Krag-Jorgensen Model 1896
- Category
- Rifle
- Barrel
- 762 mm
- Weight, empty
- 4.25 kg
- Introduced
- 1896
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Krag-Jorgensen Model 1896 is a bolt-action service rifle chambered in .30-40 Krag, an improved version of the U.S. Model 1892 produced at Springfield Armory. It refined the earlier design by relocating the magazine cut-off to operate in the down position, moving the cleaning rod into a butt trap, fitting an improved rear sight, and tightening production tolerances for better accuracy. Famous for its exceptionally smooth side-loading bolt action, it saw service during the Spanish-American War and the Philippine-American War before being superseded by the Model 1898.
The Krag-Jorgensen was America's first bolt-action service rifle and its first to fire a small-caliber, smokeless-powder cartridge, replacing the obsolete .45-70 Trapdoor Springfield. Its silky-smooth action was prized by shooters, but its slow single-round magazine loading proved a liability against the faster charger-loaded Spanish Mausers at San Juan Hill, hastening its replacement by the M1903 Springfield.
Distinguished from the Model 1892 chiefly by its down-position magazine cut-off, butt-trap cleaning rod, and improved sights. Many Model 1896 rifles were later arsenal-converted to carbines.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Springfield Armory, Inc.
- Category
- Rifle
- Country
- United States
- Status
- Discontinued
- Produced
- 1896 to 1898
- Variant of
- Improved model
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 762 mm
- Overall length
- 1247 mm
- Weight, empty
- 4.25 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Bolt action
- Firing mechanism
- Striker fired
- Trigger
- Single action
- Capacity
- 5
- Magazine
- Fixed box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Walnut
- Finish
- Blued
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 610 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 2650 J
- Effective range
- 550 m
- Maximum range
- 2700 m
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
No load solved for this record yetThe flight path is computed from a cartridge and a bullet. This record has no ammunition filed against its chambering, so there is nothing to solve.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Side mounted magazine
Magazine cutoff down position
Smooth bolt action
Butt trap cleaning rod
Improved rear sight
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 1,612 rifles | 4.25 kg | 3.50 kg | Heavier than about 80% |
| Overall lengthAmong 1,557 rifles | 1247 mm | 1080 mm | Longer than about 80% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 1,659 rifles | 762 mm | 584 mm | Longer than about 80% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 1,611 rifles | 5 | 5 | Holds more rounds than about 60% |
Answers
Questions about the Krag-Jorgensen Model 1896
How much does the Krag-Jorgensen Model 1896 weigh?
The Krag-Jorgensen Model 1896 weighs 4.25 kg (9.38 lb) empty.
What caliber is the Krag-Jorgensen Model 1896?
The Krag-Jorgensen Model 1896 is chambered in .30-40 Krag.
How many rounds does the Krag-Jorgensen Model 1896 hold?
The Krag-Jorgensen Model 1896 holds 5 rounds, fed from a fixed box magazine.
How long is the Krag-Jorgensen Model 1896?
The Krag-Jorgensen Model 1896 is 1247 mm (49.1 in) long overall, with a 762 mm (30.0 in) barrel.
Who makes the Krag-Jorgensen Model 1896?
The Krag-Jorgensen Model 1896 is made by Springfield Armory, Inc. (United States). It was designed by Ole Herman Johannes Krag, Erik Jorgensen.
When was the Krag-Jorgensen Model 1896 introduced?
The Krag-Jorgensen Model 1896 was introduced in 1896 and discontinued in 1898.
How does the Krag-Jorgensen Model 1896 operate?
The Krag-Jorgensen Model 1896 uses a bolt action, and its firing mechanism is striker fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- United States Army
- 1896
- United States Marine Corps
- United States
Provenance
Confidence in this record
82%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/krag-jorgensen-model-1896' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "krag-jorgensen-model-1896", "name": "Krag-Jorgensen Model 1896", "manufacturer": { "id": "springfield-armory", "name": "Springfield Armory, Inc.", "countryCode": "US", "foundedYear": 1974, "website": "https://www.springfield-armory.com", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-11 23:44:38", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:45", "version": "25f76dc992edbd0bbf9fcae464532e0cdea93a1bb7636f2858e213931d45a359" }, "category": { "id": "rifle", "name": "Rifle", "description": "Long-barreled firearms designed for accurate shooting" }, "country_of_origin": "US", "year_introduced": 1896, "barrel_length_mm": 762, "weight_empty_g": 4254, "action_type": "bolt_action"}