M.89/36 Belgian

Hambone · Apr 4, 2015

As a followup to Pat's Belgian M.35. I've been looking for one of these for awhile in matching shape. I like them because I like oddballs, reworks, repairs and this is a quintessential "rework"

This one has the original sling and rod and is 100% matching. These are generally found well used. The Belgians saw some of the writing on the wall by the mid-30s and knew they needed service rifles, quickly, which could serve alongside the M.35. They had plenty M.89s and upgraded these. The M.89s were rebarreled, M.89 stocks salvaged and pieced together inletted for the new barrels, and the bolts upgraded with a Mauser rear end welded / installed. As you can see, the M.89 bolt front end body was used, the old serial on the back lined out, and the new serial stamped on the front of the stem. If anyone has another nice matching M.89/36 or M.35 holler because I'm looking for them and I trade :thumbsup:

Hambone · Apr 4, 2015

Also, note this rifle is stamped with a "U" on the buttstock. There is a theory that these were so marked to indicate training use by the Germans. Below is a pic Peter U sent me showing the M.89/36 in use. I thought it was Luftwaffe troops, but Peter informed me these were Belgians serving in the Luftwaffe, and training at a castle near his home (Tks Peter).

UNPROFOR1994 · Apr 4, 2015

I have an all matching Anciens Etablissements Pieper Herstal M1889/36 in my collection. I'll try to post some pictures in a few days.

Hambone · Apr 4, 2015

UNPROFOR1994 said:
I have an all matching Anciens Etablissements Pieper Herstal M1889/36 in my collection. I'll try to post some pictures in a few days.

Very good! Those rarely turn up here, so that would be great if you posted some pics.

Peter U · Apr 4, 2015

Nice rifle Hambone!

:thumbsup:

Pat · Apr 4, 2015

Gorgeous rifle Hambone, thanks for sharing! A very, very appealing example.
Best,
Pat

RyanE · Apr 4, 2015

Very nice! Now you just need one with the modified bayonet lug. :thumbsup:

Hambone · Apr 4, 2015

Thanks guys. Peter U found me a cool original Belgian M.31 combat helmet and well, I need rifles to go with my helmets, and I thought something as reworked as a M.89/36 could be justified as a need, not a want, (i.e., goes with helmet, fits rework/rebuild collection). But man, it was tough finding one. Same thing with an M.35 like Pat posted.

BATANGUENO · Apr 4, 2015

Very nice model 36 rifle!!!!! those from MAE are made , sometimes, with brand new,not used yet , spare parts .
The ones from Anciens Etablissements Pieper Herstal are more worn out ,the parts came from used 1889 rifles and many go to the colony's .
About 100.000 where produced for the Belgian Army in both factory's

wo-i-afrika-5-soldiers_in_the_belgium_congo_-_nara_-_197079.jpg

Stan · Apr 4, 2015

Yes, that is is nice one! I wish mine was all matching rather than the "Bitser" it is. At some point mine got a matching s/n added to the left buttstock in French fashion, perhaps post war somewhere. They are a very interesting conversion!

Hambone · Apr 5, 2015

Thanks Stan, I looked at yours as a reference when I was studying them. Very interesting rifle and nice shape. Those stock markings look like Japanese Kanji to me, as seen on certain IJN rifles, like a rack/issue no. What is the general consensus on that stock marking?
Regards,
HB

Stan · Apr 5, 2015

I have not had any response on what the nature of the "1+1" marking is, or why the s/n would be stamped in that location. I have not seen another M36 marked in that way. Someone once suggested possible militia or paramilitary unit, but who knows! The stock is duffle cut, but no bayonet lug modification.

Pat · Apr 5, 2015

It doesn't sound like very many of these had the bayonet lug modification.

Pat

BATANGUENO · Apr 5, 2015

Stan said:
I have not had any response on what the nature of the "1+1" marking is, or why the s/n would be stamped in that location. I have not seen another M36 marked in that way. Someone once suggested possible militia or paramilitary unit, but who knows! The stock is duffle cut, but no bayonet lug modification.

Stan,you are right......This numbers are encountered also sometimes on tjech VZ 24 rifles and French rifles .The marking 1+1 and the number means really Erzatswaffen (surplus) for militia on a factory .By the way the belt is really French......not Belgian...maybe for the guards of "organisation Todt"on the Belgian or North French Coast , The famous Flemish "Fabriekswacht" from the collaborating VNV..... )

Hambone's rifle got a real Belgian belt,this ones are rare and very hard to find... even here in Belgium self ......(I have seeing in the 40 years of my collecting career many model 89/36's, but this one from Hambone is the number one !

greetings Bat

Stan · Apr 5, 2015

Bat, thank you very much for that interesting information on the markings. The sling is indeed a French one. If I ever get lucky enough to find an original Belgian one I will replace it.

Hambone · Apr 5, 2015

Thanks Bat, Stan, I guess I was looking at it stacked, like a line, over what I thought was a Kanji, then another line. So, it reads horizontally, which would not look like Kanji, but stacked it does

The duffle cut puts it as a US vet bringback. Bat, the M.89/36 is tough to find in the US, in any condition.

M.89/36 Belgian

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