A couple more pictures of the stock engraving.

 

FWIW, My example is dated on the stock cartouche, 6th month of 3rd year -(June 1914) & is serial C9518.

 

You can strip it and try to find additional marking at the bottom of the receiver. Sometimes, the worn out hanyang 88 will have some qing dynasty made marking on it. This one should be an imported rifle since it's marking a communist henan militia marking. Also, the front band looks like a 1903a3 band. Maybe somebody replace to secure it in here. The top of the receiver has a very rough engrave of Chinese letter 练(liàn), which means practice.

 

I remember when Springfield Sporters had these for sale in the mid 90's.

They recommended that you "not" shoot them.........maybe because they were too well worn or converted to trainer models??


Do you see any rifling in the barrel?

 

I remember when Springfield Sporters had these for sale in the mid 90's.

They recommended that you "not" shoot them.........maybe because they were too well worn or converted to trainer models??

Do you see any rifling in the barrel?

I would be thinking long and hard about shooing a Chinese Hanyang. Any Mauser 88 merits some special attention and consideration. AFAIK, and I am pretty sure about this, the Chinese never adopted 323 ammo. The chamber and bore need to be measured. If not understood, then just dont go there. If one does understand, then look over the gun very closely. I mean beyond bore and chamber. And if that is not understood, dont go there either. Now we add 'trainer' on top of everything else. Not to insult the OP, but he is clearly new at this.

I like the OP's gun, its better than my example, but then mine is a wreck and no way mine will ever get shot. I have shot my US Model 1816 and yet these guns worry me. Add trainer into the mix! Any gun can be shot, it best to know what you are dealing with in each case. And think.

 

All the 8m sent from the US as aid has a .323 Ss type bullet . Most of the ammo bought from Europe was Ss type . My few examples of Chinese ammo have .323 bullets . All there of my Chinese made 88 type rifles have really big bores , like .330 + grooves , yet there is still some rifling .

 

On those big or worn bores - does a 323 bullet will just drop down the barrel and fall to the ground?

 

I have a Hanyang that is unmarked on the receiver. The last post in this thread addresses dates:

Gew 88 or Hanyang M88

So I bought this at the store as an unknown Austrian Steyr rifle. But I am starting to think it is Gew 88. Then the more I learned I thought maybe a Hanyang M88. So I guess I am saying help? What is the rifle and maybe the year or any other info?

www.gunboards.com

The practice marking on the receiver would have been done after it became obsolete or unsafe to fire.
I believe the militia markings were applied after the communist takeover. Can't remember the source for that though.

 

This is an interesting rifle for sure. The crossed flags on the stock appear to be the Japanese flag and the Manchukuo Army flag, one of the main Chinese collaborationist groups with the Japanese. The Japanese used Hanyang 88 rifles to train the Manchukuo army, so I would venture a guess this was one of them. Next, there's a Birmingham Nitro Proof (BNP) marking, which indicates the rifle was sold commercially in the UK at some point. If I were venture another guess, this may have been a training rifle captured by British forces in China (likely a Hong Kong nexus) which found its way to the UK and was sold on the commercial market in the 1950s, then imported to the US prior to 1968. This said, welcome expert opinions -- this is all just speculation on my behalf.

 

There are 2 rifles in this post. The one marked with militia is from OP. Since it is marked with militia marking, there is no chance that it is a bring back. As for the receiver marking, there is no Hanyang or 21st marking so it is probably from a workshop. There were a lot of different places produced Hanyang pattern rifles at that time.
As for the Staffy's rifle, the stock is marked Republic of China, the cross flag is actually a 18 star flag -ROC army flag and a 5 color flag - ROC National flag at the time. As for the British connection, I have no idea but the conflict between China and Britain is in the 1840-1850, way before Hanyang entered production.

 

Yes, Republic of China & along the bottom - Hanyang arsenal. Has undergone Proof, but would be wary of firing it.

 

Your rifle was produced around 1917/18 according to serial number.

It can’t be a WW2 bring back. The Henan Province Militia marking was stamped by communists in 1960s. So it was imported to states in 1980s.

The 练 (practice) marking on top of receiver ring indicates the rifle was determined as only suitable for drilling in Chinese military. This is also a post 1950s marking.

Early Hanyang production (1896 to 1932) left receiver blank and stamped manufacturer and year on buttstock.

In China, The first regulation on marking rifle was issued by National government in 1932. Before that there was no uniformity of rifle markings. I will explain more details in my future article.

