T.P.Hern's 1890 Amberg M88/05 Commission  Rifle with some really neat markings!

 

Click on any image for larger pictures. I only have permission to use the pictures on this website therefore all copyrights apply.

The rifle pictured is all matching with the exception of the bolt, which is a Czech replacement. Oddly, it has about 95% original finish with polished receiver, butt plate bolt and cleaning rod with rust blued barrel jacket and trigger guard and barrel jacket. The bands are niter blued. 

It is marked to the 73rd Reserve Regiment (1st Hannover Reserve)  

and appears to have never been issued after the conversion to the 88/05 configuration, not even by the Turks! The rear sight has been re-marked in Turkish  and it has a Czech bolt, as many Turks do. The bore is perfect and the T.P. Hern has stated that he has never fired the rifle and probably never will because of it's nice condition. 

                            This rather odd marking on the rear of the barrel jacket at the receiver ring (F over W over W) is, according to Karl-Heinz Wrobel, an importer mark indicating post WW2 import into Germany by Frankonia Jagd. Apparently, this one was imported into Germany and then came to th e United States at a later date. John Wall, John Sheehan, and T.P. Hern originally thought that the FWW marking could have been an Austrian marking indicating that this rifle might have been an Austro-Hungarian M13 rifle (Gew88 given by Germany to her WWI ally) buy Karl-Heinz cleared that up nicely for them. Still, a neat marking not often seen. T.P. Hern also mentioned the 8X57J marking directly under the "FWW" should have been a clue that it was a civilian marking. But sometimes the obvious doesn't bite you in the face the way it should. There is also a marking on the barrel jacket in front of the swell where it attached to the receiver that says "8MM" that is barely in the picture above.                                                   
                                                         

On the rear site has been stamped 7.92     

On the Butt Plate is stamped 11 over K    

The 1914 date and other marking on the mag cover    


And a big thank you to T.P. Hern for providing all the above pictures and information. 

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