Krag-Jorgensen Model 1896 Cadet Rifle
Springfield Armory (US Government) · Rifle · Discontinued · 1896
Also known as: M1896 Cadet Rifle, U.S. Magazine Rifle Model 1896 Cadet, Springfield Model 1896 Cadet Krag
Overview
The Krag-Jorgensen Model 1896 Cadet Rifle is a bolt-action rifle chambered in .30-40 Krag, a scarce short-run variant of the U.S. Model 1896 service rifle produced at Springfield Armory for training cadets at the military academies. It kept the full 30-inch barrel and 49-inch length of the standard rifle but reverted to the Model 1892 pattern of storing a cleaning rod beneath the barrel rather than in a butt trap, and it omitted the sling swivels while fitting spring-retained barrel bands. Only about 400 were made before the configuration was dropped, making surviving examples among the rarest Krags.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4218 g (148.8 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1247 mm (49.09") |
| Barrel Length | 762 mm (30.00") |
| Action Type | Bolt Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Striker Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 5 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Fixed Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 610 m/s (2001 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 2650 J (1955 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 550 m (601 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 2700 m (2953 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 254 mm (10.00") |
| Number of Grooves | 4 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .30-40 Krag · primary — also known as .30 U.S., .30 Army, .30 Government, .30 Flanged Nitro Express
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Fixed Side Magazine Loaded Loose
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety, Magazine Cutoff
- Features: Side Mounted Magazine, Magazine Cutoff Down Position, Under Barrel Cleaning Rod, Spring Retained Barrel Bands, No Sling Swivels, Smooth Bolt Action
Service history
Operators
- United States Military Academy · adopted 1896 · as U.S. Magazine Rifle, Model 1896 (Cadet)
- United States Army · adopted 1896
Production
Estimated total produced: 400 · Production years: 1896-1898
About 400 Cadet Rifles were manufactured at Springfield Armory before the variant was discontinued, part of the broader run of roughly 500,000 Krag rifles and carbines built between 1894 and 1904.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Ole Herman Johannes Krag / Erik Jorgensen (base action); adapted at Springfield Armory
Discontinued: 1898
Notes
Distinguished from the standard Model 1896 rifle by its under-barrel cleaning rod, spring-retained barrel bands, and absence of sling swivels. Roughly 400 produced before discontinuation, and quickly overtaken by the Model 1898.
Background
The Cadet Rifle was a purpose-built training arm for the corps of cadets, chosen to keep young soldiers drilling on the same .30-40 Krag action that armed the regular Army during the Spanish-American War. Its return to an under-barrel cleaning rod and springy barrel bands proved a short-lived experiment, and its tiny production run has made it a prized rarity among Krag collectors.