Good evening everybody, I’m currently sitting through a blizzard here in KC and thought I would solicit some opinions in regards to my 1910 spandau Gew 98 that I bought back in 2017. First of all, I bought this rifle for $300 as the bolt on the end of the receiver was broken off. I got super lucky and was able to turn it out with my fingernail and replace it. Secondly the spring steel piece used to secure the bayonet lug to the stock was snapped and I replaced it with a Gew 98 spring piece, so it is silver instead of blued. I will fix it soon enough to get it looking proper. I’m here to find out more about my rifle. I have spent a couple hours scrolling the forum and have surmised that I have a G.98M rifle. Most of the parts match in their serial numbers except for the upper handguard, magazine and the bolt. There is no import mark on the rifle. I’d like to know more about the history of my weapon and where it went before it made it to America. I’d also like to know what it’s worth. Like I said I paid $300 for it 8 years ago, but it looks like these G.98M rifles are going for $900-$1100. Is that correct? And is there anything about this rifle that would make it markedly less valuable than other examples? Or did my gun shop just give me it for a deal?
1910 Spandau G.98M
- Thread starter Mightymo
- Start date
Any mismatched parts hurts the value pretty hard especially being the bolt and bottom metal. For $300 tho not a bad price at all but it would be a difficult resale if that's your intention, could probably get 500-650. We've had matching Gewehr 98M rifles sell for 13-1600 range here on the forum.
Not anticipating selling it but I got a bug to find out what its value was and found it hard to attain that info. More than anything I’m looking to see if this is something that stayed within Germany and saw the rise of the reich or if it got shipped out to Spain. Thank you for the reply!
Looks like just a bolt mm... The trigger guard is renumbered to match.
This is a pretty decent 98M. It started life as a 1910 Spandau but looks like it took several Depot trips through its life. It was rebarreled during the Imperial era based on the fourth acceptance character on the right hand side of the receiver. Value wise probably $800ish is a rough guess. It's a shame the bolt doesn't match.
Thank you very much for the analysis! This forum and its members have been a wealth of useful knowledge.
Good point, I didn't critique all of the photos enough and took the initial statement at total face value. Really wish the bolt matched on this fella's example. Still a neat one with the early rebarrel and 1910 Spandau date.
Cyrano4747
Well-known member
Just to add to this:
There are a ton of very high end collectors in this forum who have better pieces. Pieces that have more interesting histories, or are in better condition, or that are more unusual for all of the various reasons that collectors get off on guns. Hell, I'm one of them. I'm not an advanced collector (compared to some of the people in here) but if I saw that on a table at a gun show I'd probably walk on by.
Screw all those people, myself included.
What you are holding is a bona fide, no bullshit , tangible piece of German history. It's exactly the kind of gun that got me interested in this hobby in the first place and that I would have given two or three paychecks (note: I was fucking broke at the time) to own back in the day.
Here's the short version: Your gun was manufactured at the Royal Arsenal at Spandau in 1910. Some shite went down a few years later, maybe you read about it in a history book? Regardless, the Germans needed guns. It went through some arsenal refurbishments during the war and was lucky enough to make it out the other side relativity intact. Rather than being destroyed during the disarmament process after the war, it was later updated to the new Gew98(m) standard. Most notably by replacing the rear sight.
What happened after that? I don't know. But what you have in your hands is a bona fide war horse that served in the Imperial German army from 1910 through then end of WW1 and then got re-worked into a more modern firearm for the new government. From there on is a question mark.
Anyways, that's alll to say that while it's not a gun that is going to sell for big bucks at auction it's got some cool history and you should absolutely have a glass or two of good whisky, hold that thing , and ponder for a moment what that steel and iron has seen.
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I second this, also seems that the AI for curse words on here got ya
that gave me a good chuckle.
Good analysis given, hard to make up a reason to post further.... but a small elaboration to further Chris's post 15; the addition of the forth acceptance (Crown/D) is rather common as far as reworking-rebarreling during the war, they are probably the most encountered variation and always (hate using that word in such cases) seem to carry Danzig fireproofs on the barrel, as well Danzig style barrel coding... this is not to say done at Danzig necessarily, it could be an artillery depot or some other facility Danzig oversaw, it is known depots served as such expediencies and Danzig had an artillery depot nearby, but due to the location of Danzig (the boonies of Germany and closest to the war in Russia -and her very focused production - unlike Spandau and Erfurt multitasking P08 & or MG's..) I think when this C/D 4th acceptance is encountered I think Danzig (obviously D doesn't equate or represent Danzig, its the inspector whose authority work is done and approved or certified) but this is only a theory naturally.
***Spandau in 1910 made a good number of G98's for a pre-war maker, 9788/b is highest confirmed, a well supported progression, close enough for a probable breaking into the c-block. Not a large number really but Spandau also made 8000 98a in 1910 too (though that has its own controversies)
Neat rifle!
***Spandau in 1910 made a good number of G98's for a pre-war maker, 9788/b is highest confirmed, a well supported progression, close enough for a probable breaking into the c-block. Not a large number really but Spandau also made 8000 98a in 1910 too (though that has its own controversies)
Neat rifle!
