1907/14 Danzig no letter block

[Warrior1354]

So here it is in all it's glory got this rifle cleaned up the best I could and now it's time to show it off. This rifle was bought back in late January and I picked it up right before I left for the SOS show. Purchased off proxibid in the same auction I was chasing after an 1886 lebel. What made that rifle interesting is the receiver date was 1907/14 and it was a low serial number with no letter block, made by Danzig. Makes sense using a leftover receiver when they started production again in 1914. I could never get any more pictures of the rifle from the auction listing, they barely posted 5 so I took a gamble. I paid for the rifle what you would pay for a bolt mismatch Gew 98. So I kept my fingers crossed and boy was I ecstatic when I got them both. My 1886 lebel was all matching and in really nice condition for its age pretty neat that the barrel date shows it was made in 1919. That may explain why the condition was so nice.

But I kept my fingers crossed again and I was so hoping that this wonderful gewehr 98 was matching and when I pulled it out. I noticed the stock was matching to the rifle as well as the barrel bands and the rest of the components, now I was just hoping the bolt was. When I found it in the box turns out it was, and I was so happy. So that makes three of the hardest 1914 dated Gew 98 rifles to own have two more left and I have the entire set.

And yes this rifle is matching besides the mismatched cleaning rod. Another feature I thought was neat was the signs of a dust cover on this stock at one time. You can tell by the difference in the color on the stock. The only bad I would say is the pitting underneath the stock around the receiver and barrel area. This rifle did not spend time in a barrack for training practice it saw action. There is pitting also on the bolt face and extractor claw. But surprising the rifle still picks up rounds from the magazine and feeds them in the chamber with no problems. No signs of depot marks either or clipped firing pin. This rifle is a true survivor! With this purchase I now have an even dozen Gew98 rifles in my collection!

Maker: Danzig 1907/14

Receiver SN: 3406
Barrel SN: 3406 Krupp 2 A
Front sight SN: 06
Rear sight SN: 06
Sight Slider SN: 06
Ejector box SN: 06
Trigger Sear SN: 06
Front barrel band SN: 06
Rear barrel band SN: 06
Trigger guard SN: 3406
Trigger guard screws SN: 06
Floor Plate SN: 06
Follower SN: 06
Stock SN: 3406
Handguard SN: 3406
Buttplate SN: 3406
Bayonet lug SN: 06
Cleaning Rod SN: 88
Bolt body SN: 3406
Extractor SN: 06
Safety SN: 06
Cocking piece SN: 06
Bolt sleeve SN: 06
Firing pin SN: 06

 

[chrisftk]

Jordan, great rifle! So glad you came across it. Thanks for the detailed pics as well.

It's interesting to see how this rifle captures the shutdown and restarting of production at Danzig. First one I've seen of it's type. .maybe Jeff will have an 06 cleaning rod!

Sent from my XT1635-01 using Tapatalk

 

[Warrior1354]

Stock and stock components:

 

[Warrior1354]

Bolt group and trigger guard:

 

[Warrior1354]

And a little surprise more cool pictures came in from my contact in Germany! Some neat war booty pictures in there too!

 

[mauser1908]

Damn Jordan, that's a real gem! Love that it was a total gamble too. I've read all the regulation in Gortz' book about unit marked sling keepers. Out of all the rifles I've had and seen this is the only one I've seen that's turned up unit marked.

 

[Warrior1354]

Thanks guys and yes sometimes gambles do pay off in this hobby you just have to take a chance sometimes. Still can't believe I own three of the 1914 Gew98 makers not to mention the hardest ones to locate. Only need a Mauser and a Spandau and the set is complete.

 

[JimF]

And a little surprise more cool pictures came in from my contact in Germany! Some neat war booty pictures in there too!

In photo #4, notice the bayonet doesn’t seem to be fully mounted. Looks like it’s about to fall off!

 

[Warrior1354]

In photo #4, notice the bayonet doesn’t seem to be fully mounted. Looks like it’s about to fall off!

You got a good eye Jim never noticed that, makes that picture a little bit neater!

 

[Loewe]

I wanted to trend this rifle before commenting, I had hoped others like it existed (1907 receivers used in 1914-1915, like the two 1912's in 1915 b-block), but no such luck, I did forget to look at Danzig's recycling of old receivers in 1915, which seem related to these in some way... apparently Danzig (along with Suhl) had a receiver shortage initially and used old internal and salvaged receiver's during start up. Would be very interesting to know how Suhl and Danzig acquired these recycled receivers in 1915... from the army or did they salvage the rifles themselves?

