1915 Amberg 7648h

[chrisftk]

Hi All,

Hope everyone had a nice Christmas. I'm back in town from a nice Holiday trip to the Cascade Mountains and off until 1/3, so might as well catch up on getting some stuff documented.

This one I found earlier this year at a local gun show- I was frankly astounded, as any Gew98s I've seen at local places are InterarmsCo hack jobs or overpriced total mixmasters with "ROLLAR COASTER SITES!!!!" written on the tag.

It's a nice solid 1915 Amberg; tough maker/date and relatively original, except for the depot bolt. This got me one step closer to finishing my 1915 set (Just missing Simson and Erfurt now)

The bolt was scrubbed and renumbered, so it leads me to believe that this was Ingolstadt work. Oddly, the bolt acceptance was scrubbed upon rework. Maybe scrubbed to remove Prussian acceptance? or maybe just a light strike like you'll see on some Spandau and DWM bolts that were hardened a bit too much.

The stock has some small burn marks near the barrel bands and what may be a sharpnel strike on the right side between the bolt and RR. The receiver may have been harshly cleaned either wartime or postwar, but has since re-patina'ed to a nice look.

Here's the data:

Receiver 7648 h
Barrel 7648 h (BJ 20)
Front Sight 48
Rear Sight Leaf 48
Sight Slider 48
Ejector Box48
Trigger Sear 48
Front Barrel Band 48
Rear Barrel Band 48
Trigger Guard 7648
Trigger Guard Screws unnumbered,48
Floor Plate 48
Follower 48
Stock 7648
Handguard 7648
Buttplate 7648 h
Bayonet Lug 48
Cleaning Rod 48
Bolt Body 7648 (depot)
Extractor mm
Safety mm
Cocking Piece mm
Bolt Sleeve mm
Firing Pin mm

 

[chrisftk]

Remaining pics

 

[OnlyMil]

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! Nice gun show find hands down. Love the finish of the metal and character of the stock. Perhaps a .30 cal bullet hole maybe? Quite fun to fantasize!! I have only found 1 Gewehr 98 in the wild at a show, and it was for sale by the infamous Gray Blanket (who takes a trip down to the biannual Syracuse NY show) but it was a faux sniper with a lot of replaced parts. Probably a rescue of some kind.

Recovering from a 3rd (and final) surgery as of yesterday so finally have some downtime myself. Nice to catch up on the forum from the last week - lots of good posts.

 

[chrisftk]

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! Nice gun show find hands down. Love the finish of the metal and character of the stock. Perhaps a .30 cal bullet hole maybe? Quite fun to fantasize!! I have only found 1 Gewehr 98 in the wild at a show, and it was for sale by the infamous Gray Blanket (who takes a trip down to the biannual Syracuse NY show) but it was a faux sniper with a lot of replaced parts. Probably a rescue of some kind.

Recovering from a 3rd (and final) surgery as of yesterday so finally have some downtime myself. Nice to catch up on the forum from the last week - lots of good posts.

Thanks Alex-- glad your surgery went well. Happy New Year!

 

[mauser1908]

Great rifle Chris, not easy to find at all!

 

[biggymu]

I like the battle scars the most. If they could only talk. Nice rifle Chris. Perhaps I can help you fill one of the 1915 holes in the future. I just can’t unclasp my sweaty hands from the Simson just yet!
Alex glad to hear you’re on the mend. Last we heard you were going under the knife. Good luck and happy holidays!

 

[Loewe]

Chris, Can you do the code shot on the LR under wood stock, I assume just a "0" and an "S" under the receiver near the barrel? Just a report is fine, picture are not needed.

I will expand the study to include 1915 and as possible earlier, not so much to expand the study of the codes (as i doubt they exist B4 1916), but BC & RR may be helpful in the future.

** I have never seen a lower bolt flat scrubbed, very interesting!

 

[PrayingMantis]

This is a nice Amberg, i especially am fond of that stock with the strong cypher. It's in the reference!

 

[joryfreeburg]

Nice lookin rifle Chris!! I would let it in my safe

 

[chrisftk]

Great rifle Chris, not easy to find at all!

Thanks Sam-- I think 1915 is the hardest year after 1918 to get a complete maker set. I'm one CGH away from having a complete 16 too.

I like the battle scars the most. If they could only talk. Nice rifle Chris. Perhaps I can help you fill one of the 1915 holes in the future. I just can’t unclasp my sweaty hands from the Simson just yet!
Alex glad to hear you’re on the mend. Last we heard you were going under the knife. Good luck and happy holidays!

Thanks Rick, no rush on my end, but when you are ready, I am too. Much appreciated!

Chris, Can you do the code shot on the LR under wood stock, I assume just a "0" and an "S" under the receiver near the barrel? Just a report is fine, picture are not needed.

I will expand the study to include 1915 and as possible earlier, not so much to expand the study of the codes (as i doubt they exist B4 1916), but BC & RR may be helpful in the future.

** I have never seen a lower bolt flat scrubbed, very interesting!

Thanks Paul, it slipped my mind to post the code pic. Here's the funny thing; no code. Just an O.


I agree the scrubbed underside of the bolt is pretty unique. Maybe a Bavarian armorer that really hated Prussia.

Nice lookin rifle Chris!! I would let it in my safe

Thanks Jory!. You sure these Imperial guns don't cheapen the cool factor of your k98k by sharing a safe??? Lol.

This is a nice Amberg, i especially am fond of that stock with the strong cypher. It's in the reference!

Thanks Cyrus, the stock weathered things pretty well.

 

[Loewe]

I agree the scrubbed underside of the bolt is pretty unique. Maybe a Bavarian armorer that really hated Prussia.

Thanks! Many hated Prussia in 1918, most of all Germans!

Funny thing is that Prussia was rather socialistic after the abdication, anther reason for me to despise Prussia of the era, - I'd take a Prussian Kaiser over a socialist form of governance, - an idiot like William the Second is preferable to any socialistic governance... besides he was a rather innocuous tyrant, more pathetic and vain than evil, prior to the war the western press praised him more than demonized him. In the 1890's there was talk (hope really) that he would lead Germany to a plebiscite in Alcase-Lorraine, or at least some peaceful reconciliation.

Of course with war he was a monster in western press and he was actually neither... though history would have been kinder if he had a backbone in 1918.