My New Project - 1906 German Sporting Rifle

[CountingCoo]

Just got a very good deal (IMO) on this beautiful old rifle. This should keep me busy for the next year. It's a 1906 rifle built on a 98 action by German gunsmith G.L. Rasch. Stock is a mess. Has some beautiful engraving and an interesting trap door on the butt. I'm going to completely restore this gun and take her to Queensland to slay some boar. Chambered in 8mm Mauser.

 

[CountingCoo]

Anyone want to help me unravel the markings on the trap door?

IN DANIKGARER / ERIN NERUAD. 25 SEPTEMBER 1906 / HERM RIMPAU / S L / AUG HAMTE

 

[R.M.C.]

Very cool, wish I could help you with the markings. I bet someone on here can though.

 

[MS 9x56]

Been awhile since I used German (about 45 years) but I believe its is a gift message listing the date, place given, and the names of
the gifter and giftee, along with a remembrance.

 

[MS 9x56]

Gorgeous gun. Do you plan to restore the gun or customize it?

 

[MS 9x56]

G. L. Rasch 1792-1867 didn't make the gun though he was dead before the model 98 was invented. The gun shop that beared his name probably made it.

 

[MS 9x56]

I hope these tidbits help in your quest for answers.

 

[MS 9x56]

Could we get a picture of the trap door and what is beneath it?

 

[rdog]

Just got a very good deal (IMO) on this beautiful old rifle. This should keep me busy for the next year. It's a 1906 rifle built on a 98 action by German gunsmith G.L. Rasch. Stock is a mess. Has some beautiful engraving and an interesting trap door on the butt. I'm going to completely restore this gun and take her to Queensland to slay some boar. Chambered in 8mm Mauser.

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Good luck on the restoration & the planed hunt in QLD.

 

[Red Leg]

Very nice. I would guess it is a .318 8x57J rather than a .323 8s57S (the larger diameter S bore was adopted for the military in 1905). It is something to watch in these older 8mm rifles if loading it to anywhere near its potential. When I fooled with them Hawk had a well made .318 SP.

The rifle also looks to have claw bases. JJ Perodeau https://jjperodeau.com/ can build a set of rings for a straight tube scope that will work with that rifle.

 

[rookhawk]

It’s a great gun and it looks the part. I’d have that gun conserved in about 45 days, but I’d avoid a restoration on it. It will never look right with some things reworked, others too clean and new yet other bits worn. A restoration, properly done will cost many thousands and in the end, it won’t have much value or much looks left in it.

But a conservation? Absolutely. Steam out the heavier dents. Wipe down the stocks with spirits. Recut borders. Dawn dish soap in the checkering. Silvers pad or cleaned up horn butt plate, sure. Bronze wool and oil on the action, claw extractor, etc. 20 cleanings with a variety of bore solvents to get the rifling to shine without damaging it, sure. Hand rubbed oil finish with rotten stone to fill in some of the grain. Sure.

Better to have it look like an honestly used gun that was cared for along the way by a bit of conservation than for a restoration that will sort of deface it, in my opinion.

45 days and less than $150 in supplies and I’d have that gun looking nicer than anything else in the camp’s gun rack.