Springfield M1892 Krag
Springfield Armory (US Government) · Rifle · Out Of Production · 1892
Also known as: M1892 Krag, U.S. Magazine Rifle Model 1892, Krag rifle, Springfield Model 1892
Overview
The Springfield Model 1892 Krag was the first Krag-Jorgensen bolt-action rifle adopted by the United States and the first U.S. service rifle to fire a smokeless-powder cartridge, the rimmed .30-40 Krag. Manufactured under license at Springfield Armory, it featured the Krag's distinctive side-loading horizontal box magazine and famously smooth bolt throw. Owing to two years of tooling, most M1892 receivers were actually marked 1894, and the type saw front-line use during the Spanish-American War before being superseded by the improved M1896 and M1898 models.
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 | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 5 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal |
| Muzzle Velocity | 610 m/s (2001 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 2650 J (1955 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 800 m (875 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 1800 m (1968 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 254 mm (10.00") |
| Number of Grooves | 4 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| 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: Side Loading Internal Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety, Magazine Cutoff
- Features: Side Loading Magazine, Smooth Bolt Throw, Magazine Cutoff Lever, Leaf Rear Sight, Cleaning Rod Under Barrel
Variants
- Krag-Jorgensen M1896 — Successor
- Krag-Jorgensen M1898 — Successor
Service history
Operators
- United States Army · adopted 1892 · as U.S. Magazine Rifle, Model 1892
- United States Marine Corps · adopted 1897
Conflicts
- Spanish-American War (1898)
- Philippine-American War (1899-1902)
Production
Estimated total produced: 24,500 · Production years: 1894-1897
Roughly 24,500 Model 1892 rifles were produced at Springfield Armory before the design transitioned to the improved Model 1896; many M1892 receivers were later rebuilt to later-model configuration.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Ole Herman Johannes Krag and Erik Jorgensen
Discontinued: 1897
Notes
Production delays meant the great majority of M1892 rifles left Springfield in 1894-1896, and many surviving examples were later updated to M1896 standard. Early M1892s had a downward-swinging magazine cover and a cleaning rod carried beneath the barrel.
Background
The M1892 marked America's leap into the smokeless-powder era, but it arrived just as the world's armies were embracing faster stripper-clip loading. Its silky bolt earned shooters' affection while its slow single-round side magazine and weak single locking lug ultimately doomed the Krag family in favor of the Mauser-style M1903 Springfield.