doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Sukalle Krag

Just bought this, gunbroker 247321242. Have been accumulating Krags by the classic prewsar makers, Sukalle ceertainly qualifies. The shape of this stcok seems to be clearly post WWII. Also, I always think of WA Sukalle as a metal man, a barrel maker preeminently, do not know of him as a stocker. Amnyone have any info?

Mark: This number does not bring up a Krag. However my Dad knew Bill Sukalle during WWII having been in Arizona earlier in the war developing the Island Hopping strategy after combat on Guadalcanal and Tarawa. While Sukalle was primarily a barrelmaker in the beggining, he eventually became a fine all around gunmaker. Jack O'Connor once said he was a "Bare Bones" gunmaker. Everything was put into accuracy and fine workmanship,no decorative frills. I have a classic Springfield Sporter he built for my DAD in 1947 after the War, I keep at my Cabin in Montana with a 2.5x Lyman Alaskan. I don't hunt it a lot anymore but when I do it hasn't changed zero a bit! Jerry

You must mean #247321244, ug---leee.
Probably a good barrel and I'll bet you've got a sight to put on it?

Mark: Bill did stock the rifle or at least stocked it originally, when built. When he only did a barrel job the roll mark said W.A.SUKALLE ~BARRELMAKER~ TUCSON Az. when he built the whole shebang, the rollmark said ~MAKER~ in the early days and ~GUNMAKER~ later in the Phoenix period. Hope this helps. Jerry

Do you think Sukalle stocked this Krag? I've never seen a rifle he stocked, so have no frame of reference. When I saw the auction it seemed to me that it was a Sukalle rifle that was probably restocked in the 70's or 80's.

Jerrry thanks very much for the info about markings. Ryan, my impreession as well is that thsi couldl not be a stcck contemporary with the barrel but I will see irt and take it ouf of the stock in a month or so. Meanshile, it fills a hole in my Krag collection.

Mark: You are quite welcome! Bill went to work for N.A.S.A. full time in, I believe 1959 as a precision machinist for the Space Program. I recall [I was 7 y.o. at the time] he was still on a little side street off Washington St. in Phoenix right next to another Gunshop called CAPPY'S. His barrel code, if I remember correctly as my gun is in Montana, is a 4 digit setup. The first 2 digits are the barrel number and the third and fourth digits, are the year of manufacture. I believe mine is 0747...seventh barrel [a .270 Win.] made in 1947. He was still using ~MAKER~ on my rifle's barrel as well in 1947. Another reason I believe he might have stocked your rifle is of all the Sukalle stocked rifle's I've seen [probably 10 or more] he seemed to favor stock stain and finish that couid best be described as, red or orange in hue not dark walnut or that chocolate brown walnut like my Alvin Linden or my A.O. Niedner. The color on yours is in that range. You may very well be right about the stock being a restocking! Look for your 4 digit barrel number and look at the last two DIGITS, if the metal is pre-war you have your answer. WARMEST REGARDS and GOOD LUCK! Jerry