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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Gew 88 1891 Danzig


Hickman

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Here is my Gewehr 88, made in Danzig in 1891. It is still set up for the Mannlicher packet, S marked on the receiver but no notch for spitzer rounds. I slugged the bore, and it is .318 (reasonably close to that, anyways). It has a replacement bolt that is aged like the rest of the metal, otherwise is numbers matching. It has a Gew 98 cleaning rod.

 

One band is marked 2.R.1.152, the other band has markings that are X’d out. Can anyone tell me what unit this rifle came from? I guessing a Reserve regiment. 
 

The rounds are 1903-dated M88s, in an original clip. Display only. I have fired this rifle using an operational bolt from my Turk Gew 88, as the bolt that came with it has a broken firing line and no bolt head. I used vintage Remington-UMC 8mm Mauser rounds, 170 grain. I do not fire this rifle regularly. 
 

I found this rifle in a gun shop near St. Louis, Missouri USA, in “Been there and done that condition”. No import marks. It could have been a bring back, or a War Bond souvenir giveaway piece. Any comments are appreciated!

 

 

 

 

21646FE0-A963-4097-807A-53BBC8A5F630.jpeg

3FF454BA-66D7-45AF-8E15-37255EAAE2C3.jpeg

2DCA4890-E272-4140-9274-442B6013B897.jpeg

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Any details of the unit stamp? When there is italic font of R it could be reserve IR2.1.company and weapon nr.

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Here is a picture of the unit stamp on the band. Also a shot of the other band with a unit number stamped out.

1131C319-AC36-4ED3-A375-FC43E7624E82.jpeg

3169313B-CD1B-44EA-9559-6ABB0C3DCA07.jpeg

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It should be 2.Infantry Regiment , 1.company , weapon nr.152

the outxed unit is 64? when not in front a 1, Infantry Regiment, Rekruten depot, weapon nr.107

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Thanks for this info! I have thought about sourcing the correct cleaning rod, but the 98 rod is part of the rifle’s history.  I have a nice Hanael quillback bayonet that put on it, based on old photos that I have seen online.

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