KOMISSION G88/05/38
This is not a Mauser. We thought it would be interesting to add it to our list because like its unmodified version G88/05 , it has several points in common with the other Mauser rifles of the Turkish army or the Ottoman Empire. One of the most important characteristics is its cartridge of 7.92x57 (8x57IS) which it will share with the other rifles models 38 or other modifications "38". We will call this rifle on this page with the particularity 88/05/38 for the sake of understanding with the other "38" modifications. Indeed, this modification is sometimes called /30 or /35 but nothing official in the Turkish documents seems to fix the designation of this modification in the various archives at our disposal.
On this view you can see that the profile of this G88/05/38 has nothing to do with its original version. The stock has a "modern" profile, the barrel protection tube is simply removed and a hand guard is added at the level of its new rise. The barrel will be changed by a new barrel with the "38" profile
This G88/05/38 rifle will keep some of its original parts, some of which will undergo a major modification such as the receiver. The thunder is ground to remove the marking of the German arsenals in order to add that of the factory in charge of the transformation: TC ASFA ANKARA means Turkiye Cumhuriyeti (Republic of Turkey), Askari fabrika (military factory) of Ankara.
Our copy of 1940 is late with respect to the modification started at the beginning of the 1930s
It is quite possible that this rifle could have had a primitive marking as on our page of the Mauser 1903/38 but no photograph in our possession can prove it. The cylinder head is identical to the original one. It features serial numbers stamped in Arabic characters as well as a crescent on the ball of the lever, flag and breech nut indicating that these parts have successfully passed the control of the services in charge of conformity checks.
Some of these cylinder heads will be changed by manufacturing for the German army. They are recognizable by their imperial markings. The origin of the manufacture of these "Ottoman" cylinder heads seems complex. If the Ottoman G88/05 had a rear sight in Arabic characters to facilitate its use by Ottoman shooters, the need for a cylinder head with the number stamped with the same characters does not seem necessary. These cylinder heads are however not "German" modified but seem to have left the factory with these Arabic serial numbers.
As previously stated, this rifle will keep some of its mechanical parts. You can see in the photo to the right that the outward protrusion guard so familiar to the G88/05 is completely preserved. The original screws, with particular dimensions, are also preserved. All with the German imperial markings (bottom photo).
The rise is simply changed with its rise feet. The rear sight plate is of the "38" type, western characters, graduated from 100 to 2000m and works with the slope of the rear sight support like modern weapons. A new serial number is stamped on the slider as well as on the rear part of the board. A serial number is also added on the riser feet (bottom photo).
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Now let's get to the heart of the matter. To be able to modernize the butt of these rifles, the Turks had to face several technical problems. The main one is the design of the receiver which originally received a barrel protection tube screwed at the end of the thunderhead which made it impossible to install a type 38 handguard in the extension of the thunderbolt. To remedy this technical problem, the Turks simply cut the barrel protection tube ( 1 ) a few mm after the thread to generate a Mauser handguard attachment. Indeed, the flared shape (blue arrow) given to the few remaining 7mm after the threading makes it possible to fit a "38" type handguard there.
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View of the lower part of the modified part ( 1 ). The front mounting ( 2 ) of the guard of the old modified barrel protection tube is retained.
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The new stock designed especially for this modification of the G88 (see the trick to copy the stocks in the appendix of this page ) will completely match the shape of the case and its modified part. The front attachment is inserted into its housing ( 2 ) and the guide ( 3 ) is housed in the original recoil stop adapted in this new stock.
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The original G88 recoil stop is retained on our modified model. Note the presence of the German imperial marking on the left part of the stop (photo on the left)
At the level of the front of the butt is fixed a mouthpiece with tenon of bayonet type 38 in order to adapt a bayonet Mauser of the various Ottoman and Turkish models (except 1887). This modification therefore allows our old G88 to have parts interchangeable with any other Turkish Mauser
The grenadière of our specimen (left photo) seems to be a Turkish manufacture. It is manufactured as simply as possible, has no ribs and has a serial number on the left side. Pictured right, a firing pin disassembly eyelet is present as on all modified Ottoman Mausers as well as Model 38s.
Last evolution of the old Komission 88 rifles this version is an important improvement demonstrating the relentlessness of Turkish gunsmiths to want to enlarge their arsenals with weapons having a maximum of interchangeable parts. This rifle is much more pleasant to shoot than its original version. The stock is much more ergonomic, and the handguard gives it a much more modern design than its old barrel protection tube which is very often damaged over time.
These models are quite rare and often confused with Mauser models 1890/38 because of its external magazine. When fired, the G88 breech is very soft and often more flexible than Mauser 98 actions. the best of the 7.92x57 cartridge.