jack944
Senior Member
These are pretty hard to find in nice shape. Luftwaffe contract. Gun is all matching.
38's are the toughest to find I think.
38's are the toughest to find I think.
G29o 1938
- Thread starter jack944
- Start date
You aren’t kidding.. they are by far the toughest! (I only know of 3-4 including this one)
Bob Jensen's KCN article suggested they made it well into the "a" block but I seriously doubt this is a reliable estimate. I would like to know how many rifles this is based upon, whether Bob relied upon "reports" for the KCN (I have found these very problematic).
The highest I have seen recorded is "Sarges" serial 1898, which is one of the IDF rifles as I recall. So not a very useful rifle (for study) beyond its serial information.
This rifle is the nicest I know of easily, and I remember it from the 2005 auction where I bided on it, - think Hambone did as well.
Anyway, unfortunately there is no period material on this variation to tell us numbers made/year, - it isn't listed in Rüstung in Österreich, and only a couple articles outline the basics on the variation. (Present Arms 1987 mentioned a letter from Steyr, that attributed this rifle to the 7mm South American export rifle- MarkW followed this up with a similar article in late 1991)
I assume during the transition (between the Anschluss and Steyr’s complete absorption by the Reichswerke) they relied upon production of this Modell98 rifle. At the time Göring was already firmly in control at Steyr, - he had managed to get Meindl appointed GM immediately, and had guaranteed German contracts for Steyr long before the Austrian banks had divested their shares to the Reichswerke.
As the LW had their own bank, and access to others directly (Reichswerke growth was done through a group of “friendly” banks, all working at the behest of Göring as head of the economy & Reichswerke), I suspect these are LW marked because of the fact that Göring wanted to create stability while he worked behind the scenes to acquire the company. (He certainly arranged contracts to help Meindl consolidate power at Steyr- Meindl is said to have brought contracts for their automotive division and promised increased arms production also.. at the time there was great uncertainty and these contracts gave Meindl the influence he needed to consolidate power)
Bob Jensen's KCN article suggested they made it well into the "a" block but I seriously doubt this is a reliable estimate. I would like to know how many rifles this is based upon, whether Bob relied upon "reports" for the KCN (I have found these very problematic).
The highest I have seen recorded is "Sarges" serial 1898, which is one of the IDF rifles as I recall. So not a very useful rifle (for study) beyond its serial information.
This rifle is the nicest I know of easily, and I remember it from the 2005 auction where I bided on it, - think Hambone did as well.
Anyway, unfortunately there is no period material on this variation to tell us numbers made/year, - it isn't listed in Rüstung in Österreich, and only a couple articles outline the basics on the variation. (Present Arms 1987 mentioned a letter from Steyr, that attributed this rifle to the 7mm South American export rifle- MarkW followed this up with a similar article in late 1991)
I assume during the transition (between the Anschluss and Steyr’s complete absorption by the Reichswerke) they relied upon production of this Modell98 rifle. At the time Göring was already firmly in control at Steyr, - he had managed to get Meindl appointed GM immediately, and had guaranteed German contracts for Steyr long before the Austrian banks had divested their shares to the Reichswerke.
As the LW had their own bank, and access to others directly (Reichswerke growth was done through a group of “friendly” banks, all working at the behest of Göring as head of the economy & Reichswerke), I suspect these are LW marked because of the fact that Göring wanted to create stability while he worked behind the scenes to acquire the company. (He certainly arranged contracts to help Meindl consolidate power at Steyr- Meindl is said to have brought contracts for their automotive division and promised increased arms production also.. at the time there was great uncertainty and these contracts gave Meindl the influence he needed to consolidate power)
I've only ever seen one other 38. Nice pics!
jack944
Senior Member
Jack please move that rifle out of the way I want to get a better look at that G.I. Blanket !!! It's a screamer..
Now that is funny. A good blanket is hard to find...
