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GEW 88 to 12 gauge

1022man1022man Member Posts: 512 ✭✭✭
edited September 2006 in Ask the Experts
I have seen some of these older rifles in 12guage that were converted in germany. How hard is this conversion? Has anyone here tried it? I was just thinking of it since there are some many of the commission rifles out there so cheap, and realy not in any collectible condidtion.
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    Wehrmacht_45Wehrmacht_45 Member Posts: 3,377
    edited November -1
    I have one and they are built on Gew98 Mauser actions and not Gew88 Mannlicher actions. Thhey were marketed as Geha and Remo shotguns and were made in the 1920's on all the gew98 actions alying around armories after ww1. They couldnt be made into new military guns due to the Versailles treaty so they were made as export shotguns to keep the businesses going.

    Basically the reciever is widened to accept the shotshells, a new follwer put in place.

    The barrel is swapped out for a 12ga barrel threaded for the 98 large ring mauser.

    The reciever is also augered out to allow the larger shell to pass intot he chamber. This elimanates the front locking lug recesses and makes the 3rd safety lug the locking lug.

    The bolthead is cut off and replaced by a new one that is held on by teh large claw extractor.

    The conversion is possible on the gew 88 if you trust the bolt handle to hold the bolt from coming back in your face since thats the only thing holding the bolt from flying back. You might also fidn some trouble finding an extractor to work with it as well as a bolthead and barrel. Since there are not many parts around for the Gew88
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    nononsensenononsense Member Posts: 10,928 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    1022man,

    This is not a conversion for the inexperienced nor someone without the knowledge and ability to do a lot of critical machine work. I quite frankly don't think that this project should even be considered. I haven't done one but after looking at an 88, I see no reason to think about trying to do one. There were lots of problems with the Gehas in the first place and they were (are) not what can be considered to be reliable. This is a link to a recent discussion:

    http://forums.forthehunt.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=137747&SearchTerms=geha,shotgun

    If you want a bolt action shotgun, find a used Marlin for not a lot of money. If you want a worthwhile project, find a decent Mauser and restore or refinish it.

    Best.
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    Wehrmacht_45Wehrmacht_45 Member Posts: 3,377
    edited November -1
    Im the guy who started that topic LOL

    I have fired mine a ton since then with dove and quail, and clay loads. My bolthead has never come off, although I did have to shorten the firing pin some since it pierced the primers of the shells.


    But I bought a bolt head just incase.
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