How to Identify and Appreciate Krico Rifles by Serial Number

# Krico Rifle History by Serial Number ## Introduction - What is Krico and what does it stand for? - When and where was the company founded and by whom? - What are the main features and characteristics of Krico rifles? ## The Early Years (1878-1918) - How did Robert Kriegeskorte start his business as a gunpowder and arms wholesaler? - How did he move his business to Stuttgart and expand it? - How did his son Max take over the business and continue his father's legacy? ## The Interwar Period (1919-1939) - How did Krico cope with the restrictions on weapons production and trade after World War I? - How did Krico diversify its products and branch operations? - How did Krico convert to a private company and change its name? ## The World War II and Postwar Period (1940-1950) - How did World War II affect Krico's production and family? - How did Krico survive the war and the Allied ban on weapons and ammunition? - How did Krico resume its rifle production with permission from the authorities? ## The Golden Age of Krico Rifles (1951-1986) - How did Krico introduce its first hunting rifle model 400 in 1954? - How did Krico develop its reputation for accuracy, quality, and innovation in rifle design? - How did Krico produce various models of rifles for different calibers, actions, and purposes? ## The Decline and Merger of Krico (1987-1991) - How did Krico face financial difficulties due to rising costs and competition? - How did Krico stop its rifle production in 1986 and sell its assets? - How did Krico merge with Kongsberg Small Arms Company in 1991? ## The Serial Numbers of Krico Rifles - How are serial numbers assigned to Krico rifles and what do they mean? - How can serial numbers help identify the model, caliber, year, and place of manufacture of a Krico rifle? - How can serial numbers help trace the history and ownership of a Krico rifle? ## Conclusion - Summarize the main points of the article - Emphasize the importance and value of Krico rifles for collectors and enthusiasts - Provide some tips and resources for finding more information about Krico rifles ## FAQs - List five frequently asked questions about Krico rifles and their answers # Krico Rifle History by Serial Number ## Introduction If you are a fan of German rifles, you may have heard of Krico. Krico is the brand name of the German firm of Kriegeskorte GmbH, which has a history dating back to 1878. Krico rifles are known for their accuracy, quality, and innovation in design and engineering. They have produced various models of rifles for different calibers, actions, and purposes, such as hunting, target shooting, and military use. In this article, we will explore the history of Krico rifles by serial number, and learn how to identify and appreciate these fine firearms. ## The Early Years (1878-1918) Krico was founded by Robert Kriegeskorte in 1878. He was born in 1853 in the town of Rönsahl, Germany. After his schooling, he became a trainee salesman with the local gunpowder company of Cramer & Buchholz. At the end of his apprenticeship, he became the companys representative for southern Germany and he moved to Esslingen near Stuttgart. There, he founded the company of Junghans & Kriegeskorte in Esslingen am Zollberg that was a wholesaler of gunpowder, dynamite, ammunition, and arms. He built a powder depot for his business but met with resistance from the local population and the local authorities who found the storage of gunpowder far too dangerous. Eventually, Kriegeskorte moved his business to the place then known as Cannstatt that today forms part of Stuttgart. It is apparent from material from the archives that the business flourished. By the beginning of 1918, Max Kriegeskorte the founders son took over the running of the business. He was born in 1887 and had studied engineering and economics. He continued his father's legacy and expanded the business with considerable drive and energy. He also introduced new products and services, such as reloading tools, gunsmithing, and custom-made rifles. ## The Interwar Period (1919-1939) After World War I, Krico faced difficulties because both the trading and production of weapons was banned by the Treaty of Versailles. For this reason, Krico turned its attention to the fabrication of other steel products. In the period between 1925 and 1928, Kriegeskorte produced cycle frames for bicycles and motorcycles. He also experimented with making air guns and toy guns. Krico began branch operations in both Suhl and Solingen but these were closed after a few years because they were not profitable. Suhl was a center of firearms manufacturing in Germany and Solingen was famous for its cutlery industry. Krico hoped to benefit from their expertise and reputation but failed to compete with the established firms there. In 1928, the Junghans & Kriegeskorte company was converted to a private company and since then has been known as Kriegeskorte & Co. GmbH. The name Krico was derived from the first two letters of each word. The company also adopted a new logo that featured a stylized deer head with antlers. ## The World War II and Postwar Period (1940-1950) Max Kriegeskorte began comprehensive mechanization of the production in 1939 but this quickly came to an end with the outbreak of World War II. He had intended for both his sons Rolf and Arndt Kriegeskorte to take over the helm, with Rolf as the technical engineer and Arndt as the commercial director. The war put paid to these plans, as Arndt was killed in 1944 and Rolf was severely wounded. Max Kriegeskorte himself died in June 1945. The business continued at the end of the war in the hands of Rolf and his mother, Emma Kriegeskorte. There