Third Party Press

Gew 88 Loewe

willyd

Member
Here is a Gew 88 ,1890 Loewe Berlin, I just found, its all matching and looks 100% correct to me, but I don't know much. The bore is perfect. I am amazed at the stock marking that is not stamped, its I don't know the term, embossed?? It sticks out not in. How did they do that?
Its Depot 5 I think? Koblenz from what I have read here , All comments and any info on the gun would be greatly appreciated. Also I would love to give it a bayonet what is the correct one?

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Also I would love to give it a bayonet what is the correct one?

Hello,

nice rifle! Your rifle is marked to a reserve infantry regiment so the correct bayonet for this gun would be the Infanterieseitengewehr M/1871.
This bayonet was introduced together with the Mauser rifle 71, replaced for a short period by the Infanterieseitengewehr 71/84 and then got reissued because of its greater length.


With kind regards

Vincent
 

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Hard to say what the problem is, the cypher and acceptance should be stamped, punched or impressed. It looks right for Loewe though, so whatever the cause I suspect it is authentic, humpers haven't gotten to G88's yet (generally).
You are right, 5=Koblenz.

Your rifle is interesting on several aspects, for one an original matching G88 is difficult to come by, Loewe made doubly so, assuming the stock and bolt is factory this is a nice pick up. The unit markings on the siderail is fairly rare, but well known to have occurred, considering the cancelled units on the matching bands and siderail, this rifle has been around and is still original. Really a nice example from the looks of it.

Try and do a picture of the bottom flat of the bolt (the base of the handle stem, opposite the serialed top flat). Loewe's FP and acceptance is unique so this will determine whether the bolt is factory, i suspect it is (a big plus if so). Also do one of the right side of the receiver, I would like to see the acceptance to confirm it.

The sling loop on the lower buttstock is not correct, a postwar addition. Naturally it does no harm in keeping it, but it isn't right for this rifle. Some pictures showing what is right and use of bayonets.

I am amazed at the stock marking that is not stamped, its I don't know the term, embossed?? It sticks out not in. How did they do that?
Its Depot 5 I think? Koblenz from what I have read here , All comments and any info on the gun would be greatly appreciated. Also I would love to give it a bayonet what is the correct one?
 

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Here are the bolt and right of receiver I think from what I have read all is correct ??

Can you tell me more/everything on the unit markings please? its fascinating to me.....

The pictures of the Bayonet and the soldiers are outstanding . I will try and find the correct sling loop as well as a bayonet. Would the bayonet have marking of some sort??

Here is the sling loop I found does it look correct? said to be a Gew 88 ....
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Thanks, can you do a better (clearer) image of the bolt flat, specifically the fireproof (eagle), I can't tell whether this is a good match or not and so far Loewe G88 bolts have a very distinctive eagle. However this would be the earliest Loewe recorded, the rest are all 1891's and it is possible earlier they were different. Getting good trends on G88 bolts is very difficult, besides the fact so few have original matching bolts, one is faced with the problem of getting an owner to take relevant photos, some act as though you are asking to sleep with their wives...

I will pull the infantry division history as soon as possible, though this may be complicated by the reserve status of some of the units involved. I am not an authority on German unit organizations, but as I recall there is a problem identifying where, or how employed, reserve regiments served. I will have to refresh my memory before posting on this, but generally they were in reserve divisions and from recollection there was a problem with interpreting them. The 161st should be easy enough though. You might type out the band unit markings in a clear fashion, I can't make the markings out clearly, I couldn't pull anything on what we have so far regarding the band unit markings.

Bayonets are maker and date marked, often they have unit markings, early Imperial almost always. While you do not have to be too focused on the maker-date, you could select a bayonet that has a close regiment of same ID/AK, I just checked and the 161st was part of the 15th ID, a Rhineland ID (Trier). I will check Carter, Jeff Noll and my database for any close matches (to the 161st and other IR of the ID) and if we get a match that would be a good place to start.

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Here are the bolt and right of receiver I think from what I have read all is correct ??

Can you tell me more/everything on the unit markings please? its fascinating to me.....

The pictures of the Bayonet and the soldiers are outstanding . I will try and find the correct sling loop as well as a bayonet. Would the bayonet have marking of some sort??
 
