Hoping to find more information on my Gewehr 98

[Cheesybox]

I bought this rifle from a friend of mine on my 18th birthday and I've been trying to find some more information on it but most of what I found were on the 98k, not the Gewehr 98. So hoping you all can help me out.

Rifle is a 1917 Gewehr 98, made in Oberndorf, Germany. "Waffenfabrik Mauser A.-G. Oberndorf A/N 1917" is stamped on the top of the receiver. All serials I could find (barrel, reciever, and floorplate) all match (8548). There's a single S stamped just behind the rear sight on the barrel/reciever. Gew 98 is stamped on the reciever near the bolt in a gothic font.

If anyone needs any more info on it, let me know. And thanks in advance for any help

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Sarge]

Weelll -- You are not going to get any answers till you tell us what you want to know!
You've ID'd the rifle so what more do you want???
You don't say whether the bolt matches or not. The stock, trigger guard and bbl bands should also be numbered.
The S indicates it is chambered for the spitzer bullet if I remember correctly.
Sarge

[m4a3sherman]

Also, the best thing to do is to post pictures! They will show us less obvious things about the piece and allow us to spot things you might have missed. Some areas to focus on: The receiver, the receiver ring, the butt stock, the rear sight, bolt, yadda yadda yadda... Posting pictures is the best way to go. Also though, as said before, tell us what you want to know.

[Cheesybox]

Well I guess I'd like to find out more about this rifle's history, like where traveled in it's 94 years before finally coming to rest in my house. I'm guessing it's never seen combat based on it's condition so I'm not sure how much of it's history is "sat around with a bunch of other Gewehrs in an armory" but still. I'll post some pictures of it tomorrow, too tired from work to want to take some right this minute :P

[m4a3sherman]

In my experience, which I will admit is fairly limited, very very few Gewehr 98s sat around for 94 years in arsenals through two world wars and countless other small conflicts. If its in great shape, it could have been recycled into service in the Second World War and arsenal reconditioned where it could have seen service or remained in rear echelon units or countless other duties. It could be that as it was made rather late, it could have been captured shortly after it was completed and sent home with some vet where it lived until working its way to you. I have a remarkably nice Kar98a made in 1917 which would appear to be a bring back that survived just like that. Another thing to consider is that for nearly all soldiers, your rifle was supposed to be an extension of your person and kept as clean and functional as possible; if you think the army now is tough on soldiers maintaining their weapons, imagine how it might have been during the Imperial ages leading up to WWI! Apart from those involved in serious conflict, most weapons from WWI either seem to survive mostly unscathed or completely toast, though there are plenty of rifles in the middle row as well. At any rate, pictures are the best remedy for all questions! Looking forward to it

[Cheesybox]

These are some quick ones I took. Just an overall view, open bolt, and the top of the receiver. Took these on my cell so the quality isn't great but can get some higher quality ones if need be.

[Calif-Steve]

The Germans left the receivers in the "white". Not blued and this appears blued. Re-built by somebody, but you have the WWI rear sights. Nice find, good for you.

[m4a3sherman]

Actually, I thought the later Gewehr 98s had blued receivers... but I could be wrong. I cannot for the life of me remember where I had read that so I guess it counts for only speculation. I know that in the case of Kar98a's, if the bolt is blued it was reworked and likely by the Germans during the rearming of the middle 1930's.

[Sarge]

Nope, NO WW 1 rear sight! That is the K98k style rear sight - which is indicated by the S stamped on the bbl behind it.
I would bet that it is an early/mid 30s rebarrel, If so it will have something like S/42K stamped on the rear sight sleve & sight parts and similar markings on the bbl.
IF all matching and in VG+/Exc cond, That is a pretty desireable Gew 98 for to those who collect the between the wars Mauser variants.
Sarge

[Patrick Chadwick]

Nope, NO WW 1 rear sight! That is the K98k style rear sight - which is indicated by the S stamped on the bbl behind it.

I most respectfully disagree. The "S" (for Spitzgeschoss) was applied to those rifes that had their throat altered (from March 1903 onwards) or built as new with the altered throat to suit the 8x57IS cartridge. The S does not indicate that the K98k-style sight was fitted!

Later rifles, (e.g. post-WW1) made as new with the tangent sight familiar from the K98k, would not have needed the S marking. Arsenal upgrades or repairs may, of course, have had both. Please refer to Ball "Mauser Military Rifles of the World" for photo examples and Albrecht&Goetz "Handbuch Deutscher Waffenstempel" for the marking rules.

From the little I can see, that appears to be a perfectly normal (for a Gew.98) "Lange Vizier". However, the photo is not very good, and a better pic will establish it one way or the other.

Cheesybox, we really need better photos!


Patrick