1917 VCS 8370b with possible battle damage

[chrisftk]

Hi all,

Lots of good rifles were posted this weekend! I'll keep with the Gew 98 theme. This was a random BIN lowball on gunbroker recently. It has a nice untouched look.

The rifle matches except for the floorplate, front band and handguard. The two metal parts ironically being both WMO parts and numbered one digit off at 71. The stock is late pattern and has the "small B" beech indicator.

There is a significant chunk missing from the fore-end right behind the rear barrel band. The way the wood is broken would suggest it was damaged in the field, perhaps struck by something. The wood has aged on that spot, so it has a nice honest look. Could have just as easily been mishandled, but I lean toward the former scenario. The rest of the rifle is in great shape.

Here's the data:

Receiver 8370b
Barrel 8370b (S&S BJ 656- Suhl/Erfurt Proof)
Front Sight 70
Rear Sight Leaf: 70
Sight Slider 70
Ejector Box 70
Trigger Sear 70
Front Barrel Band mm
Rear Barrel Band 70
Trigger Guard 8370
Trigger Guard Screws 70,70
Floor Plate mm
Follower 70
Stock 8370
Handguard mm
Buttplate 8370 b
Bayonet Lug 70
Cleaning Rod: unnumbered
Bolt body: 8370b
Safety: 70
Cocking Piece: 70
Bolt shroud: 70
Firing Pin: 70
Extractor 70

 

[chrisftk]

Additional pics- note the internal view of the damage.

 

[joryfreeburg]

The battle damage is really neat. Nice VCS…. I believe you inferred to me once that any mostly matching VCS is a tough find.

 

[feldmütze]

That's a good, honest gewehr. I'm inclined to also think battle damage, a neat plus....

 

[mauser1908]

I think this is a wonderful rifle, Chis! Great closet fresh look, I think the m/m handguard confirms it was a shrapnel strike, it would have obliterated the original.

 

[chrisftk]

The battle damage is really neat. Nice VCS…. I believe you inferred to me once that any mostly matching VCS is a tough find.

Thanks Jory-- any matching bolt and stock Suhl is worth having. VCS seems to be the most frequently occuring of the Consortium, which is counter-intuitive given that they were the smallest of the three firms.

That's a good, honest gewehr. I'm inclined to also think battle damage, a neat plus....

I think this is a wonderful rifle, Chis! Great closet fresh look, I think the m/m handguard confirms it was a shrapnel strike, it would have obliterated the original.

Thanks Mike and Sam. I think the handguard replacement is a good observation. Whatever hit the rifle probably blew the old one off. I have a Gew 91 with similar damage. The barrel shroud on it has a significant ding too.

 

[OnlyMil]

I feel sorry for the poor sap who was carrying it. If it is shrapnel damage, I'm sure more than just 1 piece headed in his direction. Thanks for sharing Chris! The small "B" and internal view of the stock damage is an added bonus over the original listing photos.

 

[chrisftk]

I feel sorry for the poor sap who was carrying it. If it is shrapnel damage, I'm sure more than just 1 piece headed in his direction. Thanks for sharing Chris! The small "B" and internal view of the stock damage is an added bonus over the original listing photos.

Yeah, he probably had a bad day, unless he wasn't holding it. It's a bit grim when you look beyond the rifle and imagine what happened to the guy holding it.

 

[Fal Grunt]

Excellent find! Thanks for sharing!

 

[mnmk98]

Really nice find , on my list to to find one like yours, thanks

 

[PrayingMantis]

Nice score, Chris. It's in the reference!