Hi All,
Here is another recent find. While 88/05s are quite common-- particularly Turk'ed pieces, you typically don't see much better than a bolt mismatch.
This is the first matching example I've come across for sale (well, bolt head is m/m, but original German)
Also interesting is the fact that it's an Erfurt 1895..very uncommon to see Erfurt rifles later than 1893. By then the focus had shifted predominantly to carbines and revolvers.
From what i understand from Storz, the 88/05s were marked to indicate conversion with a small character on the stock, above the cypher(and I believe another on the RR)
The conversion consisted of:
- Plug welding stripper clip guides onto the receiver, (Thanks Ernie)
- Milling a slot on the siderail to thumb load a stripper clip
- Milling a small notch in the receiver to accommodate the "P" rounds loaded by stripper (Thanks Ernie)
- Significant modification of the magazine to accommodate stripper clip feeding and render enbloc clips unusable
- Replacement of the rear sight (thanks Ernie)
- Checks to ensure proper chambering of the S Patrone Rounds
I might be missing additional mods, but those were what I recall / major ones. Please tell me if i missed anything.
Later, after the outbreak of war, a stamped plate was added under the magazine to keep out dust or mud. These were stamped 1914, leading to some confusion (or false attribution as 88/14s) but the 88/05 modifications were pre-war.
The 88/05 received rather poor reviews (particularly the nasty habit of the bolt sticking in the chamber after firing several rounds and heating up)-- Most were relegated to rear-line or occupation troops and a vast number given to the Ottomans and Bulgarians as aid later in the war. Some remained on the western front, but many of those were surrendered/destroyed post war. This rifle beat the odds.
In any case, here are some pictures. Thanks for looking.
Here is another recent find. While 88/05s are quite common-- particularly Turk'ed pieces, you typically don't see much better than a bolt mismatch.
This is the first matching example I've come across for sale (well, bolt head is m/m, but original German)
Also interesting is the fact that it's an Erfurt 1895..very uncommon to see Erfurt rifles later than 1893. By then the focus had shifted predominantly to carbines and revolvers.
From what i understand from Storz, the 88/05s were marked to indicate conversion with a small character on the stock, above the cypher(and I believe another on the RR)
The conversion consisted of:
- Plug welding stripper clip guides onto the receiver, (Thanks Ernie)
- Milling a slot on the siderail to thumb load a stripper clip
- Milling a small notch in the receiver to accommodate the "P" rounds loaded by stripper (Thanks Ernie)
- Significant modification of the magazine to accommodate stripper clip feeding and render enbloc clips unusable
- Replacement of the rear sight (thanks Ernie)
- Checks to ensure proper chambering of the S Patrone Rounds
I might be missing additional mods, but those were what I recall / major ones. Please tell me if i missed anything.
Later, after the outbreak of war, a stamped plate was added under the magazine to keep out dust or mud. These were stamped 1914, leading to some confusion (or false attribution as 88/14s) but the 88/05 modifications were pre-war.
The 88/05 received rather poor reviews (particularly the nasty habit of the bolt sticking in the chamber after firing several rounds and heating up)-- Most were relegated to rear-line or occupation troops and a vast number given to the Ottomans and Bulgarians as aid later in the war. Some remained on the western front, but many of those were surrendered/destroyed post war. This rifle beat the odds.
In any case, here are some pictures. Thanks for looking.
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