Trench firing device
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iron bender
750 Press Operator
I remember this. Seller had lots of really nice bayonets, swords, 98 items, etc. Did you wind up with this?
Yes, May of last year by my records this was sold? They are damn tough to find original (your see dug ones that have been restored too). This was a nice display, and it shows the slot for the spare mirrors (the most fragile parts, so spares were kept in the buttstock).
Apparently both the French and British had working versions,- even the US Army experimented with an oddball in 1917, in of all place Beverly Hills, CA! (I suspect it was rather different then.. back then they had an Army range there). I do not think the US version was widely used, seems weird and impractical compared to the German version. (which there were at least two German types- minimally- as i have a picture of an German armorer working on a totally different type made almost completely of wood. The one Craig illustrates is the most commonly seen, although quite rare in nice original shape.)
Apparently both the French and British had working versions,- even the US Army experimented with an oddball in 1917, in of all place Beverly Hills, CA! (I suspect it was rather different then.. back then they had an Army range there). I do not think the US version was widely used, seems weird and impractical compared to the German version. (which there were at least two German types- minimally- as i have a picture of an German armorer working on a totally different type made almost completely of wood. The one Craig illustrates is the most commonly seen, although quite rare in nice original shape.)
Craig, I didn't record the sale price unfortunately. They sell for as much as $5k believe it or not in original condition. JeffN offered one awhile back (2005- ground dug but decent- stocked with a Gew stock butt for $1500, and AGM sold another ground dug for $1800 (2004):
C100 - Mauser Rifle Trench Periscope Stock Attachment
Restored battlefield recovery metal trench stock extension has repainted field gray finish, surface of the metal is lightly textured attesting to time spent in the elements, but given the thickness of the metal, it could not have been on the field too long before it was picked up. A collector has subsequently restored the piece by repainting the finish and adding a replacement lower stock assembly. Periscope attachment measures 17" x 8" x 2", with knob adjustments at the base, metal screwpost for securing the buttstock of the rifle that will actually fire over the top of the trench, and interior with bars for that stock to rest against. Interior has one broken mirror, though that would be easy to replace. Spring and pull string mechanism that actuates the trigger of the second rifle is lacking. A rather well-restored battlefield relic, and an excellent opportunity to add a very rare trench warfare item to your Imperial display. III
$1,850.00
C100 - Mauser Rifle Trench Periscope Stock Attachment
Restored battlefield recovery metal trench stock extension has repainted field gray finish, surface of the metal is lightly textured attesting to time spent in the elements, but given the thickness of the metal, it could not have been on the field too long before it was picked up. A collector has subsequently restored the piece by repainting the finish and adding a replacement lower stock assembly. Periscope attachment measures 17" x 8" x 2", with knob adjustments at the base, metal screwpost for securing the buttstock of the rifle that will actually fire over the top of the trench, and interior with bars for that stock to rest against. Interior has one broken mirror, though that would be easy to replace. Spring and pull string mechanism that actuates the trigger of the second rifle is lacking. A rather well-restored battlefield relic, and an excellent opportunity to add a very rare trench warfare item to your Imperial display. III
$1,850.00
WaPrüf2
RIP
These do turn up from time to time; what is always missing is the linkage from the trigger of the device to the rifle and the bracket which fits around the rifle trigger. I've never seen one with either the linkage or the trigger bracket intact. It is an extremely difficult unit to use - getting and maintaining a sight picture is difficult and the recoil movement is peculiar, to put it mildly. The technique evidently was to slack off the sling and hold the weapon down by pulling downward on the sling with the left hand - at any rate, that's the technique the French used and the one I have found most efficient. I suspect these were used sandbagged in position since stability is a problem. There is another version and some coverage in Gortz, although the accompanying text in Gortz (both eds.) is enigmatic in some respects.
The same seller (in 2007) sold another version of this same basic design, it had a string attached which looked old but as i have never seen one that was 100% complete I am unsure of what is correct and what might be some collector expedient to try one out. Even still it was not complete and the string only a fragment..
Seems like there were several variations of this basic design, which probably varied by mfg, as most are slightly different. I suspect the linkage would be slightly different as well?
Seems like there were several variations of this basic design, which probably varied by mfg, as most are slightly different. I suspect the linkage would be slightly different as well?
