Krag-Jorgensen M1894
- Category
- Rifle
- Barrel
- 760 mm
- Weight, empty
- 4.00 kg
- Introduced
- 1894
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Norwegian Krag-Jorgensen Model 1894 (Gevær m/1894) is the original Krag-Jorgensen service rifle, a bolt-action chambered in 6.5x55mm designed by Ole Herman Johannes Krag and Erik Jorgensen. Produced primarily at Kongsberg Vaapenfabrikk in Norway (with early production by Steyr), it is distinct from the later US M1898 Krag in .30-40 and the Danish M1889 in 8x58R. Its defining feature is a unique side-mounted horizontal box magazine that loads loose rounds through a hinged side gate and can be topped up with the bolt closed.
The Krag's defining trait is its side-loading horizontal magazine: a soldier could drop loose rounds into a hinged gate on the right of the receiver and top up the magazine at any time without opening the bolt, giving the m/1894 a reputation as one of the smoothest-cycling military bolt rifles ever made.
Muzzle velocity is highly load-dependent: the original 156 gr round-nose military load runs around 700 m/s, while later 139-140 gr spitzer loads reach 800-870 m/s. The magazine cutoff lets the rifle feed single-loaded rounds while holding the 5-round magazine in reserve.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Kongsberg Vaapenfabrikk
- Category
- Rifle
- Country
- Norway
- Status
- Out of production
- Produced
- 1894 to 1925
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 760 mm
- Overall length
- 1267 mm
- Weight, empty
- 4.00 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Bolt action
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Single stage
- Capacity
- 5
- Magazine
- Internal
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Wood
- Finish
- Blued
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 700 m/s
- Effective range
- 800 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 loading horizontal magazine
Loose round feed- Smooth bolt cycling
Magazine cutoff
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 | 4.00 kg | 3.50 kg | Heavier than about 70% |
| Overall lengthAmong 1,557 rifles | 1267 mm | 1080 mm | Longer than about 90% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 1,659 rifles | 760 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 M1894
How much does the Krag-Jorgensen M1894 weigh?
The Krag-Jorgensen M1894 weighs 4.00 kg (8.82 lb) empty.
What caliber is the Krag-Jorgensen M1894?
The Krag-Jorgensen M1894 is chambered in 6.5x55mm Swedish.
How many rounds does the Krag-Jorgensen M1894 hold?
The Krag-Jorgensen M1894 holds 5 rounds, fed from an internal magazine.
How long is the Krag-Jorgensen M1894?
The Krag-Jorgensen M1894 is 1267 mm (49.9 in) long overall, with a 760 mm (29.9 in) barrel.
Who makes the Krag-Jorgensen M1894?
The Krag-Jorgensen M1894 is made by Kongsberg Vaapenfabrikk (Norway). It was designed by Ole Herman Johannes Krag.
When was the Krag-Jorgensen M1894 introduced?
The Krag-Jorgensen M1894 was introduced in 1894 and discontinued in 1925.
How does the Krag-Jorgensen M1894 operate?
The Krag-Jorgensen M1894 uses a bolt action, and its firing mechanism is hammer 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
- Norwegian Army
- 1894
Provenance
Confidence in this record
68%
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-norwegian' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "krag-norwegian", "name": "Krag-Jorgensen M1894", "manufacturer": { "id": "kongsberg-vaapenfabrikk", "name": "Kongsberg Vaapenfabrikk", "countryCode": "NO", "foundedYear": 1814, "website": null, "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-04-05 22:24:37", "updatedAt": "2026-04-05 22:24:37", "version": "82608d925f094cc477278b4fee02a76abce31db3df38f56ecd3ebb324d0c6d62" }, "category": { "id": "rifle", "name": "Rifle", "description": "Long-barreled firearms designed for accurate shooting" }, "country_of_origin": "NO", "year_introduced": 1894, "barrel_length_mm": 760, "weight_empty_g": 4000, "action_type": "bolt_action"}