Gewehr 98 Spandau 1912 9762 Bond Rifle

[PrayingMantis]

Very excited to get this one posted up. The previous owner posted here last month, he had purchased at an estate sale and was looking to move it. We worked out a deal and it arrived earlier this week.
I’ve been wanting a good example of a bond rifle for some time. This one is perfect: a rarer maker/date and untouched condition. It does have marks on the rear sight base, presumably from being clamped down when the steel rod was forced into the barrel. Like some other bond rifles I’ve seen there are large scratches around some of the metal, I speculate that this was done when these were cleaned up and handed out stateside. The best part is under the buttplate, someone chiseled VFW into the wood.
It’s a straight bolt and rod mismatch with original stock and barrel. The Spandau c/B acceptance is common throughout, with some c/E. However the wrist and some other parts are c/H (or c/F, depending on what Fraktur font guide you reference) which is associated with WMO in the prewar era. Even though its bolt mismatched it’s helpful to the study, especially with such clear stamps and original barrel. And always nice to have another Gew from between 1909 and 1913, that murky post-introduction-of-the-Kar and pre-wartime-Gew-production era.

SPANDAU 1912

Receiver 9762 c/B c/E c/E
Barrel 9762 c/J c/S c/O B.O.871
Front Sight 62 c/H
Rear Sight Leaf 62 c/H
Rear Sight Base c/H
Sight Slider 62 c/H
Sight Slider Tabs 62 c/H
Ejector Box 62 c/E
Trigger Sear 62 c/B
Trigger c/B
Front Barrel Band 62 c/H
Rear Barrel Band 62 c/H
Trigger Guard 9762 c/B, c/B
Trigger Guard Screws 62, 62 c/B, c/B
Floor Plate 62 c/B
Follower 62 c/B
Stock 9762 c/FW c/B c/?
Stock Wrist c/H c/E
Recoil Lug c/B
Stock Keel 9762 c/H?
Handguard 9762 c/B
Buttplate 9762 c/?
Bayonet Lug 62 c/H

 

[PrayingMantis]

Barrel and sights.

 

[PrayingMantis]

Magazine assembly and barrel bands. Missing a locking screw; if anyone has a spare I’m in need.

 

[PrayingMantis]

Stock and handguard. Note the VFW that I found under the buttplate. There is a repair on the stock’s side by the magazine, but no apparent depot stamp on the buttplate.

 

[PrayingMantis]

Stock metal. The buttplate has an a on the top, consistent with post-1903 no letter block Gews.

 

[PrayingMantis]

And, finally, a few before pictures. I used only Ballistol, bronze wool, and tooth picks to clean it. I try to keep cleaning as minimal as possible, but still remove the gunk and any rust that could spread. The end result preserves the dark toning of the metal throughout, you can spot overcleaning by bright metal with darker shadows in the lettering and acceptance.

 

[Loewe]

Great job of cleaning, very minimal but necessary in places, - better than average bond rifle, scarcer and retains more factory parts. Bohler blanks are rarely seen on pre-war Spandau (even during the war only three are known in trends and one each year 15,16,& 17, a beautifully original b-block with tons of patina...); it really appears DWM hogged all Bohler blanks most years, which fits their long term relationship.

* really it seems all Bohler blanks went to DWM, Amberg and Erfurt, especially during the war. Rarely elsewhere.

** When DWM and Spandau dropped the G98 in later 1917 and almost all of 1918, Bohler steel went to Amberg and Erfurt mostly, so far as rifle barrels go, - I suspect DWM continued a big customer for P08 & MG production, but that is another story for a specialist in those fields.

Anyway a splendid job snagging this one and cleaning it up (and most of all detailing it so thoroughly!)

 

[chrisftk]

That was a wise pick-up Cyrus. I'm a big fan of the "dead years" of 09-13 and rarely turn down the opportunity to add one from that period. I'm also glad you added a proper bond rifle to your collection. I know they don't get the love that live examples get, but they are wonderful for trending and have good history in their own right. The VFW stamp is awesome. I'll get that Württembergische one I got last month posted up at some point in the near future, that one was also a VFW wall hanger.

Another good example of the "right" way to clean up a rifle. Minimally invasive and a great result. Thanks for posting up the "before" pics!

Bohler blanks are rarely seen on pre-war Spandau (even during the war only three are known in trends and one each year 15,16,& 17, a beautifully original b-block with tons of patina...); it really appears DWM hogged all Bohler blanks most years, which fits their long term relationship.

Thanks for that tidbit Paul. I'm guessing Bohler may have supplied more heavily in 1912. My '12 Spandau (Mike's old one # 5303d has a Bohler barrel too)

 

[PrayingMantis]

Bohler blanks are rarely seen on pre-war Spandau (even during the war only three are known in trends and one each year 15,16,& 17, a beautifully original b-block with tons of patina...); it really appears DWM hogged all Bohler blanks most years, which fits their long term relationship.

Thanks, Paul; i think i know which 1917 Spandau you are talking about! https://www.k98kforum.com/threads/gewehr-98-1917-spandau-6088b.47344/
That one was really a good buy. The condition kept many people away, but considering how original it is, one can overlook a few rough spots.

 

[joryfreeburg]

Nice rifle Cyrus….. congrats

 

[Cyrano4747]

Another good example of the "right" way to clean up a rifle. Minimally invasive and a great result. Thanks for posting up the "before" pics!

Agreed, a really fine job of a conservative cleaning.

 

[Loewe]

Pre-war barrel trends are sketchy and sometimes difficult to read, but I am sure someone will take over from where I leave off. Much can be gleaned from study of German steel industry and barrel trends in general, I went through a phase of intense study on the German steel industry (like a fat kid obsessed with icecream I absorbed more than I could handle and got distracted..), most of which led to barrel code trends, - not sure I learned much but I found the European steel producers fascinating, probably the interwar period most of all, especially the role US steel companies played in Germany (they did this in the Soviet Union too, so did the Germans...)

 

[OnlyMil]

Nice honest pickup Cyrus!!! Excellent non-invasive cleaning, which I can respect having just gone through that tedious process myself lol. These pre-war (and early war guns) have a lot of history. Very interesting to think that this rifle and many like it were captured by the French and sent to the US to try and stoke support for the war. The circumstances of their capture are interesting enough to ponder. I feel sorry for whoever it was issued to.

 

[PrayingMantis]

That was a wise pick-up Cyrus. I'm a big fan of the "dead years" of 09-13 and rarely turn down the opportunity to add one from that period. I'm also glad you added a proper bond rifle to your collection. I know they don't get the love that live examples get, but they are wonderful for trending and have good history in their own right. The VFW stamp is awesome. I'll get that Württembergische one I got last month posted up at some point in the near future, that one was also a VFW wall hanger.

Nice rifle Cyrus….. congrats

Agreed, a really fine job of a conservative cleaning.

Nice honest pickup Cyrus!!! Excellent non-invasive cleaning, which I can respect having just gone through that tedious process myself lol. These pre-war (and early war guns) have a lot of history. Very interesting to think that this rifle and many like it were captured by the French and sent to the US to try and stoke support for the war. The circumstances of their capture are interesting enough to ponder. I feel sorry for whoever it was issued to.

Thanks, Chris, Jory, Cyrano, and Alex! I know Bond Rifles aren't everyone's cup of tea, but i'm so glad they do get appreciation. Shows the seriousness of the collectors and researchers on this forum.