Danish M88 Krag

[Bat 2919]

I was at a gun show today and ran into something I admittedly know very little about.  The tag said it was an 1893 8MM rifle.  In talking to the owner I think he knew less about the Krag's than I do.  He did tell me that someone had looked at it and told him that the rear sight had been replaced with the updated (for spritzer loaded rounds?) Danish sight.  The rifle had what appeared to be an unmodified jacketed barrel complete with front site and bayonet lug.  The stock had been cut off forward of the rear barrel band and no front band.

it did appear to be marked:

GEVAERFRABRIKEN KJOBEHHAVN 1883
                      M.88

The serial number was:  38340  

Owners daughter bought it (on line it sounded like) thinking it was something else.  He knew that it fired some sort of rimmed round but little more.  He had it marked at $800, crossed out and $600 was below that and then he had a sale sticker on it at $525.  If I had to guess it's been on his table for several shows and he would take less than that just to get rid of it.  Barrel was very dirty but the lands and groves looked strong. I have no idea what the chamber looks like.  

I know a little about American Krags but this is the first Danish gun I've ever looked at.  I did a little research on line and with the exception of the cut down stock it appears to be complete.  I see that Buffalo Arms sells 8x58mmR brass and ammo at high prices.

I did grab his card but don't think I'm going to buy it. I don't need another project gun right now but I would like to know everyone's thoughts.

 

[pony express]

Sound's like a cool project gun, but it's not on my "Bucket list" of guns to get. It'd need to be discounted some more to get my attention. I don't know how hard it would be to come up with a front band-maybe a GEW88 band could be a substitute, just to make it look better, if the barrel jacket diameter is about the same.