1916 DWM --- New Addition

[usmckippa]

Hey guys, i picked this 1916 DWM up last week and had some serious issues getting the action screws out. well finally got them out today after basically 3 days and two broken screw drivers anyway. its all matching and has mud and sand/dirt all caked under the barrel. I bought it from the son of the guy who brought it back with him. "so he says" well i use frog lube for these older bolt actions because it smells minty fresh and is all natural. So i started lathering it all up and cleaning and basically my lungs started burning/ scratchy and my face started getting red and burning like i just went through a Gas chamber from the military.

Am i crazy or ? has this happend to any of you guys before?

i Ill post pictures of the rifle here within the hour once im done scrubbing.

 

[usmckippa]

Well, hands sting and face still burns.. haha maybe there was some kind of other chemical on it? not sure.

 

[usmckippa]

more pictures

 

[usmckippa]

and more pictures

 

[usmckippa]

Possible shrapnel damage? and this yellowish/orange/ white stuff under the hand guard. that was everywhere under the barrel and mechanism. and it only has a marking on top of the handguard not numbered under it. also a random P. written

 

[gill120]

1916

When you pulled the rifle apart and started to clean it , you may have reactivated some left over chemicals that were contained within the rifle by the dirt and mud that sealed it. This may have been in the form of powdered chemicals or other. Hope it wasn't mustard gas residue.

 

[WaPrüf2]

Residual gas is common on previously untouched WWI souvenirs; I have had it turn up washing textiles and when stripping untouched rifles of the period. The best way to avoid it is to use rubber gloves on initial washing/stripping and do so in a well ventilated area with circulating air. Rags used to clean grease from gassed weapons should be discarded after use. Symptoms of gas exposure can be momentary respiratory problems and/or inflammation of your hands if you come into direct contact with it. It doesn't always occur but it is disconcerting when it does; I've cautioned other collectors about the potential problem on other forums.

 

[usmckippa]

My room mates where in the living room watching tv while i was cleaning it and they felt the same stuff.. haha so awesome i contaminated my house anyway.. once it gets sunny out today i will post better pictures of it.

 

[Loewe]

I have never had that experience before, the allergic reaction to cleaning an old Gewehr98, never really heard of this as a problem before either.

This is an incredibly late 1916 made rifle, the highest known so far, though Mark Wieringa reported 8916 kk as the high recorded back in the late 1990's, so there is probably at least one later than this out there. Do you have a picture of the right side of the receiver, the acceptance stamps on the RR are always important, as is the right side of the stock, the cypher and acceptance underneath.

Although DWM made a lot of rifles in 1916, finding one so original is not too easy in 1915 & 1916, it is very difficult to flesh out my stock trends work on them... Try to get a picture of the RR & RS stock, trends work on the stock pattern is difficult to get good reporting on, as often as not people do not show it and often it is illegible (stock is original by the wrist acceptance, definitely a DWM stock).

 

[usmckippa]

more pictures.

 

[Loewe]

Thanks! it definitely looks like it saw action!

 

[usmckippa]

it totally does! i love how around the wrist and under the sight where the hands would be are seemingly more worn. totally love this new rifle besides the ghost of it trying to kill me by some kind of chemicals haha

 

[gew98]

When you pulled the rifle apart and started to clean it , you may have reactivated some left over chemicals that were contained within the rifle by the dirt and mud that sealed it. This may have been in the form of powdered chemicals or other. Hope it wasn't mustard gas residue.

I would severely doubt any residual chemical from the great war as they ALL were very corrosive and would have rusted the metal where it laid badly. I have read of accounts where poison gas clouds rusted rifles and corroded equipment in short order.

 

[gew98]

I have a "crusty" 17 DWM like that...I love them like that. I have an # 88 rod I'd swap for your #86 rod if you wanted to do so.

 

[WaPrüf2]

I would severely doubt any residual chemical from the great war as they ALL were very corrosive and would have rusted the metal where it laid badly. I have read of accounts where poison gas clouds rusted rifles and corroded equipment in short order.

Doubt if you wish but I first encountered the problem at the First Corps of Cadets Museum in Boston 40 years ago when conserving some gifts from former members of the 101st Engineers (First Corps of Cadets) A.E.F. and ran I into problems cleaning up some greasy MG 08s and MG08/15s out of a closing Veterans of Foreign Wars post a couple of years later. The problem evidently is that gas can impregnate fabrics and grease. Subsequently I have always taken precautions when dealing with things like "bond" rifles or any materiel acquired out of old Legion or VFW posts or old institutional collections (especially public libraries and local historical societies*) where the standard of previous care is unknown. You are certainly right about the effects of gas exposure on metal; it likely accounts for some of the condition problems we see on some WWI arms.

*Watch out for loaded firearms and live grenades/shells as well from such places.

 

[mauser1908]

I like the darker beech stocks. This one seems to have held its acceptance well. Nice Rifle!

 

[usmckippa]

What ever it was felt like I was in a mild CS chamber.. But thanks. This may not be the nicest example but is my new favorite.