The 1896 Krag Carbine is a Norwegian-designed bolt-action rifle built by Springfield Armory. It was the Medium-Range weapon of Theodore Roosevelt
Specifications[]
- Weight: 8.44 lbs (3.83 kg)
- Length: 48.875 in (124 cm)
- Barrel Length: 22 in (56 cm)
- Cartridge: .30-40 Krag
- Action: Bolt-action
- Rate of Fire: 30-40 rounds/min
- Muzzle Velocity: 2000 ft/s (610 m/s)
- Effective Range: 900 m (3000 ft)
- Feed System: 5-round magazine
- Sights: V-notch and front post
Uses[]
The Krag was first introduced in 1892, when it was adopted as the standard US Army military longarm. During the Spanish-American War, it's complex design was outclassed by the Spanish Mauser and proved ill-suited for use in tropical locales such as Cuba and the Phillipines. For this reason, it gained the dubious distinction of having the shortest service life of any standard issue firearm in US military history, being replaced in 1907 after only 15 years of service.
Test[]
The Krag was pitted against the Short Magazine Lee Enfield Rifle (SMLE) of Lawrence of Arabia. The two rifles were first fired into a ballistics block to access recoil and damage capacity; The SMLE was discovered to do more damage but had far more recoil. To better test the two weapons, the two teams were sent through an obstacle course with barbed wire and simulated artillery fire to kill 8 targets: 3 static, 3 moving, and 2 pop-up. The Krag killed all 8 targets in 2 minutes and 26 seconds witth an 80% hit ratio. The SMLE killed 7 targets in 2 minutes and 15 seconds with a 70% hit ratio. The experts were divided as the Krag was lighter, more accurate, and had far less recoil, but the SMLE did more damage and could hold twice as many rounds. As such the two were declared even.