Pelican Parts Forums - It's German

Last month I came by a Mauser GEW 98 DWM Berlin1916 at auction. I have been looking on and off for several years for the right one to purchase, most seem beat if matching or are war time or inter war arsenal reworks that are mismatched. This one is a bit different.

This rifle appears to have been a battle field pick up and souvenir of a 2 year old GEW 98 rifle by a US Dough boy back in 18. I doubt that he did anything to change the rifles configuration and it is as he found it? (obviously no import marks)

The right side of the the Butt stock is marked : "Geo H Borstner" then on the next line there is a small square with a circle inside? then "82nd Div AEF" next line "Oct. 16. 1918 Argonne" The stock also bears his signature Borstner and below that "NIORS"

There is a draft record for a George Harvey Borstner in Passaic NJ for 1917-18, the 82nd went into action on Oct 4, 1918 in the Meuse Argonne and by Oct 17 had pretty much ceased attacking and from then on was a support division for the 78Th. Alvin York was a member of the 82ND, who was awarded the MH for his actions on Oct 8, 1918. The primary German Division that the 82ND faced was the 15Th Bavarian Replacement Div which was formed in 1916 from new conscripts and returning wounded and sick soldiers. Thus the 1916 date on the rifle fits the time frame that the 15th Bavarian was formed. There are no unit marking on the Butt Stock Disk nor rifle

As for the rifle. It shows a 90% to 95% of what appears to be its original Rust Blue finish (there is NO EVIDENCE of it being a refinish, pitting, buffing etc Milling marks are still evident) The stock shows a lot of minor bruising which would appear consistent with a rifle that had seen 2 years of combat service in WW1 (also the rifle might have been bumped around for nearly 100 years in someone closet). The bluing if anything shows less wear than the stock which is a bit of an anomaly? The Receiver and the Bolt Extractor are in the White and has patinated over the years to a brown (dried oil etc). The Bolt, Cocking Piece, Bolt Shroud and Bolt Collar are ALL Rust Blued? This Rust Bluing is consistent with the rest of the rifle and military bluing of that era. Even the Rear Sight Base is correctly two toned. The Bluing also has a bit of rust frosting which might be from not being well oiled for nearly 100 years or due to combat The Bore is dark (dirt from inattention?) but the rifling is very strong.

Every number (last 2 digits of the SN which is 6821) from the front Sight Base to the Butt Plate including the Stock is matching EXCEPT for the top of the BOLT RELEASE which is 13 and has an "R" stamped on the side which denotes a field repair? Also the spring loaded Rear Sight graduation (knurled parts) are missing so that the Rear Sight Base slides freely. which was possibly done by the German Soldat as when the rifle is fired the sights get hot whcih makes adjusting the rear sight difficult. Also the Cleaning Rod is missing and the stock has a bit of a glossy sheen to it? If it was a re varnish finish the metal parts were completely taken off as they bear no traces of a varnish being applied.

The Bolt and Parts that are Rust Blued should have been left in the White so this is an anomaly that has to be rectified. One would surmise that the small arms of the Killed and wounded would be picked up after the battle and returned to a military depot to be inspected, repaired as needed and reissued to the next lucky Soldat. Thus the small repair and possible refinish of the rifle including the bolt. After the Great war it was common practice to Blue the receiver and associated bolt parts. However as this is a US battlefield pickup this work had to be done by the Imperial Army during the war. I do believe that this rifle is a very clean example which is in almost impossible to find condition as it has had 2 years of field use and nearly 100 years of Closet experience. And has appeal to American military collectors as it is US Dough Boy marked from the Great War.

In the past I have found a pair of Heinz Weizlar field Binoculars in the leather case. Inside the top lid of the leather case it was inscribed "ZImmermann, 4Th Regt USMC AEF Coblentz, Germany 1919. This tends to show that it was a practice of the Dough boys to mark their souvenirs with their names, units and dates. Further the leather case shows darkened bloody palm and finger marks as if someone who was wounded was trying to move the case out of their way.

The story behind the Binoculars is that they were picked up from a dead German Artillery man by Zimmerman. Zimmermann came down with influenza and before he died asked his friend Darnell to take the Binoculars to his wife. Upon returning to the US Darnell tried to give the Binoculars to the wife but she refused them. So Darnell kept them, and it was his elderly son who sold them to the Gun Dealer I bought them from.

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