German Imperial collection

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  • Warrior1354

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    Jun 25, 2017
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    Thought I share some pictures of my German Imperial collection for you guys. Some of these pieces were bought off gunbroker, a few gunshow walk in types, and some off good friends and other collectors. If you collect military pieces its a good idea too buy the books first. Also making friends with other collectors is one of the best options. It opens up doors for possibly good items and you learn alot of good knowledge as well. Not too mention you meet some good people.

    Anyway this is my current German Imperial collection as of now. Most of the Gew98 rifles posted have lids with them for the muzzles not easy pieces too find anymore either. Also expensive. Believe it or not finding all matching WWI German rifles are not easy too locate. Most were reworked in the 20s and 30s, bubba got too them, lost in combat, not too mention used in WWII as well.

    List:

    Gew98 Danzig 1916 got that from buddy almost all matching besides the hand-guard and duffle cut.

    Gew98 Amberg 1916 gunbroker purchase last year all matching and duffle cut.

    Gew98 Danzig 1904 gunshow walk in, collector found my missing parts for that one. Early Gew98 rifles are tough too locate and its unit marked.

    Gew98 J.P. Sauer Sohn Suhl 1916 gunbroker purchase, 100% matching which is tough for a commercial maker.

    Kar98a 1915 Erfurt gunbroker purchase, got that from a collector as well. Those carbines are really tough too find all matching. Most were reworked or bubba got too them. They were attractive sporters back then.

    P.08 Luger 1918 Erfurt with 1917 dated holster got that from a friend at the 2017 SOS show. My only Luger and most likely the only one I will ever own. All matching too.

    1918 dated S98/05 butcher blade. Planning too add more bayonets. :cool:

    Frankfort made pattern M/87 ammo pouch and have another Gew98 pouch thats not picture. Collecting the pouches have always been a interesting topic.

    062.JPG 077.JPG 074.JPG
     

    Wolfhound

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    Nice collection you have there. Do you shoot them or just collect? I collect old rifles but sadly my collection is light on German hardware. I have a Yugo Mauser, a couple of Steyrs and 3 Carcanos.
     
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    rob63

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    Very nice, and yes, matching Gew 98's are very hard to find.

    I presume your goal is going to be every maker? Going to add a Gew 88 or anything earlier?

    Have you been able to find the history of the one that is unit marked? That is really cool.
     

    Warrior1354

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    Wolfhound only shoot my 1904 Gew98 out of the lot being its a mismatched piece but still a hard too find rifle. The all matching rifles I do not. Plus two of the Gew98 rifles have duffle cut stocks that haven't been repaired yet and the Kar98a carbine has a clipped firing pin too. Maybe once I get those fixed I might pop a few rounds out them.

    And rob I'm most likely not going too try too collect all the makers. Only have a few Gew98 rifles left I would like too have in my collection. A 1916 Waffenwerke Oberspree Kornbusch, a Erfurt made Gew98 rifle, a DWM Gew98 rifle thats unit marked, and maybe a Mauser made Gew98 being their the original maker.

    As for the Gew88 rifles and carbines very tough too find all matching and original. Personally I believe the rifles are harder too find then the carbines. Most of those rifles are Turkish marked. If I would own one it would be a carbine because I like the looks of the carbines. If I go back any earlier I would like too own a 1871 Jager rifle being those were used alot in Africa during the first world war. Again tough too locate.

    The unit mark is for 78th Infantry regiment that was part of the 19th Infantry division. The 19th division was considered one of the best German infantry divisions of the war. That unit fought alot in Russian, launched several attacks during the Verdun offensive, and held the allied offensive until the end of the war on parts of the Western front.

    Believe it or not finding unit marked Gew98 rifles is alot harder too find then the Kar98a carbines. Plus that rifle still has the original factory barrel which is also difficult.
     

    indy1919a4

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    Awesome guns, awesome collection, you maybe would like to toss in a little crest porn on them :)

    I do love the WW I German rifles

    Have a think for the ones that got reworked though the years.. Love EWB rifles

    Again exceptionally nice
     

    LarryC

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    Darn nice collection, you should be proud of those rifles and the number matching Luger, I would think the Luger is probably the hardest to find in that condition..
     

