GEW 88 Spandau

[biggymu]

Its a crappy day out so I decided to post the pictures of my stepchild GEW88. An 1889 Spandau made example, It is all matching and in pretty good shape. It has unit markings as well (110.R.2.164) on the left receiver. Is there a reference that covers these unit markings?

 

[biggymu]

a few more shots.

 

[Warrior1354]

Seems like you are on an imperial kick today very nice! And to tell you the truth, these are much harder to find in this condition than most people give them credit for. It is so hard to find a Gew88 this nice and matching. Also the little crown on the top of your receiver means your rifle was counterbored at one time. Looks like it had quite a service life, passing through multiple Depot centers. Another thing I like about this rifle, is that it's unit marked on the left side of the receiver. I was able to locate one just like this at the SOS show. Instead my Gew88 is marked like that to a Pioneer unit.

Still sometimes it's hard to believe this rifle was already 25 years old at the start of the Great War.

By the way is your bolt head matching on this rifle? My rifle was missing the bolt head and had a clipped firing pin.

 

[biggymu]

I recall reading the post about your new 88 from the SOS. How do you determine what the unit markings mean? I'm glad I made this post today because I've never had the bolt apart to look (or any 88 bolt to be honest). It does all match and is in good shape it appears. I had to look up a tutorial! The machine work is impressive for the period. Now to put it back together....

 

[hale1940]

Awesome rifle. Thanks for sharing!

 

[chrisftk]

Great rifle Rick!

For unit marks, I'd recommend a copy of Jeff Nolls book

 

[Loewe]

Do a shot of the underside of the bolt handle, opposite of the serial top flat?

Unit markings are a tricky business, unless they are the common variety, Jeff Noll is the best interpreters in the US probably, but some German collectors here are also excellent, unless they are straight forward and obvious, I have to resort to JN's book or Görtz/Bryans book and even still I am prone to mistakes with less common unit markings. Typically the first number is a regimental number, the letter when italized is a Reserve Regiment, but more typical R.R. then company and last number corresponds to the individual of the company... though this is from memory and I am often wrong of units which is why I pass over most questions on them....

 

[Spartaner545]

As an addition to Loewe:

With the 1897 unit marking regulations the prussian stopped using the double "R.R." for Reserve-Infantry-Regiment and simply used a single "R." for the reserve infantry regiments.
So the unit marking "110.R.2.164." in question reads as 110th Reserve infantry regiment, 2nd company, rifle no. 164.

The regiment was raised in 1914 and served with the 28th reserve division on the western front from the very start of the war including verdun, somme and marne.

 

[biggymu]

Thank you all for the useful information and kind feedback! Paul here is the shot you requested.

 

[mastermind42]

You've got a really nice piece. Thanks for sharing

 

[ernie8]

You have a nice example of a real Gew-88 S rifle . It has the newer .323 Z barrel put on it .

 

[biggymu]

Thanks to all for posting.

You have a nice example of a real Gew-88 S rifle . It has the newer .323 Z barrel put on it .

Thank you. Each post is another piece of my puzzle.

 

[Warrior1354]

If you could take some better pictures of the rear site and its markings for ernie. I know he's been researching and documenting those.

 

[ernie8]

He already clearly shows the S crown stamp on the buttstock and the recalibrated [ for S ammo ]and cutout rear sight to show it is a Gew-88 S . The Z for the later rebarrel , it is hard to find a 89 rifle with it's original old style .314- .3208 barrel as they wore out quick and most were changed . The dot for the resolder on the barrel jacket nut , done when ever the barrel jacket was removed for repairs . The spring clip ejector is common on Gew-88 S rifles and shows German WWI use .

 

[biggymu]

Here is a study of the rear sight. It is a thing of beauty.

 

[Warrior1354]

He already clearly shows the S crown stamp on the buttstock and the recalibrated [ for S ammo ]and cutout rear sight to show it is a Gew-88 S . The Z for the later rebarrel , it is hard to find a 89 rifle with it's original old style .314- .3208 barrel as they wore out quick and most were changed . The dot for the resolder on the barrel jacket nut , done when ever the barrel jacket was removed for repairs . The spring clip ejector is common on Gew-88 S rifles and shows German WWI use .

I remember reading about that in the Storz book Ernie. Seems like these barrels were wearing out, after only a few thousand rounds. I was surprised to hear that, but the German Army trained regularly with this rifles during the armed races before the Great War. This led to the more improved barrel, and of course better 7.92x57 ammo. Like with anything new and kind of rushed you have issues. Still it's kind of shocking that the Commission series of rifles and carbines were already outclassed by the Model 1889 Mauser in less then a year. The German arms commission really pissed Mauser off, especially when they didn't even invite him to the development project on the new service rifle.

 

[Telperion]

What a beauty! Thanks!

T