Austrian made Steyr Gewehr 1888 Mauser Rifle. Antique (NON FFL) Pre 1898

The Geweher 88 also known as the GEW88 was a late 19th century German bolt action rifle adopted in the year 1888. The rifle came to be with the invention of smokeless powder late into the 19th century. The French had just created the 8mm Lebel the world’s first smokeless powder cartridge and in order to not become obsolete the Germans adopted the GEW88 utilizing the Patrone 88 cartridge which was designed by the German Rifle Commission. Hence why this G88 also gets the nickname Model 1888 Commission rifle. Interestingly enough the barrel was copied quite heavily from the French 1886 Lebel. The barrel profile and rifling would be very similar. The Germans adapted a Swiss design and had a rimless necked down cartridge utilizing a 22gr round nose bullet. Eventually in 1905 the M88 cartridge was replaced by the 7.92x56mm Mauser S Patrone ball cartridge which utilized 154gr Spitzer bullets. These yielded more power and better accuracy.

The Gew88 takes the receiver and bolt design of the Gewher 1871 Mauser and combines them with a Mannlicher magazine. These rifles would use en bloc clips that would be inserted into the magazine and remain until the last round is chambered.

The rifle and ammo had some early flaws with many interesting theories revolving around them. Essentially there was much drama between Loewe & Company and Waffenfabrik Mauser. A conspiracy arrived that Loewe was providing  the German army insufficient rifles or exchanging good parts for flawed ones  and that Loewe was a potential spry for France. Austria-Hungary, Germany, Brazil, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Orange Free State, South Africa, Ottoman Empire. Lithuania, China, and even the United Kingdom adopted the rifle at some point in time. The 1888 saw service in the first Sino-Japanese War, Second Boer War, Boxer Rebellion, Mexican Revolution, World War I, Russian Civil War, Irish War of Independence, Spanish Civil War, Italo-Ethiopian War, World War II, 1948 Palestine war, and the Korean War.

For sale is a Mauser 1888 antique rifle produced by Steyr in 1890. This rifle is chambered in 8x57mm but we do not recommend firing modern 8mm Mauser ammunition through it as the pressures may be too high. This chamber is marked S so it is the enlarged chamber for Spitzer bullets. This rifle is in fantastic shape for its age aside from the damage on the right side of the stock by the fore grip. This rifle is well over 100 years old and the metal finish and wood appear great. As stated there is some damage on the right side that looks like it was repaired. It looks like debris hit the rifle splintering some of the stock. Possibly an interesting battle scar.  The barrel, bolt, and receiver are matching serial numbers, along with the two barrel bands and the trigger guard. The bolt feels very smooth and the action is one of the smoothest 1888 rifles we have felt. The bore is a bit dark/frosty but good strong lands and grooves are still present.
Please see all photos to review the condition of this antique.

S – Enlarged chamber for spitzer bullets.
DE

WG

Steyr – Manufacturer

1890 – Production date

80.R.3.75.  – R designates reserves – Weapon #75 of the 3rd company 80th reserve infantry.

Gew.88. – Model

2,000 yard sight

7,9 – near sight – likely designates 7.92 ballistics.