Mauser model 98

Mauser model 98
Gewehr 98 carbine 98 short
general information
Country of operation:	Germany
Developer / Manufacturer:	Mauser
Development year:	1898 (System 98) / 1934 (Kar98k)
Manufacturer country:	Germany
Production time:	1934 (Kar98k) to 1945
Model variants:	G98, Kar98 Artillery, Kar98 Cavalry, Kar98A, Kar98AZ (a), Kar98b, Kar98k, G33 / 40 , K98
Weapon Category:	gun
Furnishing
Overall length:	1110 mm, with bayonet 1355 mm
Weight: (unloaded)	approx. 3.7-4.1 kg
Barrel length :	600 mm
Technical specifications
Caliber :	7.92 × 57mm , 8 × 57IS
Possible magazine fillings :	5 cartridges
Ammunition supply :	Integrated magazine box , loaded with 5-round loading strips or individually.
Cadence :	Max. 15 rounds / min
Number of trains :	4th
Twist :	right, 240 mm, 29.3 calibers, 6.17 °
Visor :	Curve sight 100–2000 m
Charging principle:	Bolt action rifle
Lists on the subject

The Mauser Model 98 was introduced to the Prussian army as the Gewehr 98 in 1898. It is a multi-loading rifle based on the locking system of the German weapon manufacturer Mauser ( Oberndorf am Neckar ). The repeating weapon with cylinder lock and the magazine box for five cartridges integrated into the weapon has been manufactured in various designs since 1898. The best-known versions are the aforementioned Gewehr 98 (G98) and the carbine 98k with a shorter barrel. With a total of 100 million units manufactured, the Mauser System 98 used is one of the most widely produced weapon locking systems in the world .

use

The Gewehr 98 received approval from the Prussian authorities in 1898, introduced as "Model 98" in caliber 8 × 57 (7.92 × 57 mm). The Kingdom of Bavaria only received the Mauser license on September 17, 1901 for the Royal Bavarian Rifle Factory in Amberg . It was not until May 2, 1900, when Prince Regent Luitpold accepted the Gewehr 98 for the Bavarian Army as an orderly weapon . The reason was the bad experience with its predecessor, the Gewehr 88 (which did not come from Mauser, but had been developed by the GPK and was therefore also called the commission rifle ). During the First World War, the infantry of the German Army was mainly equipped with the Gewehr 98. The cavalry, pioneers and other special troops used various carbines with the Mauser 98 system. After the end of the war, the 98a and 98b carbines were predominantly used in the Reichswehr . The successor model Karabiner 98k was used in the Wehrmacht from 1935 and thus also as a standard weapon in World War II . The guard battalion at the Federal Ministry of Defense is still using the Karabiner 98 k in a decoration version in the protocol service . The Mauser System 98 bolt is also used in a number of other rifles, such as the Spanish Santa Barbara FR 8 .

development

Cutaway model

The development of the rifle began at the end of the 19th century by Mauser in Oberndorf am Neckar . In 1898 the weapon was standardized and introduced into the German Army, hence the name: G (ewehr) 98. Different manufacturers covered the armaments requirements. Ten years later, a new, shorter version was produced that should also be suitable for other tasks. It was a compromise between performance, portability and handiness. The Mauser Karabiner 98AZ (later Kar98a (small a)) model impressed with its superbly constructed, robust rotary cylinder lock with two locking lugs at the front and a safety pin at the rear.

The Mauser lock was the model for many designs. Rifles of the Model 98 series and their further developments and variants were manufactured in large numbers over a period of more than 50 years and distributed worldwide. It is estimated that around 100 million rifles were produced. Even today, variants of the carbine are still in use, in the civilian sector mainly as a hunting rifle , in the Third World often as a police and military weapon.

There are different versions of carabiners 98, all of which are grouped together as a system 98 carabiner. The carbine artillery, cavalry, A and AZ were used in World War I. The 98b and 98a carbines were carried by the Reichswehr and other armed formations during the Weimar Republic , but the 98a model is identical to the 98AZ. The Karabiner 98 short and the Gewehr 33/40 were used by the Wehrmacht in World War II. The K98 is a Polish copy of the German 98b carbine. The carabiner 98 k is often incorrectly abbreviated as "K98".

