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1918 DMW Gewehr 98, 1936 Nazi Rework

KA4KOE

Well-known member
Here are the photos FINALLY for the Gewehr I purchased, almost too hastily, a few months back. It looked like a nice rifle, and hopefully the gut was correct. Only numbers not matching were those on safety, and perhaps bolt shroud. Also included is a photo of the K98K RC I obtained back in January. Note the obligatory toes included in the photo of both. Bores on both are excellent and are fun as hell to shoot. No import markings on Gewehr. I think it may have been a bring home.

Opinion? (yes, my feet are ugly).

Philip Neidlinger

http://photobucket.com/pangewehr2
 
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Please, please tell me you were wearing pants when you took these photos.:laugh:

Looks good though I have some concerns about the bolt. A clearer photo would help. How is the rear band marked on the other side? Also, can you make out the letters/numbers under the depot eagle? It has been overstamped by the K6.
 
Pictures are rather grainy, though large pictures, the clarity isn't great, especially dealing with overstruck markings.

I would say the stock is factory original, DWM/1918 by the acceptance pattern, and the wrist acceptance shows it's been busy, really can't get a grip on what all is there with these pictures, but obviously it went through a couple depots.

Do a right receiver shot if you can, if you can do clearer shots of the acceptance stamps in the stock, the right side and wrist especially, that would be nice. The bolt, you really need better pictures of that to tell the deal there. It could be ok, like to see all the components though, generally you like to see consistency with all the parts, this rifle has a lot of period correct parts (DWM/1918), which is a plus imo.
 
More photos. The bolt pieces have me worried. The new sight has the same serial as the numbers on the rest of the rifle "6210". The extractor ring looks like it was double stamped 57 or 43 or 53 or 47. Odd.
The area around the stock stamps next to the screws almost looks gummy or like someone has put varnish on it.

http://photobucket.com/pangewehr3

Philip Neidlinger

PS just looked at the actual extractor. It has a number "10" on it. Striker pin, no number.
 
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I like the bolt flat. It looks like a period renumber IMO. The safety and collar probably came off the same repaired bolt. The collar was over stamped with 53 when the original bolt was repaired. Pity the other bolt parts don't match, but the rifle had a very long service in Germany and it is not out of the realm of possibility the parts are period replacements.
 
I just re-uploaded a few more. Recheck the pix. The bands have minor surface rust. The bluing is kinda dull and the DWM Berlin markings aren't that deep. The wrist where the stampings are located is "gummy" looking but not sticky. Is this a normal appearance for a beech stock? Paid 450 for it from a local gunstore.
 
I agree with Ryan, the bolt body is right, the small bits possibly ok to period, though probably later replacement (not depot), typically this m/m small bits is a wartime expedient, lots of wartime Imperial era rifles have this, re-numbered top flats, bits totally random, whatever happened to fit properly (anyone ever try swapping Imperial parts, will note the difficulty of finding sleeves that will just slide onto a bolt body.. Germany never achieved fully interchangeable parts manufacture, the why is discussed before, but generally this problem is less a problem later, but never really resolved). It isn't typical of interwar depot work, usually they re-number everything, a rifle that went through a depot twice, before the war, probably left the depot with a properly matching bolt (re-numbered).

The stock is factory original, dates to DWM/1918 imo, has the acceptance from a late 1917-early 1918 DWM anyway. The wrist markings, are e/Ka30, which is Kassel, it is the top acceptance and probably first, as it is overstruck and an early acceptance. The later depot is e/Kl6, not too commonly encountered, two others known on a Gewehr98, not positive who it is, possibly an early HZa Kassel marking, though I don't think so, as before 1926 they were e/Cl, when they switched to "K" from "C" in the city name, and are known to have used "Ka" after that. The new book Mike & Bruce are working on will cover this, Mike and a few others worked on figuring out this long held mystery with the "e/Cl" marking, that MarkW first pondered over in the KCN. There are other possibilities for e/Kl, more likely ones than Kassel, but we haven't identified it with any certainty. Not common enough to fix any traits too, this is only the third rifle I can positively identify it too.

Anyway, just some thoughts, hope they help, but the rifle is imo well worth what you paid for it! When Mike & Bruce's new book gets out and collectors fully realize how uncommon "matching-original" upgraded Gewehr98's are, it will be worth even more.
 
Thanks for the great info. I worried that my gamble would bite me in the end. I definitely will be more careful in the future. Knowing this, I do not plan on altering the condition in any way. The surface rust here and there is worrisome, however.

I would like to obtain an earlier Imperial era weapon in the future, but my understanding is that they are a lot harder to locate.

Springfields, Enfields, and Garands do nothing for me. Definitely a Mauser man. Looking forward to the upcoming book.

Tnx agn.

Philip
 
Imperial can be hard to find, if you are picky, but not any scarcer than interwar "matching" upgraded Gewehr98's, - m/m interwar Gewehr98's are rather common, especially junker grade rifles, but collector quality is very hard, worse, no one, not even Mike has enough wherewithal (or space) to get every variation. They are nearly endless as hardly two are the same.

Garands are great, nothing better!

Thanks for the great info. I worried that my gamble would bite me in the end. I definitely will be more careful in the future. Knowing this, I do not plan on altering the condition in any way. The surface rust here and there is worrisome, however.

I would like to obtain an earlier Imperial era weapon in the future, but my understanding is that they are a lot harder to locate.

Springfields, Enfields, and Garands do nothing for me. Definitely a Mauser man. Looking forward to the upcoming book.

Tnx agn.

Philip
 

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