    Warrior1354

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    Lugers are actually pretty common depending on the code and year. Honestly WWII Lugers are more popular then the WW1 Lugers. You can get a standard WW1 Luger for half the cost of WWII Luger. The ones that really bring the big money as for the WW1 types are the artillery long barrel models. Main reason I bought a WW1 Luger is I didn't feel like a nice German Imperial collection feels complete without having at least one German WW1 pistol with it.

    I may buy a nice matching broomhandle pistol one day for the collection but I don't know yet.
     

    Thor

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    Could be anywhere
    Wunderbar! I think you need to open an INGO Museum...probably get some donations from folks here for temporary displays.

    And as I noted when running debriefs for fighter pilots it helps to have a keg on hand.
     

    Warrior1354

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    Thanks for nice comments everybody. I'm hoping too keep adding too this collection really want that Kornbusch in it. But that is darn tough rifle too locate matching and original.
     

    Warrior1354

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    Well the Imperial collections keeps growing picked up a nice Waffenfabrik Mauser Oberndorf 1917 a few months ago. Picked this rifle up from a good collector friend of mine last weekend at NGD. He bought this piece many years ago and being I collect German WW1 Imperial he thought this piece would better suit me. When he first told me about it, he just said he had a Gew98 for sale didn't tell what maker till later. I was hoping it would be a Kornbusch, but I was in the market for a nice Mauser made Gew98 rifle. Plus I think this year is interesting and its scarce too for wartime year. It also falls into the n block. The same letter block that known Mauser produced Gew98 sniper rifles were made. Anyway the rifle is all matching and in good condition. Looks alot better after I cleaned her up she was pretty dirty. The only bad I would have too say is the stock has some condition issues on the inside. Evidence of cracks around the trigger-guard area but I not going too be shooting this rifle so no big deal too me. Outside condition the stock is nice for a birch made stock prefer the walnut type though. But I think this stock is nice for what it is. Only thing else I may do is take the buttplate off for a dip in kroil oil or the sonic cleaner. Plus find a matching cleaning rod for it. So far this makes five Gew98 rifles for me now I don't think I'm slowing down either! Also came home with an interesting sawback bayonet as well. Bayonet is in nice shape but has no date on the blade. Came with an original frog as well in fair condition.

    Very hard to find a Mauser 1917 or 1918 in original imperial configuration with no signs of Turk or interwar use. And it is an n-block rifle. must have been a poor shooter, since all the good shooters from the n-block were converted into sniper rifles. A good collector friend of mine did located a nice muzzle lid and matching rod for this rifle.



    If anyone here needs help with information on their Gew98 rifles please let me know. Always willing too help.
     
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    rob63

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    Nice addition, thanks for sharing it. Additional photos would be appreciated. I know about the change in the stock disk and the rear sight, but have you noticed any other changes that were made over the life of production of the Gew98?

    It may be just me, but I think you need a pickelhaube!
     

    Warrior1354

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    Good question Rob there were quite a few. Big differences were the updated 400 yard sighting base and the bolt take down disk. But there were others. By 1917 you start too see more beech stocks instead of walnut. It was considered a secondary wood too use or substandard too be short. Walnut was still found but beech stocks later on were much more common. And by 1918 gone were the nice bright receivers they started bluing them. Personally I think some of the most interesting Gew98 rifles out there are Sterngewehrs pieces.

    Generally, sterngewehrs are rifles built from surplus components, generally they are made from new made parts, new receivers from Pieper, S&H or one of the normal manufacturers, possibly receivers that needed extra work, but also from salvaged receivers like this. Generally new components are used for most major parts, most made in surplus by the arsenals to easy parts shortages each arsenal specialized in making one key component that they dispersed to others, primarily bolts, trigger guards, which is why these parts all have the same acceptance regardless of the maker.

    The Stern rifles assembled by the Saxon firm in Dresden too me are the most interesting. Their the most professional Stern rifle IMO their easy too spot too. Look for the Saxon cypher on the stock and buttplate (Crown / FA) and the unique and professional looking star on top of the receiver.

    Other then that there wasn't a huge difference unlike the later made K98k rifles many years down the road. But thats another topic.
     

    ChalupaCabras

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    A few months ago a buddy of mine scored an original M1898/N bayonet in +90% condition (conservative - minor freckling on blade one or two small handling marks on grips, a couple scratches on leather sheath). Basically with the ware expected of a blade that is more than a century old but has been well cared for.

    I've been hounding him to come off of it, but so far no luck. :(
     
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