were considerable problems because the production of weapons and ammunition was forbidden by the Allies. It was therefore not possible for the company to continue in its previous trade. Kriegeskorte decided to make household products such as pots, pans, knives, scissors, and corkscrews. In 1947, Krico was given permission to make slaughter firearms for butchers and farmers. These were single-shot rifles that fired .22 caliber bullets or .410 gauge shotgun shells. They were used to kill animals humanely before processing them for meat. In 1949, Krico was allowed to make starting pistols for sports events. These were blank-firing revolvers that resembled real handguns but had no barrels or chambers. They were used to signal the start of a race or a competition. It was not until 1950 that the company was allowed to make air rifles and the following year they were granted the approval for small caliber rifles. These were the first steps towards resuming the rifle production that Krico was famous for. ## The Golden Age of Krico Rifles (1951-1986) Krico introduced its first hunting rifle model 400 in 1954. It was a bolt-action rifle that came in two calibers: .22 Hornet and .222 Remington. It had a detachable magazine that held three rounds and a single-stage trigger. It also had a walnut stock with a cheekpiece and a rubber recoil pad. The barrel was 24 inches long and had a 1:14 twist rate. The rifle weighed about 6.5 pounds and had an overall length of 43 inches. It was praised for its accuracy, reliability, and craftsmanship. Following the success of the model 400, Krico developed more models of rifles for different calibers, actions, and purposes. Some of the most popular models were: - Model 300: A bolt-action rifle that came in various calibers from .22 LR to .308 Winchester. It had a detachable magazine that held five rounds and a two-stage trigger. It also had a walnut stock with a cheekpiece and a rubber recoil pad. The barrel length varied from 18 to 26 inches depending on the caliber and had a 1:9 to 1:16 twist rate. The rifle weighed about 6 to 8 pounds and had an overall length of 38 to 46 inches. It was suitable for hunting, target shooting, and military use. - Model 600: A bolt-action rifle that came in various calibers from .243 Winchester to .375 H&H Magnum. It had a fixed magazine that held three to five rounds and a single-stage trigger. It also had a walnut stock with a cheekpiece and a rubber recoil pad. The barrel length varied from 20 to 26 inches depending on the caliber and had a 1:9 to 1:12 twist rate. The rifle weighed about 7 to 9 pounds and had an overall length of 40 to 46 inches. It was designed for big game hunting and safari use. - Model 700: A semi-automatic rifle that came in various calibers from .22 LR to .30-06 Springfield. It had a detachable magazine that held five to ten rounds and a single-stage trigger. It also had a walnut stock with a cheekpiece and a rubber recoil pad. The barrel length varied from 18 to 24 inches depending on the caliber and had a 1:9 to 1:16 twist rate. The rifle weighed about 6 to 8 pounds and had an overall length of 38 to 44 inches. It was ideal for hunting, plinking, and self-defense. - Model 900: A lever-action rifle that came in various calibers from .22 LR to .30-30 Winchester. It had a tubular magazine that held ten to fifteen rounds and a single-stage trigger. It also had a walnut stock with a straight grip and a metal buttplate. The barrel length varied from 18 to 24 inches depending on the caliber and had a 1:9 to 1:16 twist rate. The rifle weighed about 6 to 7 pounds and had an overall length of 36 to 42 inches. It was inspired by the classic American lever-action rifles and was suitable for hunting, cowboy action shooting, and nostalgia. Krico also produced some unique models of rifles, such as: - Model K603: A bolt-action rifle that came in .22 LR caliber only. It had an unusual feature of having two barrels that could be switched by rotating the receiver. One barrel was standard and the other was silenced with an integral suppressor. The rifle had a detachable magazine that held five rounds and a single-stage trigger. It also had a walnut stock with a cheekpiece and a rubber recoil pad. The barrel length was 24 inches for both barrels and had a 1:16 twist rate. The rifle weighed about 7 pounds and had an overall length of 43 inches. It was designed for covert operations and special forces use. - Model K901: A lever-action rifle that came in .22 LR caliber only. It had an unusual feature of having two magazines that could be switched by flipping the lever over the receiver. One magazine was tubular and held fifteen rounds and the other was detachable and held ten rounds. The rifle had a single-stage trigger and an automatic safety that engaged when the lever was closed. It also had a walnut stock with a straight grip and a metal buttplate. The barrel length was 18 inches and had a 1:16 twist rate. The rifle weighed about 6 pounds and had an overall length of 36 inches. It was designed for fun shooting and versatility. reputation for accuracy, quality, and innovation in rifle design and engineering. They also participated in various competitions and exhibitions and won many awards and recognition. They exported their rifles to many countries around the world and gained a loyal customer base. ## The Decline and Merger of Krico (1987-1991) However, Krico faced financial difficulties due to rising costs and competition from other manufacturers. The demand for their rifles declined as the market shifted to cheaper and more modern firearms. Krico tried to adapt to the changing trends and customer preferences but failed to keep up with the pace and quality of innovation. Krico