Smellieguy Posted 4 August , 2014 Share Posted 4 August , 2014 Hello there! New member here from the great state of Georgia, USA. I'm very glad to have found this forum, as the First World War is of great interest to me. Hope to gain some valuable info here. So I'd like to start off with my German capture 1889 Belgian Mauser. I found this a couple of weeks ago, and let me tell you, these rifles are not common at all here. So imagine how happy I was to find one right before the 100th anniversary of the German invasion of Belgium. It bears all the markings of a German capture, Imperial eagles, the 'Deutsches Reich' stamp on the butt, but the one thing I can't get any info on is the buttplate tang markings. Top row is 'N 7945' which I believe are the Belgian unit marks, then below that is 'A.P. DEUTSCHE' or 'A.D. DEUTSCHE'....its kind of rusted over, but the last word is definitely 'DEUTSCHE'. German for sure, but meaning? No one here knows. I was hoping some of the more learned here may have seen this. Once again, very glad to be here! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 4 August , 2014 Share Posted 4 August , 2014 Silly question (not directly related to your enquiry) - is it in the original 7.35mm cal or has it been converted to 7.92mm? (I believe this is your rifle is it not? ) you can't post pics on here until you have made several posts but I thought the pics may help others to see what you are talking about. Chris (UGA 1991-1998) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smellieguy Posted 4 August , 2014 Author Share Posted 4 August , 2014 It has indeed been converted to 7.92. In fact I took it to the range this weekend, and it performed really well for a rifle of it's age. Oh, and yes, that's mine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Haselgrove Posted 4 August , 2014 Share Posted 4 August , 2014 Hi Smellieguy, Welcome to the Forum. I can only supply information regarding the marking of captured bayonets. However, I expect the same system of marking applied to rifles. Assuming that is correct and that the marking on your rifle is A.D. Deutsche I expect that stands for Artillerie-Depot Deutsches Reich. Most captured weapons were sent to the Artillery Depots where they were checked, sometimes stamped and then sent to troops requiring them. I imagine your rifle was sent on to one of the Arsenals for conversion. There are several variations of the marking including Deutschland and Deutsch, both found on captured Belgian bayonets, and A.D. Deutsch. R. found on a captured French Model 1886 bayonet. I believe you are correct that the marking N.7945 is the Belgian unit mark. If you check you may find a small German eagle stamped on your rifle. Regards, Michael. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smellieguy Posted 4 August , 2014 Author Share Posted 4 August , 2014 Thanks Michael! 'Artilerie Depot' cerainly would make sense. As to the Prussian eagles, yes, they are there on the barrel, receiver, and bolt handle. Plus an Imperial Army ownership mark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msdt Posted 6 August , 2014 Share Posted 6 August , 2014 Hi, Re the markings, take a look at this site: http://www.depatrouilleurs.be/Bewapening.html Cheers, Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smellieguy Posted 6 August , 2014 Author Share Posted 6 August , 2014 Thanks! Looks like a great site.....just have to get it translated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msdt Posted 6 August , 2014 Share Posted 6 August , 2014 Just put the url in Google Translate, it'll do it for you! Cheers, Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smellieguy Posted 7 August , 2014 Author Share Posted 7 August , 2014 Thanks Tony! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smellieguy Posted 7 August , 2014 Author Share Posted 7 August , 2014 Well, if the info is correct, my rifle was issued to the Belgian 14th Regiment of Line, who lost over 100 men on 31 October pushing the Germans out of the village of Ramskapelle. Just have to wonder if it was captured there..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khaki Posted 7 August , 2014 Share Posted 7 August , 2014 Hello Smellieguy, Welcome to the forum, congratulations on your Belgian/German mauser, indeed very hard to find. I will look forward to your future posts. regards khaki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smellieguy Posted 7 August , 2014 Author Share Posted 7 August , 2014 Thanks for the welcome, Khaki! I can already see there's going to be a wealth of info here! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msdt Posted 7 August , 2014 Share Posted 7 August , 2014 Just finished cleaning my latest find - another German capture, I understand. The Belgian company Henri Pieper were making SG 14 bayonets for a South American Mauser rifle contract when the Germans invaded in 1914. These bayonets were seized and issued to the German army. This bayonet has the Pieper logo, and also the German fraktur inspection mark. It came in a Type III ersatz scabbard. Actually I don't really collect German regular bayonets, but I do collect German captured French bayonets. Cheers, Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smellieguy Posted 8 August , 2014 Author Share Posted 8 August , 2014 Good looking bayo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trajan Posted 8 August , 2014 Share Posted 8 August , 2014 Just finished cleaning my latest find - another German capture, I understand. The Belgian company Henri Pieper were making SG 14 bayonets for a South American Mauser rifle contract when the Germans invaded in 1914. These bayonets were seized and issued to the German army. This bayonet has the Pieper logo, and also the German fraktur inspection mark. It came in a Type III ersatz scabbard. Actually I don't really collect German regular bayonets, but I do collect German captured French bayonets. Cheers, Tony A find to cherish - even if you do like those French captures! Good looking bayo! It is indeed a very nice bayonet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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