1916 DWM Berlin Gew98

[BimmerMan87]

Last year around Christmas I had the opportunity to acquire this lovely 1916 DWM Berlin Gew98. A friend new I collect old military guns and he was doing some drywall for the gentleman that had the rifle. It was in somewhat rough shape but functional. The gun shop across the road from him offered him $75 saying the gun wasn't safe to shoot. I wound up paying $400 for the Rifle woth Bayonet and couldn't be happier with it. After some elbow grease with bronze wool, kroil and Ballistol it turned out wonderful. It has a couple non matching parts but overall it's about 98% Matching.

 

[Warrior1354]

There's nothing like seeing these being brought back to their full potential again. I almost compare it like a phoenix from the ashes. Looks like your restoration is coming out wonderful a big congratulations to you. Not to mention a hell of a good price tag into day's market. And a store offering somebody $75 for Gew98? I literally think of that as almost criminal. They would have gladly put that up on gunbroker later, and watched everybody fight over it. Due to it being an untouched example. Most likely it would bring good money. Again, congratulations to you, and thank you for sharing.

 

[Cyrano4747]

Yeah, that store was trying to rip your buddy off. The bolt parts alone are worth north of $75. Heck, even $400 is an absolute screamer of a deal. It's been a while since I priced out those bayos, but that alone is worth a significant fraction of what you paid.

 

[chrisftk]

I'll spare any hyperbole, but great work with a conservative cleaning. No pimpshine as some folks are apparently adept (or inept?) at doing. Brass takes some elbow grease but it results in the best and least intrusive cleaning. I tend to use flattened brass casing, a stiff brass brush and sometimes bronze wool.

Well done!

 

[AN-94]

$400 is an absolute steal for an untouched Gewehr 98 these days, congrats on getting a wonderful Christmas gift! You can still see the tiger striping on that stock, bet it was beautiful piece when new. Nice job on the cleaning too, seems too many of these were aggressively cleaned to the point where the rollmark is faded.

 

[Cyrano4747]

Have you cleaned the stock at all? I'm not talking throwing oven cleaner at it, but I'd be willing to bet a gentle touch with some very mildly soapy water would lift a lot of that grime off and leave whatever patina the wood has developed alone.

 

[Jdt]

There's nothing like seeing these being brought back to their full potential again. I almost compare it like a phoenix from the ashes. Looks like your restoration is coming out wonderful a big congratulations to you. Not to mention a hell of a good price tag into day's market. And a store offering somebody $75 for Gew98? I literally think of that as almost criminal. They would have gladly put that up on gunbroker later, and watched everybody fight over it. Due to it being an untouched example. Most likely it would bring good money. Again, congratulations to you, and thank you for sharing.

Woah that's impressive work right there.

 

[BimmerMan87]

I'll spare any hyperbole, but great work with a conservative cleaning. No pimpshine as some folks are apparently adept (or inept?) at doing. Brass takes some elbow grease but it results in the best and least intrusive cleaning. I tend to use flattened brass casing, a stiff brass brush and sometimes bronze wool.

Well done!

Thank You! My goal overall was to clean up what was active on the surface without hurting the remaining original finish. The flattened brass casing is something new to me I will have to try. Currently I use a stiff brass brush and bronze wool.

$400 is an absolute steal for an untouched Gewehr 98 these days, congrats on getting a wonderful Christmas gift! You can still see the tiger striping on that stock, bet it was beautiful piece when new. Nice job on the cleaning too, seems too many of these were aggressively cleaned to the point where the rollmark is faded.

Its had some repair work done at some point as evidenced by the few mismatched parts (upper handguard, buttplate and sight elevator) but its untouched and wonderful otherwise. I try not to be too aggressive with my cleaning methods.

Have you cleaned the stock at all? I'm not talking throwing oven cleaner at it, but I'd be willing to bet a gentle touch with some very mildly soapy water would lift a lot of that grime off and leave whatever patina the wood has developed alone.

I have not really cleaned the stock other than a wipe down. I have a Murphys Oil Soap mixture I use when cleaning stocks.

 

[Warrior1354]

Woah that's impressive work right there.

I can't take the credit for that one. My buddy Bill Reed did that one for me. He really does have the magic touch lol!

 

[OnlyMil]

Keep Bubba’s belt sander away; keep the wire wheel at bay! This thread is proof that “Wax on, wax off” simple cleaning is all you need. These rifles have seen enough abuse in war. Molesting them so far after their service life is like giving a corpse a facelift. Borderline criminal, and probably ugly. It’s a shame it was commonplace in the 80s, much like the sanding of K98k stocks because they weren’t “smoothe” like the brains of their owners at the time. Now today everyone wants those corncob stocks and they hold a premium…

OP, you have done it right, and it has come out wonderfully. I’m glad you saved this one from a $75 shop… Even at $400 it’s a bargain.