Hey guys,
Sorry I wasn't able to post earlier, my work got busy. However, here we are, a rare lady that certainly has a story to tell.
Here is my Steyr Gew 88, made in 1889, on contract for Germany. The serial number has no suffix letter so she was was probably produced in the first month of production for these rifles. She has matching numbers, with the exception being the rear sight ladder and Czech replacement bolt. I have to say that the action is smooth as glass, the manufacture quality, even after all her use, is still quite evident. As you can see, she has the early "G. Mod 88" roll stamp that was used for only a month or two before they switched to "Gew. 88".
I did acquire the original brass muzzle cover and 1871.84 bayonet separately but both fit the rifle quite nicely. For reference, the unit marking on the bayonet blade is likely the 53rd "5th Westphalian" Infantry, ersatz regiment, 2nd company, weapon number 177. The scabbard has a cancelled out unit marking that I haven't identified yet and a reassigned marking that I have yet to completely translate. The blade is dated 1887 and was made by Alex Coppel, in Solingen.
The unit markings are quite interesting as you can see the first unit she was assigned to (on the lower band) was cancelled out and assigned to another unit (my guess would be during the 1905 approved conversion to stripper clip guides and magazine modifications). The first unit, I believe, was the 84th Schleswig Infantry "Von Manstein", 16th company, stationed in Schleswig and Hadersleben, and attached to the IX Army Corps.
Her second unit, and probably her last unit was likely the 19th 2nd Posen Infantry regiment "von Courbiere", 8th company, weapon number 84. This unit was stationed in Gorlitz and Lauban and attached to the V Army Corps. This unit was involved in the Schlieffen plan in 1914 and it is impossible to say if this Gew 88 was actively apart of the progression or in reserve inventory and quickly issued out.
Either way, she found her way to the Ottoman empire as war aid sometime during 1915 and 1916 and was used by the Empire, and later the Republic of Turkey. Perhaps she fired some shots at some Greek soldiers during the emergency in the 1920s, perhaps not. The fact being she was been all over and managed to stay together and not be parted out, is to me, incredible.
I do hope you guys enjoy the images and I would be happy to share some more images of my other Gew 88s if you are interested.
Sorry I wasn't able to post earlier, my work got busy. However, here we are, a rare lady that certainly has a story to tell.
Here is my Steyr Gew 88, made in 1889, on contract for Germany. The serial number has no suffix letter so she was was probably produced in the first month of production for these rifles. She has matching numbers, with the exception being the rear sight ladder and Czech replacement bolt. I have to say that the action is smooth as glass, the manufacture quality, even after all her use, is still quite evident. As you can see, she has the early "G. Mod 88" roll stamp that was used for only a month or two before they switched to "Gew. 88".
I did acquire the original brass muzzle cover and 1871.84 bayonet separately but both fit the rifle quite nicely. For reference, the unit marking on the bayonet blade is likely the 53rd "5th Westphalian" Infantry, ersatz regiment, 2nd company, weapon number 177. The scabbard has a cancelled out unit marking that I haven't identified yet and a reassigned marking that I have yet to completely translate. The blade is dated 1887 and was made by Alex Coppel, in Solingen.
The unit markings are quite interesting as you can see the first unit she was assigned to (on the lower band) was cancelled out and assigned to another unit (my guess would be during the 1905 approved conversion to stripper clip guides and magazine modifications). The first unit, I believe, was the 84th Schleswig Infantry "Von Manstein", 16th company, stationed in Schleswig and Hadersleben, and attached to the IX Army Corps.
Her second unit, and probably her last unit was likely the 19th 2nd Posen Infantry regiment "von Courbiere", 8th company, weapon number 84. This unit was stationed in Gorlitz and Lauban and attached to the V Army Corps. This unit was involved in the Schlieffen plan in 1914 and it is impossible to say if this Gew 88 was actively apart of the progression or in reserve inventory and quickly issued out.
Either way, she found her way to the Ottoman empire as war aid sometime during 1915 and 1916 and was used by the Empire, and later the Republic of Turkey. Perhaps she fired some shots at some Greek soldiers during the emergency in the 1920s, perhaps not. The fact being she was been all over and managed to stay together and not be parted out, is to me, incredible.
I do hope you guys enjoy the images and I would be happy to share some more images of my other Gew 88s if you are interested.
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