G-98

[mp44]

G 98

What does the H over the crown stand for? Very nice rifle.

[MauserKar98k]

You gotta love the Gewehr 98s! Yours is a particularly nice example. I would love to get one myself someday.

Blue, you're killing me with the grouping in #15! The 3 WWI items that I would dearly love to have: M16 German helmet, Artillery Luger, and Gewehr 98!

Great stuff!

MauserKar98k

[ottodog8]

I'm no expert, but my understanding is that a 1918 Gewehr 98 should have grasping grooves in the forend and a take down washer in the buttstock instead of a marking disk. Also, if you look closely at the photo of the serial number on the toe of the butt, it appears to have been altered. Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings, but we are all here to learn.
Still a nice Gewehr, and I like the display as well.
Steve

[r.blue]

MP44,
The "H" is believed to be a rework stamp for the Reichswehr in Hanover......which might also explain some of ottodog8's concerns.

MauserKar98k,
I took the grouping photo for GWA...he's way better at than me but I thought I'd give it a shot.
If you want more of the helmet I took some. It's got a name inside.
R.Blue

[mp44]

g98

Thanks for your reply,had never seen on marked that way.Still a very nice rifle.

[gew98]

What does the H over the crown stand for? Very nice rifle.

The consensus is H = Hannover depot , but pre 1919 not post 1918.
This rifle exhibits classic details of a depot salvaged gew98. The stock is an earlier pattern that ap[pears to have been renumbered to match over old serials. The unit marked disc was never removed nor flipped to hid prior unit ownership of the rifle that originally sported the stock - which is odd as that was pretty much done when salvaged.
The rear sling Q/D boss has had a wire bail added ( a definate non german feature ) by someone post WW1.
The cleaning rod should as well be serialed to match the last two digits of the rifle's serial.
In the great war stock changes were authorized in 1916. Most manufacturers did not make the total switch to stocks with fingergrooves and dismount disc's until into 1917. Mainly due to tooling up time and allowing production of old patterns while tooling up so as not to slow production. Many older pattern stocks were supplied as spares to depots and units in general as spares.

[gew98]

I'm no expert, but my understanding is that a 1918 Gewehr 98 should have grasping grooves in the forend and a take down washer in the buttstock instead of a marking disk. Also, if you look closely at the photo of the serial number on the toe of the butt, it appears to have been altered. Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings, but we are all here to learn.
Still a nice Gewehr, and I like the display as well.
Steve

Otto , while the german depot system or at small unit level stocks were salvaged regularly and renumbered to match the salvaged actions - I am thniking like you this is a more modern job. The unit disc with Garde regimental would be very out of place on a salvaged stock in 1918. Such older stocks with unit marked discs would have had discs removed or flipped with unit markings when salvaged as such rifles likely did not make it back to their original units. A peek at how the stock is numbered on the inside of the channel , the handguard ,buttplate and bayonet lug would help alot in evaluation.