Third Party Press

Danzig 1905

chrisftk

Moderator
Staff member
Happy New Year All,

2019 was a great year for finding some beat stuff and I hope 2020 continues that trend for all of us. Clearly a lot of nice Gew 98s coming out of the woodwork.

I bought this based on some miserable pictures and have to say I was quite happy with the results of the gamble.

The good is that it is a nice 1905 Danzig Gew 98 matching as reworked. With this being an older rifle, I was expecting to see a few reworked parts. I know some want factory matching, but I love German depot work as it depends the history.

The triggerguard and floorplate have been force-matched to the receiver and the stock appears to be a replacement, as there are 2 SNs on the keel (one matching the receiver and the other not) if you look carefully the SN was stamped over the old in the barrel channel. The stock appears to have been sanded a long time ago, as no proofs are visible, but a large W is present under the wrist. I would assume the sanding was part of a refurb. The stock looks great and has clearly been like this for a long time. I am unfamiliar with the W mark. There is a small hairline crack at the wrist, but appears stable.

The only other knock is that the extractor was missing from the otherwise matching bolt. Not a huge issue, but worth mentioning. I have a few spares.

The bore is immaculate with strong rifling and clean! I would imagine it was rebarrelled given the date, but I am not as familiar with barrel codes on these.

Overall pretty happy with this one as a nice condition pre WWI rifle.

Receiver: 4341b
Barrel: 4341b, code: BI 98
Bolt body 4341 (unsure if original or depot)
Shroud: 41
Safety: 41
Firing pin: 41
Cocking piece: 41
Extractor: missing
Trigger/sear: No SN, imperial acceptance
Triggerguard: 4341 (depot renumbered)
Follower: 41
Screws: 41
Floorplate: 41 (depot)
Stock: 4341 (depot renumber)
Handguard: 4341
Front/Rear Bands: 41
Bayo lug: 41
Buttplate: 4341 (small don't "17" depot stamp and armorer initial)
Front sight: 41
Rear sight components: 41
Bolt release: 41
Cleaning rod: none.
Unit disc: no marking

Here's some pics. Let me know if any others are needed.




IMG_20200109_071745366.jpgIMG_20200109_071757602_HDR.jpgIMG_20200109_071832303.jpgIMG_20200109_071844214.jpgIMG_20200109_071855755_HDR.jpgIMG_20200109_071928297.jpgIMG_20200109_071937792_HDR~2.jpgIMG_20200109_071954710_HDR~2.jpgIMG_20200109_072007311_HDR~2.jpgIMG_20200109_072051332.jpgIMG_20200108_234436327~2.jpgIMG_20200108_234448517.jpgIMG_20200108_234828180.jpgIMG_20200108_234548767.jpgIMG_20200108_234800601.jpgIMG_20200108_234901111.jpgIMG_20200108_234856664.jpgIMG_20200108_235605142.jpgIMG_20200108_235039590.jpgIMG_20200108_234910622_BURST000_COVER_TOP~2.jpg

Sent from my XT1635-01 using Tapatalk
 
Looks like it passed through two depots Chris. Number #3 for spandau and a small lower case number 17 for Dresden?

That would be my guess still a very interesting rifle Chris and thank you for posting it up buddy
 
Thanks Jordan- appreciate it! Good eye, I missed that "3" last night when I was looking it over.



Sent from my XT1635-01 using Tapatalk
 
That's a warhorse for sure, great pickup. Has the disk been flipped?
Thanks! Nope, the disc was either replaced or never unit marked. I was hoping for a surprise given the early date.

Sent from my XT1635-01 using Tapatalk
 
Chris, that’s a wonderful rifle! I remember seeing those GB photos of it. I like these depot rebuilds myself, not sure if it’s possible to trend the work performed at each facility. But it would be interesting to see what style of rebuild each depot was inclined to do. Meaning some re-numbered some didn’t. I can’t remember if it was Koblenz or Mainz but if I remember one of those seemed to just slap them together without bothering to renumber.

All that could be skewed thinking based of the various levels at which a rifle could be reworked.

I actually think it’s the original barrel, given it’s a Bismarckhutte and a low lot number. The firing proof looks right for 1904-1907 time frame. Paul would know for sure on that one.
 
Last edited:
I too believe it's the original barrel as well Sam that early style prussian proof matches almost the same on my 1904 Danzig that was also a Depot rework. The only thing different with my rifle is it was unit marked and the barrel was made by Krupp.
 

