Jon Speed and I were discussing sharing a few pictures on the K98k forum, and he suggested I do so on gunboards as well. In 2014 and 2015 Jon shared an enormous number of pictures and documents with me, mostly as they relate to Loewe and Paul Mauser, but a great deal in-between. Rather than speaking for or "interpret" Jon Speed, I will excerpt some of his comments regarding this pro-type and its extended magazine. What follows are Jon's words, extracted from a lengthy email exchange:
"Next Pic shows Prototype Mauser Extended magazine 25 rounds first Used in 1906 Prototype Mauser self-loading rifle and now being tested in G 98 dated 1906, Magazine was ok for self loader but to expensive for the G 98. In WW1 a much cheaper magazine was made up and used extensively. I have Mauser Photos of this being tested on Oberndorf G 98."
"I will have some more images for you tomorrow. I am sure some such examples survived and may have been taken by French after WW2. Many were returned to Germany as a show of friendship in 1967-70 period but the Mauser firm sold off hundreds to dealers and gave other as gifts without a clue as to what they might have represented, Mauser gave about 80 rifles to Oberndorf New Museum in 1970 period. Lockhoven managed to get photos of many French Return examples before they were dispersed and I have hundreds of these images on large format BXW negatives Lockhoven used some of which you have seen in Volume 3 and 1. More will come on Volume 2 etc. Regards, Jon"
"G98 test bed for new large capacity magazine and trigger guard for this. G98 has a SN 2 on left side of receiver, left wall is blank. During WW1 trench war was main battle point so consideration was made for such magazines etc.
Left view of G 98 with the standard cheap metal magazine used in WW!. G 98 is WFM 1915 example SN 874. What is also cool is the rear sight has been set up for the pre-war Patented Removable sight bed unit so this looks to me like and example that was kept for reference by Mauser firm. Would be great to know when this was FIRST tested since we know Mauser provided several hundred thousand of these to the industry from 1920-35 period etc."
"Next Pic shows Prototype Mauser Extended magazine 25 rounds first Used in 1906 Prototype Mauser self-loading rifle and now being tested in G 98 dated 1906, Magazine was ok for self loader but to expensive for the G 98. In WW1 a much cheaper magazine was made up and used extensively. I have Mauser Photos of this being tested on Oberndorf G 98."
"I will have some more images for you tomorrow. I am sure some such examples survived and may have been taken by French after WW2. Many were returned to Germany as a show of friendship in 1967-70 period but the Mauser firm sold off hundreds to dealers and gave other as gifts without a clue as to what they might have represented, Mauser gave about 80 rifles to Oberndorf New Museum in 1970 period. Lockhoven managed to get photos of many French Return examples before they were dispersed and I have hundreds of these images on large format BXW negatives Lockhoven used some of which you have seen in Volume 3 and 1. More will come on Volume 2 etc. Regards, Jon"
"G98 test bed for new large capacity magazine and trigger guard for this. G98 has a SN 2 on left side of receiver, left wall is blank. During WW1 trench war was main battle point so consideration was made for such magazines etc.
Left view of G 98 with the standard cheap metal magazine used in WW!. G 98 is WFM 1915 example SN 874. What is also cool is the rear sight has been set up for the pre-war Patented Removable sight bed unit so this looks to me like and example that was kept for reference by Mauser firm. Would be great to know when this was FIRST tested since we know Mauser provided several hundred thousand of these to the industry from 1920-35 period etc."