krukster86
Well-known member
Not really a Mauser, but I was fast enough to snag this 1890 Erfurt produced Karabiner 88 from Empire Arms a few minutes after the new items were posted. Usually by the time I open the email, everything is sold out.
I have been keeping an eye out on Proxibid for one of these for a couple years, but most of the time I see an auction for one, they have been "Bubba'ed" quite a bit, usually with the stocks sanded down significantly and the "through slot" for the sling filled in. Fortunately, this one is all matching and doesn’t have too much wrong with it, through the stock appears to be lightly sanded and refinished, as the imperial proof stamps on the stock are are a bit fuzzy/faded rather than crisp, and the stock looks way too nice.
Bore is pristine, and this rifle does have the S stamp on the receiver. The "bent spoon" bolt is surprisingly smooth to operate. I am in the process of procuring a couple of original Gewehr 88 clips to feed this carbine, though I am still going to do my due diligence before attempting to shoot it.
What really surprised me was how SHORT and EXTREMELY lightweight this carbine is. Even compared to the WWI Kar.98a, it feels like a kid’s pop-gun. I can see why these carbines (the Gew. 91's) were very well liked by rear echelon troops not expecting to see combat.
Can someone with the Imperial German Unit Marking book help me ID the unit marking on the nosecap. Someone on reddit commented that it MIGHT be the 1st Royal Bavarian Uhlans (ethnic Lithuanian/Polish cavalry), if so that would be a double whammy for me!
I have been keeping an eye out on Proxibid for one of these for a couple years, but most of the time I see an auction for one, they have been "Bubba'ed" quite a bit, usually with the stocks sanded down significantly and the "through slot" for the sling filled in. Fortunately, this one is all matching and doesn’t have too much wrong with it, through the stock appears to be lightly sanded and refinished, as the imperial proof stamps on the stock are are a bit fuzzy/faded rather than crisp, and the stock looks way too nice.
Bore is pristine, and this rifle does have the S stamp on the receiver. The "bent spoon" bolt is surprisingly smooth to operate. I am in the process of procuring a couple of original Gewehr 88 clips to feed this carbine, though I am still going to do my due diligence before attempting to shoot it.
What really surprised me was how SHORT and EXTREMELY lightweight this carbine is. Even compared to the WWI Kar.98a, it feels like a kid’s pop-gun. I can see why these carbines (the Gew. 91's) were very well liked by rear echelon troops not expecting to see combat.
Can someone with the Imperial German Unit Marking book help me ID the unit marking on the nosecap. Someone on reddit commented that it MIGHT be the 1st Royal Bavarian Uhlans (ethnic Lithuanian/Polish cavalry), if so that would be a double whammy for me!
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