Attachments

  • 001.JPG
    001.JPG
    271.6 KB · Views: 17
I too believe it's the original barrel as well Sam that early style prussian proof matches almost the same on my 1904 Danzig that was also a Depot rework. The only thing different with my rifle is it was unit marked and the barrel was made by Krupp.

That early Prussian proof is one of my favorites. Looks more like a dragon than an eagle.
 
I am sure that is the original barrel, will know for sure tomorrow. That eagle (fat turkey) is distinctive early Danzig. (BC lots can vary widely, even early, acceptance patterns, blank suppliers and FP matter more than lots, though in ranges they seem to clump in fairly close lots, not sure how lots were arranged, sometimes progressively but not always... maybe earlier blanks finding their way in on later production? But I know it is not a reliable indicator in all cases)

The biggest problem with BC research is relatively few have been recorded, while thousands of 98k BC are documented, trended and researched, we are talking several hundred G98/98a bc have been recorded, less than a thousand for sure. Add to that the large number of replaced barrels (G98M) and limited understanding of the coding (which only tell you steel maker & lot; whereas 98k the patterns are more regimented and clear, the waffenamts and dates, etc...
 
Thanks Paul. It's interesting some rifles held out for so long without a rebarrel. Maybe a function of where it served? Or maybe as simple as how it was maintained day to day?

Either way, appreciate the insight.

Sent from my XT1635-01 using Tapatalk
 
I have a large amount of Gew-88 rifles and about half have their original barrels , and most are in very good condition . They are all older than Gew-98's and many went through WWI , with German and Austrian use .
 
I have a large amount of Gew-88 rifles and about half have their original barrels , and most are in very good condition . They are all older than Gew-98's and many went through WWI , with German and Austrian use .
I'd agree based on my 88s, but I think that actually makes sense as the 88s presumably served more of a secondary use during the war and may not have been fired as extensively. I was more rhetorically asking if you had two 1905 rifles. One with a mint original bore and the other rebarrelled, I'd assume the original barrel one was issued to a unit that didn't see much action, or was in favorable conditions. I might be oversimplifying my thinking, but it just was what popped in my head as we discussed this.

Sent from my XT1635-01 using Tapatalk
 
The 88's saw major German use until 1916 , Austrian till the end of the war . The average solider did not fire that much . My wife has put over 3000 rounds through her match Mauser and the bore is still fine . The 88's out numbered the Gew-98's till 1911 and saw use up to WWI , then in the war . I have no good figures on how much the Turks really used theirs .
 
1905 Danzig 4910 a BI.21

The barrel is certainly original, several similar barrels surrounding years, obviously Bismarckhutte being so close was their favorite supplier, and this Danzig/05 is pretty similar. Note the markings and FP...

I agree with ernie, most G98's weren't shot very much, certainly not enough to wear out barrels. Rifle grenades were barrel killers, so was artillery. I have read that most casualties were artillery related anyway, though maybe charging MG's could have "contributed"! I was pretty gungho (stupid) when I was young, but I doubt that stupid. I guess the odds were pretty bad either way though, your NCO or Officer would shoot you if you didn't charge or the MG's would get you, at least with the MG's you had a slim chance.... war is always idiotic, but WWI took the cake..
 

Attachments

  • Danzig%201905%20Barrel%20Code.jpg
    Danzig%201905%20Barrel%20Code.jpg
    292.8 KB · Views: 11
The 88's saw major German use until 1916 , Austrian till the end of the war . The average solider did not fire that much . My wife has put over 3000 rounds through her match Mauser and the bore is still fine . The 88's out numbered the Gew-98's till 1911 and saw use up to WWI , then in the war . I have no good figures on how much the Turks really used theirs .

I agree to that ernie I know there was a massive rifle shortage in 1914 big reason the German Army took a lot of the weapons from the German Navy. You know I've read through my books the German military was kind of upset of how many funds and resources they spent to put the Gew88 series of rifles in production and then in less than 10 years they adopted the Gew98 series of rifles. But they later found out it was actually a good thing because with the outbreak of war they had plenty of those rifles left on hand which they really needed. From buying many pictures this year I've seen a lot of Gew 88 rifles in action. I also watched a lot of WW1 documentary films showing the Gew88 in combat during the Battle of tannenberg.

I have this picture posted in another thread but it shows you why barrels were replaced artillery fire was a major destroyer of firearms and Men.
 

Attachments

  • Damaged weapons.jpeg
    Damaged weapons.jpeg
    73.9 KB · Views: 24

Military Rifle Journal
Back
Top