22 Krag

[kragly]

I have recently acquired a rifle that is chambered in the wildcat cartridge 22 Krag (necked down 30-40 cases). It was supposed to come with dies, brass and ammo. It did not. I can return it, but would really like to figure out a way to shoot it.
Does anyone have any information on 22 Krag specifications? Load data? Dies???

Thanks,
Tom
tbutts64@gamil.com

 

[ISS]

Ackley's two volume set should have that data.

 

[Hal]

There was an article in the RIFLE or Handloader magazine about sometime around 74 - 75 by Steve Hopkins.
He was my English teacher. He built it on a Siamese mauser action, because the actions were very cheap and the 30-40 Krag case head fit the bolt face.
He ran the 30-40 Krag case into a 22-250 die. Basically a rimmed 22-250.

Hal

 

[AWS]

A chamber cast will tell you a lot and it might be as simple as above or at least you can approximate and seeing as the rifle headspaces on the rim easily acquire a couple of fired cases to have a set of dies made or see if someone like C&H would have them.

 

[Hal]

AWS is correct. You need a chamber cast to know what you’re working with.
There is NO standard .22 KRAG.

HAL

 

[358WCF]

There was an article in the RIFLE or Handloader magazine about sometime around 74 - 75 by Steve Hopkins.
He was my English teacher. He built it on a Siamese mauser action, because the actions were very cheap and the 30-40 Krag case head fit the bolt face.
He ran the 30-40 Krag case into a 22-250 die. Basically a rimmed 22-250.

Hal

Written as 22 Short Krag, it's based on a slightly shortened 30-40 case. I believe it was Handloader #71. The article is also in Wolfe's Wildcat Cartridges Vol.2. It's also listed in Ken Howell's Custom Cartridges.

There is also a 22 Newton-Krag & a 22 Lightning Krag in Sharpe's Complete Guide to Handloading... the 1948 Supplement, as well as Ken Howell's book.

Agreed that a chamber cast is likely the smartest way forward.

 

[kragly]

Thanks so much for the replies. Yes, I am planning on getting the chamber cast soon, probably next week. Then we will have more to go on.

 

[clowdis]

Had the same issues with a 25 Krag Improved, no information out there. I started with 250 Roberts data and worked up, so once you have an idea of what you have you may need to take the loading for a similar cartridge and work up a load from there.

 

[Tommie]

There were many versions of a 22 Krag. Ackley’s volume one covers several of them.