British Captured g98 WWI Sniper

samuel990

samuel990

Senior Member
Hey all, so this rifle has been on Gunbroker for quite awhile. I am just genuinely curious about it and if it is a true sniper? I know absolutely nothing about these rifles but this one, if authentic seems like it is a really cool piece with some provenance to it even though it had the rifling removed... Has anyone seen this rifle before or have anything to say about it?

There are a lot more pictures on the auction site and the watermark on these shouldn't make it to hard to find.

1.jpg 2.jpg 3.jpg 4.jpg 5.jpg 6.jpg
 
Had the rifleing removed...?

Yikes...what are they asking for that thing..?.

Talk about the ultimate deal killer....would have to be cheap after that kind of modification.
 
agalland said:
Had the rifleing removed...?

Yikes...what are they asking for that thing..?.

Talk about the ultimate deal killer....would have to be cheap after that kind of modification.
Click to expand...

I believe it is listed at $2500? I have no clue on a fair price for something like this...

But yes, I had my curiosity piqued enough about the conversion to smoothbore that I did some research. It appears that it's easier to obtain a shotgun license in Britain than a rifle one, so I'm assuming the former owner did this to keep it? Regardless, I thought the capture plate was cool enough to warrant a post!
 
samuel990 said:
I believe it is listed at $2500? I have no clue on a fair price for something like this...

But yes, I had my curiosity piqued enough about the conversion to smoothbore that I did some research. It appears that it's easier to obtain a shotgun license in Britain than a rifle one, so I'm assuming the former owner did this to keep it? Regardless, I thought the capture plate was cool enough to warrant a post!
Click to expand...

It's true a shotgun licence is easy to get here if you don't have a criminal record or mental issues. If it's been converted to 410 it will have bnp proof marks saying so on it. If it doesn't then it might be that it was passed down the family and when the licensing system came in they had it
smoothbored to keep as a wall hanger. Lots of these were done like that by a company called magnum arms upto the late 1970s. Britain was awash with unregistered guns back then.
 
I don't like this rifle and I guess most that are interested in such sniper rifles aren't either. It looks like it was made up using original scope bases. The spacing between the rings is odd, the usage of a 1900 made receiver is odd (why would they pull out such an old receiver instead of taking a new production rifle?) and the bases have traces of being re-polished over deeper rust pittings, yet the flat polished screw heads are nearly new plus the soldering job to the receiver is done very crude. And while there are a ton pictures in the auction showing all unnecessary details, yet the important things as the bases in great detail are not shown.

This rifle originates from the Sturgess collection and originally came with a Zeiss Glasvisier 16 when it was auctioned by James D. Julia in Fall 2013 for $ 8,625.00. See this link here: https://www.morphyauctions.com/jame...-low-light-prismatic-magnifying-sights-53260/
It is my guess that the buyer only wanted the Glasvisier 16 and took it off the rifle, then trying to sell on the rifle. Especially since this Glasvisier is complete with the front sight cover that is missing with most Zeiss Glasvisier.

So basically $ 2500 for a suspicious rifle that may have had parts renumbered, bases refitted and is smoothbored. Doesn't really sound like a good investment, right?
 
.....great information from Absolut, as usual.

I have never examined a WWI GEW sniper dated this early. So From that limited point of view:
Just to add a couple, but not all areas that gives me pause for your consideration.
The stock not having grasping grooves is for sure a suspect area to consider. I do know some collectors have said that there are original “as-built” WWI issue GEW scoped rifles that do not have them but this is not common. Although I have not seen one with this early of a date before either.
The numbering on the root of the bolt at the turn down does not appear correct and there are lots of re-numbered and miss-matched parts, some with a marking system that looks incorrect for the time period
as that on the bolt shroud/sleeve .

This has been for sale for a very long time, as stated previously likely for a reason perhaps?

I have never seen a “capture tag” so I can’t tell you if the one on this rifle is legit or not, I hope someone here can because in all circumstances with rare or reportedly rare items, to know authenticating information is priceless.
That said, if you don’t have documentation
that can be substantiated, (I believe each collector needs to decide that on their own) then I think you should always buy the rifle or item itself and never the story.
 
lilallie said:
.....great information from Absolut, as usual.

I have never examined a WWI GEW sniper dated this early. So From that limited point of view:
Just to add a couple, but not all areas that gives me pause for your consideration.
The stock not having grasping grooves is for sure a suspect area to consider. I do know some collectors have said that there are original “as-built” WWI issue GEW scoped rifles that do not have them but this is not common. Although I have not seen one with this early of a date before either.
The numbering on the root of the bolt at the turn down does not appear correct and there are lots of re-numbered and miss-matched parts, some with a marking system that looks incorrect for the time period
as that on the bolt shroud/sleeve .

