C.G Haenel Suhl 1916 Gew 98 *pic heavy*

[Lt_Data]

Hello,

I saw this Gew 98 and just couldn't say no. I have more experience with WWII K98's, not the Gew 98 so tell me what I found. As far as I can tell it is original and matching (except the sight leaf ) and has a repro but nice sling. The sight base looks like a K98 base stamped "S/42K P174 P174 P174" (WWII refit?). Barrel has "7.91 S" stamped so do I have a .318 bore or a .323? I want to make sure before shooting a 96 yr old rifle! Bore is fantastic but dirty. Blueing looks to be the same with some patina. Very solid rifle with no wobbles. I have not taken it apart. History lesson appreciated. Now for the pics!

 

[desporterizer]

Nice piece. Gew 98 converted to mauser model 98b in the '30's. Take gew 98, replace rear sight & attempt global domination !

 

[Nabs]

Very nice 1916 made Gewehr 98 by the Suhl consortium. Not too common of a maker either. Hidden away after WW1 and pulled out in the mid 1930s to be inspected and have a tangent sight added by Mauser Oberndorf (S/42K marking), as well as be refurbished (blued receiver...etc). She likely saw service during WW2, possibly on the Eastern front.

The "2 / G" on the butt plate is a repot depot marking from her days during WW1 with the "2" being the depot and the "G" being the armourer mark who did the inspection and work (likely the rematched stock and/or butt plate). I don't recall where "2" was off the top of my head though.

The "BS" on the receiver, I think, related to Berlin-Suhler Waffenfabrik and possibly they did some work on the rifle as well during the 1930s. I'm not 100% on this one but I have seen the intertwined "BS" before on 1930s .22 trainer rifles.

The "Gz" on the butt, I believe, would have related to the Lange sight that she would have had in her Imperial trim. I believe it related to a glass sight that could be mounted on the Lange sight and that these parts were within the specifications for that.

Overall a very nice rifle with lots of history to boot, I too would not have said no if she came my way .

 

[jbmauser]

Very nice! Lots of history with that one! Congrats!

Just a little more info on the intertwined BS on your modified Gew 98. There are four different styles of the BS mark found on the Weimar era reworked Gew 98's with the intertwined variety being the least common. Apparently the exact meaning of the BS mark is not known. It is suspected to come from the depot at Berlin-Spandau, or possibly designating a unit or group of some sort.

Very interesting any way.

 

[Lt_Data]

Thanks everyone for the input It's interesting to see something with alot of history behind it. If only it could talk

 

[Caleb314]

They changed over to .323 dia bullets in 1905 so any rifle made after that should have .323 bore.

 

[Mike Webb]

They changed over to .323 dia bullets in 1905 so any rifle made after that should have .323 bore.

This is correct. It is also stamped 7.91 S which is .323 bore, .318 bore has J suffix.

 

[Lt_Data]

This is correct. It is also stamped 7.91 S which is .323 bore, .318 bore has J suffix.

Most excellent. Thank you.

 

[Nabs]

This is correct. It is also stamped 7.91 S which is .323 bore, .318 bore has J suffix.

My understanding is that. 318 bores had no suffix letter to denote them, only rifles modifed to accept the spitzer with the "s". The earliest gew 98 i have is a 1904 Danzig, she is "s" marked though. The lack of an "s" mark and the unique patrone 88 calibrated lange sight are two give aways for a gew 98 in patrone 88.

Gew 88s seem to follow the same pattern, ones for the patrone 88 are not specially marked whereas ones modified to accept the spitzer are "s" marked at the top of the receiver.

Does anyone have a pre 1903 gew 98 that is not "s" marked?

 

[Lt_Data]

Found some info somewhere else:

http://w ww.k98kforum.com/showthread.php?1264-Intertwined-BS-marking-question&highlight=Intertwined

Basically it has everyone somewhat stumped on the subject as the same markings were found of a variety of arms.