Gew 98 Spandau 1916

[Honkey Tonk Devil]

Recently acquired this gorgeous rifle. Wanted one of these for sometime now just needed to find one at a reasonable price. Seems to be non import marked
Parts that don't match:
Stock 8981
Butt plate 8429
Ejector 08
Rear barrel band 47
Trigger housing 9665
Cleaning rod 37
However all these parts are imperial marked.
Overall pretty happy with this one. Seems to have been well taken care of all things considered. Bore is shiny. Slightly frosty and a bit dull.

Got lucky with the cleaning rod. The one that came with it wasn't the right one. Did not thread into the housing so I don't know where that came from. I got a Czech 98/22 and wanted to see if that rod fit. It did and it was imperial marked as well. So definitely lucked out there.

 

[chrisftk]

Nice wood on that one! Congrats on the pick up and thanks for posting it here.

 

[Honkey Tonk Devil]

Thanks. Yes the color of the stock gives off South American vibes.

 

[chrisftk]

Thanks. Yes the color of the stock gives off South American vibes.

That stock could be the twin of my 16 Spandau.

 

[Honkey Tonk Devil]

No doubt, very similar.

 

[OzzMan]

Nice pick up. The Czechs ended up with a lot of German stuff post WWI. I’ve seen lots of imperial German parts on Czech 98/22s. From what I’ve gathered, they used up the German parts as they made rifles, then switched to ones they made.

 

[Honkey Tonk Devil]

Took it everything apart today, just thought I'd post the underside. Also took the stock disc out nothing on either side. Not even an imperial marking.

@OzzMan yes my 98/22 has several German imperial marked parts pretty interesting gun imo. It was one that was surplused to Turkey. Everything that is serialized matches minus the bolt and rear sight slider. Although bolt and slider are Czech marked parts.

 

[krukster86]

Recently acquired this gorgeous rifle. Wanted one of these for sometime now just needed to find one at a reasonable price. Seems to be non import marked
Parts that don't match:
Stock 8981
Butt plate 8429
Ejector 08
Rear barrel band 47
Trigger housing 9665
Cleaning rod 37
However all these parts are imperial marked.
Overall pretty happy with this one. Seems to have been well taken care of all things considered. Bore is shiny. Slightly frosty and a bit dull.

Got lucky with the cleaning rod. The one that came with it wasn't the right one. Did not thread into the housing so I don't know where that came from. I got a Czech 98/22 and wanted to see if that rod fit. It did and it was imperial marked as well. So definitely lucked out there.

I’m a sucker for nice sharp stock proofs! Excellent rifle!

 

[Loewe]

Took it everything apart today, just thought I'd post the underside. Also took the stock disc out nothing on either side. Not even an imperial marking.

@OzzMan yes my 98/22 has several German imperial marked parts pretty interesting gun imo. It was one that was surplused to Turkey. Everything that is serialized matches minus the bolt and rear sight slider. Although bolt and slider are Czech marked parts.

The barrel code would be in front of the rearsight; looks like someone tried to remove the barrel but thankfully stopped. The stock screams WMO to me, I am 90% sure this is off a wartime WMO. Show the right receiver? (acceptance)

 

[9XXD]

Nice looking

 

[Honkey Tonk Devil]

The barrel code would be in front of the rearsight; looks like someone tried to remove the barrel but thankfully stopped. The stock screams WMO to me, I am 90% sure this is off a wartime WMO. Show the right receiver? (acceptance)

 

[Honkey Tonk Devil]

Being slightly more educated now vs when I got this. I'm sure someone scrubbed the front band and renumbered it. The blueing is completely missing from one side. Just not sure why they would have bothered. Beings they didn't remember the rear band (47). The bayonet lug looks like it has also "recently" been put on this stock. The bayonet lug and butt stock plate match. Nothing matches the stock.
I can only guess the front band and trigger guard use to match. They appear to interwar period Simpson made. They have eagle over 6 proofs.
Any thoughts are appreciated.

