Rifle & Carbine 98 book by Dieter Storz owners, need some info please

[bcd8238]

Hi all, first time post on this forum. I've lurked here for a little while and am I'm amazed at the depth of knowledge posted here about the Gew98 rifle.
I bought this Erfurt Gew98 from a local LGS about 15 years ago for $350 AUD. It was made in 1906. The rifle itself is matching down to the screws with serial number 606A, apart from the bolt shroud, fp retainer and safety which match themselves. The fp matches the rifle. The stock is a mis match to the rifle but matches the handguard. It has a marking disc on the butt, but the is no information on it. The cartouches are nice and clear and I can't see any evidence of sanding. On the butt plate, there is stamped VBH. I don't know what this means. It still has the straight bolt handle and the Langevisier sight calibrated from 400m. I suspect that this rifle had some depot rework at some stage of its life. It appears to still have its original barrel.

The overall finish is fair, with some patina on the receiver and the blue is thinning on the barrel. There is a small area of what appears to be shallow nick marks about 2-3 inches behind the front sight. The bore was a bit dark with what looked like a rough patch approximately under the rear sight. I gave it a good clean when I finally got it home and the rifling appears to be good. A fair bit of crud did come out. I did some research on the previous owner and he advised me that this rifle was captured at Gallipoli and the nick marks were from fending off a bayonet. He was adamant that this was the truth. It sounded very far fetched so I just bought the rifle and not the story, as exciting as it was.

I have shot this one and it is a delight to use. I originally loaded 198gr boattail projectiles over IMR4064 and this seemed to go well. I have since found that the original loading was with a 150? grain flat base projectile.

The information I am seeking and am not sure if it is listed in this book, is the approximate figures for 1906 production at the Erfurt factory. I'm curious to know how many were made in that year.

I will post some pictures when I am back home.

Many thanks for any assistance that is given.

BCD

 

[Loewe]

You'll find little regarding your question is Storz book, it is an archival study, he has next to no information regarding observations and analysis of actual production. He does give general figures on production where possible (broad totals and glimpses at numbers made per day or start-up..), but year to year by manufacturer rarely.

It is an indispensable book for anyone with a lasting interest in Imperial rifles, but it is not a book for the casual collector generally.

Erfurt/06, it was the last year they made a lot of G98's, they would piddle into 1907 and 1908, but during 1906 they made an estimated 50,000 G98's, which was their highest year prior to the war (they are known with higher suffixes than the e-block, but only prior to 1904 when they serialed without rolling over). In actual observations, I would have to check the database, but probably a modest number are known (have survived), but most arsenals have a diminishing production when it came to the G98 by 1906-1907, they were preparing for 98a production and this influenced rifle production sharply (Erfurt would be the first to make the 98a, the only one known in 1907). STarting in 1905-1906 DWM and WMO would start to take the lead in G98 production, the arsenals are generally pretty tough to find after 1907.

 

[Loewe]

I had time to go through my actual database, rather than working from my production sheets... I need to change the observations regarding Erfurt G98 production. Things are far clearer working from actual observations rather than lists of observations...

Erfurt never made huge numbers of G98's, like most of the Prussian arsenals though early on they serialed year to year without rolling over, so they get the impression of manufacturing large numbers up through 1904. However we can extrapolate numbers made by the blocks they are numerous in or that they are solidly reported in, - generally every year they made about 20,000-30,000 and 1906 was no exception. There is a e-block Erfurt/06 in the trends but it is clearly a Spandau made rifle, possibly from a leftover Erfurt/06 receiver, - this is more common with 1908 Spandau receivers where they are marked to reflect this assembly.

Anyway, they made modest numbers of G98's in 1907 and 1908, perhaps 15,000 in 1907 and less than 1000 in 1908, - though Erfurt must have sent some receivers to Spandau as two are specially marked to reflect this fact. Erfurt would not make G98's again until 1915 and in modest numbers, this would continue into 1916 and 1917 but never in large numbers.

1899 and 1908 are the toughest years to find for Erfurt, 1915 is tough too, but as with all the pre-war makers, any factory original G98 is pretty damn elusive.

 

[bcd8238]

Hi Loewe,
Thanks for the informative reply. This gives me a clearer idea of approximately when and how many rifles were made. I haven't seen many Gew98's for sale here in Australia. There are some, usually Turkish made, or sportered. This one is a keeper. The next thing I'd like to find is the 1906 Quillback bayonet. I have a 1917 dated short bayonet that came with it. Pictures will come as soon as I am home again. Once again, thanks very much, I really appreciate your input.

Cheers

Bcd