Attachments
Another thing is the rarity in period pictures.. I went through my database and only found one in use! The handheld mirrors/scopes (many different types) are used often enough but these are fairly hard to find in use?
Here is the one picture I noted, - thought i had another but couldn't find it. The guy was wearing a stirnpanzer on his helmet but I can't darn well find it and as i recall they had one of these- or maybe just the shield?
Anyway, obviously not seen much in use.
Here is the one picture I noted, - thought i had another but couldn't find it. The guy was wearing a stirnpanzer on his helmet but I can't darn well find it and as i recall they had one of these- or maybe just the shield?
Anyway, obviously not seen much in use.
Attachments
WaPrüf2
RIP
When mine showed up it had (and still has) an improvised hook arrangement for engaging the rifle trigger and the linkage consisted of picture wire. On trial use the placement of the hook (at the inside maximum depth of the trigger curve) proved essential and the wire stretched rendering the unit useless.
A specimen of the same type in the Springfield Armory Museum has a small section of cord attached. I secured a section of similar cord from some German book packaging and tried it; it did not stretch as readily as the picture wire but did so under humid conditions. I then tried a section of US M1903 (waxed?) pull-through cord which worked. The version shown is a Leitz product and a contemporary ad for it designates it as an M1915; it shows in detail the trigger unit but does not describe the linkage, which appears to be cord. There is another version, the type shown in the photos, and I think somewhere I've seen a reference to that type being fitted with a fine chain linkage, which probably would overcome the wire/cord stretching problem.
Just about everybody had a similar unit; there was an Austrian job for working a straight-pull
and I think a Russian version as well. The US version was incredibly elaborate and was used in competition at Perry into the 1930s. The Germans "reinvented" it for the K98k/G41/G43, and a similar unit was even rigged up for using the Panzerfaust.
A specimen of the same type in the Springfield Armory Museum has a small section of cord attached. I secured a section of similar cord from some German book packaging and tried it; it did not stretch as readily as the picture wire but did so under humid conditions. I then tried a section of US M1903 (waxed?) pull-through cord which worked. The version shown is a Leitz product and a contemporary ad for it designates it as an M1915; it shows in detail the trigger unit but does not describe the linkage, which appears to be cord. There is another version, the type shown in the photos, and I think somewhere I've seen a reference to that type being fitted with a fine chain linkage, which probably would overcome the wire/cord stretching problem.
Just about everybody had a similar unit; there was an Austrian job for working a straight-pull
and I think a Russian version as well. The US version was incredibly elaborate and was used in competition at Perry into the 1930s. The Germans "reinvented" it for the K98k/G41/G43, and a similar unit was even rigged up for using the Panzerfaust.
CB, thanks for the detailed thoughts, - probably as detailed as this subject gets!
I didn't know about the Austrian version.
I didn't know about the Austrian version.
Gott Mit Uns
Active member
That's one of the most interesting things I've ever seen. Reminds me of of the MP44s that were modified to shoot around corners.
GLCC74
Member
New to forum
Hello everyone, I am new to this forum, but I am very impressed by the wealth of knowledge and items presented. I do have a WW1 German Trench periscope rifle attachment. It was made by Elektrische Bogen-lampen u. Apparate Fabrik, Nurnburg. The Bavarian War Ministry ordered 2,500 rests from Bogen-Lampen und Apparate-Fabrik GmbH in Nuremburg. Initially mirrors were employed by Bogen-Lampen but as they tended to fog up, sealed periscopes were used in later models. Delivery was slow and by October 1917 only 432 had been received. U-boat periscopes were a higher priority for the firm. What ended the periscope rifle were unfavorable evaluations as well as troops’ complaints about the weight and unwieldiness. No further orders were made.
Hello everyone, I am new to this forum, but I am very impressed by the wealth of knowledge and items presented. I do have a WW1 German Trench periscope rifle attachment. It was made by Elektrische Bogen-lampen u. Apparate Fabrik, Nurnburg. The Bavarian War Ministry ordered 2,500 rests from Bogen-Lampen und Apparate-Fabrik GmbH in Nuremburg. Initially mirrors were employed by Bogen-Lampen but as they tended to fog up, sealed periscopes were used in later models. Delivery was slow and by October 1917 only 432 had been received. U-boat periscopes were a higher priority for the firm. What ended the periscope rifle were unfavorable evaluations as well as troops’ complaints about the weight and unwieldiness. No further orders were made.
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