This has been for sale for a very long time, as stated previously likely for a reason perhaps?

I have never seen a “capture tag” so I can’t tell you if the one on this rifle is legit or not, I hope someone here can because in all circumstances with rare or reportedly rare items, to know authenticating information is priceless.
That said, if you don’t have documentation
that can be substantiated, (I believe each collector needs to decide that on their own) then I think you should always buy the rifle or item itself and never the story.
Click to expand...

No way of knowing about the tag but all the captured rifles I've seen in regimental museums I've been to most don't have one and those that do tend to be small engraved brass tags pinned to the side of the butt.
 
Thanks for all the info guys! Glad to have access to so many experts. I learn something new every day here
 
Hello,

can't barrel line a hi-pressure center fire rifle. mainly 22s and lever actions. on the other hand YOU COULD have new rifling cut to some round the smooth bore dim's was cut to AND would swallow a 8mm cart chamber, I have to say that list will be small and now have to worry will the barrel contour be safe enough for such a cart. just a thought.

later
vaughn
 
vaughn99 said:
can't barrel line a hi-pressure center fire rifle. mainly 22s and lever actions. on the other hand YOU COULD have new rifling cut to some round the smooth bore dim's was cut to AND would swallow a 8mm cart chamber, I have to say that list will be small and now have to worry will the barrel contour be safe enough for such a cart. just a thought.
Click to expand...

You could buy another Gew98 barrel, mill down the barrel between the threading and the rear scope base, cut out this section from the original barrel and mill out the inside and then sleeve the original markings to the new barrel. That is the only way you can "restore" the original barrel.
 
This guy claims to be able to safely do it.

Please be careful about dispensing advice without the facts. We reline high pressure cartridge barrels in our shop all the time. The liner is larger in diameter than a 22 liner (about as large in diameter as a #1 profile barrel) with an enlarged portion in the chamber area, the barrel is reamed and the liner is inserted, then the barrel is chambered and crowned. What you end up with looks just like the original barrel and is completely safe to fire. Many times it will actually shoot better than the original barrel because of the closer tolerances of the barrel liner vs a 50-year-old barrel. You cannot tell the barrel has been lined after the work is done.

As far as the cost compared to rebarreling, the comparison is only as good as the price of whatever barrel blank you would use. Relining a barrel will typically cost about $300, rebarreling with a cheap barrel like a Adams & Bennett would be about the same price (because of threading the barrel and cutting the breech recess), but many barrel blanks will actually cost as much or more just by themselves than the whole relining job. Before you decide which you want or need, decide what you want as a result, then find out about prices. You can PM me if you are interested in relining your barrel.
__________________

Summit Arms Services
Taylor Machine
 
So we found out the rifle is a suspicious sniper rifle at a way too high price and we are discussing of how to get the barrel rifled again at a few hundred additional bucks? Who is the one who would want to do that?
 
Absolut said:
So we found out the rifle is a suspicious sniper rifle at a way too high price and we are discussing of how to get the barrel rifled again at a few hundred additional bucks? Who is the one who would want to do that?
Click to expand...


Not me, for one....
 
DaveDavis said:
This guy claims to be able to safely do it.

Please be careful about dispensing advice without the facts. We reline high pressure cartridge barrels in our shop all the time. The liner is larger in diameter than a 22 liner (about as large in diameter as a #1 profile barrel) with an enlarged portion in the chamber area, the barrel is reamed and the liner is inserted, then the barrel is chambered and crowned. What you end up with looks just like the original barrel and is completely safe to fire. Many times it will actually shoot better than the original barrel because of the closer tolerances of the barrel liner vs a 50-year-old barrel. You cannot tell the barrel has been lined after the work is done.

As far as the cost compared to rebarreling, the comparison is only as good as the price of whatever barrel blank you would use. Relining a barrel will typically cost about $300, rebarreling with a cheap barrel like a Adams & Bennett would be about the same price (because of threading the barrel and cutting the breech recess), but many barrel blanks will actually cost as much or more just by themselves than the whole relining job. Before you decide which you want or need, decide what you want as a result, then find out about prices. You can PM me if you are interested in relining your barrel.
__________________

Summit Arms Services
Taylor Machine
Click to expand...
Do you know of anyone who has used either of those companies?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top