What's This Thing? G88? Please Tell Me Everything You Know... Thanks!

[Josh Smith]

Hello,

I got it in my head today that I wanted a Mauser. I went to a few gunstores and they all wanted around $400 to $600 for one. Nope. All had bent bolt handles, too, and I wanted a straight one, being a lefty and all.

So I saw this thing in my favorite gunstore. Said "Amberg 88" or some danged thing on it. It had been sitting there for the better part of the year.

The gunstore owner said he wanted to see it gone, and he'd make me a deal. It had rust in the bore but looked OK overall.

I called up a friend who knows some about these things, told me some of what to check for. I told the gunstore owner that I'd have to come back for it after doing some research as I didn't know if it would be a wall hanger or a shooter, though I do like a project.

He told me that I know how he dislikes old milsurps. I know... too much research to find their value. He also knows how I like a project and to make an offer. I told him I didn't feel right doing so because I'd likely insult him.

He said he was thinking 50 bucks.

Not to pass up a deal, I came back with "How about 25?"

"40."

"30."

"35."

"Sold!" says I. $37.50 out the door.

I got it home and pulled it apart. One dent, very little surface rust -- just one spot on what appeared to be a hood on the barrel. The barrel was pristine under that hood. I had been afraid maybe it was rusted through.

Happily, it was not.

I was pushing what looked like mud out of the barrel, and after liberal amounts of Fluid Film and bore brushes wrapped in steel wool, it started to shine.

Not the best bore I've ever seen, but far from the worst. I've seen worse bores on Mosin-Nagants shoot well.

Here are some pics:



G88 pictures by WabashShootist - Photobucket

Now, only a couple questions are of very great importance to me: What the bloody hell is a G88, and what ammo do I shoot from it? 7.92 Mauser? I wanna make noise!

Thanks,

Josh

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.

[m4a3sherman]

You have a Commission 88/05! They are fairly common, and it does shoot 8MM BUT I would only shoot new commercial ammo for it. The "05" comes from a modification made to Commission 1888 rifles to upgrade them to take stripper clips instead of en-bloc and to the new 8mm S bore. The original could not take the common 8MM mauser as we know and love it. Most all American 8mm loaded by winchester or remington or whatever is loaded down pressure to keep some one from shooting an original and blowing themselves up and suing. That is good for us because it is fairly common and safe to shoot but avoid any milsurp 8mm in an 88/05. Many of them have ended up in Turkey before coming here so look at your rear sight- it is in Farsi! There is a good bit more to discuss on these but it depends on what you want to know about it really. They are neat little rifles but if you want a Mauser then you might want to look else where- they are a Mannlicher design if I am not mistaken. Also, not the most beginner friendly either. HOWEVER for the price, it is a steal! I have seen them anywhere from $200 to maybe $300 depending on condition and such. I would have definitely paid that much for it and I already have one! I am sure someone will post on here with some loading information so follow that and you'll be safe. I shot mine with a very light handload that I use to test 8mm rifles.

Anyway, a cool piece and a superb price! I hope you enjoy.

[Calif-Steve]

Do you see any half-moon stamps on it? The Germans shipped thousands to Turkey in WWI. Nice find. You can safely shoot Remington/Winchester 8mm ammo all day long. Do stay away from European 8mm, just too hot for the rifle. Nice find, for sure.

[Josh Smith]

Thank you.

I just slugged it four times to be sure -- it seems that the lead comes out to 0.310" x 0.316", but it's tighter at the muzzle.

To be sure, I took a 0.310" bullet (I reload for the Mosin-Nagant) and it just barely rode the lands most of the way down, then dropped.

If I'm reading things right, the throat was opened up, but maybe not the barrel, and the 0.32x" bullet swages down safely.

Or, I could be wrong.

Do I need to find 0.318" bullets?

Thank you,

Josh

[jmoore]

0.318" bullets would be best. No sense pushing the old rifle to it's limits.

I like and own a few of these rifles but i don't know why, exactly. They handle well, but you will discover that the bolt handle is rather too far forward for easiest operation, especially running it from the left side. Mausers from 1889 onwards have the handle at the rear of the bolt, so they're easier for us to cycle.

As noted above, this rifle is not a Mauser. But it probably annoyed Mauser onto better designs right quick!

[villiers]

Amberg was the state arsenal in Bavaria. The 88 rifle (`88´ because it was introduced in 1888) was designed by a Prussian `commission´ and was, at first, unreliable and very unpopular. Later replaced by the Mauser in WWI (some 88´s were used by rear echelons).

[jmoore]

Why unreliable? I seem to remember reading about some contemporary controversy, but the details escape me...Ummm. firing the weapon without the bolthead installed, loose barrel jackets, burst barrels and poorly regulated sights are what pop into mind, but ...that all could be completely wrong!

From a theoretical standpoint, the worst features are the removable bolthead in conjunction with front locking lugs on a "standard" diameter bolt body, and the hugely heavy striker.

[vintage hunter]

I've seen quite a bit of WWI film footage and still photos showing German frontline troops in the early years of the war armed with the Gew.88. Evidently they were issued to more than just the rear echelon.

[collector54]

Josh,
I really love the old 88. I have several and am always looking for more of them. From what I've gathered the Turkish reworks are safer to shoot with the std bullet. The one I have to shoot is one of those. It is good to have slugged the bore as there are still many of them out there in the 318 configuration. The date of manufacture is on the top of the receiver ring. A very good reference book is Paul Scarlata's collectors series " German Gew. 88 "Commission" Rifle. There is also a separate group on the web devoted to collecting/studying these fine rifles. It is the G88 collectors forum. Not that you can't get good intel on them from the guys here but if you are infected with the 88 virus then as an additional place to get your fix the other site is available. Looks like a very nice rifle and the price is very nice. Good luck with it.
Tim Ryan

[jmoore]

Definitely saw service in Turkey last. About the same as my first '88, which i bought for US$50 back in the late 1970's. Sold it a few years ago (I'm not sure why) for $300 or 375. The metal cover that was added to the bottom of the magazine housing is a little different than the ones i've seen previously as it looks to be riveted in place.

At least you don't have to fork over wads of cash for clips, which are required for the "unmodernized" rifles:



BTW: I'm NOT telling you everything I know. But it ain't much anyway...