Erfurt 98a
- Thread starter Gringo
- Start date
How's it going Dan, I saw you post on the 98k side sometime ago, meant to welcome you then, plum forgot...
I have this one on file already, though the idiotic seller didn't take many relevant pictures. Can you believe he overlooked the right receiver and all the stock acceptance? Barely got half the stock serial shown, but from what he did get it looked like a nice rifle. The RR and stock acceptance are the only things I really trend on Imperial's, other than the barrel code (BC) you showed, the rest are typically not worth the extra time. (for 98k I trend it all because variation is so common, changes in sub-contractors, stamped and milled, you name it)
Anyway, I was glad to see you show up here, - I hope you find it interesting enough to linger a bit! I will PM you my email, I have probably changed it half a dozen times since we use to correspond.
I have this one on file already, though the idiotic seller didn't take many relevant pictures. Can you believe he overlooked the right receiver and all the stock acceptance? Barely got half the stock serial shown, but from what he did get it looked like a nice rifle. The RR and stock acceptance are the only things I really trend on Imperial's, other than the barrel code (BC) you showed, the rest are typically not worth the extra time. (for 98k I trend it all because variation is so common, changes in sub-contractors, stamped and milled, you name it)
Anyway, I was glad to see you show up here, - I hope you find it interesting enough to linger a bit! I will PM you my email, I have probably changed it half a dozen times since we use to correspond.
Can you do one of the wrist and lower buttstock, under the serial (if distinct enough to photograph), Erfurt is one of the most diverse of the makers, probably due to the enormous numbers made (I am sure the German word for expedient was used regularly at Erfurt). I can't tell if this is a C/B or C/P under the cypher, it could be either, unlike most of the other makers Erfurt cycled through half a dozen or more inspectors at any one time. Even the stable wrist and lower acceptance vary widely within any range (this is unusual for any other maker, even Danzig has stability at the wrist and lower) and the only rational explanation is the diverse mix of weapons Erfurt was working with, rifles (G98 and carbines), P08 and MG08/15, no telling what else, - I think they stopped making bayonets, 98/05's and type II in 1915, but they were probably in other things. Component supply certainly.
Anyway, if you can do clearer pictures of the right side under cypher, a walnut stock usually holds the strike better (unfortunately many in this range are beech, easily the majority, so washed out and indistinct stamps are common, which cuts down on trending stocks- on top of the fact so few take shots of the wrist and lower). Also the wrist and lower, I hate to hazard a guess, C/P is common, so too C/M, - but it could be several others. In these high production years for Erfurt I sometimes question the value in trending acceptance. While it is erratic, its like buying a car, you get stuck in the process so long you hate to leave without the car because all the time invested... maybe I should just stick with RR and BC and cut my losses!
Anyway, if you can do clearer pictures of the right side under cypher, a walnut stock usually holds the strike better (unfortunately many in this range are beech, easily the majority, so washed out and indistinct stamps are common, which cuts down on trending stocks- on top of the fact so few take shots of the wrist and lower). Also the wrist and lower, I hate to hazard a guess, C/P is common, so too C/M, - but it could be several others. In these high production years for Erfurt I sometimes question the value in trending acceptance. While it is erratic, its like buying a car, you get stuck in the process so long you hate to leave without the car because all the time invested... maybe I should just stick with RR and BC and cut my losses!
OK Paul...here is the wrist and unfortunately, there is not enough under the serial number on the comb of the stock to get anything useful. What do you mean by this "I can't tell if this is a C/B or C/P under the cypher"?
Thanks Dan, - the wrist is C/P, the acceptance under the cypher (right side of stock, the Crowned FW for the Prussian King, - also the Kaiser, but the cypher is for Prussia, there was no "Imperial" Army, only the navy and colonial forces were Imperial), top picture on post #4, it is kind of blurry, but looks like a C/B, been a few days since I looked at others around this rifles range, so I do not remember which inspectors are more common.
Anyway, the wrist is the most stable, but if you can get a better picture of the right side that would be helpful.
Anyway, the wrist is the most stable, but if you can get a better picture of the right side that would be helpful.
Dan, thanks for going the extra mile, looks C/B to me, - the character identification is less important than developing an accurate pattern of inspection. These German Fraktur and Sütterlin characters can be difficult to interpret, changing in style even among German firms within a few years production. Seems to me retaining this pattern of acceptance, forgoing the numeric waffenamt, would have been a damn sight more confusing for Allied intelligence services...
Anyway, thanks for the effort and feel free to linger and comment when you have the extra time!
Anyway, thanks for the effort and feel free to linger and comment when you have the extra time!
