Gewehr 88 markings

[Khaki]

Erfurt 1890 G88, butt plate marking what appears to be Q O S P no other markings except standard arsenal marks, not a Turkish rifle and not modified from the original configuration.

Help please

khaki

ps, no regimental marks on barrel bands

[gew98]

Such markings have zero meaning. Simply those applied by inspectors at manufacture and or depots later in it's service life. Surely either the rear or front band has regimental markings. It is matching right ?.

Not sure what you mean by "not modified form original configuration". Is it S patrone compliant ?. Pictures and what is or not matching tells alot.

[Khaki]

The markings are in a line on the butt flat, and are an acronym for something, I have very good references on Imperial markings and they are definitely not inspector marks. the G88 went through a number of changes up to WW1 involving compatibility with the spitzer rounds by barrel rifling changes and machining out a section of the breech the addition of a charger guide and machining a thumb indentation (some guides riveted on and on some rare variations welded). The alteration of the magazine mechanism feeder I think was changed and in 1914 a metal plate that clips over the base. These are just off the top of my head and may not be well described and there may be other changes that I have omitted. Anyway the point is that my rifle's only variation is an 's' on the breech, so it is close to an original model. There are no regimental markings on the barrel bands which is unusual. I cannot get a satisfactory image to post. Maybe the rifle is a police issue? --- ---- Staats Polizei??

khaki

Such markings have zero meaning. Simply those applied by inspectors at manufacture and or depots later in it's service life. Surely either the rear or front band has regimental markings. It is matching right ?.

Not sure what you mean by "not modified form original configuration". Is it S patrone compliant ?. Pictures and what is or not matching tells alot.

[trajan]

Sp was the Bavarian State Police (Landespolizei) marking 1930 for Speyer, with a lower case 'p'. BUT I just have a feeling that this marking is nothing other than an inspection mark - not that I am an expert but I cannot think of anything that would begin with a 'Q', and Noll has nothing like that also.

[Khaki]

Interesting thoughts. what I have noticed (I only purchased it yesterday) is that looking closely at the right side of the butt there are about five tiny silver (white metal) pins cut off, and I can vaguely see the outline of a badge or plate having been there. The stock is a beauty and has what I would describe as a 'tiger stripe' to it something similar to what one might see on the old Pennsylvania flintlock rifles. It may well be that this G88 was a presentation rifle, (hence the lack of regimental markings and modifications)and donated for active service with the plaque removed, I believe that this did happen.

khaki

ps I thought perhaps it might have been a trophy plaque but all that I have seen have been oval or square and whatever this was it was multi faceted like a coat of arms or stand of arms.

(k)

[gew98]

Without pics it is speculation at best. Could be a pre WW1 or post WW1 club rifle akin to the gew98 wehrmanngewehrs. You neglect to mention if the rifle is matching. If a total mismatch it's a bitser as they say. The plates covering the mannlicher magazine clip 'chute' were for those converted to mauser charger loading. The examples still using mannlicher clips with a plate had a spring with a disc mounted on them to be able to eject the mannlicher clip out the top of the action. I can't make much of your generalities.... details are king...and pics of such details trump.

[Khaki]

Thank you gew98 for your thoughts, but my original assistance request was to attempt to identify the butt plate markings as I described them, I am ok with all other physical attributes of my rifle, but thanks again for your interest.

khaki

[4thGordons]

I have to say -I'm with GEW98 on this one, a picture would be useful. While I have little expertise on German markings, without any context (eg seeing the style of the letters /font etc which often matters to identify period and meaning esp. with German markings) I am not sure much progress is going to be made here.

Chris

on a slightly related topic I was looking at a GEW 88 (1890 Danzig) the other day that had what appeared to be Japanese characters (Kanji?) carved into the stock! I was tempted just for curiosity's sake!

[shippingsteel]

Chris, large numbers of the Gewehr 88 rifles were sold-on to China in 1907, so they are not uncommon in that part of the world. Might help explain the markings.

Cheers, S>S

[trajan]

ps I thought perhaps it might have been a trophy plaque but all that I have seen have been oval or square and whatever this was it was multi faceted like a coat of arms or stand of arms.

There are a few (rare) WW1 German bayonets with either imperial or regimental cyphers attached to one of the grips (imperial are the more common), so that is perhaps a possibility?

Trajan

[Khaki]

Interesting thought. always a possibility.

thanks

khaki

[gew98]

I have to say -I'm with GEW98 on this one, a picture would be useful. While I have little expertise on German markings, without any context (eg seeing the style of the letters /font etc which often matters to identify period and meaning esp. with German markings) I am not sure much progress is going to be made here.

Chris

on a slightly related topic I was looking at a GEW 88 (1890 Danzig) the other day that had what appeared to be Japanese characters (Kanji?) carved into the stock! I was tempted just for curiosity's sake!

The chinese made gobs of copies of the gew88 and it's own version less the barrel jacket. The japanese captured and reused gobs of these as well. So seeing chink or jap charachters in the wood would not be uncommon. Finding a chinese used example in anything better than boat anchor condition is unusual though.