GEW98 Tripple Stamped Bolt

L

LTC

Member
The bolt on my recently purchased Gew 98 1915 Oberndorf A/N has three s/n's stamped on the root of the bolt handle. The most recent stamping matches the s/n of the rifle. All other parts appear to be matching. The stamping appears to match other factory stamping is size and style. The other two s/n's have been struck through. Could this have been done at the original assembly point of a factory rebuild? I believe this to be a WWI GI bring back as the stock has been duffel cut.
 
LTC said:
The bolt on my recently purchased Gew 98 1915 Oberndorf A/N has three s/n's stamped on the root of the bolt handle. The most recent stamping matches the s/n of the rifle. All other parts appear to be matching. The stamping appears to match other factory stamping is size and style. The other two s/n's have been struck through. Could this have been done at the original assembly point of a factory rebuild? I believe this to be a WWI GI bring back as the stock has been duffel cut.
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It's pretty common for a bolt to be recycled through 2-3 reworks. Your rifle, like most Gew98s has passed through a depot. Check the buttplate and there may be a number and a letter below it.
 
The butt plate has a W 8 and either a 7 or a partial z. Vertical top to bottom. I tried to post a photo, but it was too large a file.
 
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A bit more research on my part and I have answered my own question. It looks to be a depot repair / replacement. I have run across other examples in threads on this forum.
 
LTC said:
A bit more research on my part and I have answered my own question. It looks to be a depot repair / replacement. I have run across other examples in threads on this forum.
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If you look back to my response I answered you pretty clearly. It's textbook depot work if you have a bolt with multiple SNs

IMG_20200905_193818000_BURST000_COVER_TOP.jpg

The general format for depot markings on the buttplate was a number, then a smaller letter underneath. The number corresponded to the depot location, the letter the initial of the armorer that did the work-- though this is far from a universal practice. The Bavarians did not generally mark the buttplates and sometimes you'll see the depot markings on the stocks instead. You'll also see "D" for Danzig, "E" for Erfurt or "H" for Hannover on some rather than a depot number. You can also find reworks with no markings that were done at a regimental or company level---- since artillery strikes were a major destroyer of rifles, along with horrid conidtions, you'll find that vast majority of Gew98s saw some level of rework. Factory matching rifles are uncommon.
 
Like Chris clearly stated originally, it’s a depot rework. Not uncommon for a salvaged bolt to be renumbered twice, with old numbers lined out.
 
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