Krico - A Very Rare & Very Nice 10.75x68 Big Game Rifle

[buckstix]

Krico - A Very Rare & Very Nice 10.75x68 Big Game Rifle

I just acquired a German made Krico Model 700 in 10.75x68 cal. It must be pretty rare in this caliber because all the data I could find lists 9.3x62 as the largest caliber they make. Perhaps this was a special order.

Here are the specs:

8 lbs 5 oz -
14-1/4 LOP -
22-1/2" Bbl -
Jeweled Bolt -
Detachable 3-Round Magazine -
Standing Rear Site -
Elevation Adjustable Front Site -
EAW QD Scope bases -
Button Release Sling Swivels -
Button release Sling Swivels -
Packmayr Recoil Pad -

This is a remarkably smooth action. Bolt operates like its on glass bearings. The only actions that have similar smoothness are the Colt Sauer and the Krag.
Its push-feed with 1 up and 3 down. Although the standard overall cartridge length for 10.75x68 is 3.189", the box mag will handle 3.40" cartridge length.
Some people don't like push-feed actions, this one feeds flawlessly because the magazine has long "feed lips" on both sides that support the cartridge as it feeds into the chamber. And, the snap-over Sako style extractor allows fast single round "nto the chamber" feeding when necessary.

I can't wait to get to the range to test this one. (If Winter ever ends. Just got 12" of snow yesterday.)

As usual your comments are welcome. Especially if you have any information about Krico.

http://www.buckstix.com/buckpics/krico-000.jpg

 

[mdwest]

Krico - A Very Rare & Very Nice 10.75x68 Big Game Rifle

I just acquired a German made Krico Model 700 in 10.75x68 cal. It must be pretty rare in this caliber because all the data I could find lists 9.3x62 as the largest caliber they make. Perhaps this was a special order.

View attachment 597312

Interesting rifle!

Until this post I didnt realize Krico ever made anything but competition style .22's.. In all my years Ive never seen or heard of any other offering from them..

a quick google search provided some references to them making a 9.3 Brenneke (9.3x64) in a couple of different models.. but I didnt see anything referencing a 10.75 of any type.. Im wondering if it wasnt a re barrel by some big bore fanatic that really likes "different" calibers/guns..

German Bolt-Action Sporting Rifles K

it looks like Krico is still in business.. they just havent manufactured firearms since the late 1980's.. (they now do logistics, export, and import it appears?).. Im wondering if you reached out to them if they might be able to give you more information on the rifle?

Krico GmbH & Co.KG

Weltweite Spezial-Logistik für den Waffenmarkt

krico.eu

 

[buckstix]

Not a re-barrel - the barrel is Factory - all original with appropriate proof marks. This one was made in 1981 ?. Also, the info you listed said they introduced the 902 model in 2000 so they made rifles beyond the 1980s. this link shows history of the company ... https://krico.eu/historie/?language=en
I have emailed the company with questions.

 

[Sika98k]

Krico used to be quite popular in Ireland. In 1972 the Government signed a “30 day Protective Custody Order” on all firearms above 22 caliber. We had a few problems here. This lasted for 30 years ! A High Court ruling overturned this.
i can just imagine trying to do that in the USA !
Essentially this meant that deer stalkers were left with 22/250 or 220 Swift to use. An approach was made to Krico to identify some rifles as 22x57. This was to overcome the problem people had licensing a 5.6x57. The 5.6x57 pushes a 74 (?) grain bullet which is ever so slightly bigger than 224. How much I’m not aware.
These proved quite successful but have a deserved reputation for being a barrel burner. Few of them survive to today. I’ve seen Krico’s in 22LR, 22 Hornet, 22/250, 243 and of course 5,6x57. Nice, well built rifles.

 

[reinwood]

Hello,

Krico was a very common brand for rifle in Europe. Some of my friends used to hunt with Krico rifles.

Most likely this rifle is very old, unless it was made later for the Swiss market or a special built. (There is a state in Switzerland where the minimal caliber for hunting is 10.2mm. But the common caliber their used is a 10.3x60R not 10.75x68. )
There is a French ammo manufacturer (cartouche sologne) that still make ammo 347gr at 660m/s Woodleigh bullets.

It looks like on this site you can pay 30€ and they will provide you with all the info on the rifle associated with that serial number https://krico.de/krico-waffen-c-462.html
I have not tested it.


You'll find the Krico history here: https://krico.eu/historie/?language=en

"

The KRICO History​

Krico is the brand name of the German firm of Krieqeskorte GmbH. The company has a history dating back to 1878. The founder Robert Kriegeskorte was born in 1853 in the town of Rönsahl. 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 company’s representative for southern Germany and he moved to Esslingen near Stuttgart.

In 1878 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 founder’s son – took over the running of the business. After World War I the company had difficulties because both the trading and production of weapons was banned. 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. Krico began branch operations in both Suhl and Solingen but these were closed after a few years because they were not profitable.

In 1928 the Junghans & Kriegeskorte company was converted to a private company and since then has been known as Kriegeskorte & Co. GmbH. Max Kriegeskorte and his wife expanded the business with considerable drive and energy.

Max began comprehensive mechanization of the production in 1939 but this quickly came to an end with the outbreak of World War ll. it had been intended for both Max’s 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.

In 1947 Krico was given permission to make slaughter firearms and this was followed in 1949 by permission to make starting pistols.

