Krag-Jorgensen M1925
Kongsberg Vaapenfabrikk · Sniper Rifle · Out Of Production · 1925
Also known as: Skarpskyttergevær M/1925, Krag-Jorgensen Sharpshooter M1925
Overview
The Krag-Jorgensen M1925 is a Norwegian sharpshooter and precision rifle (skarpskyttergevær) built on the Krag-Jorgensen M1894 bolt action by Kongsberg Vaapenfabrikk. Introduced in 1925, it was an improved iteration of the earlier M1923 sharpshooter rifle, distinguished by a new adjustable rear sight and provision for a bayonet. Chambered in 6.5x55mm Swedish, the M1925 retained the Krag-Jorgensen's signature side-loading gate magazine, which allows single rounds to be fed into the internal five-round magazine from the right side without opening the bolt. Produced in small numbers during the interwar period, it served as an intermediate step between the M1923 and the definitive M1930 sniper variant.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4700 g (165.8 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1260 mm (49.61") |
| Barrel Length | 760 mm (29.92") |
| Action Type | Bolt Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Striker Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 5 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal |
| Muzzle Velocity | 800 m/s (2625 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 2905 J (2143 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 600 m (656 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 2000 m (2187 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 4 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 6.5x55mm Swedish · primary — also known as 6.5x55mm SE, 6.5x55mm Mauser, 6.5x55mm Scandinavian
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Internal Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety, Bolt Safety
- Features: Adjustable Rear Sight, Target Sights, Heavy Barrel, Side Loading Gate, Bayonet Lug, Fine Tuned Trigger
Variants
- Krag-Jorgensen M1894 - Base Model
- Krag-Jorgensen M1930 Sniper - Later Sniper
Service history
Operators
- Norwegian Armed Forces · adopted 1925 · as Skarpskyttergevær M/1925
Production
Production years: 1925-1930
Limited interwar production at Kongsberg Vaapenfabrikk; exact totals poorly documented. Superseded by the M1930 sniper rifle (466 built).
Origin
Country of origin: Norway
Designer: Ole Herman Johannes Krag / Erik Jorgensen
Discontinued: 1930
Notes
Militaryfactory records the M/1925 as an improved sniper iteration featuring a new adjustable rear sight and bayonet support. Like the other Norwegian sharpshooter Krags, it was built on the M1894 action at Kongsberg Vaapenfabrikk and produced in limited numbers before being superseded by the M1930. Exact production figures are not well documented; the M1930 that followed totalled only 466 rifles.
Background
The Krag-Jorgensen system, designed by Norwegian engineers Ole Krag and Erik Jorgensen in the 1880s, is famous for its unique side-loading magazine gate that lets a shooter top off the magazine without cycling the bolt. Norway refined the design into a series of dedicated sharpshooter rifles across the 1920s, of which the M1925 was the middle evolutionary step before the final M1930.