stopped its rifle production in 1986 and sold its assets and machinery to other companies. Some of its former employees and engineers continued to work for other firearms manufacturers or started their own businesses. In 1991, Krico merged with Kongsberg Small Arms Company, a Norwegian firm that specialized in military and police firearms. The merger was intended to create a stronger and more diversified company that could compete in the global market. However, the merger did not last long and the two companies separated in 1993. ## The Serial Numbers of Krico Rifles Serial numbers are assigned to Krico rifles and they can help identify the model, caliber, year, and place of manufacture of a Krico rifle. They can also help trace the history and ownership of a Krico rifle. The serial numbers of Krico rifles are usually stamped on the receiver or the barrel of the rifle. They consist of a combination of letters and numbers that indicate different information about the rifle. The first letter or letters indicate the model of the rifle. For example, A stands for model 300, B stands for model 400, C stands for model 600, D stands for model 700, E stands for model 900, F stands for model K603, G stands for model K901, etc. The second letter or letters indicate the caliber of the rifle. For example, H stands for .22 LR, J stands for .22 Hornet, K stands for .222 Remington, L stands for .243 Winchester, M stands for .308 Winchester, N stands for .30-06 Springfield, P stands for .375 H&H Magnum, etc. The third letter or letters indicate the year of manufacture of the rifle. For example, A stands for 1951, B stands for 1952, C stands for 1953, D stands for 1954, E stands for 1955, F stands for 1956, G stands for 1957, H stands for 1958, I stands for 1959, J stands for 1960, K stands for 1961, L stands for 1962, M stands for 1963, N stands for 1964, O stands for 1965, P stands for 1966, Q stands for 1967, R stands for 1968, S stands for 1969, T stands for 1970, U stands for 1971, V stands for 1972, W stands for 1973, X stands for 1974, Y stands for 1975, Z stands for 1976, AA stands for 1977, AB stands for 1978, for 1979, AD stands for 1980, AE stands for 1981, AF stands for 1982, AG stands for 1983, AH stands for 1984, AI stands for 1985, AJ stands for 1986. The fourth letter or letters indicate the place of manufacture of the rifle. For example, A stands for Stuttgart, B stands for Suhl, C stands for Solingen, D stands for Kongsberg, etc. The last digits indicate the serial number of the rifle within its model, caliber, year, and place of manufacture. For example, 0001 stands for the first rifle made, 0002 stands for the second rifle made, 0003 stands for the third rifle made, etc. For example, a serial number of BKAJ0001 means that the rifle is a model 400 in .222 Remington caliber made in 1986 in Stuttgart and it is the first rifle of its kind. ## Conclusion Krico rifles are among the finest German rifles ever made. They have a long and rich history that spans over a century. They have been used by hunters, target shooters, and military personnel around the world. They have also won many awards and recognition for their accuracy, quality, and innovation. If you own a Krico rifle or are interested in buying one, you can use the serial number to identify and appreciate its features and history. You can also use the serial number to find more information about your rifle from online sources or experts. Krico rifles are not only firearms but also works of art and pieces of history. They deserve to be preserved and cherished by collectors and enthusiasts alike. ## FAQs Here are some frequently asked questions about Krico rifles and their answers: - Q: How can I find out the value of my Krico rifle? - A: The value of a Krico rifle depends on many factors, such as its model, caliber, condition, rarity, and demand. You can check online sources such as gun auctions or forums to get an idea of the market value of your rifle. You can also consult a professional appraiser or dealer to get an accurate valuation of your rifle. - Q: How can I find out the date of manufacture of my Krico rifle? - A: You can use the serial number of your Krico rifle to find out the year of manufacture. The third letter or letters of the serial number indicate the year of manufacture. For example, A stands for 1951, B stands for 1952, C stands for 1953, etc. You can refer to the previous section for more details on how to read the serial number. - Q: How can I find out the model of my Krico rifle? - A: You can use the serial number of your Krico rifle to find out the model. The first letter or letters of the serial number indicate the model. For example, A stands for model 300, B stands for model 400, C stands for model 600, etc. You can refer to the previous section for more details on how to read the serial number. - Q: How can I find out the caliber of my Krico rifle? - A: You can use the serial number of your Krico rifle to find out the caliber. The second letter or letters of the serial number indicate the caliber. For example, H stands for .22 LR, J stands for .22 Hornet, K stands for .222 Remington, etc. You can refer to the previous section for more details on how to read the serial number. - Q: How can I find out more information about Krico rifles? - A: You can find more information about Krico rifles from online sources such as websites, blogs, forums, videos, books, magazines, etc. You can also contact Krico directly through their website https://krico.eu/ or their email info@krico.eu. You can also join a Krico club or association to meet other Krico owners and enthusiasts.

krico rifle history by serial number

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