1900 Spandau, 3rd Garde Reserve Regiment

[mauser1908]

I recently picked up a very salty 1900 Spandau. This rifle is unit marked to the 3rd Garde Reserve Regiment, 8th Company. There's a pretty cool shrapnel strike the rear sight. I took some photos to highlight a few features for the newer collectors specifically of the old pattern bayonet lug an the fact that stocks were numbered internally only until around 1903 (give or take). It cleaned up quite a bit, but that's as good as it's going to get.

Receiver SN: 8813a
Barrel SN: 8813a Krupp 31
Front sight SN: 13
Rear sight SN: 13
Sight Slider SN: 13
Ejector box SN: Un-numbered
Trigger Sear SN: 13
Front barrel band SN: 13
Rear barrel band SN: 13
Trigger guard SN: 8813
Trigger guard screws SN: 13, later unnumbered
Floor Plate SN: 13
Follower SN: 13
Stock SN: 8813
Handguard SN: 8813
Buttplate SN: 8813
Bayonet lug SN: 13
Bolt body SN:8095v
Extractor SN: un-numbered
Safety SN: 62
Cocking piece SN: 39
Bolt sleeve SN: 39
Firing pin SN: 39

 

[Warrior1354]

I am so glad you got that rifle Sam. I was quite tempted to hit that buy now button!

Still these early pre war Gewehrs are one of my favorites. I'm hoping to find an early Erfurt Gewehr to add to the collection.

 

[mauser1908]

A few more.

 

[Wolfsburg]

Very nice! This one isn't too far off from mine (8074a)! Sadly mine has had the barrel plugged, bolt doesn't match, receiver has been polished and I suspect the stock was messed with a long time ago. Mine is East Asia Expedition marked although there wasn't a consensus that the markings were legit. Still, I like to grab these really early ones when I can find em! Haha!

 

[PrayingMantis]

Great pick up, Sam! Love the look of it, but that unit marked is especially cool.

 

[Loewe]

Sam, I saw your email regarding this rifles BC, however couldn't reply in a timely manner... busy this time of year. Further I was not quite certain at first, still am not "certain" however my doubts regarding the originality (factory original) of the barrel, which did cause an initial delay (also you only sent the BC and not the serial which befuddled me on the exact rifle) was allayed with enough comparisons. Specifically I was a little concerned in the apparent differences in barrel serial & suffix to receiver, at least initially they seem inexact matched in fonts*... and the FP looked later in time initially, but with further comparisons I feel the barrel is the original barrel, - that or every Spandau barrel recorded 1899-1904 have the same characteristics and appearance!

Of course not a huge number of comparisons could be made, perhaps 9-10, 5-6 seemingly like yours, factory patterns, - some are clearly later replacements - but your rifle carries the more typical and standard pattern (style & FP)

Anyway, interestingly, 1900-1901 seem to have the most Garde marked present, - though several KS in groups, it seems Garde and Imperial forces (KS & EA) took the majority of 1900-1901 Spandau production, no real exceptions, but all 1899's and most 1900-1905 production are stock mismatchers and nothing is certain, but so far as observations are possible, it seems the above is correct. Several stocks (lose) are also attributable to Spandau in this time frame (by acceptance) I obtained a GS from Australia (Lewis) 15-20 years ago and a 3GGR from Bruce around the same time frame, both believed in this 1899-1901 time frame.

Anyway, sorry for not replying in a timely manner, but here is the trivia on the possibilities as far as trends can suggest.

* comparison to the auction pictures which were quite good, but the fact trends suggest this is normal and the barrel pattern is the same, the lack of a new FP on the receiver all suggest this is the factory barrel (or every comparison I could make were the same circumstances as yours which would be more incredible to believe than the probability this is the factory barrel)

 

[cj556]

Glad you got this one Sam!

 

[chrisftk]

Really nice rifle Sam. It sure cleaned up well!

Sent from my moto g power using Tapatalk

 

[Spartaner545]

Very nice rifle and with a rare guard unit marking.

Thanks for showing!

 

[mauser1908]

Very nice! This one isn't too far off from mine (8074a)! Sadly mine has had the barrel plugged, bolt doesn't match, receiver has been polished and I suspect the stock was messed with a long time ago. Mine is East Asia Expedition marked although there wasn't a consensus that the markings were legit. Still, I like to grab these really early ones when I can find em! Haha!

Great pick up, Sam! Love the look of it, but that unit marked is especially cool.

Glad you got this one Sam!

Really nice rifle Sam. It sure cleaned up well!

Sent from my moto g power using Tapatalk

Very nice rifle and with a rare guard unit marking.

Thanks for showing!

Thanks everyone I appreciate the kind words.

 

[mauser1908]

Sam, I saw your email regarding this rifles BC, however couldn't reply in a timely manner... busy this time of year. Further I was not quite certain at first, still am not "certain" however my doubts regarding the originality (factory original) of the barrel, which did cause an initial delay (also you only sent the BC and not the serial which befuddled me on the exact rifle) was allayed with enough comparisons. Specifically I was a little concerned in the apparent differences in barrel serial & suffix to receiver, at least initially they seem inexact matched in fonts*... and the FP looked later in time initially, but with further comparisons I feel the barrel is the original barrel, - that or every Spandau barrel recorded 1899-1904 have the same characteristics and appearance!

Of course not a huge number of comparisons could be made, perhaps 9-10, 5-6 seemingly like yours, factory patterns, - some are clearly later replacements - but your rifle carries the more typical and standard pattern (style & FP)

Anyway, interestingly, 1900-1901 seem to have the most Garde marked present, - though several KS in groups, it seems Garde and Imperial forces (KS & EA) took the majority of 1900-1901 Spandau production, no real exceptions, but all 1899's and most 1900-1905 production are stock mismatchers and nothing is certain, but so far as observations are possible, it seems the above is correct. Several stocks (lose) are also attributable to Spandau in this time frame (by acceptance) I obtained a GS from Australia (Lewis) 15-20 years ago and a 3GGR from Bruce around the same time frame, both believed in this 1899-1901 time frame.

Anyway, sorry for not replying in a timely manner, but here is the trivia on the possibilities as far as trends can suggest.

* comparison to the auction pictures which were quite good, but the fact trends suggest this is normal and the barrel pattern is the same, the lack of a new FP on the receiver all suggest this is the factory barrel (or every comparison I could make were the same circumstances as yours which would be more incredible to believe than the probability this is the factory barrel)

Thanks for the great info Paul! Very pleased to hear it's the original barrel. While lot was really low the font differences left me with some doubt. Thanks for the assessment on this one.