Ok guys, the deal with the .45-70 couldnt go through, but now i have a source for one of these in a #3 new in box. What can the .30-40 Krag do? What bullets work well in it? I am leaning towards a 180 grain Sierra round nose, because i think that is close to what the original load was.

NH_Hunter

The 30-40 is a medium capacity .30 cal. cartridge. It will do what the others will do it's size.

Watch out for the butt plate on the #3. That steel "rifle" shape will really hurt. Get a slip on recoil pad for it.

I wish more round nosed bullets were still made. I just picked up some and shot them out of a .300 WM and they were the most accurate load that day.

Right now i already have a Ruger m77mk2 LR in .30-06 so i dont really need another .30, but it would be nice with a peep sight up in thick brush. I am using the factory 180 grain Core-Lokts in the '06, so maybe some 220's would do the krag some justice!

NH_Hunter

220's in the Krag, that would be my choice. Not a long range wonder, but a all-round good load anyway for .30-40

I always wanted a M95 Winchester, maybe someday...

New Hampshire:

As an owner of a 1898 Krag carbin ( if 24 inch barrel is a carbine, but the regular ones had 31 inch barrels), I love the round. Mine is very very accurate, and is equiped with a Lyman receiver site. It was sporterized in the 1950s.

The Krag is equivalent to the 300 Savage, or a downloaded 308. If you are talking a Ruger Number 3, you could probably just get by using 308 load data. 300 Savage Load data works just fine.

My rifle has a long throat, so it is most accurate with heavier bullets. It is a good 200 yd performer. For target shooting I load a lot of 168, 190 and 200 grain Sierra target bullets.

I have carried it in the field, but it has yet had the opportunity to draw blood in my ownership. I load it with 180 Round Noses, 190 Grain Hornady SPs, 200 grain Speer SP and 220 grain Round Noses. With open receiver sites and any of the above bullets at any speed I load them at, the rifle shoots 2.5 to 3 inch groups at 200 yds. Not bad for a barrel that is 105 years old!

It is a very competent round for anything up to Elk with the above bullets at 200 yds or less. A lot of deer and Elk have fallen to the 30/40 Krag in the early to mid part of the last century. I love the nostalgia of hunting with it also.

It's a balistic twin of the 300 Savage with the advantage of being able to shoot a 220 gr. bullet at about 2000 FPS, a deadly load I assure you....

My grandfather used a Krag "carbine" as his only rifle for forty years with great success. Cost about $20 in the twenties with 200 rounds of ammo from the NRA. He used factory loads only for deer and I think it the equal of the 30-06 or 270 for that purpose. He used mil surplus ammo with the tip gound off for keeping the varmints out of his garden with great success also.

I have always thought that a Krag in a # 3 would be a sweet litte deer package with good handloads.

If you don't want it would you pass along a contact number as I am definately interested? Thanks.