Hi, someone is offering me an original German W.W.1 13mm anti-tank rifle. The complete bolt is missing from the rifle and I was wondering if someone would have a spare one or would know where I could find one.
Regards, juno-44 :confused:
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Hi, someone is offering me an original German W.W.1 13mm anti-tank rifle. The complete bolt is missing from the rifle and I was wondering if someone would have a spare one or would know where I could find one.
Regards, juno-44 :confused:
Your chances of finding a bolt are zilch / 5/8 of F.A. / less than a snowball's chance in hell / etc. However you phrase it - the message is clear. The Germans deliberately threw away the bolts when these rifles were captured, to prevent them being used by the enemy. There are no spares.
I have the bolt you are looking for. It is $ 10,000. The serial number matching rifle to go with it is free with bolt purchase.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RCEMERalf
If only I lived on the same continent and had the money.... I have one of the shortest and one of the oldest types of Mauser.... Obviously I need one of the largest as well.
You will likley have to get one made for you. Bolts were forged and I'm not sure who would be willing to do the job.
Advertise on things like GunBoards, and keep an eye on the German sites and such. Hermann Historica had the pieces of a bolt a couple of auctions ago as memory serves me. My T-Gewehr has the original bolt with it.
Depending on how much the fellow is asking for his T-Gewehr, it would still be worthwhile picking it up, as they are very rare nowadays. They were large and heavy and therefore not popular to bring back as war booty (hmmm, trench mortar, T-Gewehr, or Luger, which should I put in my kit bag?)
If you wish to have one roughly made up to put in the rifle, I can take exact measurements of mine for fabrication. It would be hellishly expensive to make a functioning one, though, but since no one in his or her right mind would actually want to fire one of these things, even if you could get the ammunition, it's probably somewhat moot. I've seen footage of these in action--they were crewed by two, one ammo carrier and one shooter. They would switch off after a couple/few shots, as the recoil could break collar bones, and the concussion left bleeding noses and eardrums. Bigger is not necessarily better!
Cheers
Ed
Is the ammo ever sold? I would guess the collectors have the stuff, but I can't recall it ever being sold.
I have one only cartridge that was GIVEN to me some years ago, by an old soldier from the same regiment I was in. That's as close as I've come.
Quote:
Originally Posted by boltaction
I once saw a T-Gewehr for sale in a magazine, and actually spoke to the seller. He was a old collector and said that he had never fired it himself, but had found a younger shooter who was willing to try. This lad told him it was a "once in a lifetime experience" - once being enough experience to last a lifetime!
Why would the Mauser be so awe inspiring .... compared with other (Russian, Brit etc.) anti-tank rifles?
Comparitive rarity, and originality in my mind...
I realize the rarity issue. But I meant the general fear of shooting the thing. The other T-rifles should have about the same charge behind the projectile.
Patrick, I think you will find that later anti-tank rifles all had muzzle brakes, shoulder pads, recoil absorber springs etc, making them a lot more bearable to shoot. The T-Gewehr was a brute-force solution, one could call it a monstrosity, being basically a scaled-up Gew.98 without any consideration for the non-scaled up skeleton of the shooter!
It was the first of its kind, and it is huge. I have a later German piece, the PzB39, and had a chance at a Boyes but missed the chance (dammit), and have also owned the Russian PTRS semi auto AT rifle. I wouldn't really want to shoot any of them, but of the group, I would want to shoot the Mauser T-Gewehr the least. The others do have muzzle brakes, shoulder pads, some recoil reducing features, etc, while the T-Gewehr is just a MONSTER 98. I saw a video of one being fired, and the fellow doing the shooting moves back, with the rifle, about 3 feet through the dirt..........
Having said that, very cool rifle!
Ed
Some photos
Next to me--I'm 5'8" tall
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...Nexttome-1.jpg
Next to a standard WWI G98
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...serinfan-1.jpg
Receiver next to my hand
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...Receiver-1.jpg
Chamber marking details
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...mberdate-1.jpg
Optimistic sighting graduations
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...duations-1.jpg
T-Gewehr bolt next to G98 bolt--face view
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...oG98bolt-1.jpg
T-Gewehr bolt next to G98 bolt--side view
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...oG98bolt-1.jpg
T-Gewehr bolt next to G98 bolt--top view
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...8bolttop-1.jpg
Ed
Attachment 39235Attachment 39234The original US 50 cal cartridge also had a rim like the 13mm Mauser, that was soon changed as the Browning 50 cal M1919 m/g was being developed after WW1.
Photo shows three WW2 cartridges: 55 Boys, 50 cal Browning and 12.7mm Russian
Some collectors/shooters have made 13mm Mauser cartridges to shoot in their rifles
After WWI the US Army gave away plies of heavy German MG's etc to the VFW Posts. I think lots of these in private collections have a VFW connection.
Considering that ear protection was not in general use at the time ... I´d definitely shoot it. Don´t think I could live with it without having shot it. If apprehensive, you could always start off with a weaker load and progress from there.
Quote:
Originally Posted by villiers
One shoulder-saving answer would be to turn up a case or two from solid brass (like the Samereier cases for reduced loads), leaving a powder space more like that of a 45-70 or 50-70, and then in effect load it as if it was a 50-70 with a nitro load. Going a bit further, the large mass of the rifle ought to make it feasible to shoot something equivalent to a 50 caliber 3" Nitro Express without too much personal strain!
A sub cal round...that would work extremely well...
Now that would be a fun thing to try--machine a round, make a .303 chamber in it, and fire something smaller. That would sure raise some eyebrows at the range if one showed up with that and set up! :lol: :p Maybe even a .22!
I think .22 would be harder than a full size cartridge. I'd use something in a common cartridge, maybe a large winchester caliber that's available in brass at least, and cast bullets. Even a gas check bullet maybe. That way the bullet would engage the barrel and you don't need a long chamber adapter. Just cartridge length...and a reamer for the adapter. It could be done.
Nice gun Ed!
A VERY sad image...Quote:
Originally Posted by MG1918
Just for interest, the machine gunner and anti tank rifleman (and sentry) would oftem wear the 'body armour' set.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...ea55531a-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...c1f8c8f0-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...46b3e933-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...d73b39c7-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...565f6468-1.jpg
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These armour sets come in at least 4 different patterns. This image is rather good with armour lying in the trench!
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...1d9e6faf-1.jpg
I'm thinking the accuracy is going to be affected somewhat by that little "wow" in the barrel....:lol: Judging by the weight of the barrels on those T Gewehrs, that one must have either gotten run over by a tank, or else been too close to an artillery round. OUCH!
Ed
Juno-44 Have you fount a bolt? I maybe able to help you out! I have a few good contacts.
Volks.
Yes Volks I am looking for 2 13mm rifle bolts!!!!
Mark
[IMG]http://i795.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps65ad28d1.jpg[/IMG]
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[IMG]http://i795.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps91613ee1.jpg[/IMG]
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[IMG]http://i795.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps821f69ef.jpg[/IMG]
I see the rounds periodically, about once or twice a year. When I had a T-Gewehr I was neither brave enough nor wasteful enough to shoot it. The rounds usually go for $50-100 each.