Rifle history

Hello all,

I was curious about the history of my rifle and figured I would ask ya'll if you had any fun facts about it.

She is a 1916 Gewehr 98 Danzig, the bolt number is different from the rest and the barrel is 23".

The inlay on the buttstock is my favorite part but couldn't find any info searching the forum, I assume it was added post war when they sporterized her but I'd love to get some input. Thanks

You have a rifle that falls into a sub-variation that has been recently discussed:

http://www.k98kforum.com/showthread.php?32702

Third one in a year and second this month, - in short this rifle is actually a fairly late 1916 production rifle by Danzig, the barrel lot on yours places it closer to latter blocks than earlier, though Jordan's rifle has an early lot that illustrates the dangers of placing too much value in barrel blanks. Still fireproof and acceptance patterns place this rifle 2/3 through Danzig's 1916 run.

As for this rifles post-German past, hard to comment with just three pictures, but strange they didn't alter the rear sight when they shortened the barrel? A common fate for many of these bringbacks, before the 1970's-1980's these were a novelty and not very collectible, there were plenty that probably wanted bringbacks after the war, you see ads and commentary in period magazines seeking information on them, but I gather it was short lived, because even as late as WWII ammunition was not common and after the "ginned up enthusiasm" for the wars waned the market probably didn't have enough supply or demand to support collectors interest. Back then the US public wasn't war hungry or easily aroused to foreign adventures, - and after WWI true motives surfaced, the greed of the colonial powers and envy over Germany's growing economic dominance in Europe, (not to mention the massive debt, a unimaginable death toll the war caused) the US public quickly wanted to forget the war.

Thanks for that, can any information be found using the crowned inspection Mark's or the design on the buttstock? I haven't found any unit designations anywhere either. Not concerned with value, just learning what I can about the rifles story.

Robusmcs13 said:

Thanks for that, can any information be found using the crowned inspection Mark's or the design on the buttstock? I haven't found any unit designations anywhere either. Not concerned with value, just learning what I can about the rifles story.

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By design on the buttstock, if you mean the inlay, the only thing that could be gleaned from that is bubba like inlays...it is not original, or wartime...

For other things, you will have to post more pics, pics of any visible markings, etc, Any unit mark on these would typically be on the top tang of the butt plate...I have an Erfurt 1917 marked to the 18th Dragoons...

ETA...Sorry, for some dumb reason, I was thinking Kar 98a...not Gew...My Kar 98a is unit marked on the tang of the butt plate...

Wartime rifles are rarely unit marked, especially G98's, but if one were it would be where the "art" was performed on the buttstock. (rarely on the buttplate)

Generally, 98a are more likely to have unit markings, but they too are uncommon on wartime rifles. Mostly specialized small units only. The acceptance (crowned inspection stamps) are factory related, basically dealing with certain steps being performed and acceptable. Unfortunately the inlay was done over the most useful information a stock can provide, though there should be a acceptance at the wrist and lower buttstock that may determine whether the stock is even original. It would be serialed internally to the rifle if this is the original stock. Obviously if not the original stock it will tell you nothing, but in this case being original isn't much of a plus. Its pretty much beyond restoring.

Robusmcs13 said:

Thanks for that, can any information be found using the crowned inspection Mark's or the design on the buttstock? I haven't found any unit designations anywhere either. Not concerned with value, just learning what I can about the rifles story.

Click to expand...

So what I have is a redneck special haha I'm okay with that, it's fun to shoot, always gets attention, and is kinda unique!
Quite an interesting legacy these guns have, thanks all for your time!