KAR 88 short rifle finish

[damiencain]

Ok so I am doing some research on the kar 88 short rifle or carbine or musketoon or whatever designation you are comfortable with. I am trying to figure out the finishes on the original rifles. I know the bolt and receiver were polished bright. The bolt release also polished. The barrel shroud and trigger guard were blued along with the front and rear bands. Now were all the screws fire blued? And as far as the butt plate was it polished or blued? I have the book on the gew and kar 88 but it doesn't mention the finish. Some of the pics show a blued butt plate. Some indicate polished. Can anyone shed some light on this? I know it isn't a mauser so if it needs to be moved to a different part of the forum I understand. Thanks in advance!

 

[WaPrüf2]

Buttplate in the white. Screws blued. Applies to G88, G91 and K88 mil spec, not civilian.

 

[damiencain]

outstanding!

Thank you sir! Oh were the screws blued or fire blued? Appreciate the fast response. .

 

[WaPrüf2]

Thank you sir! Oh were the screws blued or fire blued? Appreciate the fast response. .

See previous reply.

 

[damiencain]

Ahhh ok

Given the types of bluing available at the time wasn't sure if "blued" was more specific or generic. Understood. Thanks again!

 

[Loewe]

BobT offered his observation on bluing for the Modell88's (I think it is worth posting here):

The barrel jacket and magazine box/triggerguard assemblies were rust blued. The barrel bands* and the bolt stop were a heat blue (niter or charcoal; something of that family). The buttplate, cleaning rod, and all of the action (except bolt stop and mag box) were in the white. The front sight blade, rear sight parts, and the guard screws were blued, but I’m not sure how, and I think the rear swivel plate was also in the white (but don’t quote me). Bob

* I’m certain the upper band/nosecap of the K88 and G91 were heat blued, but less certain about the lower bands on any model or the upper band of the G88.


After considering comments made, BobT wanted to adjust his original thoughts (080215):

I would revise my comments on metal finish on the 1888 family to read thus

“The barrel jacket and magazine box/triggerguard assemblies were rust blued. The upper band/nosecap and lower band of the K88 and G91 were at least occasionally heat blued (probably of the charcoal blue or carbona family). I don’t have enough evidence on the G88 to offer much help here. The buttplate, cleaning rod, and all of the action (except bolt stop and mag box) were in the white. The front sight blade, rear sight parts, and the guard screws were blued, but I’m not sure how, and I think the rear swivel plate was also in the white. ”


A couple of additional remarks on metal finish: (a) rust blue generally wears better than the heat blues, and even when a rust blue finish is largely gone a dark toning of the metal and a matte surface will suggest its original presence, and (b.) there was a tendency I think in the U.S. and German armed forces when overhauling small arms pre-1914 to rust blue components which had originally had heat blues. Just about anyone can do a rust blue; the heat finishes are trickier in a number of ways. Bob

 

[WaPrüf2]

BobT offered his observation on bluing for the Modell88's (I think it is worth posting here):

The barrel jacket and magazine box/triggerguard assemblies were rust blued. The barrel bands* and the bolt stop were a heat blue (niter or charcoal; something of that family). The buttplate, cleaning rod, and all of the action (except bolt stop and mag box) were in the white. The front sight blade, rear sight parts, and the guard screws were blued, but I’m not sure how, and I think the rear swivel plate was also in the white (but don’t quote me). Bob

* I’m certain the upper band/nosecap of the K88 and G91 were heat blued, but less certain about the lower bands on any model or the upper band of the G88.

I just checked 20 assorted military K88s, G91s, ZK88s and Gendarmerie K88s in a minimum of 90% finish. In only one or two cases did I find any evidence of heat blued nosecaps. It wouldn't surprise me if the bluing process varied from maker to maker and/or over time with these. That said, I have seen commercial K88s with nosecaps, bands and mag screws fireblued and bolt stops strawed.

Maybe one of our Germany-based members can find the finish specs.

 

[Loewe]

Good information WaPrüf2, this is why I wanted to post it, to hear observations and thoughts, - hopefully Bob or one of our German-Austrian collectors have further observations.

 

[damiencain]

phenomenal!

I buy gew 88 rifles from time to time and they range from tomato stakes to decent but poorly refinished. I came into possession of a very poor looking kar 88 with a mint bore oddly enough. I wanted to bring it back to its original glory and maybe run some light handloads through it. I also wanted to make it as close to original as I could. The metal was coated in rust, there were pits in the barrel shroud, pitting and general roughness on the bolt and the butt plate was scratched and rusted. Plus the stock was sanded to where the plate was 1/8 proud of the stock itself. But all the numbers matched. So the dilemma was leave it as is to rust away, try to clean the rust off but live with the pitting, or clean it up and make it something presentable. I know opinions will differ some stating I am ruining the originality and others saying nice job. I am not gonna comment either way really but the information gleaned off the replies was greatly appreciated! Will post pics in a bit..

 

[damiencain]

a few pics..

Comments (and criticism) welcome..The barrel bands, barrel shroud and trigger guard were bead blasted, polished and rust blued. The receiver, bolt stop and bolt parts were bead blasted and polished, the butt plate was cut to fit the stock properly and polished as well. Trying to find pictures of before. Like day and night. I was going to fire blue the screws but decided to rust blue them too. I cleaned the stock and sharpened some of the rounded off features on it as best I could. Most all of the original stamps had been sanded away years ago. The barrel shroud was pitted quite badly at the wood line so I minimized the appearance of the pits. Never planning on selling it, but if I ever do (or if my girls do assuming I am not here anymore), will most definitely let the buyer know it was refinished. Gonna work up some light handloads for it as I was finally able to get the repro ammo packet to work properly..

 

[Loewe]

DC, Thanks for taking the time to add pictures.

I also added some revisions to BobT's earlier comments, - rather than add them to a new post, I kept them with his original comments so that it would be easier to compared his new thoughts with his earlier ones. Bob and Joe Steen had studied these much longer than I have, and know more about finishing process also, so these comments, and CB's, are especially important to collecting the M88's.

I am thinking of making a sticky thread for G/K88 and G91 topics, where all the important M88 threads can be easily found, - So as to keep the top clutter free, I will unstick my Gewehr98.com thread.