ALL MATCHING 1917 ERFURT 98a CARBINE

[Mr Haney]

I finally found a all matching WW1 1917 Erfurt 98 a carbine to my collection. Areally nice find. I bought it off a buddy of mine. Every part is matching down to the set screws. The stock has never been sanded . and the stock is made from
birch wood. looks real nice next to my Gew 98 sniper rifle...
Bob

[mrfarb]

Nice one compared to most you see!

[Mr Haney]

Hi
Its not mint for being a late rifle it looks like it seen some action at the front. But you are right matching Gew 98 rifles are getting harder to find. I think I will get back into collecting WW1 Mauser rifles.
2014 is that not far off. And I think the prices will start to go way up. Just like the Civil War programs that they had on PBC a few years ago drove up the prices on collecting Civil War guns.
Bob

[Loewe]

Mr.H, What is the suffix on the rifle? Can't quite make it out? Also do you have a picture of the right receiver? Stock acceptance & cypher on buttstock?

I agree the rifle looks pretty good and these are a lot tougher than you'd think for how many were made (1917 Erfurt had the highest production of the Modell98 of any maker-any year 1898-1918, and probably wasn't matched until the mid-1940's by Mauser or Brno!) The survival rate is really hard on this maker, most were destroyed (the Kar98a was increasingly in demand 1916-1918), either in battle or worse in the numerous disarmament efforts 1919-1924. Many stayed in German hands (relegated to Police & training units which was hard on them).

The "Imperial" configuration rifles are much harder to find today, they were not brought back in as large numbers by the US Army as the Gew.98, and the Kar.98a was the G33/40 of that period- a handy short-light carbine perfect for hunting, so many were chopped up. I have one myself, really a wonderful, light rifle and I can see why they were so popular for sporters. When I got out of Kar98a collecting, use to be my focus, I kept this sporter as it was so handy!

While not a scarce rifle, even in Imperial configuration, they are far less common than you would expect and are very under valued in the current market.

[Mr Haney]

Hello simson suhi
Here are the pictures you asked for the 1917 Erfurt 98a
Best Regards
Bob

[Loewe]

Thanks Bob, isn't there a cypher on the side of the buttstock? No biggie as I do not trend these typically, as it is rare to find other than Prussian, but it should have acceptnace and cypher on the side of the buttstock.


Hello simson suhi
Here are the pictures you asked for the 1917 Erfurt 98a
Best Regards
Bob

[Mr Haney]

Thanks Bob, isn't there a cypher on the side of the buttstock? No biggie as I do not trend these typically, as it is rare to find other than Prussian, but it should have acceptnace and cypher on the side of the buttstock.
i CAN NOT FIND ANY MORE TYPES OF PROOF MARKS. AND I FORGOT TO TELL YOU THE SUFFIX IS C
BOb

[PrayingMantis]

Bob, he's talking about this area. Could you get a closer picture of the stamps here?

Great rifle, I love that stock.

[Mr Haney]

Hi Guys
Ok I will get pictures of the side as soon as I can. Yes there are alot of proof marking on the side of the stockRegards
Bob

[Loewe]

Yes, the cypher and acceptance is located in the circle and the picture does seem to show that something is there, at least a cypher as it is larger than acceptance.

No biggie though, probably Prussian, but Saxon are known (though I doubt it would impact value, even though Saxony is far less common, as no one I know even seems to care unless it is a sterngewehr, - which Kar98a weren't so far as I know.)

Saxony in many ways was the most interesting state for me, Simson's relationship with them, the fact it is freaking impossible to find a rifle Saxon marked that isn't beat to hell (they used their rifles) and the fact Saxony was one of the three general regions where Germany was most industrialized. (Big fan of industry, capitalism and individual freedom, even though where you have industry you also have parasitic union organizers-socialist pigs, and opportunists working the angles. Reminds you of Washington DC today...)


Bob, he's talking about this area. Could you get a closer picture of the stamps here?

Great rifle, I love that stock.

[Mr Haney]

Hi Guys
Here are some pictures of the stock.
Bob

[Loewe]

Prussian, but of course it would be in 99% of cases. BiO has a really neat Saxon cyphered Kar98a stock, can't recall if it was matching to a rifle or not? Bob has a thing for wood of all sorts and seems to buy anything unusual.

Not exactly sure when or even if they had Saxon cyphered stocks this late, but I know they did pre-war. Need to trend this aspect one day. Only wartime rifles I know for sure with a Saxon cypher is the sterngewehrs, and Simson rifles, but as Bavarian are well known too it is probable Saxony continued to use their cypher throughout the war.