Third Party Press

Deciphering Unit Marks

PrayingMantis

PrayingMantis

Senior Member
This topic comes up often, so i thought i would put together a brief introductory guide. This post will pertain to Gewehr 98s only, in time i will add posts for other models.

Though valued for their ability to track the history of a weapon, unit marks are simply inventory numbers, stamped to show which unit was issued the weapon. On early Gewehr 98s unit marks will be found on the stock disk. Very rarely, late style Gewehr 98s will feature a unit mark on the takedown lug in the stock. There are many variations for different unit types, but they follow a consistent pattern: unit number; unit number type; company number within regiment or machine gun company; weapon number within company. If there is a battalion number, it will usually come before the regimental or AmeeKorps number; this is mainly encountered with Pioneer Battalions. Reserve units will feature an italic R next to the type, except for infantry which will only have an italic R. Bavarian units will have a B in front of the type. Here is a list of the most common abbreviations with examples (if the weapon was posted here in detail the photo will be a link to the thread). At every chance, i have tried to use both the German wordage and the English translation.

Infantry.jpg
R - Infanterie Regiment / Infantry Regiment
122.R.5.109. - Infantry Regiment 122, 5th Company, 109th Weapon (Chris/Chrisftk Collection)

Reserve Infantry.jpg
R - Reserve
59.R.6.128. - 59th Reserve Infantry Regiment, 6th Company, 128th Weapon. (Cyrus/PrayingMantis Collection)

Jager.jpg
J - Jaeger
4.J.4.220 - Jaeger Battalion 4, 4th Company, 220th Weapon (Chris/Chrisftk Collection)

Pioneer.jpeg
P - Pioniere / Pioneer
21.P.1.155 - Pioneer Battalion 21, 1st Company, 155th Weapon (Cyrus/PrayingMantis Collection)

Guard Reserve Infantry.jpg
G - Garde / Guard
3.G.R.8.153. - Guard Reserve Regiment 3, 8th Company, 153rd Weapon (Sam/Mauser1908 Collection)

Grenadier Guards.jpg
GG - Garde Grenadier / Guard Grenadier
4.G.G.R.3.136. - Guard Grenadier Reserve Regiment 4, 3rd Company, 136th Weapon (PrayingMantis Collection)

Guard Schutze.jpg
GS - Garde Schutzen / Guard Rifleman
G.S.2.55 - Guard Rifleman Battalion, 2nd Company, 55th Weapon (Sam/Mauser1908 Collection)

East Asian.jpeg
O - Oastasiatisches / East Asian
O. 158. - East Asian (Unfinished unit type) 158th Weapon (Cyrus/PrayingMantis Collection

Bavarian unit mark.jpeg
B - Bayerisches / Bavarian
B.15.R.7.34. - Bavarian Infantry Regiment 15, 7th Company, 34th Weapon (Cyrus/PrayingMantis Collection)


MGK GEW 98 a2.JPG
MG - Maschinengewehr Kompanie / Machine Gun Company
B.22.R.MG.1 - Bavarian Infantry Regiment 22, Machine Gun Company, 1st Weapon (Jeff Noll Collection)


Unit marks show up very frequently on pre-1907 Gewehrs. After all standing units and reserve formations received rifles, many newly produced were left unmarked, presumably to be issued and marked as needed.
 

Attachments

  • Bavarian unit mark.jpeg
    Bavarian unit mark.jpeg
    196.7 KB · Views: 7
  • Guard Schutze.jpg
    Guard Schutze.jpg
    275.7 KB · Views: 7
  • Guard Schutze.jpg
    Guard Schutze.jpg
    150.6 KB · Views: 5
  • Jager.jpg
    Jager.jpg
    94.4 KB · Views: 5
  • Pioneer.jpeg
    Pioneer.jpeg
    561.9 KB · Views: 5
Last edited:
Naval Gewehrs have vastly different unit markings compared to army issued Gews. Markings will give the unit, as with army, but do not feature company numbers while weapon numbers can go into the four digits. Dockyard markings will have an abbreviation denoting location. Battalions and divisions will use Roman numerals. (A more complete list can be found here: https://www.k98kforum.com/threads/research-project-gew98-navy-contracts.43311/)

Matrosen.jpg
M D - Matrosen Division / Riflemen Sailors Division
I.M.D. 2336 - 1st Matrosen Division, 2336th Weapon (Chris/Chrisftk Collection)

Seebataillon.jpg
S B - Seebataillon / Infantry Sea Battalion
III.S.B.2.199. - Third Sea Battalion, 2nd Company, 199th Weapon (BATANGUENO Collection)

Werft.jpeg
W - Werft / Dockyard
W.D.1072. - Werft zu Danzig, 1072nd Weapon (Marc/cj556 Collection)

Mine Laying.jpg
V M A - Verlegung Minen Abteilung / Mine Laying Detachment
V.MA. 302. - Mine Laying Detachment, 302nd Weapon (Jordan/Warrior1354 Collection)
 
Last edited:
When war broke out in 1914 and the German military mobilized many Gewehr 98s were shifted around to meet the needs of the expanded army. Some were sent to arm newly raised units and had their disks marked for the first time, while others were transferred from one unit to another. In this case, disks were flipped and some were marked to the new unit on the previously blank side, though others were not and disks were left blank. Shortly into the war a new unit type marking convention emerged that used J for Infantry and did away with the italic R for Reserve. Wartime unit marks are notoriously less consistent: Ks were sometimes added to denote company, and Es for Ersatz Replacement Battalions are occasionally observed.

