Danzig 1900

[mauser1908]

Here is one that I've owned for several years. I never properly documented it when I first got it, the photos I did take of it were pretty poor quality. I will probably redo all of my rifles overtime with proper photos. So, here is take two. This particular gun is marked to the 80th Reserve Infantry Regiment, 8th Kompangie. Overall the gun is pretty well matching, though it was a wartime or before re-barrel. Wanted to highlight some of the early features for any of the newer gewehr 98 collectors; (200 meter sight base, unrelieved bayonet lug, and lack of external serial number on the stock. Paul, I was able to finally get the buttplate off with a little work, I took a few photos of the markings under it. Also the serial number suffix is hard to see but it is stamped on top of the buttplate.

Receiver SN: 9640 b
Barrel SN: 9640 b BI 9090
Front sight SN: 40
Rear sight SN: 40
Sight Slider SN: 40
Ejector box SN: 40
Trigger Sear SN: 40
Front barrel band SN: 40
Rear barrel band SN: 40
Trigger guard SN: 9640
Trigger guard screws SN: 44
Floor Plate SN: 78
Follower SN: Un-numbered armorers
Stock SN: 9640
Handguard SN: Un-numbered armorers
Buttplate SN: 9640
Bayonet lug SN: 40
Bolt body SN: 9640 b
Extractor SN: 40
Safety SN: 40
Cocking piece SN: 40
Bolt sleeve SN: 40
Firing pin SN: 40

 

[mauser1908]

 

[mauser1908]

 

[MichaelWC]

Nice Danzig 1900 Gew 98 Sam. I also have one made from Danzig dated 1900. I think my rifle may be from the "Großherzoglich Hessisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 168". Yours is in a little better condition than mine.

 

[Loewe]

Excellent pictures Sam, you are getting good at photography! (which is important, especially when you know what to take pictures of...)

I agree that this is a very nice example of an early G98 that saw considerable service, the barrel code is interesting and it has similarities with a number of early rifles that were re-barreled. Acceptance varies, but the style and manner of markings (lots, FP, fonts) are consistent, I suspect it was an important depot associated with Spandau, but unlike those that passed through Danzig (they seem to have been involved in reworks and re-barrels too, probably moreso due to their isolation and "low-tech" environment, where they had fewer options to farm out work, less reason too also, they probably had more incentive to "make work" to keep the skilled men they had busy, so they wouldn't go back west..) they do not have a corresponding RR acceptance. Naturally we can only guess at who did what, when, largely based upon FP's and acceptance, but in these cases the FP and acceptance used are commonly seen on Berlin area factories. As I have long said, the first step in understanding something is collecting examples, trends, though something like this, without some clearly defined ordnance stamp, it will always be speculation.

A more thorough comparison to Spandau and DWM acceptance patterns, against a backdrop of lot progression and acceptance patterns, possibly or particularly BC patterns, might give some idea of when the work occurred? If so and they were deemed pre-war, this could be some re-barrel program to keep workers busy during the slow period (1910-1913), where it is known Loewe and other large industrial concerns were pilfering arsenal workers. This actually was written about at the time, Loewe in particular, very much like Henry Ford did over here, offering better work conditions, far better pay, all in an effort to lure the best workers to their employ (many of these workers were at Spandau).

*** I should mention that during the slowdown, 1910-1913, right after the 98a production ended at Spandau, you see almost an absence of G98 production except at Spandau, some of the others (Mauser) were trickling numbers of rifles, probably to keep men around, - Erfurt and Danzig working the 98a in trifling numbers, while Spandau made G98's. This was certainly the period where Loewe preyed upon Spandau's workers; it would make sense for Spandau and the other arsenals to consider reworking and re-barreling during this time. Problem is rifle production was so low that few rifles have been seen from these years, worse still all original rifles that have been detailed thoroughly are probably more elusive than a politician with character... so forming a comparative database would be a challenge, especially for SPandau who made G98's (while 98a typically survive largely original, pre-war G98's are far more used up and reworked...)

 

[mauser1908]

Nice Danzig 1900 Gew 98 Sam. I also have one made from Danzig dated 1900. I think my rifle may be from the "Großherzoglich Hessisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 168". Yours is in a little better condition than mine.

Thanks Michael, great rifle as well!

Excellent pictures Sam, you are getting good at photography! (which is important, especially when you know what to take pictures of...)

I agree that this is a very nice example of an early G98 that saw considerable service, the barrel code is interesting and it has similarities with a number of early rifles that were re-barreled. Acceptance varies, but the style and manner of markings (lots, FP, fonts) are consistent, I suspect it was an important depot associated with Spandau, but unlike those that passed through Danzig (they seem to have been involved in reworks and re-barrels too, probably moreso due to their isolation and "low-tech" environment, where they had fewer options to farm out work, less reason too also, they probably had more incentive to "make work" to keep the skilled men they had busy, so they wouldn't go back west..) they do not have a corresponding RR acceptance. Naturally we can only guess at who did what, when, largely based upon FP's and acceptance, but in these cases the FP and acceptance used are commonly seen on Berlin area factories. As I have long said, the first step in understanding something is collecting examples, trends, though something like this, without some clearly defined ordnance stamp, it will always be speculation.

