German Model 1888 Carbine

Since I have already given a brief history of the 1888 Rifle last week, I won’t repeat its shared history with the 1888 carbine here.

Measuring a bit over 37” (94.5 cm), the “Karabiner ’88” was developed for cavalry use. By WWI these weapons had been replaced in the front lines, and found their way into some support units where duties called for more compact weapons. The receiver on my carbine is stamped B.2.T.B.2.69. After some research I have deduced this is the Bavarian 2nd Telegraph Battalion, 2nd Company, Carbine number 69. This was a unit raised in Munich in 1912, and I imagine the linemen rode horses or bicycles along the lines or didn’t want to leave their rifles at the base of the poles they were climbing.

Esthetically, the carbine sort of has the look of a period European sporting rifle. Although like the rifle it has a metal shroud covering the barrel, it is less visible as the weapon is stocked all the way to the muzzle and topped with a muzzle cap that incorporates the front sight. The bolt has a nicely turned down flattened shape, diamond cut beneath. There is no provision for a bayonet. As with the rifle, the latch on the left of the receiver releases the bolt for cleaning. The sling came with the rifle and is the correct German issue. My ’88 carbine is marked with the name V.C. Schilling, Suhl and the manufacture year of 1892.

The 1888 carbine was also designed to be loaded with an “en-block” clip which would be pushed into the receiver from the top. The clip would fall out of a hole in the bottom after the last round was chambered. Unlike my rifle, the Germans did not modify the carbine receiver, so these clips still fit; however, my carbine has been re-chambered for the 1905 spire point ammo, and is marked with an “S” at the top of the receiver near the barrel. The 1905 ammo will work in the carbine with the old en-block clips. There is a button inside the front of the trigger guard that will eject the clip if the carbine needs to be quickly unloaded.

Ammo: The Carbine was originally chambered for 8mm 1888 (8x57J) Ammunition before being re-chambered for 8mm Spitzer (8x57JS) ammo starting in 1905. Since there will be other rifles that fire the JS ammo, I’ll address it in a future post.

The M1888 round had a .318” dia. 227 grain round nose bullet that achieved 2100 feet per second. The ammo depicted was manufactured by RWS (Rheinisch-Westfälische Sprengstoff) after 1910 and before WWII, and I think it was for sporting use, since it is not full metal jacketed. Except for that discrepancy, the bullet is the same shape and weight, and the clip is original.

The maximum pressures for any of the ‘88 commission series is less than modern 8mm ammo, and I have not developed a suitable load for my carbine. I purchased some mild JS rounds and they worked well, delivering a one inch group at 50 yards, and groups under 6” at 100 yards from a rest.

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.