Wartime Raised Regiment.jpg
Reserve Regiment Raised in 1914 and marked in the old convention
244.R.4.56. - Reserve Infantry Regiment 244, 4th Company, 56th Weapon (Marc/cj556 Collection)

Cancelled.jpg
Cancelled unit mark (Chris/Chrisftk Collection)

Wartime Infantry.jpg
J R - Infantry Regiment Wartime
J.R.605.5.K.255 - Infantry Regiment 605, 5th Company, 255th Weapon (Chris/Chrisftk Collection)

Wartime Infantry.jpg
J. R. - Infantry Regiment Wartime marked on Takedown Lug
J.R.146.10.K. - Infantry Regiment 146, 10th Company (Josh/motojosh Collection)

Wartime Reserve Infantry.jpg
R J R - Wartime Reserve Infantry Regiment
R.J.R.245.5.19 - Reserve Infantry Regiment 245, 5th Company, 19th Weapon (Chris/Chrisftk Collection)

Ersatz.jpg
E - Ersatz
2.E.55.2.K.564. - Regiment 55, 2nd Ersatz Battalion, 2nd Company, 564 Weapon (Chris/Chrisftk Collection)
 

Attachments

  • Wartime Infantry.jpg
    Wartime Infantry.jpg
    50.6 KB · Views: 49
Last edited:
Colonial Gewehr and Karabiner unit markings denote which overseas territory possessed the weapon. The format is not unlike Naval markings, but the abbreviations are greatly different. A full list can be found here: https://www.k98kforum.com/threads/firearms-of-imperial-german-overseas-forces.39183/
(my translations may be off on some of these, please message me with corrections)

Colonial KS.jpg
K S - Kaiserliche Schutztruppe Deutsch-Südwestafrika / Defense Force of German Southwest Africa
K.S.10784. - Kaiserliche Schutztruppe DSWA, 10784th Weapon (MWC/MichaelWC collection)

Colonial LP.jpg
L P - Landespolizei Deutsch-Südwestafrika / Police of German Southeast Africa
L.P.200. S - Landespolizei, 200th Weapon (MWC/MichaelWC collection)

Colonial Sch A.jpg
Sch. A. - Schutzpolizei Anhalt-Scheinwerfer-Abteilung / Defence Force Searchlight Detachment
Sch. A. 11 - . Defense Force Searchlight Detachment, 11th Weapon (Private Collection)

Colonial Kar Sch DOA.jpg
Sch D O A - Schutztruppe Deutsch Ost-Afrika / Defense Force German East Africa
Sch.D.O.A.487. - Defense Force German East Africa, 487th Weapon (Private Collection)

Colonial Kar Sch K.jpg
Sch K - Schutztruppe Kamerun / Defense Force Cameroon
Sch.K.835 - Defense Force Cameroon, 835th Weapon (Private Collection)

Colonial Kar FP.jpg
F P - Fuhrpark-Kolonne / Vehicle Fleet Column of the Schutztruppe of South West Africa
5.F.P.4.51. - Vehicle Fleet Column 5, 4th Company, 51st Weapon (Private Collection)
 

Attachments

  • Colonial Kar Sch K.jpg
    Colonial Kar Sch K.jpg
    31.1 KB · Views: 2
Last edited:
Unit marks on Karabiner 98 are located on the buttplate tang. They follow the same general pattern as prewar Gewehr 98 markings, but have different unit types, mostly mounted, but some specialized, like telegraph troops

Kar Dragoon.JPG
D - Dragoner / Dragoon
18.D. - Dragoon Regiment 18 (pzjgr Collection)

Uhlan.jpg
U - Ulanen / Uhlan
14.U.5.76. - Uhlan Regiment 14, 5th Squadron, 76th Weapon (Marc/cj556 Collection)


H - Husaren / Hussar


K - Kurassier / Cuirassier

Munitions Column.jpeg
M - Munitions Column
R.A.M.2.57 - Reserve Artillery Munitions Column 2, 57th Weapon (Matt/37thDivOhio Collection)

Unlike infantry unit marks, Bavarian cavalry are substantially different than Prussia, as Bavarians had different names for their mounted troops.

Bavarian Schweres Reiter.jpg
s R - schweres Reiter / Heavy Cavalry
B.2.s.R.3.3 - Bavarian Heavy Cavalry Regiment 2, 3rd Squadron, 3rd Weapon (Chris/Chrisftk Collection)

Chv - Chevauleger

As with Gewehr 98 unit marks, Karabiner unit marks changed to the new convention sometime after the war began. During the course the war, use of the Karabiner 98 expanded past mounted and specialized troops. Wartime unit marks include flieger troops, assault formations, and machine gun crews in infantry regiments.

Wartime Hussar.jpg
H - Husaren / Hussar
R.H.R.7. - Reserve Hussar Regiment 7 (Jordan/Warrior1354 Collection)

MG Kar.jpg
MG - Machine Gun Company, stamped on the flat of the buttplate
1.M.G.19. - Regiment or Battalion 1, Machine Gun Company, 19th Weapon (Chris/Chrisftk Collection)
 

Attachments

  • Munitions Column.jpeg
    Munitions Column.jpeg
    64.9 KB · Views: 10
  • Hussar.jpg
    Hussar.jpg
    67 KB · Views: 3
Last edited:
Cyrus, thank you for putting all this compilation work in one thread, it is appreciated!

Unit markings have generally been an enigma for me and this puts a great guide all in one place. I instantly bookmarked this thread lol.
 
OnlyMil said:
Cyrus, thank you for putting all this compilation work in one thread, it is appreciated!

Unit markings have generally been an enigma for me and this puts a great guide all in one place. I instantly bookmarked this thread lol.
Click to expand...
Check the new sticky thread too for some more resources on this topic.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Military Rifle Journal
Back
Top