Gew 88 Rifle Serial Number Survey

0 Kudo

Forum Jump

Author	Comment
alexb		#41	[-]
Posts: 6 (10/01/08 08:39 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	That seems to blow away past estimates by almost double. An eye opening piece of research, great information too. Thank you.
Plevna		#42	[-]
Posts: 252 (10/01/08 11:31 PM) active member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	alexb, thank you for your kind remarks. I, too, have been very surprised at the slowly rising "nose count" of Gew 88 production as this study has progressed. The only "firm" production total I have seen is that 1.9 million Gew 88s were manufactured and in service by the end of 1890. Although this figure has appeared in print in at least two respected recent books, neither author references the original document(s) which would support this number. As it is my understanding that many of the original production and acquistion records in Amberg (Baveria) and Berlin were destroyed in World war II, it may well be that we may never know how many Gew 88 rifles were manufactured. This problem is further compounded by a number of these rifles having been either sold by Germany as surplus or given away as military aid (e.g., the rifles sent to Turkey in World War I), lost or destroyed during WWI, or melted down after that war. While it is hard enough to track down the serial numbers of rifles held by collectors here in the US, at best these rifles reflect but a minisule sample of the original universe which makes every contribution to our base line "data bank" all the more useful. Inasmuch as i highly doubt that we can determine the precise number of Gew 88 rifles produced, I think we can at least end up with a reasonable estimate.
4x4fun		#43	[-]
Posts: 3 (10/04/08 08:56 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Thanks very much for the info Plevna. Mine does indeed have G.Mod.88 on the side. I am very excited not only to have found a an 88, but also to have found this forum.
Windstar07		#44	[-]
Posts: 1 (11/02/08 08:32 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	I'd like to add some data to this thread. A few years ago I picked up my first antique rifle a Gew 88 dated 1890. It's a Loewe Berlin example but the "O" is stamped as "C" serif and all. The sn is 3171. The rear sight has been converted to the Turkish script and the front barrel band still retains this unit info....17 R 3. 146.
Plevna		#45	[-]
Posts: 265 (11/02/08 10:38 PM) active member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Windstar07, welcome aboard! I hope we'll be seeing more of you in future postings. I'm sure you'll enjoy the comments in this forum and meet some interesting folks along the way. Thank you for your input on the Gew 88 serial number. All contributions are appreciated!
nam68	New baby in the family	#46	[-]
Posts: 1 (11/06/08 09:15 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Two days old - 1890 CE WG Steyr Gew 88/05 Serial # 1637 P. Matching barrel, Shroud and receiver. Bolt # 777 in Turkish and Turkish sight # 1637 - nothing else is marked in Turkish. Blueing is about 88% - Stock is the same. No dents or scratches on barrel shroud. It even has the cover at the bottom of the magazine well. This is my first Gew 88 and I just love it - feels great in my hands. Thank you all for this wonderfull site - I will be up late tonight researching all the markings on the receiver and stock. One happy guy.
Plevna		#47	[-]
Posts: 267 (11/06/08 11:58 PM) active member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	nam68, welcome aboard and thank you so much for the input on your Gew 88/05. Thus far, the highest 1890 Steyr Model 1888 serial number I have recorded is 3312x equating to rifle number 243,312 for that year and factory. Congratulations on the "new" rifle -- I'm sure it's found a good home! Please drop back in and visit with us any time.
nationalmatch.collectorguns35625		#48	[-]
Posts: 2 (11/26/08 10:53 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	http://gunbroker.com/Auct...ewItem.asp?Item=116583044 also found: Marked: "LOEWE BERLIN" over "1890" Model: Gew. 88 Serial Number: 3848 Last Edited By: nationalmatch 11/26/08 10:58 AM. Edited 1 times.
762x5.collectorguns35625	serial number survey	#49	[-]
Posts: 1 (11/26/08 05:35 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Spandau 1890 5603e Turked 88/05 Steyr 1890 2986n Turked 88/05
Plevna		#50	[-]
Posts: 271 (11/27/08 08:46 PM) active member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Nationalmatch and 762x5, thank you much for adding these serial numbers to the mix. Its always always a pleasure to expand the list of recorded numbers and see where this goes in terms of getting a better handle on Gew 88 production. Keep up the good work!
fuciliere		#51	[-]
