Gew 88, Danzig

**jock auld** · 03-22-2009, 10:04 PM

Hi,

I have picked this rifle up at the weekend.

It appears to be made in Danzig and of Model Rifle 88.

It has a cresant on the breach and the sight has arabic numerals.

I therefore think German manufacture for their Turk allies?

The BKA in the diamond is the German deactivation stamp.

I would be keen to find out if my assumptions are correct and which pattern bayonette is compatable.

Many thanks

Richard

**packin9** · 03-23-2009, 01:01 AM

I have two wall hangers I cleaned up from real scrappy condition. Turk sure seems to be the same as on my Turk Mauser's. Have you had it apart? That sleeve around the barrel is kind of unique. I believe it was to keep the barrel cool. As far as Germany making them for the Turks, it seems possible they were made for the other way around. It's a shame it was deactivated though.

For that matter,any weapon.

**Bill Grist** · 03-23-2009, 01:38 AM

M.88 Commission Rifles sent to Turkey in WW1...BILL

**jock auld** · 03-23-2009, 08:51 PM

Pakin9,

I haven't had it apart other than the bolt, when I try that on stuff in general I normally have bits left over. I shall stick it on the wall as is. It is a shame its deactivated but the laws in Europe are not as liberal as the US. It would have broken your heart to see what I had to have destroyed in Kossovo. I did rescue a slab sided MP40 and a WW1 P08 unit marked to an Artillery unit. They are both in the local garrison museum in Celle. The paperwork took the whole tour to complete (six months) but it was worth it. I'm still gutted to think of the destruction of mint weapon systems (Mg 34s,42s MP44s,MP38 endless Thompsons etc).

Bill thanks for info, would it take the standard WW1 German bayonette? I guess it is pretty common?

Regards Rich

**oradour** · 03-23-2009, 10:48 PM

Jock Auld, you do indeed have a G88 Commision rifle that was supplied to Germany's ally Turkey, identified by the 'crescent moon' symbol of the Ottomen empire on the reciever & arabic markings on the sight. This was due a severe shortage of weapons in the Turkish army, to eleviate the situation, begining in 1916 Germany supplied 142,000 G88's to the Ottomens, the vast majority being G88/05 varients, that is what your rifle is. Basically the 05 featured a modified magazine that did away with need of using the original Mannlicher style clip to load the rifle, it could now use the standard Mauser -style charger together with interal mods, i.e. guides that have been mounted on the split reciever bridge. The rifle was now fitted with a metal cover over the clip ejection opening. Also the G88 was modified to take the 'S patrone' a more efficient bullet, the 'Spitzer' bullet, a bullet with a tapered tip, the old 88 bullet had a rounded tip. To accomodate this, the rifles had a small cut made on the front of the reciever to provide clearence for the pointed 'S' bullet, & a thumb clearance cut in the left reciever wall made it easier for loading. These 88's are stamped with an 'S' on top of the chamber, as is yours. I have a deac. 1894 Steyr G88 that has had no mods. As for bayonets, Seitengewehre model 71/84 or model 71 were designated for the 88, a number of 'ersatz' bayonets were made during the war that also fitted, they all had muzzle rings for the 88. Hope that helps.

**packin9** · 03-24-2009, 12:08 AM

by Bill Grist

M.88 Commission Rifles sent to Turkey in WW1...BILL

I have a lot more to learn,to say the least.

**Bill Grist** · 03-24-2009, 03:03 AM

The 88/05 Weapons are great to shoot...BILL

**oradour** · 03-24-2009, 12:09 PM

Bill,
it must be great to shoot these weapons, (i used to do a lot of shooting in the 70's mainly SMLE/Bren 303 & 7.62 SLR) let alone own uninterfered with weapons, but the anal retentive laws in this country (U.K.) regarding firearms make it impossible, the only thing left to us is deactivated weapons, and they want to ban those !.....i also have a deactivated 1916 DMW G98.

**packin9** · 03-24-2009, 04:06 PM

by jock auld

Pakin9,

I haven't had it apart other than the bolt, when I try that on stuff in general I normally have bits left over. I shall stick it on the wall as is. It is a shame its deactivated but the laws in Europe are not as liberal as the US. It would have broken your heart to see what I had to have destroyed in Kossovo. I did rescue a slab sided MP40 and a WW1 P08 unit marked to an Artillery unit. They are both in the local garrison museum in Celle. The paperwork took the whole tour to complete (six months) but it was worth it. I'm still gutted to think of the destruction of mint weapon systems (Mg 34s,42s MP44s,MP38 endless Thompsons etc).

Bill thanks for info, would it take the standard WW1 German bayonette? I guess it is pretty common?

Regards Rich

I've seen various photo's of the public being 'protected' by destroying these nice weapons.Areal shame indeed. I guess you got to see some real humdingers!

**jock auld** · 03-26-2009, 12:12 PM

Arodour,

Thankyou for the detailed info, this site is making me lazy, I don't even google now.

Pakin9 there was around 12 iso containers full of mostly AK and variants, these for eventual re-issue to the new SF and police. One iso was full of handguns and rarer items from flintlock to Desert eagle. All for eventual destruction. I was none too efficient in that area.