Versions

Mauser carabiner 98 short

Mauser carbine 98AZ (later small a)

Front view with muzzle , front sight , bayonet holder and holder for the cleaning rod

S84 / 98 III side gun for the Kar98k

Warehouse in Stavanger, Norway with tens of thousands of Mauser Model 98 captured by the German Wehrmacht at the end of the war

(Note: Since there are many variants and versions, only the most important are listed here.)

Multi-loading rifle model Mauser 98 (G98)

The 1240 mm long basic version, which was manufactured from 1898, was the standard weapon of the German Army during the First World War . In addition to the newly designed cylinder lock, the rifle had a 740 mm barrel for the improved 8 × 57IS cartridge. The quadrant sighting device by the designer Lange, which from 1905 showed a division from 400 to 2000 meters, was striking. The rifle included an adjustable leather strap, a muzzle guard with a flap, which made it possible to clean the barrel without removing the muzzle guard, and the long bayonet 98. Minor changes were made during the First World War. Different bayonets, u. a. the well-known model 98/05, were developed for rifles and carbines by 1918.

Karabiner 98 Cavalry

In order to have a modern and above all compatible replacement for the Karabiner 88 (also known as the commission socket), the German cavalry introduced a shortened version of the Gewehr 98 in 1900. It had a flat, spoon-like, cranked chamber handle . Its barrel length is 435 mm.

Karabiner 98 artillery

In order to also have a modern and ammunition-compatible weapon, the artillery also introduced a carbine with the Mauser System 98, this replaced the Gewehr 91 and was identical to the Karabiner 98 Cavalry except for a connector. This facility allowed soldiers to assemble their weapons into pyramids.

Carabiner 98A

In order to have a uniform carbine for artillery and cavalry, the "Karabiner with Aufpflanzeinrichtung für des Seitengewehr 98" was introduced in 1902. Its barrel length is 435 mm. In contrast to its two predecessors, it has a different stock and the front sight is now protected by front sight protection jaws. It is the first carbine to be issued to special forces on a small scale.

Karabiner 98AZ (= K98a)

Since the 98A carbine tended to generate enormous muzzle flashes due to its short barrel, which was particularly criticized by special forces, the "extended 98A carbine with attachment and attachment device" was introduced in 1908. Its barrel length is 590 mm, which compared to the carbine 98A reduced problems with recoil and muzzle flash. In contrast to the flat chamber handle of its predecessors, it received an angled chamber handle with a spherical head. Indicated he was also on the almost to the mouth of reaching full stock with hand guard, an attached below thorn for composing several carabiners and hinged with a hinge upper ring. During the First World War it was a popular alternative to the long and unwieldy Gewehr 98, proved itself in trench warfare and was mainly given out to storm troops . After the war, the naming policy of the carbine was changed and the K98AZ became the K98a (small a). In some sources this weapon appears as the "K98" with a 590 mm long barrel and 1090 mm overall length. With the introduction of a new, heavier type of bullet for the German standard 8 × 57 IS cartridge , problems with recoil and muzzle flash were further reduced in 1923.

Carabiner 98b

The Versailles Treaty only allowed the German Reich to own a certain number of rifles. For this reason, the less strictly regulated carbines were used until 1923 with the 98b carbine, a weapon that was simply a slightly modified 98 rifle. Its barrel length is 740 mm as with the Gewehr 98. In order to pass through as a carbine, the curved bolt handle with ball head of the 98AZ carbine was used and side strap holders were attached. In addition, the "long visor" of the infantry rifle was replaced by a tangent sight with an exchangeable ramp in this model. Many G98s were converted to the 98b carbine.

Mauser standard carabiner

This model, created around 1924 for export to other countries, has a similar overall length of 1110 mm to the 98a carbine, but compared to it it took over more parts from the original Gewehr 98 to enable it to be manufactured on its machines. The main buyers were China and South American countries, but the SA also bought some copies.