 

[garrom_56]

Being slightly more educated now vs when I got this. I'm sure someone scrubbed the front band and renumbered it. The blueing is completely missing from one side. Just not sure why they would have bothered. Beings they didn't remember the rear band (47). The bayonet lug looks like it has also "recently" been put on this stock. The bayonet lug and butt stock plate match. Nothing matches the stock.
I can only guess the front band and trigger guard use to match. They appear to interwar period Simpson made. They have eagle over 6 proofs.
Any thoughts are appreciated.

the same thing happened with my '16 simson I'm pretty sure

 

[Loewe]

Amazing! You found the barrel code in front of the rearsight all on your own (not meant condescendingly!); some can;t find it with a map and takes three or four emails... but in fairness, Reisels crew (as good as they are detailing their wares) can't manage this 10% of the time and they are great on detailing rifles they sell.

Spandau marked barrels in the normal location (near the receiver) through the end of 1915, and took this rather unique practice early in 1916 (not for sure exactly when, but early 1916 - or damn near the last days of 1915). This practice started with the Berlin firms (DWM too) but bled irregularly to assemblers late, probably due to Spandau's influence. To say more I'd have to familiarize with other trends research sheets.

Anyway the blank of you barrel was from Krupp and they are the most common recorded, though Spandau used Bohler too just less common. Can't say how common really as it rare people show the BC when they moved FRS in early 1916.

*** if you can't have factory original parts getting "stuck" with Simson parts are the next best thing as they are easy to use as trade bait!

 

[Honkey Tonk Devil]

Well in fairness you did tell me where to find it...
Thanks for all the info, much appreciated.
I now have volume 1 of the karabiner books on the way so I can educate myself better.

 

[Cyrano4747]

Well in fairness you did tell me where to find it...
Thanks for all the info, much appreciated.
I now have volume 1 of the karabiner books on the way so I can educate myself better.

The Karabiner books are great, but if you really want to dig in on Imperial era weapons you need Dieter Storz's books. There are three of them:

German Military Rifles: From the Werder Rifle to the m/71.84 Rifle
German Military Rifles: 88 and 91 Firearms
M98 Rifle and Carbine: M98 Firearms of the German Army form 1898 to 1918

Obviously if you're just into Gew98s the last one is the only one you need, but all three are excellent. If you pick those up plus the three volumes of Karabiner 98k you've more or less got a complete history of German bolt action rifles.

 

[Jdt]

The Karabiner books are great, but if you really want to dig in on Imperial era weapons you need Dieter Storz's books. There are three of them:

German Military Rifles: From the Werder Rifle to the m/71.84 Rifle
German Military Rifles: 88 and 91 Firearms
M98 Rifle and Carbine: M98 Firearms of the German Army form 1898 to 1918

Obviously if you're just into Gew98s the last one is the only one you need, but all three are excellent. If you pick those up plus the three volumes of Karabiner 98k you've more or less got a complete history of German bolt action rifles.

I need to get me those, are you or anyone else aware of new books being written? I remember seeing something called "desperate measures" being in the works and a book being for the pre 1920's Gewehr 98 rifles.

 

[Loewe]

The Karabiner books are great, but if you really want to dig in on Imperial era weapons you need Dieter Storz's books. There are three of them:

German Military Rifles: From the Werder Rifle to the m/71.84 Rifle
German Military Rifles: 88 and 91 Firearms
M98 Rifle and Carbine: M98 Firearms of the German Army form 1898 to 1918

Obviously if you're just into Gew98s the last one is the only one you need, but all three are excellent. If you pick those up plus the three volumes of Karabiner 98k you've more or less got a complete history of German bolt action rifles.

I agree, even if only a peripheral interest exist all can illuminate a better understanding; these add context to the evolution (continuity) and main players.

 

[Loewe]

I need to get me those, are you or anyone else aware of new books being written? I remember seeing something called "desperate measures" being in the works and a book being for the pre 1920's Gewehr 98 rifles.

I think Darrin Weaver was working on a project recently, probably done already if so, and Sam Newland was working on a Steyr book, but like usual I lost touch with him a year or two back.