Third Party Press

[2] Germania Sport modells One early one late.

mauser99

Senior Member
I dug these out for a comparison shot. These are two super scarce JGA Germania Sport modell training rifles in .22 kal. Jga made a ton of trainers in this split bridge design but most are in .4mm lang. This was a separate line and marked differently and applicably named Germania. JGA alias was the Germania waffen fabric.

I may go out on a limb going off serial date that possibly only 4k were made. One being at the beginning of production and one at the near end. Not much changed other than the Proofing and caliber designation and stock material.

I have noticed this on other JGA products the later switch to Beech. Walnut was getting scarce and Beech was used as a stop gap. Beech is more than sufficient for low power rifles and not much fear of cracking. Just like mausers switch to elm In late 39 into 1940.

Other small differences are the stock letting for the sling keeper and bolt relief. All the other stock fitting less the cast white metal upper band and bayo lug are shared with the DSm34 rifle.

JGA was the only other maker who made a trainer with a bayonet lug other than the KKW. This rifle may have been their direct completion to the S/A to the KKW and the KKW won.
These rifles are quite heavy and have weighted stocks.
 

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Very nice looking rifles. Did the SA review these rifles as possible standardized training rifle, as opposed to the KKW? If they did, what was the concen?
 
As has been noted by Jim & Steve with there great work. The S/a was looking for a replacement for the DSM34. BSW was looking to push an example of their own based on the W625 series. I can only put 2 and 2 together and Say this was JGA's direct offering to the new-standards the S/a was looking for. Heavier and with bayonet attachment. All these things were encompassed into the KKW. The only thing holding the G.S.M. back was the bolt design I assume ? As the JGA bolt takes down nothing like a Mauser design.
The KKW was an incorporation of many ideas from BSW, Mauser & Walther and it only takes looking at each others previous designs to see them all mixed into the kkw.
 
We have a fairly accurate and fairly detailed picture of the Anschütz history through this era, thanks to Max Anschütz's correspondence with Richard Carey. The JGA Sportmodell preceded not just the KKW, but the DSM, as well. It was one of many military-style or "trainer" rifles made by various companies beginning in 1933 (Walther, Erma, Simson, Geco, Mauser et. al.) when the desire/demand for these was first announced early that year. There was NO FORMAL "competition" for one, despite what some people still seem to believe. The SA was in charge of the program and they were by far the largest customer of them. Virtually all of the models other than the DSM continued to be sold in lesser numbers, and often used in training programs. You make what the customer will buy. The few individuals who purchased one often bought a less expensive version than the DSM because these were expensive.
Max estimated that JGA had made about 30,000 total trainer-style rifles (1933-1945) of ALL types, with about 20,000 of those being marked for Büscher (Sportmodell, Nürnberg, KdF) and your estimate of about 4,000 of these (JGA Sportmodell) matches his recollection of its production. His estimates were including the many made for export (marked .22 Long Rifle) and 4mm guns as well. These actions were configured in sporter/commercial stocks if and when requested, just as Erma used some of their DSM production configured as the E 35 sporter. These guys were in the business of selling guns, and gave the customer what they wanted. The SA was simply THE MAIN CUSTOMER.
 
I feel and I may be wrong going off the serial #'s and production that the Germania Sport Modell was a late to the party example. 4k production and some show up with E/n proofs dragging production into 1940. As the earlier rifle has bug proofs and 1xxx serial number. I also feel JGA started their serial ranges in the 4 digit 1000 and not 1. as I have never seen a three two or single digit example. If someone else has let me know. JGA also made a DSM 34 I think to the tune of 10k examples.
 
JGA only turned out about 4,000 DSMs, likely one production run and that was it. Their own designs sold well enough to keep them happy. Their DSM S/N ranges from about 5xxx to almost 9xxx. In some instances, a number range was used for more than one model.
The Germania marked models were later in production, with some being made for Sweden (straight bolt handle, different bands to accommodate the Swedish bayonet mount, bottom sling with no stock slot, finger groove).
The first of the JGA Sportmodells featured a bottom sling, with later examples showing the side sling. This is just like the Simson/BSW w625 series, which showed a long, intermixed number of design modifications---each one bringing it CLOSER to the "ideal" duplicate of the K98k. Had the SA not been so tight-fisted with budget restrictions, the DSM would have had a bayonet mount, more weight, heavier action that what it did. The Walther Sportmodell was preferred by many officials over the DSM design, but COST prevented that. If money had been no issue in 1933, either Mauser or Walther would likely have made a design by the beginning of 1934 which would have been the ONLY official trainer used to the end of the war, and there would not have been a search for a DSM replacement before the end of 1935.
 
Forgot to mention: Max Anschütz also stated that his firm did not sell any rifles directly to the SA, but through dealers and distributors. All of the wholesalers and large dealers offered quantity discounts, free delivery, or various types of enticements on bulk sales. Geco and Akah both offered them, and naturally Büscher was a major customer for JGA. The Germania-marked model with bayonet lug continued to be sold for some time well after the KKWs had arrived on the scene and were in use.
 
Germania sport modell

I have a Germania sport modell, 22 long rifle am thinking about selling. It is in fair condition. I will post pictures when my wife can help show me how. Interested in value on it, I have seen a few on the Internet but not many
 

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