I really had another blog planned, but things change. I will be AWOL for the next three tuesdays. I will be going to the far north, where I grew up, so I will not be able to write the blog then. Two talented gentlemen will fill in for me, and the first will be presenting some imperial rifles, among them a fascinating civilian Kar88 variant, so I will show mine, which is quite different from his.
As production of the Gewehr 88 and Karabiner 88 was stopped, there were a lot of leftover parts from the military production. These parts were assembled and sold to the civilian market. The civilian Kar88 is pretty rare.
Mine has the Kar88 designation stamped on the side rail of the lock, but no makers mark or year. Civilian load data stamps have been added to the side of the lock. The lock has not been converted to the 88/05 standard, so no cut in the lock for Spitzer ammo, no rails for Mauser clips, and there is still present the release button in front of the trigger guard, to release the Männlicher clips. The buttstock has no slot for a sling, and the sight is a simple folding sight with two positions
So, not military, but the cutest little Kar88 I have ever seen.