Erfurt 1902

PrayingMantis · Jul 5, 2012

Well, here is the 1902 Erfurt I recently found. Came without a bolt and the cleaning rod is two numbers off, but matching other than that. The metal is rough, and aside from that, it is caked in dirt. I've come to dislike cleaning weapons other than oiling them, but with this one I decided that I atleast had to get to the serial numbers and the acceptance stamps. So to clean it I used break-free oil and bronze wool, often with little visible effect, but I did get to the serial numbers. I liked what I found underneath the dirt, every little part is acceptance stamped.

Not much else to say about it other than when I flipped the disc I found the marking O. 158., which I'm still trying to determine the meaning of. Who ever it was issued to it sure went through hell afterwards. At least the price was decent.

ERFURT 1902

Receiver SN 7446d
Barrel SN 7446d BO. 86.
Front sight SN 46
Rear sight SN 46
Sight Slider SN 46
Ejector box SN 46
Trigger Sear SN 46
Front barrel band SN 46
Rear barrel band SN 46
Trigger guard SN 7446
Trigger guard screws SN 46, 46
Floor Plate SN 46
Follower SN 46
Stock SN 7446 Disc O. 158.
Handguard SN 7446
Buttplate SN 7446
Bayonet lug SN 46
Cleaning rod SN 44

Loewe · Jul 6, 2012

Cyrus,

This is a pretty rare rifle, even though the condition is not all it could be, it looks to be totally original except for the rear sight was upgraded as is typical of these. (would be real deal rare if not!) It is very difficult to find a very early Gew.98 that hasn't had some depot work done during the war or in the interwar period.

Interestingly, there is another in this block that is equally original-matching, it is unit marked also: 1902 Erfurt ser. 4619 d 86.R.8.233 (Reserve IR). This rifle is near the high for 1902/Erfurt, who broke into the "e" blocks. 4619 d is really nice but equally original, which is strange to find two early rifles so close in range that are essentially factory original. Neither yours or 4619 have the FP on the receiver and both have the original barrels, which in this date range only had FP on the barrel & bolt. You do encounter early rifles with added FP on the receiver, this is a good sign you have a replaced barrel, that yours hasn't a FP receiver and the Erfurt "chicken" FP on the barrel tells me this is the original barrel.

Anyway, I emailed Jeff Noll lastnight asking him for his opinion on the unit marking, I told you I thought it wasn't East Asian Expeditionary, but rather Army HQ but unit markings are not something I am great with.. if it isn't in Jeff Noll's or Görtz/Bryans I wouldn't know unless it is super simple.. He said he couldn't see the pictures but I emailed him this morning with some so hopefully we will know with certainty what it represents.

Loewe · Jul 6, 2012

BTW, the MRJ has finally begun to mail, the first batch went out yesterday, a larger one Monday as we get them all printed... Interestingly in my articles I revisited the Arsenals at Danzig and Erfurt in significant detail. Earlier when I started the series on the German armament firms, I began with Erfurt as a simple filler article I could whip up in an hour or two, this time I covered it in significant detail including production ranges and details about production. Danzig was revisited in a much more thorough way also, like 7 pages.. more detail than you will find anywhere else!

Anyway, working on my Steyr revision and DWM next for the Imperial series, which is part II of the Ludwig Loewe article. Both are large projects, but I hope to have Steyr (Reichswerke series) finally finished for the Fall issue.

PrayingMantis · Jul 6, 2012

Thanks for the information Paul. Hopefully you hear back soon from Jeff Noll. I posted a thread on the Gunboards WWI forum, maybe someone there will be able to shed some light on the unit mark.

Can't wait for the MRJ, great timing on the article!

feldmütze · Jul 12, 2012

PM, I like it alot... a good pickup. Too bad the bolt is gone...sometimes chicken, sometimes feathers

Erfurt 1902

PrayingMantis

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