But of course that is another subject. Unfortunately there are very few first block Danzig/14 recorded, just one other, so we do not know whether this is a unique case or whether there are other earlier Danzig G98 receiver recycled. There are quite a few a-b blocks known, and no such use is seen among them. In 1915 the two 1912 b-blocks are known, suggesting that such use may be in tight ranges (?) but as yet no evidence of this. I wish we had more totally original rifles from this maker-date to compare this rifle too, but neither are many this original nor displayed.

A very rare and unique rifle, hopefully one day another will surface to compare it too, but as for 20 years that hasn't occurred, that is a long shot. Maybe one of the younger collectors like Jordan will live to see it, but I wouldn't hold my breath... these 1914-1915 rifles were used and most were probably "used up" so surviving rifles probably on give us a glimpse or blink of an eye of what was made!

Truly a great score Jordan!

 

[Warrior1354]

Thank you for the great information Paul and thank you for the kind words. If there is anything I missed on the rifle please let me know.

 

[donki1967]

Thanks guys and yes sometimes gambles do pay off in this hobby you just have to take a chance sometimes. Still can't believe I own three of the 1914 Gew98 makers not to mention the hardest ones to locate. Only need a Mauser and a Spandau and the set is complete.

Hello

if you allow, what is the serial number of your DWM 1914?
Mine is #6517.
Regards from France

 

[mauser1908]

Hello

if you allow, what is the serial number of your DWM 1914?
Mine is #6517.
Regards from France

Please post that thing here!

 

[Warrior1354]

Hello

if you allow, what is the serial number of your DWM 1914?
Mine is #6517.
Regards from France

That rifle is posted in the Imperial picture section and the serial number is 3423. Would love to see your rifle sir!

 

[donki1967]

I will try to make a little photo folder this weekend.
Your #3323 is a beautiful piece of history...

 

[swjXE]

Thank you for the great information Paul and thank you for the kind words. If there is anything I missed on the rifle please let me know.

The thing that was missed is that unless you fix the cracked wood behind the recoil lug it will only go so many shots without cracking the grip. I don't know if you intend to shoot it. With the receiver having been in close to relic condition before it was polished perhaps the bore is quite corroded too and thus not really intended to be used as a shooter. Just sayin.

 

[Warrior1354]

The thing that was missed is that unless you fix the cracked wood behind the recoil lug it will only go so many shots without cracking the grip. I don't know if you intend to shoot it. With the receiver having been in close to relic condition before it was polished perhaps the bore is quite corroded too and thus not really intended to be used as a shooter. Just sayin.

No I don't plan on shooting this rifle and have no interest trying to fix small cracks on the inside of the stock nothing wrong with it to be honest. Really hard to find Gewehr 98 especially this scarce and rare being 106 years old in really nice condition. And yes the rifle does have some pitting from moisture that got trapped underneath the stock but I would say it is far from relic condition. I have seen a couple relic condition firearms and this isn't one of them usually they're rusted pieces of junk found in an old basement.

 

[swjXE]

No offence meant, just didn't want to see another matching stock bite the dust. I usually repair them if the bore's not a sewer pipe because there's a very good chance that they will be fired at some point in time by somebody. Sadly, we don't get to take any of this cool stuff with us to the great beyond.

 

[donki1967]

Sorry for being a bit late, here are the pics of my last found.
This DWM 1914 seems to be most matching, except for the hand guard, cleaning road and firing pin.
The rear trigger guard screw is missing.
Luckily the chamber and the bore are not pitted, and I will bring it to the range as soon as the covid confinement stops.

 

[Warrior1354]

Sorry for being a bit late, here are the pics of my last found.
This DWM 1914 seems to be most matching, except for the hand guard, cleaning road and firing pin.
The rear trigger guard screw is missing.
Luckily the chamber and the bore are not pitted, and I will bring it to the range as soon as the covid confinement stops.

A remarkable rifle but I would recommend posting this in it's own thread because this is a special rifle. Also thank you so much for the important pictures such as the barrel code. I'm sure Paul will appreciate that for the data information. My rifle is earlier but what's interesting is it was a krupp marked barrel. I have a theory I wonder when dwm started making rifles again if the earlier made rifles were only used with krupp barrels and the later ones were used with this BI manufacturer. It's just a theory but how many 1914 dwm examples have we located with barrel information provided not many.

I'm going to go through my data log book and see what else I may have I may also compare some pictures of my rifle to yours as well.