doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Back to Dr. Jenkins' Converted Krag

Thought I would try a new post, since I think some of my inquiries got lost in other threads. I've been fascinated with this rifle ever since reading of it Clyde Baker's "Modern Gunsmithing". I would post an image of the rifle and the description but am not sure how to do it. I recently read Jim Foral's article on the rifle in the "Guns Illustrated 1999". Seems the rifles are the same one, the only exception being the rifle in Baker's book has the filled in handguard. Baker also said that he had the stock worked down to the dimensions of his favorite Parker shotgun. Anyhow, the purpose of this post is to ask if anyone can direct me to a source for the article on the Krag in "Outers Book, July 1909. At one time I had thought of having a rifle built matching the Jenkin's Krag

I can direct you to the article, drop me a reminder via email and when I get some time, not soon, I'll take care of it.

I was trying to figure out how to use our new printer, which also has a scanner. I found the picture of the Jenkins' Krag in my copy of Clyde Baker's book and tried scanning it. It is the uppermost rifle.

Looks a lot like a stock carbine, which make a great hunting rifle, but really isn't anything special, IMO.

What is a "filled in handguard". It looks like the top gun has a handguard and the middle one does not. Aren't they as Stephen suggests, cleaned up military stocks?

The handguard originally had a hole in it for the rear sight; the hole was plugged with a dovetailed filler that was then relieved to match the rest of the handguard.
Regards, Joe

I concur that the Jenkins Krag appears to be a slightly modified service issue carbine. Although difficult to see, the treatment of the buttplate is clearly different from an issue stock (compare the Jenkins at top with the bottom rifle). However this would be difficult to do without reducing the length of pull somewhat (which appears to be the case). Since the LOP on an issue Krag is only 13.25" to begin with, Mr. Jenkins must have been a pretty diminutive character if his favorite Parker had a 13.0" LOP or less.

Regardless, the issue Krag carbine makes a fine hunting rifle, especially when fitted with a "no-drill" receiver sight as commonly done back in the day. Given the availability of sporterized Krag rifles and parts still floating around, you should be able to easily build a replica of the Jenkins Krag with only a modest investment of time and money.

Best of luck with your quest.

The 1909 article is now scanned and ready to go. Anyone who wants a copy via email send me theirs and I'll get it on the way.

Thanks Michael, coincidentally I had just sent you a PM before looking at this thread again. As SDH said, it looks like the 1899 carbine, however that's what makes it interesting. Thanks to PhysDoc for scanning the page in. On the previous page is Baker's description of what was done. I think the 1899 carbine is the handsomest of the Krags. Somehow everything just looks right. If it dressed up with checkering and slightly reshaping by a master it works well. Maybe I will go back to try and find someone to build me a similar rifle. I have all the parts, including the 1899 carbine stock, which could be used as a pattern to produce a stock in nicer walnut. Now before anyone starts, I am not destroying any collectors item, all I have are parts guns.

A shotgun buttplate and comb-nose fluting...
The hardest part of a custom job would be replicating the forend grooves.