1888 Commission Mauser

[David LaPell]

I have been thinking about getting an 1888 Commission Mauser for one of our local military matches (anything goes as long as it is open sight and a military caliber). I looked at one the other day, it has the S on the receiver, the grooves milled in for stripper clips, and the bottom of the mag well covered. Has anyone ever dealt with these guns before? This thing is in excellent condition with a great bore, and if I can get decent groups out of it, I would rather get it than a Nagant (never liked the safety on those).

[357maximum]

Mauser had nothing to do with the GEWR88 B.T.W.


I had a turked 88-14 fall into my lap last fall and I am simply loving it. 15 grains of unique and the lee 326-175-FN group buy mould sized to .325 make it a very accurate and fun playtoy. I did absolutely zero load development for it. A very kind soul let me turn a bunch of his play loads back into brass and I needed to search no further. THANKS MATT So far it has only shot the one load and it likely will only ever be fed this load as it really likes it. I may just kill a buck with this load/gun just to do it one of these seasons.


Noisy Maggots are neat guns but I like the commision rifle alot better.

[elk hunter]

David,

88 Commission rifles are neat rifles. The 1905 version that you describe has the advantage of not needing the special clips to shoot them as a repeater. Make sure the rifle still has the bolt head as sometimes they are lost and it can be hard to find a replacement.

Try this this site http://www.gew88.com/ for more information about the 88.

[Gunsmoke4570]

I have the 1888 modified to use the stripper clips as well. It is a Spandau IIRC. I have some SAECO GC boolits loaded up for it over 16.0gr of 2400 I'm planning on trying out on my next range trip.

[Dutch4122]

15 grains of unique and the lee 326-175-FN group buy mould sized to .325 make it a very accurate and fun playtoy............... I did absolutely zero load development for it..................So far it has only shot the one load and it likely will only ever be fed this load as it really likes it.

Your welcome, Mikey

I can verify that as I have shot that rifle with the very loads mentioned. She is a sweetheart. We were shooting off hand at a 8" across steel swinger at Badgeredd's place that was 50 yards away. The gun just wouldn't allow a miss as long as the "nut behind the butt" did his part. I was very impressed by the old "Turked" Commission Rifle. That gun is the epitome of a rifle that don't look like much; but performs like a precision instrument.

It sure is a fun rifle; especially for somebody like myself who's a lousy offhand shot with a long gun.

[koyote]

I was just looking to post some questions on this rifle.

I have a Danzig 1890 production, rearsenaled rifle. (S stamp) - works, fires, all matching 4 digit serial number, fun piece. But for reloading purposes I'm wondering what I'm looking for in bullets. UNTIL I start casting.

The reason I ask is mining the intarwebs results in a few answers, dependent on the writer, which side of the Atlantic he's on, what he's drinking that day, and other factors.

I'm pretty sure it's .323......

[KCSO]

The most accurate cast bullet rifle I ever had was a KAR88. That gun with the original bead front sight ( yes they made them) would shoot under 2" all day long at 100 yards. My gun was a Sears rifle bought mail order as a GERMAN HUNTING rifle in the 1930's and was shot with factory 8mm mauser ammo from then till 1990. One or two shots a year and one or two deer a year. Cases fired in the gun needed almost no resizing the die never touched the shoulder. I shot 12.5 of Red Dot powder and a 190 cast bullet sized 323. My Dad's 88 rifle was just as nice.

[izzyjoe]

the lee 175gr. is a good one, and so is the lee karbiner mold. i think it's 215gr. but i loaded up some couple months back, and they were very impressive. you can get the mould from midsouth. they make two diffrent ones, the other is alot bigger, it's 250gr. but the 215gr. will serve you well.

[L Ross]

Just dug out my 88, it's a Danzig 1890 S bore. I load it a bit different in that I use a 200 gr. F. Zika tapered plain base schuetzen bullet loaded long with 14 gr of IMR-4227. Several other shooters marvel at how accurate it is and it cost less than their rear sight. If only they had the sights of an 03A3.

Duke

[koyote]

Duke-

just out of curiosity, what's your serial range? My 1890 danzig is 33xx

[izzyjoe]

mine is a 1890 danzig, and it has a .325+ bore. so i have to size them big.

[L Ross]

Koyote, its serial number is almost 2200.

Duke

[koyote]

older than mine!

I'm just starting to wonder. how many of these 1890 danzig made pieces are floating around here.

[L Ross]

It is my favorite ugly gun with its dull slightly rough stock and old brown metal barrel shroud and pendulous magazine, because it shoots so well.

Duke

[koyote]

I need to get a pot and get going, I really want to try some CBs in it. Shooting the can full of turk 49 is getting old!

[jonk]

koyote- I sure wouldn't be shooting ANY full power ammo in it, much less turk. The 88 action isn't as strong as the 98 and the recoil lug can and eventually will fail with full power loads.

Now pulling bullets and downloading might be ok...

[Good Cheer]

Mine was bought for $35 and then reworked by Richard Hoch (preserving the outer sleeve) with his cast bullet barrel and mold made to match. It's a long barrel .32 cast rifle with long range sights that's a repeater. Just doesn't get any better than that.

[303Guy]

(never liked the safety on those)

No safety is good or reliable. Ever see how Mauser 'safeties' are modified to take a scope? It doesn't take much to knock it into the fire position. Same goes for the SMLE and No.4 'safeties'. I never use a 'safety' - too dangerous!

[adrians]

No safety is good or reliable. Ever see how Mauser 'safeties' are modified to take a scope? It doesn't take much to knock it into the fire position. Same goes for the SMLE and No.4 'safeties'. I never use a 'safety' - too dangerous!

im on the same page, don't trust old safeties they have been known to let loose, so i load all my mausers and gew88s one piece at a time,
but they are usefull for bolt dissasembly

[John119]

Back in the late 1970's Big 5 Sporting Goods here in Calif. were selling clean Turkish re-issues (dated 1935) of the 1888 Comission rifle.

$ 29.95 ea.