Third Party Press

Gew98 Danzig 1904 depot rifle

Warrior1354

ax - hole
Picked this up at the Indy 1500 show yesterday. Have too say this rifle was all luck. Only reason I saw it walk in at the main door was due too me talking too a collector friend and because the rear sight was set at the highest distance! And piece of advise don't let another dealer or collector that you don't know try too take a rifle from you as your talking too the seller. That other dealer tried bumping me off as we were talking. That is extremely rude basically told that guy too go away in a nice way.

Anyway this rifle is 1904 Danzig, the stock is unit marked, with a force matched bolt too match the rifle, missing the cleaning rod and lower band, front barrel band is unmarked, some other mismatched parts will list everything, mirror bright barrel, and number 4 depot stamp for Cologne on the butt plate. Also the rifle came with a cut down S98/05 bayonet with a beat up scabbard that had a nice 1941 frog on it. But I couldn't pass the rifle and the extras up, the seller sold it all too me for $275! All luck if I wasn't there at the right time this wouldn't have happen!

Receiver SN: 5661R
Barrel SN: 5661R Krupp
Front sight SN: 61
Rear Sight SN: 61
Sight Slider SN: 61
Ejector box SN: 61
Trigger sear SN: 61
Front barrel band SN: unmarked
Rear barrel band SN: missing
Trigger guard SN: 61
Trigger guard screws SN: 61
Floor-plate SN: 61
Follower SN: 34
Stock SN: 5661
Hand guard SN: 7854
Buttplate SN: 5661
Bayonet Lug SN: 61
Cleaning rod SN: missing
Bolt body SN: 44
Extractor SN: 44
Safely SN: 44
Cocking piece SN: 44
Bolt sleeve SN: 5661 with 5144 crossed out
Firing pin SN: 44

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You did well Jordan, not easy to find a stock matching rifle this early... it is also an important discovery because it is clearly original and has a unit marking, which happens to fit others known. This is the most important feature so far as I am concerned. To date there are two Danzig/1904 from the same AK, the 10th, one from the 78th IR and another the 79th IR (an interior AK at Hannover, armed in 1905-1906); plus two rifles from the 2nd AK (Pomerania to the border with Russian-Poland, kind of a narrow district in-between Berlin and East Prussia, an AK armed in 1904-1907). Unit marked rifles tend to group in batches, but unfortunately the G98 are more difficult to find with original stocks than the Kar.98a, so this tendency is best observed in the Kar.98a, but over time this trend shows up in the G98 also. Having the original barrel is pretty difficult too this early..

Later, I will pull 251 and post the combat history of the 78th. I will have to pull Jeff Nolls book to find the ID first. Incredible bargain under $300, I have sold stocks alone for $300 before.

**Update** 78th IR was part of the 19th ID, about as good as it gets at the end of the war. From 251, its wartime history and structure:
 

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What a find! Beautiful rifle - as Loewe has said the unit marking and original stock are the icing on the cake. I love these early Gew.98s
 
Thanks for the kind remarks Paul like I said pure luck is all I have too say. Too be honest the rest of the show I just kept wondering how the hell I was so lucky too get this rifle. If I was a few minutes too late this rifle would have been missed by me.

Also thanks for listing the information on the 78th IR and the 19th ID Paul. Really interesting read I have too say.
 
Thanks Mike have too say learned alot from your rifles. Thank you.

And this makes three Gew98 rifles for me now. Addicting hobby!
 
Was wondering was the bolt that was forced matched too this rifle a Danzig bolt as well. For some reason I keep thinking its a DWM made piece.
 
The bolt was originally Erfurt made, though it is possible it was made by one of the Suhl makers or Dresden. That it lacks a suffix "could" mean Erfurt is more likely, though this fireproof is only known on these makers (it is Erfurt style, but as Erfurt managed these they used the same FP). It for sure isn't Danzig, Spandau, DWM-Mauser or Amberg.
 
Thanks for the info on that Paul. By the way is there anything else you need from this rifle posted? If so let me know.
 
...... it is also an important discovery because it is clearly original and has a unit marking, which happens to fit others known. To date there are two Danzig/1904 from the same AK, the 10th, one from the 78th IR and another the 79th IR (an interior AK at Hannover, armed in 1905-1906)

For your files:
Danzig 1904, serial# 2570 r
first issued in 1905 with Infanterie Regiment 91 ( X. AK, 19. Division)
The rifle got a new bolt in 1912 because headspace was to large.
 
Thanks Wolfgang! One day one of these reports we will find we have a record of! (probably not, the vast majority are long gone, but maybe...)

For your files:
Danzig 1904, serial# 2570 r
first issued in 1905 with Infanterie Regiment 91 ( X. AK, 19. Division)
The rifle got a new bolt in 1912 because headspace was to large.
 

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