| Author |
Message |
Maxxx
Ink's Still Wet on My License!
Username: Maxxx
Post Number: 1
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Friday, June 27, 2003 - 10:58 am: | |
I just picked up a 98 and I was wondering if anybody can tell me anything about it?
Markings include, C G Haenel, SUHL, 1915, GEM 98, and a proofmark that looks kinda like a firebird.
I assume that the 1915 is the year of manufacture, is that correct.
There is also a 4 digit serial number.
Does anybody know what any of this means or can you point me to somewhere I could find out?
Thanks |
Roysclockgun
Ink's Still Wet on My License!
Username: Roysclockgun
Post Number: 4
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 09, 2003 - 9:09 am: | |
Maxxx, Haenel was one of many contractors who made Model 1898 Gewehr rifles for Imperial Germany. You are correct in your assumption that 1915 was the year of manufacture. In some cases, you will find more then one date, signifying that the rifle was re-arsenalled and thus, re-dated. The Imperial eagle mark is a very handsome, stylized eagle, while the later Weimar eagle had droopy wings and the Third Reich eagle's wings go straight out, above the circle bearing the Swastika. All of these eagles can be found on some Gewehr 98 rifles, as some of these rifles were retained by the German gov'mt, even under the Treaty of Versailles. In the twenties and thirties the Gewehr 98 was the rifle carried by SS troops as they began rearming, even before the Wehrmacht. The serial number would have, originally been repeated on most parts of the rifle. Small parts may have had on the last two numbers of the SN. Any number of fine books may be found that shed light on the history of the Gewehr 98. Also, you may want to do a web-search for the list of coded markings used by the Third Reich to hide the locastions of their arms factories.
roysclockgun |
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