Gew 98 1914 Amberg combat warhorse

[Warrior1354]

Well I'm going to do it. Going to try to get all of the 1914 production rifles, really do like that year. Anyway this rifle came out of the state of Michigan the same state I got by 1914 DWM back in the Spring. I have located another 1914 production rifle and it came of the state of Michigan as well! Really it is a very interesting rifle it's all matching besides the front trigger guard screw. I did replace one of the capture screws, it was very damaged and broken.

Other then that, this rifle is true WW1 survivor and has the scars to prove it. I can tell there is light pitting in some areas from what looks like water damage around the receiver area where it meets the stock, and the floorplate area. The stock also took quite a hit on the right side just in front of the bolt area. So I can tell this rifle did not stay behind the lines somewhere guarding a factory! It most likly saw action. Another interesting detail I noticed about this rifle and that comes down to the Bavarian firing proof. The receiver proof is of the later style but the barrel is like the earlier style. I'm wondering if this barrel was left over from earlier Amberg Gew98 production. Being 1914 was the year Amberg started making Gew 98 rifles again. Another thing I notice. We have been studying the letters on Amberg receivers. This one has the letter O on the receiver but the bolt also has a letter O behind the bolt handle. I'm starting to wonder if others have noticed that too on other Amberg made rifles. I could be like DWM where the main parts all had the same numbers showing items were assembled in lots. It's just a theory but I'm going to start taking notice. Still I'm quite happy with this 106 year old Fraulein!

Oh and Mike thanks for the matching cleaning rod buddy!

Maker: Amberg 1914

Receiver SN: 3177c
Barrel SN: 3177c B.J. 379
Front sight SN: 77
Rear sight SN: 77
Sight Slider SN: 77
Ejector box SN: 77
Trigger Sear SN: 77
Front barrel band SN: 77
Rear barrel band SN: 77
Trigger guard SN: 3177
Trigger guard screws SN: 65, 77
Floor Plate SN: 77
Follower SN: 77
Stock SN: 3177
Handguard SN: 3177
Buttplate SN: 3177
Bayonet lug SN: 77
Cleaning Rod SN: 77
Bolt body SN: 3177c
Extractor SN: 77
Safety SN: 77
Cocking piece SN: 77
Bolt sleeve SN: 77
Firing pin SN: 77

 

[Warrior1354]

Stock and barrel bands:

 

[Warrior1354]

Bolt group,Rear sight group, and front sight:

 

[Warrior1354]

Last of the pictures I also posted a picture of this rifle next to my 1914 DWM Gew 98. Plus added some more cool wartime pictures as well. Have more coming from my contact in Germany.

Enjoy guys if I missed anything please let me know.

 

[Loewe]

Wonderful rifle Jordan, while I can't gather up all the pictures for review at the moment, or compare to others that may be known, I suspect this is all original. Looks damn original to me anyway, comparisons will tell, but nothing looks suspect to me (as not factory)

The Bavarians were a little more particular about keeping their rifles within there system though, you see them doing their own work and at higher authorities (Bavarian establishments, Amberg, Ingolstadt etc.. even recycling Prussian rifles or receivers, rifles that probably came under their control during the war). - probably why I like Bavaria more than the other states, they had an independent streak and did things their own way, distrust of Prussia was always strong, they had to be dragged along sometimes, they came as close to any state to breaking away on their own after the war, - too bad they didn't really, they were the most conservative of the states and had separatist movements after the war, - the great what if... Bavaria, Saxony, and Würt's going their own way and maybe taking some of the Rhineland with them.. but the only real chance was in Bavaria, even union with Austria had some popularity.

Anyway, tomorrow I will check out the rifle and do some comparisons, but it is really a beautiful rifle, - and hard to find dated 1914 and being so original.

 

[chrisftk]

Jordan-- this one is fantastic! Great find man! If you've got 3 from 14, the rest can and should follow. If memory serves, just a Danzig and MO now, right?

Totally agree with you Paul on Bavaria. I have an Amberg tilt to my collection and go as far back as Werders in my interest (talk about a case where the Prussians screwed up a good thing... it took me years to find an unmolested Werder) My German side of the family is from Ansbach, so I get it honestly.

On a side note, I have to laugh. This guy looks an awful lot like me with my winter beard. My German ancestry was in the US by that time, but maybe a distant cousin. [emoji23]

Sent from my XT1635-01 using Tapatalk

 

[mauser1908]

That’s a really nice one! Doesn’t get better than that! Great to see the detailed photos of it as well. I wondered if it would bear a code on the receiver or not, seems to have the start of what eventually develops into the batch code. That is quite the shrapnel strike as well.

 

[feldmütze]

Jordan picked up a special gewehr here. Congrats on it and the outstanding pics!

 

[Warrior1354]

Thanks Mike and thanks for the matching cleaning rod buddy. And yes I really do like this Gew98!

 

[Loewe]

I had time to look through my database today, I think what you see is a reapplication of a more recent FP (1917-18) over the original FP from 1914. You can see the a$$ of the original Lion to the right of the current FP. The barrel is original in my opinion, little question of that, but the re-application of the BC under the RS sleeve was probably done when it passed through Amberg or Ingolstadt, original barrels from this time seem to lack this duplicate BC. That said, I can't see why it went through an ordnance shop and needed a new FP... the bolt, barrel, and receiver are all original, but perhaps it was damaged or had a flaw that needed correction and even re-installing these parts again required a new FP.

What I am sure of is these are three factory original parts and I believe the FP discrepancy is due to a subsequent (new) FP applied to the receiver (over the original), lastly, Amberg made rifles in 1913, they did have a gap during 98a production but is was short. I will get the gaps cleared up tomorrow, but I need my database to be exact.

Another interesting detail I noticed about this rifle and that comes down to the Bavarian firing proof. The receiver proof is of the later style but the barrel is like the earlier style. I'm wondering if this barrel was left over from earlier Amberg Gew98 production. Being 1914 was the year Amberg started making Gew 98 rifles again.

 

[PrayingMantis]

Great find, Jordan. You've snagged some stellar Gewehrs lately! Think i've got them all added to the index, but let me know if i missed any.

 

[Warrior1354]

Thank you for the kind words Cyprus I'll have an awesome Danzig posted up hopefully Sunday for you as well.