A more thorough comparison to Spandau and DWM acceptance patterns, against a backdrop of lot progression and acceptance patterns, possibly or particularly BC patterns, might give some idea of when the work occurred? If so and they were deemed pre-war, this could be some re-barrel program to keep workers busy during the slow period (1910-1913), where it is known Loewe and other large industrial concerns were pilfering arsenal workers. This actually was written about at the time, Loewe in particular, very much like Henry Ford did over here, offering better work conditions, far better pay, all in an effort to lure the best workers to their employ (many of these workers were at Spandau).

*** I should mention that during the slowdown, 1910-1913, right after the 98a production ended at Spandau, you see almost an absence of G98 production except at Spandau, some of the others (Mauser) were trickling numbers of rifles, probably to keep men around, - Erfurt and Danzig working the 98a in trifling numbers, while Spandau made G98's. This was certainly the period where Loewe preyed upon Spandau's workers; it would make sense for Spandau and the other arsenals to consider reworking and re-barreling during this time. Problem is rifle production was so low that few rifles have been seen from these years, worse still all original rifles that have been detailed thoroughly are probably more elusive than a politician with character... so forming a comparative database would be a challenge, especially for SPandau who made G98's (while 98a typically survive largely original, pre-war G98's are far more used up and reworked...)

Thanks Paul, great info as always. I have another that may be of interest. One of my favorites is an Amberg 1904 that was re-barreled at Ingolstadt (Now that you mention, I wonder if it would fit in the time frame). I will do a good spread of photos of it as well. I'm not knowledgeable on how steel lot corresponds with production. I will say the receiver FP is the early seated lion type where the barrel FP is the post 1912 Rearing style assuming it was re-barreled at Ingolstadt anyway, it had its bolt replaced as well. Not sure if Amberg at any point would have performed the barrel replacement. I would think due to Ingolstadt's proximity to Amberg they probably had a proofing officer from them in house, that's how I would visualize the proof being the same anyway.

One trend you may find interesting are wartime (mainly 1916-1918) DWM lugers will often have an Erfurt FP on their barrels. One of Erfurt's proofing officers was shared with DWM. This is why the Imperial Era will always be most interesting to me, every gun is like putting a puzzle together.

 

[Loewe]

Barrels progress "generally" as the date-suffix progresses, though they are far more erratic than 98k production. I can often guess lot ranges for 98k, at least to the hundred, but not so on the Imperials. The biggest hurdle to Imperial lots are the paucity of recordings, - practically a "poverty" compared to 98k recordings which are enormous by comparison.

Still the FP and acceptance is the best measure of barrel finisher and installer.

I think Ingolstadt had an artillery depot there, which accounts for the importance and usefulness of using them for reworks; there was some ordnance facility there for sure, I remember reading how it was a common target for the IAMCC postwar, the Bavarian's gave them trouble there also. One of the sites in Bavaria, either Ingolstadt or Passau perhaps, a riot got out of German police control (IAMCC always had German police and German counterparts present) and a French Officer was hurt pretty bad (the English Officer was generally unharmed), caused a bit of a sensation in Berlin and the Entente fined the German government in gold over it (the police were found to be complicit). Don't remember the exact details, but you gotta love those Bavarian's... they disliked the central government more than the French half the time...

***riots occurred at both Ingolstadt and Passau, 1922 and 1923 respectively, the French Officer was hurt in the first, the English in the second, bullets were fired in the latter. The Entente fined Bavaria for the violations, demanded apologies etc.. the Bavarian's ignored them and the German central government instead paid the fines and apologized for the ornery and unrepentant Bavarian's... The German Officers were not held to blame, they tried to aid their counterparts, and the German police aided in the escape of the teams, but were found to be unprepared for the security needs of the inspection (which was the responsibility of the German government)

 

[Warrior1354]

A fantastic rifle Sam I really do like these pre-war rifles, you just don't seem for sale very often either. I know we tell ourselves we would love to find one still factory original and all matching. But if come across one that is depot rework and it's a nice early made piece. Hell yeah I'm picking it up!

 

[mauser1908]

Thanks Jordan, I appreciate it! I agree, period reworks don’t bother me. I definitely fall into the ‘beggar’ category rather than the ‘chooser’ category when it comes to these early guns.

A fantastic rifle Sam I really do like these pre-war rifles, you just don't seem for sale very often either. I know we tell ourselves we would love to find one still factory original and all matching. But if come across one that is depot rework and it's a nice early made piece. Hell yeah I'm picking it up!