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

The production of hunting rifles started in 1954 with Model 400 for .22 Hornet and .222 Rem. calibers. Following this Krico was kept busy converting former military Mausers to sporting and hunting use.

The company developed models 600 and 700 for heavier calibers in 1963.

The son Dieter Kriegeskorte, joined the firm in 1967, followed in 1976 by his brother Arndt as technical director. The company was split into the holding company Kriegeskorte &. Co. and the operational company Krico GmbH in 1980.

Arndt Kriegeskorte acquired the entire share stock of the company in 1986 and the following year he moved the business to Fürth in Bavaria. The company entered into a joint venture with Dynamit Nobel to develop the Rottweil Paragon over-and-under shotgun in 1988 but this project stagnated and after a few years proved to be unprofitable. The resulting losses made the bankruptcy of Kriegeskorte GmbH unavoidable.

Krico moved to Vohburg-lrsching on the Donau, south of Ingolstadt in Bavaria in 1994 – Here the company was slowly rebuilt so that in 1997 Krico introduced its new Model 902 bolt-action repeating rifle. ArndtKriegeskorte designed this weapon that was produced in ltaly by CD-Europe.

In 1999 Krico merged in Norway with the well-known Kongsberg Small Arms Company.

Out of the reason that the market for repeating rifles became too small to become profitable the production of the Model 902 has been stopped in 2005.

Since the year 2006 the Kriegeskorte GmbH is specializing in export, import and storage of hunting and sporting weapons.

THE COMPLETE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HUNTING RIFLES AND SHOTGUNS (Ton Hartink)
"

 

[buckstix]

I updated the original picture - not a re-barrel - imported as a 10.75x68 - also, I can't read German to make use of the Kraco site to get more info about the rifle - I'd be happy to pay the 30€ if I could communicate with them.

 

[Sika98k]

“Made in West Germany “ visible on the action would point to it being manufactured prior to 1989 when the wall came down.

 

[buckstix]

The Importer indicated it was made in 1981

 

[JD Noblin]

Congrats on the rifle! Looks great and the cartridge is very interesting. I had not heard about that cartridge until now...and have been reading on it this morning. Please keep posting about the rifle and the cartridge....and hopefully you will post some pics of game you take with the rifle!

 

[KiwiHunter]

Krico's are indeed smooth, I have owned one in 222Rem for around 30 years. Great caliber for teaching my two boys and for taking their first African game in form of Steenbuck and Springbuck.
Enjoy discovering more about and using your new rifle.

 

[hoytcanon]

There are lots of Krico's up in Canada, I have seen a couple in 10.75X68 Mauser... although the smaller bore cartridges are far more common. You rifle is capable of sending a 350 grain round at 2300 fps, that is a pretty potent load. It will likely feel good to carry it afield.

 

[PerH]

They made .308 and larger . I had a match in .308 and new barrel in 5,6x57 Rws later . Wish it was .243 instead in retrospect
They also made a Krico Sniper .

When bankrupted the store parts went to Norway with Kongaberg Small Arms , and new license was given to Marocchi .

 

[PerH]

Krico used to be quite popular in Ireland. In 1972 the Government signed a “30 day Protective Custody Order” on all firearms above 22 caliber. We had a few problems here. This lasted for 30 years ! A High Court ruling overturned this.
i can just imagine trying to do that in the USA !
Essentially this meant that deer stalkers were left with 22/250 or 220 Swift to use. An approach was made to Krico to identify some rifles as 22x57. This was to overcome the problem people had licensing a 5.6x57. The 5.6x57 pushes a 74 (?) grain bullet which is ever so slightly bigger than 224. How much I’m not aware.
These proved quite successful but have a deserved reputation for being a barrel burner. Few of them survive to today. I’ve seen Krico’s in 22LR, 22 Hornet, 22/250, 243 and of course 5,6x57. Nice, well built rifles.

It is the same diameter .224 fl rws load pushed a 74 KS 3400 fps
Trouble was the Rws case could not be reformed from x57 brass .

Due to it could use chamber cartridge for .22 LR .22 H and so on also.

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

Very nice rifle.

 

[buckstix]

*** UPDATE *** The rifle came with a set of EAW pivot bases but no rings. A set of EAW rings and bases retail for almost $600. Fortunately I found a used set of rings and bases for a Sauer model 600 for $175, and used only the needed rings. Then I added a 1980s Leupold 1.5x-5x scope. On-and-off scope function is great. (see updated pictures) Next week I go to the range to test it.

http://www.buckstix.com/buckpics/krico-scope.jpg

 

[buckstix]

These mounts are such that the front ring allows the scope to pivot, so there is no torque on the scope tube. However, I did do a little scope adjusting to correct the uphill scope mounting.

Here is the first field test. Wind gusts of 30+ mph accounted for the windage spread. I also removed and replaced the scope twice to check repeatability of the pivot-off mounts. Its sighted 1" high at 50 yds which puts it dead-on at 130 yds.

http://www.buckstix.com/buckpics/krico-targ-2.jpg

 

[buckstix]

Well,

I found another ring assembly on eBay and bought it. This had a wider ring, and it was lower by 0.025" and it worked just fine to level the scope. I didn't adjust windage on this target because the group was so nice. I adjusted the scope to the left to center the group before putting away the rifle. I fired a total of 15 shots and recoil was very comfortable and could have shot more but ran out of time.