Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very good example of the iconic German Gewehr 1888 Commission Rifle, also known as the Gewehr 88 or Gew. 88. Manufactured by Ludwig Loewe & Company of Berlin in 1891, the rifle was later upgraded to the Gewehr 88/05 S configuration and subsequently entered Turkish service. Its German manufacturer markings, Imperial German conversion features, Turkish numerals, mismatched service components, surviving double slot cleaning rod, functional action, and notably good bore give it considerable historical and collector appeal.

Ludwig Loewe & Company was one of the principal German arms manufacturers of the late 19th century. The company later became part of Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken Aktien-Gesellschaft, better known as DWM, which went on to become a major supplier of firearms and ammunition to Imperial Germany and numerous foreign governments.

The Gewehr 88 was originally chambered for the 7.92mm Patrone 88 cartridge and used a fixed magazine loaded with an en bloc clip. As with many Gewehr 88 rifles that remained in service, this example was later modified to accept the improved 7.92×57mm Mauser S Patrone. The chamber bears the required: S

The pointed S Patrone projectile offered improved ballistic performance over the earlier M/88 cartridge, but its larger diameter projectile and thicker cartridge case required modification of the chamber before it could be safely used.

This rifle was also altered to accept the Model 1905 pattern stripper clip. Notched guide plates were welded to the rear of the receiver on both sides, identifying the rifle as a Gewehr 88/05 S. The conversion also included filling the internal receiver slots formerly used by the en bloc clip, installing a floor plate to close the bottom of the magazine, and cutting the characteristic clearance notch into the rear of the receiver for the loaded stripper clip.

A slight inlet was also added to the left side of the receiver to assist with loading. The magazine floor plate clip is dated: 1914

These alterations allowed the rifle to be loaded from the top using the same general stripper clip system adopted for later German service rifles.

The right side of the receiver is marked in German blackletter: Gew. 88.

The receiver and barrel jacket are both marked:

1006
a

The serial numbers on the magazine housing, bolt, and other components do not match. The assortment of mismatched parts is consistent with an arm that underwent arsenal reworking and remained in service for an extended period, possibly including preparation for reserve issue during WWI.

The chamber is clearly marked:

LOEWE BERLIN.
1891.

The rifle was later transferred to Germany’s WWI ally, the Ottoman Empire, or to the successor Turkish military. A crescent moon and Eastern Arabic style numerals are stamped on the firing pin holder at the rear of the bolt. The rear sight ladder was also completely remarked with Eastern Arabic numerals, and its original sight slider was replaced with a bent steel slider.

The stock remains in very good service used condition and displays an attractive worn patina from long use. It appears to have been arsenal reconditioned, a process that has left many of the original proof markings quite faint but has also given the wood a pleasing red brown color.

An approximately 4 inch by 1/4 inch section of wood is missing from the left side of the stock beside the receiver. No other large missing sections or major cracks were observed. The front sling swivel remains present and moves freely. A metal swivel was added to the rear sling clip so the rifle could accept a conventional sling.

The metalwork displays an overall matte oxidized patina resulting from age, oxidation, and subsequent cleaning. Traces of the original blue finish remain on the barrel jacket, although the finish is now quite faded. The bolt bearing surfaces show wear consistent with prolonged use.

The bore is in very good condition, especially considering the rifle’s long German and Turkish service history. The lands and grooves remain clearly defined, and the bore is mostly bright. There is slight rounding to the lands and a few areas where past fouling appears to have been removed, but the rifling remains strong.

The uncommon double slot cleaning rod remains present. The bolt extractor, which is frequently lost when these rifles are disassembled for cleaning, also survives. The firing pin and extractor are intact, the action cycles smoothly, and the safety remains fully functional. The bolt release also operates correctly and allows the bolt to be removed easily for cleaning.

The Gewehr 88 was developed in response to advances in small arms ammunition during the late 1880s. Rather than being designed by Mauser, it was created by a German military commission, giving rise to the commonly used name “Commission Rifle.” Its jacketed barrel, en bloc loading system, and small bore smokeless powder cartridge represented a major technological advance over the large caliber black powder rifles that preceded it.

The later 88/05 conversion extended the useful service life of the rifle by adapting it to the newer S Patrone and stripper clip loading system. Rifles of this type served with Imperial German forces and reserve formations during WWI before many were transferred abroad. German supplied Gewehr 88 rifles became an important part of Ottoman and later Turkish military inventories, where they often underwent additional arsenal modification and remained in service for many years.

With its clear 1891 dated LOEWE BERLIN marking, Gewehr 88/05 S conversion features, 1914 dated magazine component, Turkish crescent and numerals, remarked rear sight, surviving double slot cleaning rod, intact extractor, functional action, and very good bore, this rifle has considerable visual and research appeal. The mismatched components, worn stock, missing wood beside the receiver, faded finish, and arsenal reworking honestly document its long service life. It would display especially well in an Imperial German, WWI, Ottoman or Turkish military, Commission Rifle, or military firearms development collection.