1916 Gewehr 98...Picture heavy

[Longcolt44]

Commonly known as a GEW 98. The owner of the gun shop I work at was cleaning out his basement and he had this rusty old GEW 98 and I bought it, rust, dirt and all the grime from 20 or 30 years in a damp basement could do to it. Lucky for me it must have had a good layer of grease under all the grime because it cleaned right up with soap and water, lemon oil, brake cleaner and Hoppe's.

This rifle was made at the Prussian Spandau Arsenal in 1916, Spandau made these model 98's from 1899 to 1917. The GEW 98 first saw service during the Boxer Rebellion in 1899 to 1901 and was the main Prussian battle rifle during the First World War then after that it served during the Ottoman and Spanish wars. In 1936 it was replaced by the Karabiner 98k.

This rifle is an all matching example right down to the action screws. It has no import stamps which could mean a Dough Boy may have carried it home after capturing his prize from a Prussian soldier that didn't go home. The bore still needs some work but a few rounds of Romanian 8mm will fix what Hoppes and Foaming bore cleaner couldn't.
The last three pictures here have part of a very rare attachment. If not guessed in a few days I will disclose the mystery parts name and function.

1916 GEW 98 001.JPG

1916 GEW 98 005.JPG

1916 GEW 98 006.JPG

1916 GEW 98 007.JPG

1916 GEW 98 009.JPG

1916 GEW 98 012.JPG

1916 GEW 98 014.JPG

1916 GEW 98 016.JPG

1916 GEW 98 018.JPG

1916 GEW 98 019.JPG

[Longcolt44]

More Pics

1916 GEW 98 008.JPG[/attachment[attachment=6]1916 GEW 98G

1916 GEW 98 015.JPG

1916 GEW 98 011.JPG

[attachment=3]

[SA1911a1]

That is a really nice rifle. I have a couple of 88s but a 98 has escaped me. No telling where that rifle has been. The first real modern military rifle. Bolt actions haven't improved but in detail from that rifle. Congrats.

[millman]

Wow! Good one Chuck.

[steelbuttplate]

They had to keep them so oily that they mounted a towel rack on the side. Or it's a quick connect to some kind of shooting vise.
It's a rack hanger.

[ffuries]

So should I look for the big truck to drop this off here Chuck? Seriously though it's sweet looking, and I am also curious regarding the mounting on it.

[Junk Yard Dog]

[SA1911a1]

Are there unit markings on the barrel band?

[Longcolt44]

Are there unit markings on the barrel band?

No unit markings but there are other stamps, both have a small crown on one side and the numbers 69, the last two numbers of the serial number, on the other side.

1916 GEW 98 barrel bands 001.JPG

1916 GEW 98 barrel bands 002.JPG

1916 GEW 98 barrel bands 003.JPG

1916 GEW 98 barrel bands 004.JPG

[ksbanker]

Beautiful rifle! I think that rail of sorts is for a dust or mud cover.

[SA1911a1]

I asked about the unit markings because my GEW 88 can be identified to a specific unit in WWI.

[Longcolt44]

Well, ksbanker got it. The attachment is the front half of what the Prussians used as a mud cover. The nomenclature is formerly called, a reciprocating action cover. The complete unit is like finding chicken lips to find. This front half is a very rare piece on its own. Like the Japanese dust cover, most were junked as too much noise. I did find some pictures of a complete unit.

reciprocating action cover 2.jpg

reciprocating action cover 1.jpg

[Sonny]

Awesome.

[Junk Yard Dog]

You might as well be clanging pots together, everyone on the field knows you chambered a round. Not only hard to find but expensive, they were expensive when I thought of putting one on my GEW98, and that was a long time ago.

[ksbanker]

That is very cool! Amazing that it is still on the rifle.

[awalker1829]

I asked about the unit markings because my GEW 88 can be identified to a specific unit in WWI.

Is your GEW 88 an 88 or an 88/05 (Mannlicher clip or stripper clip fed)?

[ffuries]

I asked about the unit markings because my GEW 88 can be identified to a specific unit in WWI.

Is your GEW 88 an 88 or an 88/05 (Mannlicher clip or stripper clip fed)?

I've got a Turked 88/05 with unit markings on the barrel bands, and IF my research is correct they mean:

Front barrel band:

16.R4.142 (All X'ed out)

16th Infantry Regiment, 4th Company, weapon 142
Or
16th Infanterie, 4th Kompanie, Waffe 142 (Under the 27th Infantrie Brigade Baron Freiherr von Sparr, 3rd Westfalishes)

F.E.B.K.1.68 (Not X'ed out)

Fortress Replacement Battalion, 1st Company, Waffe Nr 68
Or
Festungs Ersatz Battalion, 1st Kompanie, Waffe 68

Rear barrel band:

11.R.R.9.149 (All X'ed out)

11th Reserve Infantry Regiment, 9th Company, weapon 149
Or
11th Reserve Infanterie Regement, 9th Kompanie, Waffee Nr 149

[qz2026]

Don't know how I missed this post. Amazing what will come out of a dingy basement. Extremely cool rifle and the value is way up there due to it's matching condition. Holy cow... I wonder if the German troops just couldn't deal with the dust covers and just removed them. That seems to be the old wive's tale with the Jap guns... What a find! Congrats

[steelbuttplate]

Don't know how I missed this post. Amazing what will come out of a dingy basement. Extremely cool rifle and the value is way up there due to it's matching condition. Holy cow... I wonder if the German troops just couldn't deal with the dust covers and just removed them. That seems to be the old wive's tale with the Jap guns... What a find! Congrats

I'll bet they got used once or twice and lost the cover, then the rest was for grilling meat.

[awalker1829]

I asked about the unit markings because my GEW 88 can be identified to a specific unit in WWI.

Is your GEW 88 an 88 or an 88/05 (Mannlicher clip or stripper clip fed)?

I've got a Turked 88/05 with unit markings on the barrel bands, and IF my research is correct they mean:

Front barrel band:

16.R4.142 (All X'ed out)

16th Infantry Regiment, 4th Company, weapon 142
Or
16th Infanterie, 4th Kompanie, Waffe 142 (Under the 27th Infantrie Brigade Baron Freiherr von Sparr, 3rd Westfalishes)

F.E.B.K.1.68 (Not X'ed out)

Fortress Replacement Battalion, 1st Company, Waffe Nr 68
Or
Festungs Ersatz Battalion, 1st Kompanie, Waffe 68

Rear barrel band:

11.R.R.9.149 (All X'ed out)

11th Reserve Infantry Regiment, 9th Company, weapon 149
Or
11th Reserve Infanterie Regement, 9th Kompanie, Waffee Nr 149

Nice. I’ve actually got a mixed numbers Gew 88 and a Gew 88/05 that has a Turk stamp on the bolt. Straight Gew 88s are harder to find now.