Gewehr 98 Bolt Protector by Weissenburger

[PrayingMantis]

Metal Bolt Protector for the Gewehr 98 made by the firm Weissenburger & Company late in the war. It consists of two pieces and works so that it doesn’t interfere with the weapon’s operation. According to Storz, there were two million ordered, but it’s not clear how many may have been produced. Production started in late 1917, delayed due to a sheet metal shortage. These are certainly not common, but you do often see the stains on Gew stocks left by moisture trapped under the front part.

These go by a few names among collectors, Trench Cover, Dust Cover, Mud Cover, but Storz uses the term Bolt Protector.

Wanted to put up some photos showing the correct manufacturer markings and acceptance stamps. I fortunately ascertained recently that this one is indeed original.

 

[cj556]

Cyrus, I think this should be stickied for reference. Perhaps we can get other members to post repros for comparison? As I recall there was another maker pictured who made a different style of bolt cover. That was covered in Storz, it would be good to see one of those too if any members have one.

 

[chrisftk]

Cyrus, that one is wonderful! Good snag!

Here's a good example of the more recent repros for reference.

Dead giveaway is the copper/plum color on the bolt release and front piece. The back has the right contour though (earliest repros look better but have a round contour in the back.)

Sent from my moto g power using Tapatalk

 

[mauser1908]

Metal Bolt Protector for the Gewehr 98 made by the firm Weissenburger & Company late in the war. It consists of two pieces and works so that it doesn’t interfere with the weapon’s operation. According to Storz, there were two million ordered, but it’s not clear how many may have been produced. Production started in late 1917, delayed due to a sheet metal shortage. These are certainly not common, but you do often see the stains on Gew stocks left by moisture trapped under the front part.

These go by a few names among collectors, Trench Cover, Dust Cover, Mud Cover, but Storz uses the term Bolt Protector.

Wanted to put up some photos showing the correct manufacturer markings and acceptance stamps. I fortunately ascertained recently that this one is indeed original.

Great post, thanks for sharing!

 

[Loewe]

Cyrus's is definitely original... I have owned a couple and know from bad experience the differences (the hard way to gain experience, - one with the unwanted extra dubious "honor" paying for postage from Austria..)

Regarding a stickie, we can start one if someone wants to organize, start and maintenance it, the only thing is I would prefer to have a comprehensive thread (accessories in general) rather than multiple threads, as I want to limit the number stuckie thread so we do not have to scroll half the way down the page every visit. I intend to combine all the 88's into one also (much like with the 71's and 71/84's)

 

[Absolut]

Thank you for posting pictures of an original dust cover! These indeed are very rare, I only have one or two of them myself. Interestingly I however once got a Gew98 which still had the front part installed on the rifle - clearly for decades, since the wood under it was extremely light colored compared to the rest of the stock! I guess most of them were thrown away since they were obsolete, made sound during cycling the action and due to the size also quite unhandy with them in place.

 

[pwcosol]

Read this thread and recalled posting something in this regards some time ago. The second rifle pictured in the attached URL (post#4) from 2015 is a DWM 1916 with two-piece cover. When acquired it had a forward clip only attached, and impressions in the stock from being on there for a very long time. Note the impression on the side of the stock which looks oddly similar to the cut-out at the rear of the sliding breech cover, too. Interestingly, the Gew98 had a new commercial floorplate, spring, and follower in the mag box when I bought it. Could not understand why that entire assembly would have gone missing...unless perhaps there had been a trench mag at one time. So, when I got mine, it was a easy fix. The first Gew is a Amberg 1916 with the elusive Klinger cover...only the second example I ever saw...

https://www.k98kforum.com/showthread.php?18252-Mud-Cover-for-action-on-Gew98-Rifle

 

[Loewe]

AEF 1918 w/ partial cover (clamp)

 

[PrayingMantis]

Thank you for posting pictures of an original dust cover! These indeed are very rare, I only have one or two of them myself. Interestingly I however once got a Gew98 which still had the front part installed on the rifle - clearly for decades, since the wood under it was extremely light colored compared to the rest of the stock! I guess most of them were thrown away since they were obsolete, made sound during cycling the action and due to the size also quite unhandy with them in place.

Thanks! And this is a great point about the covers. I was speculating that there are so few in the US possibly because they came off when bolts were removed to “disarm” Gewehrs, yet you see some rifles with the front part with the rod. Pure speculation but it could be possible. Next I’m going to recheck all of my Gewehrs for stains on the sticks I may have missed!

 

[PrayingMantis]

Read this thread and recalled posting something in this regards some time ago. The second rifle pictured in the attached URL (post#4) from 2015 is a DWM 1916 with two-piece cover. When acquired it had a forward clip only attached, and impressions in the stock from being on there for a very long time. Note the impression on the side of the stock which looks oddly similar to the cut-out at the rear of the sliding breech cover, too. Interestingly, the Gew98 had a new commercial floorplate, spring, and follower in the mag box when I bought it. Could not understand why that entire assembly would have gone missing...unless perhaps there had been a trench mag at one time. So, when I got mine, it was a easy fix. The first Gew is a Amberg 1916 with the elusive Klinger cover...only the second example I ever saw...

https://www.k98kforum.com/showthread.php?18252-Mud-Cover-for-action-on-Gew98-Rifle

This is a great example of the other type of cover! Thanks for sharing. I’ll add it to the reference thread.

 

[PrayingMantis]

AEF 1918 w/ partial cover (clamp)

Awesome photo, Paul! Interesting to see that the pieces were sometimes separated even during the war.

By the way, I added this to the accessory section of the Imperial reference thread. Hopefully we can get done more examples of accessories to beef it up some.

 

[PJ1946]

Cover On my 1916 Simson Suhl - Part 1

Reading with interest the thread on covers. I thought I would add mine to the thread including some of the marks on the stock. The rifle is missing the cleaning rod but apart from that is completely matching from every number I could find on a tear down. And it is duffle cut under the band. Yes there is a story to this rifle. Brought back after WW1 and handed down Father to Son. Sold by the latest son to his friend the manager of a pawn shop to feed his habit. The manager knows the family and knew the rifle so story probably legit. Who knows... Anyway the little knob that captures the latch is missing but I remove the cover to shoot the rifle anyway so not worth messing with..Hope the markings and the marks on the stock can help as a reference. The rifle also had a muzzle protector I need to take some shots of that.

 

[PJ1946]

Cover 1916 Simson Suhl - Part 2

More pictures

 

[ebeeby]

Some years ago, I rolled the dice on a Gew98 on GB that had crap photos but appeared to be all matching and had a trench cover plus a bayonet and sling. The whole package. I was delighted to find it indeed all original and matching and that the trench cover was also right as rain. The stock had the "shadow" from the tench cover being on a very very long time. So apparently, some came back to the US aboard un-messed with Gew98s....

 

[Warrior1354]

Still one of my favorites in my collection and I got it from a good friend.