Third Party Press

ID Help on Gew 98 rebuild

Trpg23

Member
Hi all,
I wasn't really sure if If best to post in here or the third reich forum, but since posts pertaining to gew 98m seem to be here I chose this one. What I have is a mix master: 1917 Amberg receiver with upgraded S/42g rear sights done during 1935, a mix of other imperial parts, including the Bavarian straight bolt and various Nazi era parts including a laminate k98 stock. I'm not sure if this is a proper german k98 rebuild or if it was a gew 98m sent to Franco and later messed with. It has a small "8mm" import stamp by the rear sight. I also am unsure of the red finish on the stock and am wondering if I should refinish it. Any thoughts and help are appreciated.
Thanks
 

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Last edited:
More pictures of the rifle
 

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Looks like an import Spanish rework Gew98 M that has been "worked on" to appear a legitimate rebuild.
 
Looks like an import Spanish rework Gew98 M that has been "worked on" to appear a legitimate rebuild.


I think this may be the case. That 8MM stamp is seen on most of the Interarms imports from Spain. Looks better than most of the "chopped " rifles from them at least!
 
Personally, I'd like to see more pictures and get a measurement of the barrel first. The pictures that would be helpful are the right receiver, pictures of the complete rear sight and the barrel markings. Also the stock marking if any exist. It wouldn't hurt to take more pictures of the front sight, the barrel contour and muzzle either, but I agree with the others that something is amiss here.

To be sure of anything we need more pictures, - reworks are far more complicated to evaluate than factory, small things matter.
 
Thanks everyone for the replies. Here are some more pictures. I measured the Barrel from the end of the reciever as indicated in one of the following pictures. The length from this point is 23.06 inches (.125 inches longer than the barrel on my RC k98) I also posted a photo comparing the front sight to that on my RC, and there are no markings on the stock that I can find.
 

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Specifically, I meant all markings on the barrel, more specifically, those under the stock and any markings that may be a fireproof or interwar acceptance.

I think the probability that this is a recent fabrication is high, and certainly it lacks key elements that would authenticate it as German military work. For one there is no fireproof next to the barrel serial, which there should be if this is a conversion or salvaged receiver. Early-mid 1920's, not long after the German Army settled down from its chaotic reorganization, - and the political situation eased into a relatively stable republic, new methods were introduced in rifle development. Along with new manufacture at Simson, changes in how proofing and acceptance were introduced. In the case of the fireproof, it was moved from under the barrel to above next to the barrel serial. In Simson's case this occurred in late 1925, at the HZa's in 1924 if not before... (it is doubtful many were doing builds before 1924).

In short, as a conversion to 98k it should have a FP on the barrel, next to the serial, - this seems to be absent? I asked for the barrel markings because they alone would identify where the barrel came from, probably the original Amberg barrel, but no matter what, any shortening of the barrel would necessitate a re-fireproof, and as the 98k development began in 1929 (when the first 98b's were cut down) that FP would be next to the barrel serial (and probably re-proofed on the receiver).

The RR shows no signs of interwar rework, especially early on the Reichsheer reapplied acceptance here when reworking. Not always, but almost always something shows up on the RR.

So in short, any complicated work like this would come with new fireproofs and acceptance, ones that would follow a specific pattern, and the stock in almost all situations would carry some form of depot acceptance. Early on often on the buttstock sides, later more common at wrist and lower buttstock. Just depends on time frame and which depot, which like in the NS era varied with facility.

Although the work is pretty good, certainly good enough for a representative example, I seriously doubt it is original to the pre-1945 era. It very well could be one of the Spaniard G98's that weren't butchered by the importer (some came back in full length & good shape, though most were butchered) and someone more recently converted it to 98k? Hard to say, but the first place to find answers is under the stock, - this will determine the barrel maker, my bet is its the original barrel or WWI period, second the stock should be serialed to match and have a depot mark somewhere, - can be very small marking. How the barrel is proofed and acceptanced will tell its origins.
 
Thanks again for the information, I've been hoping to take the rifle apart and inspect the underside of the barrel, but unfortunately the front band is really stuck on there. I'm not sure that I will be able to pound it off.
 
There is no rush on my account, though if you do get it off I would also like the barrel and receiver detaisl for the Amberg study in the Imperial forum. We are tracking a receiver code found on latewar Amberg's, left receiver near bottom at the ledge where the siderail starts. And of course if it is a Amberg barrel I would like to see the barrel code as I trend them... if it is an interwar barrel, all the more interesting. Not many were making barrels prior to 1934, Simson, Spreewerke and Spandau (which could be one in the same with Spreewerke). Might be more but offhand that is it...
 
Got the rifle apart

I was able to take the rifle apart and here are pictures of the stock, barrel, and receiver. It doesn't have an amberg barrel, but appears to be WWI era with imperial fireproof and acceptance marks. Also, it has the "0" serial code by the slide rail on the receiver. Lastly, I Discovered a "P" marking on the stock behind the semi pistol grip.
 

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An Imperial barrel for sure, so cut down... that it lacks a interwar or nazi FP means it can't be period work... too bad that.

Anyway, someone did good work restoring it, or converting it, - this work isn't necessarily nefarious, there appears to be no, or at least little, attempt to pass it off as a "nazi" rework or conversion. The serial on the barrel is pretty good if recent, - hard to say either way, the barrel acceptance seems to indicate DWM production (1915), which would rule out period work if true (commercial firms did not "rework" rifles, - rifles could and did pass through arsenals though), but there is a lot still unknown about inspectors and how they moved around.


I suppose it is possible the Amberg/17 made it to a collection center or repair shop that had already scrapped a DWM/15 and reutilized the barrel, but if so it should have been re-proofed. It seems to only have one FP, which ultimately kills any possibility of German work.

All speculation of course!
 

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