Gewehr 71 1878 Amberg 43409

[PrayingMantis]

About a month after getting my first Gew 71, the nice 1878 Amberg marked to the 14th Bavarian Regiment, I find another. Not quite as nice, but still nice and since its 13 weapon numbers away from the first, I had to have it. Luckily no one else on Gun Broker was interested.

Only about 500 others made in between the first Gew 71 and this one. Almost all the parts on each gun have identical acceptance. I noticed a few things on this that make me want to get the other apart again; it has a VCS barrel and the brass part of the trigger guard has some sort of stylized logo. The only detraction aside from the missing rod is the mismatched screw that holds the bolt in. I think the washer is original, it has the same acceptance as the other, just no serial number. The left side of the butt and the comb has been slightly sanded, which sucks, however I'm willing to let it slide because the other side is fine.

 

[PrayingMantis]

The stock, mostly. And a few shots of the two together.

 

[PrayingMantis]

The bolt. Finally figured out how to get these things apart.

 

[Warrior1354]

A very nice example mantis, M71 Mausers this nice are tough too come by. Most I see at local shows or big shows are usually beat too hell or someone took that metal too a wire wheel. Another problem most of the barrels I find are a sewer pipes. People in the past just didn't know how too clean a black powder weapon or forgot about it.

Anyway its a very nice example and being so close too the another unit marked piece you have is even neater.

 

[UVF Gew.98]

That's really cool to find! And both in such good shape. I notice the short range leaf on both appears to be spring loaded?

I believe I have seen that feature before on an Amberg, but not present on my Amberg .

Thanks for the pictures - wonder if you will one day find another!?

 

[Loewe]

Remarkable find, really, - less than 500 apart and barely a dozen rifles separate the unit marking! That has to be the closest yet.. When and if you sell them, that will be a good selling point.

I noticed the VCS barrel also, Jon had mentioned the Consortium supplying barrels to Mauser before, - the only surprise for me is its VCS and not JPS, as JPS seems the firm most associated with barrels. The marking on the TG is interesting, looks like two Sütterlin letters, which ones is difficult to say, they vary in application (style) in almost all cases, the only consistency being by maker (consistent by maker, no consistency between makers.. it is a wonder how Germany became the second largest industrial power in the world when these were issued, their alphabet was impossible to read...)

It is good to get another "detailed" look at one of these, excellent post!

I added it to the database thread.

 

[PrayingMantis]

Thanks! I was sure amazed about finding the second, and so soon after the first. Another Gew 71 would be nice, I would settle for a B 14 R bayonet though!

Yes both short range leaves are spring loaded, but I never thought about. Could you post pictures of your Amberg to compare? how close is it serial number wise?

That's really cool to find! And both in such good shape. I notice the short range leaf on both appears to be spring loaded?

I believe I have seen that feature before on an Amberg, but not present on my Amberg .

Thanks for the pictures - wonder if you will one day find another!?

 

[PrayingMantis]

Thanks Paul, that has a lot of weight coming from you. I knew it was a great opportunity and a paid a little more for the second than I would have without the first. I am curious about the value for the set, with the muzzle cover on the first, mainly because I've never seen a group like this sell before.

I'm going to take the first one apart now and check the barrel for good measure. I think I would have noticed if something like a VCS or JPS was there, but I want to be 100% sure. I'll check the brass piece as well.

Remarkable find, really, - less than 500 apart and barely a dozen rifles separate the unit marking! That has to be the closest yet.. When and if you sell them, that will be a good selling point.

I noticed the VCS barrel also, Jon had mentioned the Consortium supplying barrels to Mauser before, - the only surprise for me is its VCS and not JPS, as JPS seems the firm most associated with barrels. The marking on the TG is interesting, looks like two Sütterlin letters, which ones is difficult to say, they vary in application (style) in almost all cases, the only consistency being by maker (consistent by maker, no consistency between makers.. it is a wonder how Germany became the second largest industrial power in the world when these were issued, their alphabet was impossible to read...)

 

[Loewe]

I see the other was JPS, which is good, it shows that this started much earlier than with the G88 and Mauser production. Storz (and Jon) mentioned this before, but I will have to hunt for the exact situation (who supplied barrels and to which variation - I think Storz even mentions this in the G98 Suhl Consortium section, making a remark about how the Consortium worked and using the K88 as an example, Jon mentioned the practice a number of times but I forget the context)

Of course to "trend" something like this is unlikely, too few disassemble at all and fewer still to this degree. For whatever reason, the 98k collectors are a more curious lot of collectors, Imperial collectors rarely disassemble, or at least photograph under the stock. Still good to know and better still seeing these two together!

http://www.k98kforum.com/showthread.php?21726-Amberg-1878-42938