Recently a collector asked me about the Saxon Sterngewehr, basically what makes it different than other Sterngewehrs (Star Rifles)?
A Sterngewehr is a rifle made of parts delivered by sub-contractors, Storz calls it parts made by "decentralized production". These parts are often off-standard parts, simply parts that require extra hand fitting due to tolerances being in excess of what was standard. All German rifles, whether from 1898 when the first Gewehr98 came off the assembly line at Mauser, to 1945 at any of the manufacturing facilities, the Modell98 never achieve fully interchangeable parts manufacture. It is more of a problem for earlier rifles, especially ones with tight fitting stocks, like the Kar.98a, but you can see this problem clearly if you swap a few parts from one rifle to another. Stocks, bolt sleeves, safeties, and even trigger guards and bands can often give you heartburn finding the exact part that fit perfectly without alteration.
The Saxon Sterngewehr is briefly discussed in Storz book, pages 124 and again pages 173-175. It is unique because of several factors, one they were made by the Ammunition Factory at Dresden, not an establish rifle manufacturer. Second, they have unique markings and serialing patterns from other Gewehr98 production, and they all sport the cypher of the King of Saxony, Friedrich August III "C/FA".
There are few hard fast rules with these Sterngewehrs, neither with the Dresden (Saxon) variation, or the other types that were made by the state arsenals. They all have unique characteristics, Dresden particularly so, which are generally the highest quality and seem better made and marked than the others (more attention to detail).
What to look for:
1. The Erfurt style "chicken" fireproof
2. A number suffix
3. The Saxon cypher on the stock and buttplate (Crown / FA)
4. Serialing with suffix on the trigger guard and buttplate (Imperial rifles do not have suffix on stocks or buttplates)
5. A unique and professional looking star on top of the receiver. (many arsenals used crude line or "stick" stars)
The receiver markings can vary, currently the majority are Spandau marked receivers, but Simson made receivers are numerous also (Simson had a long relationshuip with Saxony). There are old (early) Gewehr98's recycled into this production as are a few WOK (Oberspree) receivers. Suffix range from the no-block through the "5" block, they are the most numerous by serial range of all the known Sterngewehr variations, except for the "H" (Hannover) variation. Though this could be simply because the state arsenals incorporating their Sterngewehrs within normal production (this was the case with Danzig).
Here are pictures of my 1917 Simson serial number 3812 3, it is rather a barker, very rough due to neglect and hard use, but it is fully matching except cleaning rod.
A Sterngewehr is a rifle made of parts delivered by sub-contractors, Storz calls it parts made by "decentralized production". These parts are often off-standard parts, simply parts that require extra hand fitting due to tolerances being in excess of what was standard. All German rifles, whether from 1898 when the first Gewehr98 came off the assembly line at Mauser, to 1945 at any of the manufacturing facilities, the Modell98 never achieve fully interchangeable parts manufacture. It is more of a problem for earlier rifles, especially ones with tight fitting stocks, like the Kar.98a, but you can see this problem clearly if you swap a few parts from one rifle to another. Stocks, bolt sleeves, safeties, and even trigger guards and bands can often give you heartburn finding the exact part that fit perfectly without alteration.
The Saxon Sterngewehr is briefly discussed in Storz book, pages 124 and again pages 173-175. It is unique because of several factors, one they were made by the Ammunition Factory at Dresden, not an establish rifle manufacturer. Second, they have unique markings and serialing patterns from other Gewehr98 production, and they all sport the cypher of the King of Saxony, Friedrich August III "C/FA".
There are few hard fast rules with these Sterngewehrs, neither with the Dresden (Saxon) variation, or the other types that were made by the state arsenals. They all have unique characteristics, Dresden particularly so, which are generally the highest quality and seem better made and marked than the others (more attention to detail).
What to look for:
1. The Erfurt style "chicken" fireproof
2. A number suffix
3. The Saxon cypher on the stock and buttplate (Crown / FA)
4. Serialing with suffix on the trigger guard and buttplate (Imperial rifles do not have suffix on stocks or buttplates)
5. A unique and professional looking star on top of the receiver. (many arsenals used crude line or "stick" stars)
The receiver markings can vary, currently the majority are Spandau marked receivers, but Simson made receivers are numerous also (Simson had a long relationshuip with Saxony). There are old (early) Gewehr98's recycled into this production as are a few WOK (Oberspree) receivers. Suffix range from the no-block through the "5" block, they are the most numerous by serial range of all the known Sterngewehr variations, except for the "H" (Hannover) variation. Though this could be simply because the state arsenals incorporating their Sterngewehrs within normal production (this was the case with Danzig).
Here are pictures of my 1917 Simson serial number 3812 3, it is rather a barker, very rough due to neglect and hard use, but it is fully matching except cleaning rod.
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