I certainly would not call the Krag "an unmitigated failure." It actually compared very well with many rifles of the era and performed quite well during the expedition to China during the Boxer rebellion and in the Philippines. A lot of countries adopted rifles that lasted only briefly from the time of the first single shot breech loaders to the modern era. The 1888 German Commission rifle replaced by the 1898 Mauser comes to mind. The Krag was well made, serviceable, reliable, and well liked by the troops. In many respects it was inferior to the Mauser but it got the job done.
Jerry Liles
