German Model 1888 Bolt Action Magazine Rifle, Serial Number 7403, Caliber 7.92 mm. A.k.a. the Model 1888 Commission Rifle

Technical Description: German Model 1888 bolt action magazine rifle, serial number 7403, caliber 7.92 mm. A.k.a. the Model 1888 Commission rifle. The barrel is 29 ½ inches in length and is covered by a blued sheet metal jacket. The sights are mounted on the barrel jacket, the front sight is a barleycorn type, the rear sight is a folding leaf. The leaf is missing; however, the base and leaf spring are present. The left side of the barrel jacket is marked 7403/ e. The receiver ring is marked S, CE / WG / STEYR / 1890, the left side of the receiver is marked 7403 / e. The left receiver wall is marked GEW 88. The receiver is finished bright. The bright finished bolt is marked 7403 / eon the bolt handle root. The stock furniture is blued steel. The barrel is secured by two barrel bands; the upper band is secured by a screw, the lower band by a spring retainer. A bayonet stud is mounted on the right side of the upper band; the left side is marked 84 R. 6. 104 01. The lower barrel band carries the upper sling swivel and is marked 47R.12.82. The trigger guard plate is marked 7403 at the forward end. The rear sling swivel and cleaning rod are missing. The walnut stock is marked behind the rear sling swivel base 7403 and forward of the base is A and CROWN. The metal is clean and smooth aging to a brown. The stock has a few dents and bruises. The rifle bore is very good. Historical Significance: The German Model 1888 rifle was developed at Spandau Arsenal by a German military commission in 1887-88, and was based on variations of the French Lebel 1886 bolt and the clip-loading Mannlicher magazine system. Germany had scarcely completed equipping her army with the Model 1871/84 black-powder rifle, when the French adopted the Lebel 1886 smokeless powder 8mm rifle. This development, having the immediate effect of making all black-powder rifles obsolete,  compelled Germany to adopt a similar arm. The Model 1888 was destined to have a short history as Germanys standard military arm. It was a good rifle; based on some of the best features used on military rifles at the time it was adopted. But the eighteen eighties and nineties were years of rapid arms development. The greatly improved Mauser rifle appeared during this period; it was so clearly superior to the Model 1888 that the Mauser was adopted to replace the Commission rifle in 1898. The Model 1888 continued in use as a limited-standard arm in Germany. It was also purchased by Austria and China in considerable numbers. During World War I Germany and Austria issued the gun to second-line units. Many were converted to use Mauser stripper clips and the Model 98 Mauser cartridge with Spitzer bullet. After World War I the Model 1888s were declared obsolete, and were sold to smaller military powers or on the open market.