Original German Pre-WWI Karabiner 88 S Cavalry Carbine by C.G. HAENEL dated 1890 Marked to the Life Guards Hussars – Matching Serial 5480 a Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. Adopted in 1888 the new German Infantry round in 7.92 X 57mm replaced the old 10.4mm large bore cartridge adopted in 1871. The M-1888 Rifle was referred to as the “Commission Rifle” and was manufactured as a full Infantry Rifle and a Carbine starting in 1888 and an Artillery Carbine adopted in 1891.

Our excellent example is of the Cavalry Carbine and was made by government contractor C.G. HAENEL, located in SUHL in 1890., as indicated on the top of the receiver. The right side of the receiver is marked with Kar. 88. in German blackface type, and there are additional proof marks on various components of the carbine. The receiver, barrel jacket, bolt, magazine housing, and other components are marked with serial number 5480 / a, or shortened number 80. That makes this a very desirable ALL MATCHING example, with no parts swapped out over the years, and it’s a great one!

Additionally. the middle barrel band / sling loop is marked on the right side with the regimental designation L. G. 3451., for the Leibgarde Husaren Regiment (Life Guard Hussars Regiment). This is one of the garde regiments, responsible for the personal well-being of the King of Prussia and German Emperor. This light cavalry unit is the exact type of unit that would have been issued this type of carbine.

The carbine has an 18″ barrel, which has a very good condition bore, showing a mostly bright finish with clear lands and grooves. There is a bit of light wear to the lands, and some past fouling in the grooves, but nothing out of line with a carbine that saw light service. The rifle cycles and dry fire well, and the firing pin is fully intact, as is the often lost cartridge ejector on the bolt face. We checked the safety and it is fully functional. It bears a stylized “H” marked over the chamber to indicate modification for the S-PATRONE cartridge introduced in 1903 (we do not recommend firing the S-cartridge in this carbine). We have seen this marking used in place of the “S” on carbines before. This short carbine was intended for use by cavalry units.

The stock is in very good condition, with a lovely honey color, most likely made from Beechwood. The stock cartouches are STILL CRISP, which means that it has not been arsenal reconditioned, and it still looks great, showing light wear from service. This is mostly pressure denting and some scratches, but no large gouges or chunks missing. There are no repairs or other issues we can see. The metalwork is well preserved, with much of the bluing still present on the barrel jacket, and a slightly oxidized patina on the receiver and bolt, originally bright polished steel.

In 1890 this was cutting edge technology as the Gewehr 1888 Mauser rifles and carbines were the first to use the 7.92mm cartridge that replaced the 10.4mm used in the Mauser 1871/84 tubular magazine rifles.

This little carbine used an integral 5 shot box magazine and was extremely popular. It was superseded in 1898 with the introduction of the Gew 98 rifle also in an updated version of the same caliber and many 88s were updated and then marked with a small “S” on the receiver ring to indicate it could be used with the upgraded ammunition.

Both the Kar 88 and 91 were already being slowly taken out of service before World War One, as the new Mauser 98 pattern carbines introduced in 1909 or 1910 were taking their place. This would change with the outbreak of war, of course, and every one of the 88 / 91 pattern carbines in German inventory would be re-issued during the Great War. Their size and weight made them ideal for the troops who needed a personal weapon but were unlikely to actually have to fight with it (artillery crews, cyclists, supply drivers, balloon crews, etc).

Both the Mauser Model 88 and 98 rifles and carbines saw extensive use in WWI. During the Great War cavalry was quickly becoming a thing of the past once trench warfare was introduced.

By WW2 the Germans had adopted the Mauser 98K Rifle, again in the improved 7.92mm caliber, this rifle was shorter than the Gew 98, longer than the carbine, and became the standard.

A rare 1890 dated Mauser Kar 88 Carbine, only 37 1/2″ in overall length, federally classified as an antique due to its pre-1899 manufacture date. In lovely condition and ready to display!

Specifications-

Year of Manufacture: 1890
Caliber: 7.92×57mm Mauser S Patrone
Cartridge Type: Centerfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 18 Inches
Overall Length: 37 Inches
Action type: Bolt-Action
Feed System: 5 round internal magazine

History of the Gewehr 88

In 1886, the French Army unveiled the Modelle 1886 “Lebel” rifle. There was an immediate reaction in German military circles bordering on hysteria. Why? Because the Lebel was the world’s first small bore military rifle using an efficient smokeless powder cartridge. Now, the Lebel, which used a tubular magazine located under the barrel was not a particularly noteworthy design, but the power and flat trajectory of the new French 8mm round far outclassed the 11mm Reichspatrone black powder round used in the contemporary German infantry rifle, the Mauser 71/84.

In this rather charged atmosphere, the German Gewehr Prfungs Kommission (GPK – Rifle Testing Commission) went to work. Initially, the idea was to revise the Mauser Gewehr 71/84 to use a small caliber smokeless powder round based on the old 11mm black powder Reichspatrone. To this extent, production machinery was ordered from the Ludwig Loewe Company of Berlin-Charlottenburg in December, 1887. As things progressed, the GPK became disillusioned with this technical approach, and so a rather strange hybrid of ideas took shape.

The bolt design was highly revised by a Spandau Arsenal technician named Louis Schlegelmilch and features a separate bolt head. The ensuing rifle had a Schlegelmilch/Mauser action, a five shot clip loaded Mannlicher style magazine (note: while the clip falls out as with the Mannlicher clips, this one was markedly improved in that it could be loaded with either end down as opposed to only one end on the true Mannlicher), and a full length barrel jacket designed by Armand Mieg. The pitch and profile of the rifling were copied directly from that of the Lebel. The cartridge chosen was a modified Swiss style rimless design based on the ideas of Eduard Rubin. By March 23, 1888, the Bavarian military observer in Berlin, General von Xylander reported that the development was virtually complete.

Field trials for the new rifle were completed in November, 1888, and the GPK recommended that it be adopted immediately. The adoption orders were signed by Kaiser Wilhelm II on November 12, 1888. Issue of the Gewehr 88 as the new rife was designated, were first made in the spring of 1889 to the XV and XVI Armeekorps stationed in Elsass-Lothringen. Issue to the Bavarian military units began in October 1889, and by August 1890, all Prussian, Saxon, and Wurttemberger line units had been re-equipped.

The Gewehr 88 was made by the three primary Prussian arsenals at Danzig, Erfurt, and Spandau, a smaller Bavarian establishment at Amberg, as well as several private contractors, including the Ludwig Loewe Company, Osterreichische Waffenfabrik Gesellschaft (Steyr), and Haenel. Production figures up to the time production ceased in 1897 are as follows:

Prussian Government Arsenals: 750,000

Amberg: 425,000

Loewe: 425,000

Steyr: 300,000

Haenel: 100,000

Total: 1,675,000