Thanks, can you do a better (clearer) image of the bolt flat, specifically the fireproof (eagle), I can't tell whether this is a good match or not and so far Loewe G88 bolts have a very distinctive eagle. However this would be the earliest Loewe recorded, the rest are all 1891's and it is possible earlier they were different. Getting good trends on G88 bolts is very difficult, besides the fact so few have original matching bolts, one is faced with the problem of getting an owner to take relevant photos, some act as though you are asking to sleep with their wives...
.
I will take any pictures you want and you can sleep with my wife if I can get your expertise on this gun..... sorry that's not funny I wouldn't do that to you:laugh:

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I will work on the unit markings tonight THANK YOU ALL!!!!

The bolt markings are not as clear but they are the same as this one
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I will try for better pics with a usb microscope
 
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However this would be the earliest Loewe recorded, the rest are all 1891's and it is possible earlier they were different.

So are you saying its the only recorded 1890 L. Loewe Gew 88 ?? I must be mis understanding this sorry Is there info on the production numbers for this year of Loewe?
Bolt proofs with usb microscope

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This is the right style of eagle for a Loewe bolt.

Regarding Loewe/1890's, no, I meant this is the first matching bolt Loewe/1890 that I have a picture of the bolt lower flat. I have recorded 4 Loewe/1891's (bolts lower flats... obviously several dozen of each maker-year rifles have been recorded, probably over a hundred altogether.) I will try and scan the details on 15th ID tomorrow.

The bolt markings are not as clear but they are the same as this one
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This is the right style of eagle for a Loewe bolt.

Regarding Loewe/1890's, no, I meant this is the first matching bolt Loewe/1890 that I have a picture of the bolt lower flat. I have recorded 4 Loewe/1891's (bolts lower flats... obviously several dozen of each maker-year rifles have been recorded, probably over a hundred altogether.) I will try and scan the details on 15th ID tomorrow.

Thanks Loewe I appreciate the patience on your part as I am pretty clueless on these and you have taught me a ton already and I am in no hurry so whenever you get a chance on Unit info is fantastic ...this gun and 3 others landed in my lap and I have been enjoying learning about them a great deal. My son is a history buff going to collage to become a history teacher so this has been a great Father Son venture for us.

ALSO This is the best excuse in the world for buying a pickelhaube !!!
 
Ir 161

Here is the 161st IR history. No matches for bayonets directly to this unit, though a sister IR, the 25th has been recorded by Jeff Noll found on a 1874 Gebr. Weyersburg, its Ersatz Battalion.

Anthony Carter lists a 71/84 1887 Alex Coppel with a 65th IR unit marking (a sister IR to the 161st)

I will add some pictures of close matches from my files.
 

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1874 Gebr.Weyersberg 65.R.8.47, this bayonet sold in 2007 for $266
 

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65th RIR

Here is the 65th RIR history.

I found only one match to a sister RIR, a rare bayonet 1876 Coulaux & Co. 28th RIR (Jeff Noll report); I saw nothing in Carter and nothing in my files to match one of the sister RIR.

These can be expensive, though much depends on the unit marking and condition of the bayonet.

Also consider that this is not a specialty of mine, which is the Modell98 variations 1898-1945 and the industrial, economic and political history of the same periods. Craig Brown got me into these rifle variations, the 71, 71/84 and even the G88 has only been a superficial interest over the last two decades. So, there are better collectors to ask for questions regarding the bayonets and unit markings of this period. These early bayonets I have never owned one.

Hopefully this will give you a place to start, I would write down the 4 IR (25th, 65th, 160th, 161st) and 4 RIR (28th, 29th, 65th, 68th) which were either IR's marked to the rifle, or sister IR's and try and find one of them. In the meantime, you could just find a decent filler, preferably of a close maker-date. Of course this totally depends on how serious you are into this...
 

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Also consider that this is not a specialty of mine, which is the Modell98 variations 1898-1945 and the industrial, economic and political history of the same periods. QUOTE]

Loewe

I have been trying to find information for over a decade now on my great grandfathers business F.B Kuhls. I know they came over in the late 1800's and on a can of Kuhls Canvas Cement in says "since 1898" I also believe they had the same business in Germany before they left for the U.S.

He mostly sold to the US Navy but some to the private sector. Any chance you have every came across this name before in German industrial publications??
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