Karabiner 98 DRP (Mauser Banner)

When rearmament began after the seizure of power in 1933, the first carbines were officially ordered on behalf of the German Reichspost . These models do not differ from the Mauser standard carbine, but with the DRP they carry the stamp of the Deutsche Reichspost. In reality, most of these weapons ended up in the SA and later in the SS .

Carabiner 98k

When rearmament continued to pick up speed after Hitler came to power , a uniform orderly weapon was sought for the armed forces to be founded. Since there was no fully developed German self-loading rifle available and a large number of rifles would be needed very quickly, it was decided to use a slightly modified version of the Karabiner 98 DRP, as this could be produced on the machines of the Gewehr 98, which were already in large numbers also had the existing carbine 98b and rifle 98 converted to the “short” version. Due to its total length of 1110 mm, the Karabiner 98 was briefly less a carbine than a universal rifle, like the Lee-Enfield No.4 (1129 mm) or the Springfield M1903 (1055 mm). The fact that the Karabiner 98k was still called a Karabiner has the reason that Adolf Hitler repeatedly praised the Kar98AZ, with which he himself was equipped in the First World War. Mauser hoped that the Kar98k would be accepted sooner. Because of the barrel length of 600 mm, there were fewer problems with the strong muzzle flash. The new Spitz-Schwer infantry cartridge helped to get this problem under control and also improved the range for shorter barrels. The Karabiner 98k model remained the most widespread handgun in the German armed forces until the end of World War II. Experts subdivide the K98k again into the pre-war model with a flat butt plate, the transitional model with a shoe butt plate and the war model with various simplifications during production.

Rifle 33/40

In order to have a compact weapon for the German mountain troops , the Gewehr 33/40 was introduced on November 16, 1940. The rifle was a replica of the Czech carbine 16/33. Both are largely identical to the Karabiner 98, but the barrel has been shortened to 490 mm and the visor has been adjusted accordingly. In addition, a protective plate was attached to the piston and the bolt stem head was hollowed out below. The Gewehr 33/40 was more of a carbine due to its compactness. It was particularly popular because of its short length, but it also emitted enormous muzzle flashes. Some specimens were delivered to parachute troops with a hinged butt and some models with telescopic sights were given to mountain fighters.

Volkskarabiner 98 (VK98)

In order to equip the Volkssturm , which was founded towards the end of the war , the NSDAP asked various companies to supply weapons that were simple and cheap to produce. With the Volkskarabiner 98 , Steyr used the breechblock model 98 and added a simplified barrel, a simple wooden butt and a simple visor.

Custom carabiner ZK 52

Systems manufactured by FN , weapons assembled by Heym. Used by West German customs officers from 1953.

K98

When the newly founded Second Polish Republic temporarily took over the Danzig Arsenal in the Free City of Danzig , the machines there were brought to Warsaw and Radom in order to set up their own weapons production facilities in the heartland. Since the German machines were set up for the production of the Gewehr 98 and Karabiner 98A, Poland produced direct copies for the newly formed Polish Army . Since the Gewehr 98 had proven to be too unwieldy in the Polish-Soviet War , a short rifle called Karabiner 98 (K98) was developed. Like the German 98b carbine, the K98 is a version of the Gewehr 98, but with the length of the 98AZ carbine (later a). The K98 from Warsaw had a straight bolt handle, the Radom version a curved one with a round head. The later developed Karabiner 29 (K29) is a direct copy of the German Karabiner 98 short.

Other variants

Mauser rifles and carbines were manufactured under license in several countries, including Sweden , Argentina , Spain , Persia (now Iran ), Peru , Chile and Mexico . They usually differ in caliber and in minor details adapted to the needs of the troops.

