The Chinese Hanyang reflected the relatively-primitive industrial sophistication of China at the time (although the Hanyang has often been recorded as being reliable in the context of its cost of manufacture) and the fact it was simply a copy of the Gewehr meant it (the Hanyang) would not benefit, immediately, from the development of its German counterpart. Indigenous modifications were introduced from time to time, however, primarily the elimination of barrel shroud and addition of upper foreend handguard similar to those seen on later Mauser-pattern battle rifles. The Hanyang also had marginally different sights, including a rear sight graduated to 2,000m. The Hanyang 88 was chambered for the 7.92x57mm Mauser cartridge, a cartridge originally designed for the Gewehr 88. This cartridge brought an end to the use of the large calibre blackpowder cartridges in China (in infantry weapons) and among the first magazine loading cartridge to be used by a Chinese firearm. Hanyang 88 uses the smaller-diameter (0.318 inches), round-nose bullet rather than the ballistically-superior spitzer bullet (0.323 inches diameter) used by the later Chiang Kai-Shek rifle. Attempting to fire the 0.323-inch spitzer bullets from Hanyang 88 is considered unsafe. It can ship to you door.Mass-conversion of Hanyang 88 to use the spitzer bullets, although planned (and would have involved replacements of barrel and chamber throat), was not carried out, and both variants of 7.92x57mm Mauser ammunitions remained in production up to the end of the war against Japan. No need to custom cast bullets for the old. Or use it as a shooter with your original M88 Gewehr stock and parts since the throat is cut for modern commercial 8 x 57mm ammo. This would be a great core to build a custom super retro full-stocked carbine from. In the Turkish rebuilds of the 1930s, they scrubbed the original German markings off the receiver rings and remarked them with info from there own arsenals. It can be replaced easily with a barrel jacket if you wanted to convert this back to M88/M1903 form. This is how the front of the receiver was mounted in the stock.

The Turks just made and adapter to screw onto the front of the receiver where teh barrel jacket screwed on before. In the 1930s the Turks refurbished their Gewehr M88s and installed new barrels that didn't need a barrel jacket like the old German M88,and new wood and furniture. At some time after 1903, and most likely in Germany, it was updated to accept the modern Patrone 'S' spitzer 8mm military cartridge loaded from stripper clips by the addition of clip guides on the rear of the receiver, a thumb cut-out on the left rear of the receiver, and the shallow dimple cut in the top face of the receiver ring to clear the longer pointy bullet. This rifle was among the thousands of Model 1888 Commission rifles provided to Turkey by Germany in World War One. The barrel is 1930s vintage with strong, sharp looking, rifling, a good muzzle and throated for modern. It appears to be in very nice shape having spent the last 50 years covered in grease. After all, this action started its life in a German state arsenal over a century ago.

Stick with commercial ammo or hand loads. Take note, though it's chambered for modern 8 x 57mm, I would not recommend using any hot military surplus ammo in it. This is a great project barreled action in amazing shape that requires no FFL because it is over 100 years old.

Gewehr 88 markings