1924 dated Loewe Berlin #489

Yes, a 1924 dated Loewe Berlin M98.

Posted here since it's an Imperial era name that ceased to exist by that name in 1896. By the receiver date, it may be considered Weimar era?

Just dug this out to start a custom sporter build in .416 Rigby....

I kid, I kid. What we have here is a Chinese knock-off of a famous German name, on a receiver that is of very dubious quality. It came out of a pile of loose receivers not long after the Springfield Sporters auction from many years ago. IIRC I paid $3-5 for it, just because it was so laughable. The sellers were literally selling stuff by the pound. The Chinese were notorious for ripping off names, similar to the Khyber Pass gun makers.

I wouldn't trust this thing to handle .22LR, let alone a full caliber rifle cartridge. Its status as a paperweight is strong.

Figured the moderator might get a kick out of it.

At first my mind read this as a Simson/1924, a pretty elusive maker-date, easily the rarest 98b variation. However when I opened the first picture my mind caught up with your post. There is a lot of truth to the argument that much of our eyesight and hearing are driven by the expectations the mind creates...

Still to bad it isn't authentic or even plausible, - though quite possible - Loewe was still one of the foremost leaders in machine tools could have acquired skilled men from Mauser or DWM, both of which were owned by them until 1929 or so (when I say Loewe owned them, I mean the banking cartel that owned it all... the Loewe founders were long dead and only their children were involved in the company, - then as now banks in collusion with government/central banks own everything, true capitalism is as dead as our founders legacy)