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Gew 98b

CLG

Senior Member
I’m starting to unpack a life long collection I started in the 1950’s, and which has been crated up for the last 35 years. Mostly decent to high end WW1 & 2. An odd ball I had forgotten was one of the first to come out, a 1901 Spandau converted to a Kar98b. The early date is nice but of more interest to me is the sight base marked S42G, which I assume would indicate the work was done in 1935.

The bolt is a mismatch and about half mismatched itself. The rifle is made up of two rifles, the stock, buttplate, trigger guard, follower and bolts are from one rifle and the receiver, bbl, bolt release, and new sight are all matching from another rifle. The bbl appears to be the original.

The bands and trigger group have no markings at all and the bayonet mount is yet another number.

Sorry about the upside down photos and their quality, I’ll try to do better!

Any thoughts welcome.
 

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Last edited:
One more photo.

Right side of receiver.
 

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Agreed it is an interesting rifle, though unlikely a Kar.98b conversion. For one, without the original stock and bolt you cannot make the determination at all, for a Kar.98b is defined by its stock and bolt arrangement (side sling & bent bolt). There are other signs that could support a 98b conversion, but this rifle possesses no (shown) markings that would suggest more than an upgraded rear sight.

Regarding what is shown, the receiver of course is a rare maker-date, attractive and no signs alone of reworking. The barrel is very unusual, its Bavarian (Amberg or Ingolstadt possibly). It is known the Bavarians building up rifles around old receivers (old Prussian made receivers), but you do not show the barrel serial. Was this barrel re-proofed with a Republican eagle (next to serial)? I see the Bavarian "Lion" and C/A acceptance, which means 1917 or later probably. I do not see the barrel code, that would date the barrel better, but the C/A is probably 1917-1918 if original to the receiver (which would be unusual, but possible).

If this rifle was reworked in the Republican era I would expect to see some signs of it, at least some markings and matching serials on the rearsight. Try and do more pictures, you did some good pictures, but not enough to know what you have. Try to do the barrel markings, the RS, and more of the stock, specifically the wrist and lower buttstock. If I had to guess I would bet wartime DWM for the stock, has the right acceptance pattern, but the wrist will determine the maker.

*** Spandau/00-01 are full of KS (Colonial) and Garde marked rifles, a few IR's also, but it is really too bad this receiver didn't come with its original stock, it could have been, probably was, issued initially to a very cool unit. (there is one Spandau/00 that was rebuilt by the Bavarian's, served the EWB and all, so it is possible the barrel here is right...)
 
Many thanks Loewe, I was sure you would have some interesting insights. I am away for two weeks but will post more pictures on returning. For now, I think all would agree that only the bbl, sight, and receiver are of real interest. The stock ( no bolt cutout) etc. are from a different rifle and when married, who knows.

Several points I should have made before and photographed: the sight does have matching serial numbers through out; the bbl serial number is identical in size and font to the receiver and there are no additional markings in the vicinity of the bbl serial number; the bbl markings shown in the photograph are the only markings I could find.

Overall, I suspect you are right about a Bavarian salvage with a later upgraded (1935?) sight, and no way to know for sure if that upgrade was to Kar98b specifications.

Your help is much appreciated and I will post a few more photos in a few weeks.
 
Good to know on the barrel and RS, sounds like it is certainly a Bavarian rework/build late in the war, when I filed your rifle in trends I noticed at least 3 others. It is well established that once the large producers dropped out of rifle (G98) production, Amberg and Mauser continued with some vigor covering lingering or remaining demands, this includes sterngewehr "types" like at Hannover (H-receivers) and some salvaging by depots and apparently at Amberg.
 
Very helpful, thanks. When I dig them out I have several other Gew98’s that might bu useful for trends, an all matching MO 1915 and matching 1918 MO that appears to have seen little if any service.
 
WMO/15's and WMO/18's are some of the most interesting makers, while 1916-1917 WMO are rather monotonous (other than the rather rare or elusive stock variations), the tail ends of the war sometimes are interesting if "Imperial" and fairly original. Any 1915 is a little difficult to find Imperial & factory.

Best part of your collection is it probably hasn't been seen before. That is like the early-mid 80's! ahh... the old glory days as a "semi-professional" janitor and clown for incompetent SNCO's.
 
Lity

Most of my collection was purchased in the late ‘50’s through the early ‘70’s when good pickings were the norm and when most fakes were early Colts and the like, not military surplus. Having never risen above E4 in the late ‘60’s, I’m sympathetic.

No idea what “lity” means, typo!
 

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