Are you speaking of the "M" in the sling cutout? Some kind of random marking, who knows perhaps Turkish applied?
As for German ordnance supply to Turkey, that was one of the most problematic aspects of their relationship (alliance), and considering all the difficulties involved, Germany (and Bulgaria & Turkey) would have been better off if they had stayed neutral. While Turkey did draw significant Allied forces from the main theaters of war, the cost to Germany of propping up Turkey financially and militarily was enormous, it also eventually necessitated a campaign against Serbia and Rumania for the Germans when they least could spare the resources.
There are a number of books in German on this topic, regarding the German efforts to financially support and supply Turkey and Bulgaria, but the short of it, as it relates to supply of arms to Turkey, they didn't occur in significant numbers (1914-1916 efforts were made, first working with Rumania, then using the Danube river, they were not sufficient or practical due to Serbian efforts) before 1917 when the Serbians and Rumanians finally were removed from the supply line and a rail line was re-established. This is why you see so many 1917-1918 Mauser made Gewehr98's from Turkey. They were hustled down to Turkey along with the more critical ammunition & war material that was in desperate need.
Thank you very much for your genius suggestion about the "M" marking as writing: "Some kind of random marking, who knows perhaps Turkish applied?" and the unnecessary and partly wrong extra information.
Putting Ottoman Empire in the same league with countries like Bulgaria and Romania, which were for hundreds of years under Ottoman regime, was also very intelligent of yours.
By the way if I were you I would read the history of Mauser Werke and see who financed whom (in year 1887, 500.000 rifles were ordered by Ottoman to Mauser in Oberndorf (may be you should ask yourself why Mauser has a oriental style house in its compound) and hundred million of ammunition which were produced and sold by Loewe and co to Ottoman Empire.
Not to mention hundreds of cannons sold by Krupp to Ottoman army.
By the way Ottoman payed five hundred thousand gold Liras for both of the ships (Goeben and Breslau) which were escaping from English Navy in the Aegean.
Ottoman, later on Turkish Republic had to pay every cent they borrowed in order to pay for arming.
Lange rede kurzer sinn; at the end of the war Ottoman Empire shrunk from 5.500.000 square kilometers down to 800.000 square kilometers. Lost all its ground in Africa, at Balkans (Greece (including the Aegean islands), Bulgaria, Romania, Yugoslavia), Caucasia, Irak, Palestine (todays Israel was Ottoman ground until just after the war, may be I should refresh your mind).
Part of Balkans were already lost and Bulgaria and Greece had already declared their independence before wartime, however getting in the war with Germans had only made the situation worst.
All were lost because a Turkish general called Enver (whose political party was called İttahat ve Terakki) who had influence on the Ottoman regime and supported very strongly by Germans in order to protect their interests (such as petrol) at east. I suggest you read Kaiser I. Wilhelm's ideas about east.
First World War caused great sorrow and suffer on Turkish land, which was tried to be invaded by Greek (with heavy English support), French and Italian just after the war. Which, this time, was a disappointment for them. Still no gains from cooperating with Germans.
Da ich auch Deutsch lesen, schreiben und sprechen kann, ich werde sagen; it is not always like that as you read in German books.
May be they should find other reasons why they lost both of the World Wars and should accuse themselves then the other nations who helped them in both of the wars.
Last but not least, Turkish Republic was this time intelligent enough not to join both of the sides and stay neutral in the Second World War, while all other European countries suffer under violence and heavy conditions of the war.
And this time the Germans lost the war again! They weren't supporting the Turks this time(I have already written above, one should find more effective excuses for his failures) and nevertheless the inevitable happened again.
Anyway I do not believe it is the place to discuss history.
Let me read about Paul Mauser's great invention and be fascinated by this magnificent mechanism.
I wish you a happy and pleasant day.
