Gewehrfabrik Danzig M98

[kammerherren]

Here is another rifle I bought just a few months back. Produced by Gewehrfabrik Danzig. I bought this by a gentleman in his mid-eighties; he hunted moose for many years with this rifle. Chambering is 8x57IS. The overall condition is rather ok, not a lot of bluing left on the action, but I guess it have seen a lot of carrying. As you will see, the rear sight has been removed and a Norma peep sight has been installed. Not very attractive today, but I guess it had some advantages back in the days. The action, barrel, bolt and stock are matching numbers, and the overall functionality of the rifle is very good. Very smooth movement when closing the bolt. (For a M98 I mean).
My question now is more about Gewehrfabrik Danzig than the rifle itself. Where was the factory located? When were they active? Pre or post WW1? Any way to identify specific production year of this rifle? Did Danzig produce a lot of rifles like this? Any good books you would recommend to learn more about civilian gunsmiths in Germany back in the early days?

Sorry about the quality on some of the pictures.......

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Edit August 2017: Added pictures due to Photobucket problems.

[kammerherren]

Some more pictures.

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Edit August 2017: Added pictures due to Photobucket problems.

[kammerherren]

Even more.....

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Edit August 2017: Added pictures due to Photobucket problems.

[Axel E]

Kammerherren, you should read other threads on this forum too before asking the same questions again.For instance, read this thread too: Reichswerke Erfurt 7mm Rifle
http://www.germanguns.com/upload/sho...furt-7mm-Rifle
The Königliche Gewehrfabrik Danzig = royal small arms factory Danzig was one of the three state arsenals which made M98 rifles and carbines for the German armies in WW1. The others were in Erfurt and Amberg. soon after the armistice November 1918 the factories started making civilian rifles for both the domestic market and for export, using the existing machinery. The rifles made in Danzig, now Gdansk in Poland, were marked "Gewehrfabrik Danzig", while the Erfurt made ones were marked "RwE" for "Reichswerke Erfurt". All their M98 action rifles were in 8x57IS originally. Besides these full bore sporting rifles, Danzig made some .22 lr single shot rifles, while Erfurt made "Remo" and "Geha" shotguns too.
Just addressed your questions in another thread here:
http://www.germanguns.com/upload/sho...fle-Help/page3
Quote: I went through the 1920 – 1923 issues of "Der Waffenschmied / Waffenzeitung"to find out. The So called "Versailles peace treaty" was signed at gunpoint on June 28, 1919. It was effective after ratificaton on January 10, 1920. Only then the allied disarmament commissions were formed and could begin to work, taking some time. As the Germans thought the conditions of the treaty unjust and suspected the disarmament commissions with espionage, they tried to cover up as much as possible. Especially the French tried to get all German inventions and technology in hand to improve their own industry. So documentation of the proceedings and the German bypasses is very scarce. The commissions closed down the Gewehrfabrik Danzig on July 31, 1921. The Gewehrfabrik Erfurt, renamed Reichswerke Erfurt and Deutsche Werke Erfurt meanwhile, followed March 31, 1922.
This dates your "Gewehrfabrik Danzig" and "RwE" rifles, as production started in early 1919 and ended at the dates above.

[kammerherren]

Axel, point taken, won’t happen again. I did read quite a lot of threads since I joined the forum a year ago, but that one went under my radar until this morning. Thank you for the information.

[mike ford]

kammerherren,
Actually, a peep sight is much better than open sights, especially for ageing eyes.

Axel,
Did Amberg produce sporting rifles? If so, what name did they use? BTW, the US didn't ratify the "Treaty".

Mike

[kammerherren]

Mike, for sure a peep sight is much better than open sights, what I meant was that the rifle would be more original and more desirable today if the original iron sights still was installed. I have a ghost ring on a modified sporting Krag Jørgensen, and they work very well.

[algmule]

Hello

kammerherren,

may I have images (both sides) of the buttplate? if so, please post them.

Kind regards
Peter

[kammerherren]

Hi älgmule, not sure what you mean when you say both sides? I can easily take a picture of the butt plate, but are you also requesting a picture of the butt plate after I removed it from the rifle? The inside if you like?