Posts: 1 (12/22/08 11:46 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Hello everybody, I have a Turked 88/05 OEWG 1890 826 V
Plevna		#52	[-]
Posts: 277 (12/22/08 07:30 PM) active member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Fuciliere -- glad you dropped in and thank you so much for your contribution to the ongoing Gew 88 serial number survey. Thus far, the highest number I have recorded for an 1890 Steyr made Model 1888 is 3312x indicating rifle number 243,312 for that year. The serial numbers I have seen to date for all years and arsenals (and my information is far from complete) prompts me to estimate total Gew 88 production at 3,250,000 rifles. Are there any regimental markings on your rifle (including letters in "italics")?
fuciliere		#53	[-]
Posts: 2 (12/23/08 01:53 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Excuse me Plevna... There are two regimental series on my rifle,one on the bayonet lug band and the other on the sling swivel band. R.E.4.168 R is old style E is more modern (italic?) 4 is bigger than 168 B.11.R.8.30 B modern R old style 11 and 8 are bigger than 30 Hope to be useful,excuse my english I'm from Italy... Have a nice Christmas.
Plevna		#54	[-]
Posts: 278 (12/24/08 04:44 AM) active member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Fuciliere, it's so good to hear from you again! The information on the regimental markings is greatly appreciated. If I have copied them correctly, do you have: - R. E.4.168. (front barrel band) and - B.11.R.8.30. (rear barrel band)? The last digits indicate a weapon ("waffen") number and are always smaller than the other letters and numbers. Your English is very good -- and so much better than my Italian! Merry Christmas and happy New Year!
Plevna		#55	[-]
Posts: 279 (12/24/08 04:50 AM) active member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Hmmmmmmmm....... I cannot get the edited comments to post here -- sorry. In my last message the bold letters should have come out as italics.
fuciliere		#56	[-]
Posts: 3 (12/24/08 09:40 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Plevna,you perfectly copied the markihgs I have on my rifle,of course the bands are mismatched I think the result of a relatively recent assembling. I'm not expert in this rifle,but looking at the pictures in this very nice and useful forum,I saw half mooned receiver on the turked m88/05. My rifle has only the bolt with the farsi numbers and the half moon,the rest of the gun is arabian numbered but almost totally dismatched,only receiver and barrel have same number,in your opinion what kind of object I have? don't be afraid to be sincere,I won't cry...anyway as we say in Naples (I try to translate) "Every beetle is nice at his mother's eyes" ... Many thanks and regards
Plevna		#57	[-]
Posts: 280 (12/24/08 05:44 PM) active member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Fucilier, based on your description you have one of the many thousands of Gew 88/05 rifles Germany sent to Turkey at the beginning of World war I. I suspect that a number of these rifles were dismantled and rebuilt by the Turks. At the end of the war, many of these were made inoperable by the British by removing the bolt heads and/or the complete bolt. It is my understanding that the Turks later contracted with CZ (a company in Czechoslovakia) to make new bolts. In turn, these bolts were stamped with Turkish markings. No need to cry. You have a rifle that represents part of the long history of Gew 88 use and distribution. Keep it well oiled and enjoy it! Thank you so much for your notes on the regimental markings (these bands were likely placed on your rifle at the time it was modified by Turkish armorers). I have recently submitted a short collection of Gew 88 regimental markings to The Military Rifle Journal and have started collecting a new series of markings for inclusion in a second article. I really liked the saying about beetles! I have a lot of ugly beetles in my Gew 88 collection but they still look good to me. I'm glad you enjoy this forum. It takes a while to read through all of it but there is a lot of good information here. Please drop back and visit us!
mike hudson		#58	[-]
Posts: 3 (01/07/09 10:25 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	KAR 88, Erfurt 1896, serial number 108. Carbine is marked with nm, and S updates.
Plevna		#59	[-]
Posts: 286 (01/08/09 09:18 PM) active member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Mike: Thank you much! All input is greatly appreciated!!
LeeF.mercedesc32amgl...		#60	[-]
Posts: 1 (01/13/09 02:53 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Gew 88/05, Turk markings, Steyr 1980, s/n 9755. Leef in Dallas (a helluva long way from the 19th Century!) An obsession is a terrible thing to waste.