May need to counter bore a rifle. Need suggestions

[Ukrainian might]

I recently got my mits on a well loved norwegian krag. The mussle looks a little too worn and if my testing goes poorly I'd like to have it counter-bored to see if that would fix it. The only gunsmith I'm aware of is Scott's, are there any around her that you have used and liked? Especially for counter-boreing

 

[John from MD]

I doubt you will find anyone locally but here is an outfit that does good barrel work.

Run-N-Iron - General Gunsmithing

 

[Allen65]

I recently got my mits on a well loved norwegian krag. The mussle looks a little too worn and if my testing goes poorly I'd like to have it counter-bored to see if that would fix it. The only gunsmith I'm aware of is Scott's, are there any around her that you have used and liked? Especially for counter-boreing

Counter-boring isn't that difficult to do on your own with hand tools and cutting fluid. JGS, PTG, and others sell the tools. The key is to use the correct size pilot so the counterbore is centered to the bore, and take your time. You may find the tool cost is less than the cost of labor to have a smith do it, and you'll have the gratification of having done the work on your own rifle.

Do you know anybody with a set of pin gages to measure the bore so you can get the correct size pilot?

And do you truly mean counterboring, or crowning? Or both? They're two different actions with different cutting tools.

 

[Ukrainian might]

Counter-boring isn't that difficult to do on your own with hand tools and cutting fluid. JGS, PTG, and others sell the tools. The key is to use the correct size pilot so the counterbore is centered to the bore, and take your time. You may find the tool cost is less than the cost of labor to have a smith do it, and you'll have the gratification of having done the work on your own rifle.

Do you know anybody with a set of pin gages to measure the bore so you can get the correct size pilot?

And do you truly mean counterboring, or crowning? Or both? They're two different actions with different cutting tools.

In my expert opinion (heavy sarcasm implied) if anything I required I believe it would be a counter boring. I'd be willing to try it myself, however with the value of this rifle I'd rather have a professional take care of it.

 

[Overwatcher]

Tuckahoe Gunworks & Hydrographic in Denton. Talk to Doug. 410-200 -0020

 

[Doco Overboard]

I recently got my mits on a well loved norwegian krag. The mussle looks a little too worn and if my testing goes poorly I'd like to have it counter-bored to see if that would fix it. The only gunsmith I'm aware of is Scott's, are there any around her that you have used and liked? Especially for counter-boreing

I would shoot it first like you said and see what happens.
If you turn it over to someone and its not done right you wont have anything to go on for what, if any, improvements were to be made.

 

[trickg]

In my expert opinion (heavy sarcasm implied) if anything I required I believe it would be a counter boring. I'd be willing to try it myself, however with the value of this rifle I'd rather have a professional take care of it.

Would counterboring it drop the value of the rifle? Anecdotally it seems that for collectible arms, that would be something that would be detrimental to the value whether it was done professionally or not. Just curious.

 

[Ukrainian might]

Would counterboring it drop the value of the rifle? Anecdotally it seems that for collectible arms, that would be something that would be detrimental to the value whether it was done professionally or not. Just curious.

I wouldn't say so. A little less rifling or an accurate rifle? I'd take an accurate rifle

 

[Allen65]

I wouldn't say so. A little less rifling or an accurate rifle? I'd take an accurate rifle

To a collector, any mod detracts from value. But Krags aren't that rare, and if you want it to be able to shoot as accurately as the day it left the factory, I don't see a problem with that. It's your rifle and it should be what you want it to be.

If that particular rifle had a documented history of being associated with some particular historical person, place, or event, or is some rare variant, the collector value would matter. But otherwise, I wouldn't worry about it any more than I would about replacing a worn-out barrel on one of my Garands, none of which have any special association.

 

[trickg]

My stock answer when it comes to military rifles is typically one where the value of the gun doesn't trump having a gun that is both aesthetically pleasing and good to shoot. With that said, some quick Google-fu revealed that certain Krags can actually be worth a couple of thousand dollars, which is enough, IMO, to warrant avoiding anything that would detract from that.

I say the above because usually I see the "collector value" comments directed towards run-of-the-mill Mosins and Mausers where the value is only in the mid 100s - at that point unless someone really just wants to preserve originality - "value" is subjective when actually doing a mod, refinish, or whatever, might detract from the value by only a hundred bucks or so.

With all of that in mind, I tend to agree - having a rifle that's accurate after having been counterbored would be better than having garbage accuracy without it.

 

[TheOriginalMexicanBob]

Counter-boring a barrel…properly done…restores accuracy due to a damaged crown. For a working rifle I don’t see this as a disadvantage. For a collectible…something possibly harmful to the value depending on the gun’s history. I once saw a 1903 rifle with a counter-bore done off-center. To me that ruined the rifle.

 

[Ukrainian might]

To a collector, any mod detracts from value. But Krags aren't that rare, and if you want it to be able to shoot as accurately as the day it left the factory, I don't see a problem with that. It's your rifle and it should be what you want it to be.

If that particular rifle had a documented history of being associated with some particular historical person, place, or event, or is some rare variant, the collector value would matter. But otherwise, I wouldn't worry about it any more than I would about replacing a worn-out barrel on one of my Garands, none of which have any special association.

American krags arnt rare. This one is norwegian

 

[Ukrainian might]

Counter-boring a barrel…properly done…restores accuracy due to a damaged crown. For a working rifle I don’t see this as a disadvantage. For a collectible…something possibly harmful to the value depending on the gun’s history. I once saw a 1903 rifle with a counter-bore done off-center. To me that ruined the rifle.

That's why, if, I have it done I'd like it done by someone reputable

 

[Doco Overboard]

Norwegian Krags have left hand barrel threads fwiw.
That could be handy info for a repairman doing any sort of barrel work on one of them.
Anyway, I would shoot it first and see how well it does.
Apex has some Danish Krag barrels for sale advertised as "fair" but they're a different caliber.

 

[pcfixer]

Replace the barrel!

 

[msinc]

I don't know where you are located, I am in St. Mary's county and I can do it. I also have a borescope which is very important to be able to assess whether or not a simple re-crown will suffice and/or how much needs to be cut off to get to good rifling. 301-904-8334 {Martin}
Edit: Do you have a good scope on this rifle and are you shooting it off a bench??? Does it have a good {somewhere around 2 pound} trigger??? Is it glass bedded??? What kind of groups are you shooting now at 100 yards???