 

Based on my understanding, Hanyang serial number is in 乙1AXXXX (乙1BXXXX, 乙1CXXXX, etc.)format, OP 's is not like that so there is no way to establish the production date. I have a picture in my book that a guy from Kaifeng Arsenal holding a Hanyang pattern rifle made there so it's more than just Hanyang Arsenal making it and I have no idea how they serialize their rifles.

 

Hanyang production didn’t add 乙 prefix until 1935.

The serial number after 1910 (new pattern rifle) started using A-Z followed by 2A-2Z, etc. I’ve never seen 1A-1Z range. Since there are some much earlier production have been observed, I prefer to believe 1A-1Z was skipped.

it’s impossible to determine exact manufacturing date. However a rough range can be told by analysing serial number and production output.

 

The OP's rifle looks to be in good shape compared to most Hanyangs I have seen.
Looks like it had a long history with a variety of regimes.
Thanks for posting.

 

Wow, thank you all for the wonderful input/commentary. This was really helpful, and I learned a lot about my piece here.

I don't plan at all on firing, so no worries about that. From what I learned here about the practice marking, I guess I'd just have to say if the 1960s Chinese Communist militia deemed it unsafe to fire, that's good enough for me. I actually think the firing pin has been removed.

Is TerentiusJ correct that a repair/replacement was done at some point with a 1903a3 front band? Does the rest of it essentially look standard?

Thanks, NY50/70. I think you could probably say this one is "well handled". Lots of deep scratching and dents, but it still feels like a solid piece of equipment. Very happy with the find; funny enough it was from a house on our own block (I think I paid $90 for it). Think it will display really nice in the collection, which I'm working on now. And actually just a couple weeks ago we also found the below out in the wild, which I think pairs so well.

 

Bosley, nice Hanyang 88. I have not followed all of the variations in these rifles but yours shows how these rifles have evolved up to more modern times.

Here is the only one in my collection. It left Chinese service in 1900 and is one of the earliest I have seen. I would think that some of these must have come back with American forces from the Boxer Rebellion.

With a serial of 1623, it was made pretty close to the front of production. It has not seen any work and came with two clips of nickel jacketed round nose J ball with no headstamps. The clips are also left in the white with n makers marks.

The metal surface of the receiver shows original hand finishing, so that maybe indicates rudimentary skills in modern arms manufacture during the 1890s in China. There is no serial number visible on the receiver at all in the usual place, only as pictured below.

 

Bosley, nice Hanyang 88. I have not followed all of the variations in these rifles but yours shows how these rifles have evolved up to more modern times.

Here is the only one in my collection. It left Chinese service in 1900 and is one of the earliest I have seen. I would think that some of these must have come back with American forces from the Boxer Rebellion.

With a serial of 1623, it was made pretty close to the front of production. It has not seen any work and came with two clips of nickel jacketed round nose J ball with no headstamps. The clips are also left in the white with n makers marks.

The metal surface of the receiver shows original hand finishing, so that maybe indicates rudimentary skills in modern arms manufacture during the 1890s in China. There is no serial number visible on the receiver at all in the usual place, only as pictured below.

View attachment 4243394

View attachment 4243398

View attachment 4243399

View attachment 4243400

View attachment 4243401

The old pattern Hanyang seems to reset serial number every year.

 

I would replace the front band, It just does not look right. Who bought the stuff from Springfield Sporters? Liberty Tree?

 

I agree. There are many listed on ebay as bands or whatever. I would search for "gew 88" and again "hanyang". With or without the word 'band'. Always fun to include a Search for a bayonet with any new milsurp rifle.

 

I hope not to step in it again, but I though China purchased some commission rifles from Germany. Then later they purchased the equipment to make their own. I 'assumed' Oh boy! Assumed the gun purchased from Germany came with bayonets so a German bayonet would be ok. Ok, on the assumption that some German bayonets would have made it into China. This is a good time to ask? Did any German bayonets get delivered with those 88 rifles? If so, do we know exactly which bayonet?

 

I found a Japanese type 30 that fits. I am not sure it is even Jap. The slot seems larger and the hole for the barrel is bigger and there are no manuf. marks, Just a 76 burned deeply into one of the grips. I figured the chinese would use anything that fits. I am looking for a correct bayonet. No luck after 20+ years.

 

Hi All,

Is it just this piece that looks like it's been replaced with an incorrect component?

Thanks!

-Bosley

 

This is on a 1914 dated rifle & the number matches the barrel, bolt & receiver.