Dwm 1916

I picked up a DWM 1916 Gew 98 today at the local gun show. The stock is sanded, the firing pin and bayonet lug are unmarked. The rest of the parts appear to match.This will be my shooter and I will keep looking for a nice original unmolested rifle for my collection.
The receiver has a yellow color to it and I think some of the metal may have been varnished. Is there a safe way clean the varnish off the metal without damaging the patina? I know clean is a dirty word around here, but the rifle already has some issues.
PS, Can you tell me what the 4 and M on the butt plate are for.
More images here
https://imgur.com/a/bisOzMI

Thanks for any advise
Benny

Hi Benny, the "4" denotes the depot where the work was done (Colonge) and the "M" was the initial of the armorer who did it.

That may be lacquer or some kind of varnish on the metal. If you disassemble (don't risk harming the stock) the rifle and wipe the metal with denatured alcohol or acetone it may remove it, just be sure to re-oil when finished before you reassemble, as the grease will remove the oil and leave is susceptible to rust. Do NOT use any abrasives.

Cool rifle!

Sent from my XT1635-01 using Tapatalk

I entirely agree, abrasives on the receiver or metal in general will not help the originality or value; the stock and bolt are factory so it is collectible, not too easy to find. While a real shame the stock was sanded, I have seen far worse and at least it is the factory stock.

DWM was probably the best maker during the war, along with WMO and Amberg they did very good work and very consistent in quality and marking patterns.

If you do take the stock off the remove any possible varnish or whatever, take a picture of the barrel code, it would be in front of the rear sight sleeve. It's the original barrel, so no real incentive to check, but if you are under the wood already I would like to record the barrel code for research.

Also a more direct angle or view of the bolt lower flat, the bolt handle base where the eagle fireproof resides. I am interested in the crowned letter under the eagle, it is probably very faint, but should be C/F or C/A (looks like a uppercase I)

Loewe said:

I entirely agree, abrasives on the receiver or metal in general will not help the originality or value; the stock and bolt are factory so it is collectible, not too easy to find. While a real shame the stock was sanded, I have seen far worse and at least it is the factory stock.

DWM was probably the best maker during the war, along with WMO and Amberg they did very good work and very consistent in quality and marking patterns.

If you do take the stock off the remove any possible varnish or whatever, take a picture of the barrel code, it would be in front of the rear sight sleeve. It's the original barrel, so no real incentive to check, but if you are under the wood already I would like to record the barrel code for research.

Click to expand...

Loewe,
Here is the barrel code.





Thanks
Benny

Loewe said:

Also a more direct angle or view of the bolt lower flat, the bolt handle base where the eagle fireproof resides. I am interested in the crowned letter under the eagle, it is probably very faint, but should be C/F or C/A (looks like a uppercase I)

Click to expand...

Loewe,
I couldn't make out the letters, but here are a couple pictures.




Thanks
Benny

Thanks for the great effort, the bolt is far better of a picture than I expected, will try and do comparisons tomorrow to do best guess at this letter. This range it varies between the two...

All the Berlin firms placed the barrel code in front of the rear sight, not between the receiver and rear sight. It would be further up the barrel towards the muzzle, just in front of the rear sight, can be rotated above or below the stock, it can be neatly applied or a little erratic or ill-defined, possibly from stamping on this narrower part of the barrel.

Pre-war and through the early war the BC is where you photographed but by late 1916/early 1917 they had moved it forward.

Loewe said:

Thanks for the great effort, the bolt is far better of a picture than I expected, will try and do comparisons tomorrow to do best guess at this letter. This range it varies between the two...

All the Berlin firms placed the barrel code in front of the rear sight, not between the receiver and rear sight. It would be further up the barrel towards the muzzle, just in front of the rear sight, can be rotated above or below the stock, it can be neatly applied or a little erratic or ill-defined, possibly from stamping on this narrower part of the barrel.

Pre-war and through the early war the BC is where you photographed but by late 1916/early 1917 they had moved it forward.

Click to expand...

Loewe,
Here is what is just forward of the sight.

The barrel is entirely original, Bö is Böhler (Austrian firm) that DWM was especially fond of, it is by far the most common steel they used. The 448 is the lot of the steel, pretty minimal value to trends, they are often progressive, as in the lots "generally" advance as the serial does, but can vary widely. It isn't consistent enough to use in evaluations or "guessing" a rifles serial range by the BC lot alone.

I think you have a fine rifle, the stock problems are always going to be a problem selling it, but despite DWM's high production during the war, factory original (parts) are not common at all.. If I were still collecting I would prefer this DWM over a bolt mismatch with a nicer stock (beech stocks are not as desirable as walnut and this is a range walnut often occurs, all but one of the dd-blocks are walnut, 5 out 6 rifles)

As suggested I used acetone and rags or Q-tips on just the metal. I left the stock alone it's matching and working on it would only make it worse. I used a light hand on the rear sight as I liked the patina. The bore cleaned up nice and I wiped everything down with Bristol when I finished.
I think it looks good, what do you think?

The bayonet lug is completely unmarked, would that have been a depot replacement?



I would like to get a cleaning rod and sling for the rifle, how expensive and hard to find are originals in fair condition?
Has anyone used the repo sling sold by ATF?

I think you did a fine restoration job Benny and it looks great! Also thank you very much for the pictures it helps with the research and data thread we have. As Paul mention DWM was probably one of the best makers of the Gew 98 during this time period. Their quality was almost second to none. My opinion the only firms that probably had the same type of quality would either be Mauser or the the State run arsenal of Amberg. Might even add Spandau to the list too. There is just something about a DWM produced Gew 98. Hell I own three of them!

And yes I believe your bayonet lug was most likely replaced at the depot probably was damaged.

Forgot to mention to answer your questions on the cleaning rods they can be found between $40-$60 but finding a specific number can be tough. Slings that is a different story it is hard to find a nice Gew 98 sling that is original. You will pay $200-$250 for a nice one or more if it's a rare sling and maybe $125-$150 for a not so nice one. Now I have gotten lucky and have found a few for $100 but that was from advise from a fellow Gew 98 collector and a friend. Never forget to look in the cases at the shows!

I think you did a fine job, rarely is more better in such situations. Jordan nailed it on the details you asked...

I want to thank Jeff Noll for offering and selling me the 04 cleaning rod he had.