor cracked the lug. Don't forget the Norwegians and Danes shot these with 6.5x55 chamberings and they ran in those pressure figures. With cast you don't have to hit that magic 2000 fps to harvest deer.

To all and PHil,

Void me post, I sold the damn gun with dies and brass and a couple of other and got me a Ruger #1 in 250-3000, oh well...ONe of these days I'll run across another Krag.