Luftamt 4 Gew98m

This should probably be in the 1933-45 section, but due to the 98m connection I am placing it here.

It's an import, so the only important points are the barrel/receiver markings, which is the odd part- there are absolutely no other markings on the barrel than those pictured, either fore or aft of the sight base. There is a small 7,91 caliber designation at the top of the collar, thats it! Sight base is marked e/77 3 times, but the early Erma style inspection. I don't believe the "S" is part of the serial, but rather like the "S" marked on Gew98 barrels.

Can you do the RR?

It is very strange there are no other markings on the barrel - none at all? Any signs of scrubbing of an old Imperial era f/p or acceptance? Imperial era, and early Weimar era, they f/p barrels under the wood line.. many of these rifles (as with this one) have original serialing / some of their markings scrubbed and re-applied, much as with the dot/44 builds using salvaged receivers.

The "382" is curious too! Not sure I have seen this on other Luftamt's before?

I agree on the "S" but there should be some form of acceptance on the barrel? Every interwar barrel I have encountered, so far, has some form of acceptance. Even the rather "discreet" S28's have a few markings.

Very cool rifle!

I can't see any obvious signs of grinding, and the mill marks and polish marks all appear consistent and uninterrupted- of course, could have been done at rework too and under all the blue.

Here are a few more shots, including under the wood.

Pretty cool rifle, - no "S" across the top of the barrel, before the r/s?

Any markings on the front sight?

This is Gew.98 length?

I suspect the barrel has been scrubbed, as i can think of no other explanation.. but of course we have seen so few as well documented.

Rifle is Gew98 length. Attached are the rest of the pics, front sight base and rear sight base, along with a shot of the bbl from the top.

If I come across another that is more complete I will surely do a complete layout of the rifle for the collecting community.

Even the last of the Gew.98 length barrels made by S&S were S patrone marked... none are known past 1939.

Very odd if not a scrub

SimsonSuhl said:

Even the last of the Gew.98 length barrels made by S&S were S patrone marked... none are known past 1939.

Very odd if not a scrub

Click to expand...

I have a few Gew98m's here with JP Sauer barrels on them, one I got from Mauser99 is dated 1938.

Is the placement of the S any indicator? Perhaps the Imperial markings were on the left side of the barrel, under the new location of the Luftamt and serial?

S&S was the last to make the Gew98 length barrels, at least into 1939,- as far as I have seen all are "S" marked on top, right behind the r/s.

Interestingly enough the Kar98b barrels are not "S" marked!

I assume it is because the 98b was designed with dual compliance, with the trend towards sS patrone, - while the rifles still in Gew.98 configuration had to be identified, as their Imperial era predecessors were.

Not sure really, as this is JoeS area (the reasons why/technical stuff) - I do trends and manufacturer/economy research mostly.

I should clarify it still further... barrels found on the Simson made Kar98b are not "S" marked on top, behind the rear sight (as are all Imperial era Gew.98); while the Simson re-barrels of Gew.98's are "S" marked.

My very cool 1917/1920 Simson Gew98, re-barreled by Simson Suhl using a Simson made barrel (in all ways identical to any 98b barrel they made, except for the "S") has an "S" on top, behind the rear sight base.

Essentially, Kar98b do not have the "S" patrone mark, while all Gew.98 do, - till the very end (so far as I have been able to document them anyway..)

Of course this could be a marking applied at the depot, or mfg, according to some regulation.

JoeS wrote a small peice for the MRJ on the S vs sS patrone that will run in the next MRJ, - so stay tuned!

Interesting, as I have two rifles here with JPS barrels- one on a 98m, one on a 98b. Both are 38 dated and neither have the S Patrone marking on top.

I'm going to do another thread with these 2 barrels and markings.

Great! I will now have to double check each report in the trends sheet..