Attic find Amberg 1906 Gew 98 Mauser

[trkmnymkr]

Hey guys, how 'yall been? I got one this weekend from an old friend while helping clear out grammas attic. It's a Gew 98 long rifle marked Amberg 1906. What got me stumped is the bolt handle is turned down some. Not as much as my kar98k, but turned down. Family story goes this along with the bayonet and German helmet with a spikey thing on top was gotten by his great-great uncle in the Big One and brought home as a gift for his dad. If my memory serves me correctly all the 98 long rifles I ever saw were equiped with straight bolt handles. And ALL numbers are matching on it. Has anyone encountered this? I found it in a box with newspapers and cancelled checks dated in 1919 and 1920. I'm assuming nobody has ever messed with it??? Need a little guesswork. Thanks everyone

[Junk Yard Dog]

You know what we will say first...PICS! This rifle has a 29 1/2" barrel? Just because it was in a box with stuff from 1920 doesn't mean it was always there. Someone could have used it as a hunting rifle in 1938, or 1948 and who would remember that now more than 65 years later. It could even have been used as a hunting rifle while the GI was still in France or Germany after the war was over, our boys were in Germany for some years after the war as occupation troops. You got the helmet and bayonet with it?

[Junk Yard Dog]

How similar is the rifle to the ones pictured here?

[trkmnymkr]

Cant seem to get my pic to upload But yes JYD, it is the same as the 98 mauser in the video. Rollercoaster sight and all. And no, the guys little brother took the bayonet and pointy helmet, RATS!!! Thanks for the reply. I suppose this was done well after its military career.

[Junk Yard Dog]

The rifle, even with a bent bolt handle that can be straightened is worth around $500-$900, that helmet probably over a grand, and the bayonet around $150. The Germans didn't bend bolt handles, but Americans did, remember that our US M1903 and 1917 Enfield used bent bolt handles so the boys were used to that.

[Longcolt44]

Like JYD said, we pictures or at least more information. Is it in it's original stock, are the sights till original. are there any holes drilled in it that shouldn't be there, do the numbers match, etc.

[trkmnymkr]

Here it is... Looks like all original. All numbers are matching.

[Junk Yard Dog]

That's the original GEW98 all right. A gunsmith should be able to straighten out that bolt handle, on this rifle it would be worth it. A fully matching German GEW98 is the most sought after of Mauser's short of the K98k of WW2, this easily cracks $600, a very good find.

[Gsragtop]

That's the original GEW98 all right. A gunsmith should be able to straighten out that bolt handle, on this rifle it would be worth it. A fully matching German GEW98 is the most sought after of Mauser's short of the K98k of WW2, this easily cracks $600, a very good find.

Why are GEW98's worth so much more then GEW88's??? I thought the 88's had lower production.

THANKS.

[Brian the Brit]

[bunkysdad]

The Gew 98's are Mauser rifles, the Gew 88's were not Mausers, but the 88's are the ones that currently have my interest. This is a great Gew98 find.

[bunkysdad]

What is the small hook on the bottom of the front bayonet lug? Could the bent bolt have been used on a sniper or bicycle variant?

[trkmnymkr]

Thanks for the compliments guys, It's my favorite for the time being. Not a bad trade for an afternoons worth of work. : )

[bocephus]

Appears to be surprisingly unrusty for an attic find. Maybe you should see if little brother will sell you the other items.

[etprescottazusa91]

Really nice find, those items need to be kept together. I am really happy to see this rifle, because just when I thought they were all gone, I know now that in a closet or attic someplace historical rifles still lurk.

[Junk Yard Dog]

That's the original GEW98 all right. A gunsmith should be able to straighten out that bolt handle, on this rifle it would be worth it. A fully matching German GEW98 is the most sought after of Mauser's short of the K98k of WW2, this easily cracks $600, a very good find.

Why are GEW98's worth so much more then GEW88's??? I thought the 88's had lower production.

THANKS.

Because the GEW98 became a legend in it's own time, the finest bolt action ever designed, and the basis for so many high end sporting rifles that I lose track. Add to that the history of two world wars. The GEW88 was used in the Great War, but it attracted no notice, and was not sought after as a sporting rifle, it's service history was short, the 1898 action was copied all over the world, and sold in huge numbers on almost every continent.

[desdem12]

Sweet rifle.

[entropy]

What is the small hook on the bottom of the front bayonet lug? Could the bent bolt have been used on a sniper or bicycle variant?

Parade sling hook. When Kaiser Willy's troops marched, they wanted the slings tight up against the stock. It's too small to be useful as a stacking hook, which was my initial thought before re-examining the picture.

Beautiful Gew98! great attic find!

[Longcolt44]

Bent bolt solved, maybe. I just ordered a book on GEW 88's and last night I ran across a paragraph and picture taken in 1910 of a trooper of the Deutsche Schutztruppe, (German Protection Force), in German Southwest Africa standing with a Infanteriegewehr, (infantry rifle), 98 showing a short bayonet and a turned down bolt handle. It was a local modification intended to make the rifle more useful for mounted troops.

[Dan4good]