Gew 98
- Thread starter cigarbufff
- Start date
Sounds good, cigarbufff, let us know how she shoots.
mattkm, the barrel sounds to have been cut down, restoring to full military would be impossible without sourcing out a replacement barrel which can get expensive. I went this route for my 1905 Danzig and had to go through the U.S. to get her a new barrel with the proper sights. If you are determined, then it is possible.
Your 1903 Spandau sounds just like my 1905 Danzig when I first got her. I kept the original cut down stock (matching one that had all the markings intact on it too) and replaced with a full length stock set that happens to be unit marked and in the proper style for my Danzig. I had a friend re-straighten the bolt handle, and my preferred gun smith at Ellwood epps remove the old cut down barrel and mate the replacement one.
Expensive yes but I plan on making her into a Gewehr 98 sniper clone complete with a period scope, rings, and mount. The odds of finding an original one are next to nil in Canada for one of those.
At the range, she has hit a man target at 300m on iron sights (got a bloody head shot on a moving target during an ORA match day) and has one of the smoothest actions of all my Gewehr 98s, second to my 1907 Spandau.
Your welcome to post photos, maybe the same bubba Jr. went after your rifle after having experimental fun on mine.
mattkm, the barrel sounds to have been cut down, restoring to full military would be impossible without sourcing out a replacement barrel which can get expensive. I went this route for my 1905 Danzig and had to go through the U.S. to get her a new barrel with the proper sights. If you are determined, then it is possible.
Your 1903 Spandau sounds just like my 1905 Danzig when I first got her. I kept the original cut down stock (matching one that had all the markings intact on it too) and replaced with a full length stock set that happens to be unit marked and in the proper style for my Danzig. I had a friend re-straighten the bolt handle, and my preferred gun smith at Ellwood epps remove the old cut down barrel and mate the replacement one.
Expensive yes but I plan on making her into a Gewehr 98 sniper clone complete with a period scope, rings, and mount. The odds of finding an original one are next to nil in Canada for one of those.
At the range, she has hit a man target at 300m on iron sights (got a bloody head shot on a moving target during an ORA match day) and has one of the smoothest actions of all my Gewehr 98s, second to my 1907 Spandau.
Your welcome to post photos, maybe the same bubba Jr. went after your rifle after having experimental fun on mine.
Kayser Sose
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Fascinating thread.. regards the OP;s rifle; that pic told it all, and Smellie's posting is bang on, love this webforum!
Regards the next rifle; man nicer pictures would help... refinish it if you'd like a neat project, but I'd have to myself surmise that you have another $200 rifle... which aint that bad AT ALL. Nice looking stock, IMHO
Regards the next rifle; man nicer pictures would help... refinish it if you'd like a neat project, but I'd have to myself surmise that you have another $200 rifle... which aint that bad AT ALL. Nice looking stock, IMHO
.That is definitely NOT a refurb military stock. That is a custom-type sporting stock, it is ell-made and it is definitely European work: they like a LOT more drop in the butt than we do.
I'm wondering if this is not one of the ex-military rifles which were refurbed/rebuilt as minimal sporters and sold on the international market in the 1920s, especially at the time when they were trying to put their economy back together after the hyperinflation of '22 and '23. Fellow named Genschow did up a whole big bunch under the GECO name, also turned whole pile of '98s into 16-bore guns which were sold in North America super-cheap.
Check proof marks very carefully; they often will tell the tale. You start finding Suhl Proof House marks on a Berlin rifle, you know where she's been and, often, when she was there.
Interesting rifle which deserves some decent treatment to attempt to make up for a LOT of neglect and abuse in the past. Give her a cuddle and a nice new cleaning kit; she'll love you for it. And be sure to feed her. All the girls like to go for dinner, so you might take her to your favourite local range, feed her some of that pretty Winchester stuff!
Nice old rifle.
.
I'm wondering if this is not one of the ex-military rifles which were refurbed/rebuilt as minimal sporters and sold on the international market in the 1920s, especially at the time when they were trying to put their economy back together after the hyperinflation of '22 and '23. Fellow named Genschow did up a whole big bunch under the GECO name, also turned whole pile of '98s into 16-bore guns which were sold in North America super-cheap.
Check proof marks very carefully; they often will tell the tale. You start finding Suhl Proof House marks on a Berlin rifle, you know where she's been and, often, when she was there.
Interesting rifle which deserves some decent treatment to attempt to make up for a LOT of neglect and abuse in the past. Give her a cuddle and a nice new cleaning kit; she'll love you for it. And be sure to feed her. All the girls like to go for dinner, so you might take her to your favourite local range, feed her some of that pretty Winchester stuff!
Nice old rifle.
.
