East Asian Marine 1913 Erfurt Kar98a

Here are the known rifles:

1913 Erfurt 5649 B.1.U.R.1306 (HH- German auction)
1913 Erfurt 8822 HZa rework (JimP)
1913 Erfurt 9923 (Vulch's in AUS) ...

Supernice rifle! Thanks for sharing!

I know of another Erfurt 1913: 6723

I don't own the pix, so I'll send Paul one via PM.

Many greetings

T
 
Jeff Noll probably has the rifle report origin, but if his sourcing like many back then, the information is probably little more than a report. Early trenders and researchers like Mark Weiringa, Ken Huddle, Joe Steen & Harlan Cook all faced the same problems in this regard, reports are often fragmentary and unreliably reported by many casual collectors, - Mark, the king of researchers, sometimes mentioned this in his articles and contributions (his work done on Imperial ranges, which formed the basis of my original starting point, has shown major flaws, - the basis of high & low reports are very misleading and not applicable with further study, but he worked off reports and couldn't access acceptance patterns on rifles which determine a great deal... but many of his rules I long ago adopted insofar are trending research goes...) .

In my condensing of periodicals (KCN, Present Arms, MRJ, IMAS etc..) & cataloging I often encounter mistakes and in this case because of the proximity of the two rifles is a good indicator that both are legit and more are possible in this general range, - unit marked rifle patterns suggest a correlation to unit issuance, like described by Carter with bayonets, but the rarity of original early rifles will make this impossible to confirm.
 
Danzig/1913

23 known, progressive from 2662 through 5078/c, no OMD's known, no colonial recorded at all
Paul most of the stuff I have recorded for the colonial forces is dated 1912. I haven't found anything dated 1913 yet. This what I have so far.

1912/Danzig/?/SCH.D.O.A.1080 "The Kar98a became the standard issue service rifle in the DOA by 1912. NCOs were first to get them. Then started the re-equipment of Askaris with it, which was still in progress by 1914. Askaris in 5 companies (1., 4., 8., 10. and 13. FK) were equipped with it by start of war."
1912/Danzig/3933/Sch.D.O.A.487 (This rifle is in private hands in Australia. This carbine was also used by the Schutztruppe of German East Africa.)
1912/Erfurt/2470/Sch.K.835 (This carbine was used by the Schutztruppe of Kameroon.)
 
During the lead up to war, Danzig was the strongest maker of the 98a, in 1913 3658/a is the highest recorded, though a 8831/a is known but the serial is overstruck, uncertain if it was the original numeric serial but the "/a" is factory.

Only 7 Erfurt/13 are recorded, one of course is Jeff Noll's Erfurt/13 2133/a OMD.39

Here are the known rifles:

1913 Erfurt 5649 B.1.U.R.1306 (HH- German auction)
1913 Erfurt 6723 (B)
1913 Erfurt 8822 HZa rework (JimP)
1913 Erfurt 9923 (Vulch's in AUS)
1913 Erfurt 2133 a O.M.D. 39 JN
1913 Erfurt 2456 a 1920
1913 Erfurt 2475 a O.M.D. 49
1913 Erfurt 3658 a (looks original-matcher, top BP n/a)
1913 Erfurt 8831 a extensive rework, possibly Polish/NS rework, serial numeric overstruck to match components, probably lower serial in a-block
Hello, I just picked up a Kar98a with identical symbols as the one above.
 
it is not, unfortunately.

no O.M.D. on the butt plate. I'll get photos up soon. I haven't found much on the 1913 models.
1913 is a scarce year either way so assuming it’s not sporterized you still stole it but as seen by the Gunbroker auction above an OMD unit mark demands a large premium.
 
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