German Reichsgewehr Model 1888 Rifle

After the French began issuing the Lebel rifle in 1887 (last week’s post), the Germans scrambled to develop the Reichs-commission model 1888. Although superseded by the 1898 rifle, it still saw duty with second echelon troops in WWI and was supplied to Germany's Austrian and Turkish allies.

They say a camel is a horse designed by committee, and this rifle designed by commission is a hodgepodge of existing designs, with little care about patent rights. The receiver is a design by Mannlicher with some of Mauser ideas tossed in. The interior barrel and rifling are copied from its rival, the Lebel.

A distinguishing feature is is the metal shroud extending the length of the barrel (the end visible in photo 2). This protected a soldier’s hand from grasping a hot barrel after lengthy or rapid firing, and allows air to circulate around the barrel. According to some reports this was also intended to improve accuracy, as the barrel is free floating between the receiver and the muzzle. Unfortunately it was also a fine place to trap moisture and develop rust.

The ’88 commission rifle was designed to fire the round nosed M-88 smokeless powder cartridge (Photo 3). An “en-block” clip with sheet metal sides would be pushed into the receiver from the top, and the clip would fall out of a hole in the bottom after the last round was chambered. In 1905 the Germans developed a new pointy bullet, the “spitzer,” and rifles like mine were converted to the new cartridge and clip system (photo 4).

The 1905 ammunition required re-chambering the rifles, and modified guns are marked with an “S” (Spitzgeschoss). The 1905 conversion also added clip guides to the top back of the receiver. The new clip did not enter the receiver. It was placed between the clip guides, the cartridges then pressed in with the thumb with the clip falling away. You can see a thumb recess milled away at the left of the receiver and a notch at the top for the new pointy bullets to pass into the magazine.

The magazine itself was redesigned and spring steel plate has been added to the bottom to keep dirt and debris from entering. I’ve removed my 1915 dated plate in photo 3 to show where the original clip would drop out.

My ’88 has the crown and name of the Erfurt Arsenal, with a 1891 manufacture year. The front barrel band is stamped 55 R.R.2.16 with the first R in italics. This translates to the 55th Reserve Infantry Regiment, second company, 16th rifle. There are X’d out markings showing property of the 75th Regiment before that.

I purchased the vintage sling separately. It’s not German manufacture but it is correctly configured for the 88 Commission Rifle. I’m showing the sling at its parade position in photo 1. A detachable clip at the end of the sling (lower left in photo 3) fits through a hole forward of the magazine, and the sling attaches to the cleaning rod under the muzzle with a wire catch (photo 2). It then loops around a sling swivel under the lower barrel band. By detaching the clip at the bottom, the sling becomes loose enough to slip it off the cleaning rod and the lower clip can then be attached to a ring on the stock for carrying over the shoulder (also visible in photo 3).

Ammo: I’ll write about the 1888 (8x57J) and 1905 (8x57JS) ammo in future posts. The maximum safe pressures for the ‘88 commission are significantly less than what modern 8mm ammo produces, and although re-chambered for JS, the ’88 retains its smaller bore for the 8x57J (.318 vice .323 diameter bullets). I slugged the bore on mine years ago and I can’t find the results but I recall that it was tight. I have only fired this rifle a couple times, and have not developed a suitable load for it. Once I tried mild JS rounds and got an elongated pattern at six o’clock between the 7 and 10 rings. Another time I tried using some 8x57J ammo, but experienced ejection problems, as well as cratered and backed out primers, which makes sense considering the rechambering.

WARNING: Many vintage firearms are unsafe to shoot and I do not advise shooting them since I do not know the specific firearm that may be involved or its condition.