PrayingMantis
Senior Member
The German Artillery Depot at Hanover (Hannover in German) became an assembler of rifles during the war. The depot had been equipped to produce ammunition once the war began, and its capabilities grew, likely out of necessity, as the war continued and presented higher need for weapons. Much like the Dresden ammo plant, the Hanover Depot based their assemblies on subcontracted receivers, though they used far more salvaged parts than Dresden. Also like Dresden, Hanover only assembled rifles; no carbine has ever been recorded. Hanover assemblies are easily identified by the large H on the receiver. The buttplate will also feature an H, along with the armorers initial. This makes them an interesting hybrid of depot rifle and sterngewehr, with the markings of both.
The Hanover Depot seems to have picked up rifle assembly in 1916 or 1917 by making complete rifles from salvaged parts. Numerous examples of Hanover rebuilds based on early receivers are recorded. Usually these are receivers with new barrels placed in armorer's stocks with renumbered bolts and buttplates. Small parts were not renumbered. Only buttplates are stamped with H. These are not considered new production, mainly because they use the original serial number. Later, Hanover began using their own serial numbers, and that is what we consider new production, though they still used salvaged parts.
In 1917 (judging by the 1917 dated receivers) Hanover began assembling full rifles from subcontracted receivers meant for Spandau and armorers parts. Receivers came from both Siemens und Halske and Pieper in Liege. There appears to have been a connection to Spandau based on fireproofs and acceptance, the speculation is that when Spandau dropped rifle production in 1917, the primary rifle proofer and inspector (and team) went to Hanover to oversee rifle assembly. These examples still show salvaged parts--usually small parts like rear sight sliders and tab--but occasionally even stocks as on H Spandau 1917 3553c. Most used new armorers stocks, and all will have a c/B wrist acceptance. The lack of a cypher or side acceptance on the stocks is immediately noticeable, as is the missing final acceptance on receivers and triggerguards. Though the exact reason for this is unknown, most likely Hanover simply never developed a complex inspection system, relying primarily on an armorer for final inspection, as noted by the armorer's stamp on buttplates, rather than the inspector team, which only seem to have stamped stock wrists. However the exact process, assembly continued into 1918 when more subcontracted parts show up, including barrels. Hanover appears to have continued using serial numbers from the 1917 production, rather than start over.
WMO 1906 9809 Salvaged Receiver
H Spandau 1917 2646 Siemens und Halske Receiver
H Spandau 1917 6883
H Spandau 1917 2279a Siemens und Halske Receiver
H Spandau 1917 2474a Siemens und Halske Receiver
H Spandau 1917 4157b Pieper Receiver
H Spandau 1917 9534b
H Spandau 1917 1188c Siemens und Halske Receiver
H Spandau 1917 3553c Siemens und Halske Receiver
H Spandau 1918 2455g
H Spandau 1918 2926g
H Spandau 1918 540i
H Spandau 1918 1797i Siemens und Halske Receiver
The Hanover Depot seems to have picked up rifle assembly in 1916 or 1917 by making complete rifles from salvaged parts. Numerous examples of Hanover rebuilds based on early receivers are recorded. Usually these are receivers with new barrels placed in armorer's stocks with renumbered bolts and buttplates. Small parts were not renumbered. Only buttplates are stamped with H. These are not considered new production, mainly because they use the original serial number. Later, Hanover began using their own serial numbers, and that is what we consider new production, though they still used salvaged parts.
In 1917 (judging by the 1917 dated receivers) Hanover began assembling full rifles from subcontracted receivers meant for Spandau and armorers parts. Receivers came from both Siemens und Halske and Pieper in Liege. There appears to have been a connection to Spandau based on fireproofs and acceptance, the speculation is that when Spandau dropped rifle production in 1917, the primary rifle proofer and inspector (and team) went to Hanover to oversee rifle assembly. These examples still show salvaged parts--usually small parts like rear sight sliders and tab--but occasionally even stocks as on H Spandau 1917 3553c. Most used new armorers stocks, and all will have a c/B wrist acceptance. The lack of a cypher or side acceptance on the stocks is immediately noticeable, as is the missing final acceptance on receivers and triggerguards. Though the exact reason for this is unknown, most likely Hanover simply never developed a complex inspection system, relying primarily on an armorer for final inspection, as noted by the armorer's stamp on buttplates, rather than the inspector team, which only seem to have stamped stock wrists. However the exact process, assembly continued into 1918 when more subcontracted parts show up, including barrels. Hanover appears to have continued using serial numbers from the 1917 production, rather than start over.
WMO 1906 9809 Salvaged Receiver
H Spandau 1917 2646 Siemens und Halske Receiver
H Spandau 1917 6883
H Spandau 1917 2279a Siemens und Halske Receiver
H Spandau 1917 2474a Siemens und Halske Receiver
H Spandau 1917 4157b Pieper Receiver
H Spandau 1917 9534b
H Spandau 1917 1188c Siemens und Halske Receiver
H Spandau 1917 3553c Siemens und Halske Receiver
H Spandau 1918 2455g
H Spandau 1918 2926g
H Spandau 1918 540i
H Spandau 1918 1797i Siemens und Halske Receiver
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