Comparison of the technical data of the Gewehr 98 and later versions

	Rifle 98	Carabiner 98A	Carabiner 98AZ (K98a)	Carabiner 98b	Carabiner 98k	Rifle 33/40	K98
Overall length:	1250 mm	945 mm	1090 mm	1250 mm	1110 mm	995 mm	1092 mm
Barrel length:	740 mm	435 mm	590 mm	740 mm	600 mm	490 mm	595 mm
Sight length:	650 mm		500 mm	650 mm	500 mm
Weight:	4000 g	3300 g	3800 g	4000 g	3700 g	3480 g	3900 g
	straight bolt handle with ball head, Lange visor	cranked chamber handle in the shape of a spoon, Planting device	curved bolt handle with ball head, Planting and assembling device, grain protection jaws. Sliding visor	curved bolt handle with ball head, Sliding visor	curved bolt handle with ball head, Sliding visor	curved bolt handle with hollow head, Sliding visor	straight chamber stem (Warsaw) Curved chamber stem (radome) sliding visor

Rifle grenade device

98k carbine with attached rifle grenade device (1944)

A further development of the German rifle grenade launcher from the First World War was the 30 mm caliber rifle grenade device from 1942 , which could be clamped onto the 98k carbine. It was intended to replace the previous grenade devices, as these were not always available. The tasks of the device, also known as the "shooting cup", were the same as before: fighting infantry, positions and tanks. A large number of special ammunition could be fired with this additional part, which was produced 1,450,114 times. Its range was around 300 m. At the end of the war, the rifle grenade device had become ineffective against the armor of new Allied tank models.

Model 98 as a sniper rifle

German snipers with version 98k with 4 ×  Zeiss ZF42 (1942)

As early as autumn 1914, the War Ministry in Berlin ordered 15,000 sniper rifles equipped with telescopic sights after the advance had stalled and trench warfare became apparent. This order could not be completed until 1916, also with the help of an appeal to the civilian hunters, who were asked to donate optics and hunting rifles with optics. These rifles remained in the Reichswehr's inventory even after the war, with a target inventory of twelve ZF rifles per infantry company. New rifles were not procured again until 1927, equipped with a Zeiss “target sight” with four times magnification and the so-called “Berlin assembly” because of the version approved by the weapons office in Berlin, while the World War II weapons were equipped with different optics and assemblies. It was not until 1930 that people believed they could do without it. By 1938 the rifles or optics were partially dismantled or sold. It was not until March 7, 1938 that this practice was stopped by a decree of the OKH in order to react to the increased armament. Selected 98k carbines were equipped with a telescopic sight and used as a precision and sniper rifle. Because of the higher effective range and better precision, the German soldiers preferred the Karabiner 98k over the later introduced Gewehr 43 . Here, too, there were bottlenecks in the optics, whereupon Hitler demanded in 1942 that the hunting riflescopes of the German hunters be retracted.

Related topics

• Hand weapons of the Wehrmacht

literature

• Chris Bishop: The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II . MetroBooks, New York 2002, ISBN 978-1-58663-762-0 .
• Hans Dieter Götz: The German military rifles and machine guns 1871-1945. Stuttgart 1985, ISBN 3-87943-350-X .
• Terry Gander, Peter Chamberlain: Encyclopedia of German Weapons 1939-1945. 2nd edition, special edition, Motorbuchverlag, Stuttgart 2006, ISBN 3-613-02481-0 .
• AE Hartink: Encyclopedia of Rifles and Carbines , Lisse & Rebo, 1997, ISBN 978-1-901094-18-3 .
• Reiner Lidschun, Günther Wollert: Infantry weapons yesterday (1918–1945). Illustrated encyclopedia of infantry weapons from around the world. 1998, Brandenburgisches Verlagshaus, ISBN 978-3-89488-036-1 .
• Morin Marco: Dal Carcano Al FAL , Florence, 1974, ( online at archive.org ).
• Ludwig Olson: Mauser Rifles , NRA, Fairfax, 1980, ( 36 pages, online at archive.org ).
• Philip Peterson: Standard Catalog of Military Firearms , Gun Digest Books, 2011, ISBN 978-1-4402-1451-6 .
• Pawel M. Rozdzestwienski, Krzysztof Haladaj: Karabiny i karabinki Mauser 98 w Wojsku Polskim w latach 1918-1939 . 1st edition. ZP Grupa Sp-z oo, Warsaw 2010, ISBN 978-83-65005-27-4 (Polish).
• WHB Smith, Joseph Smith: The Book of Rifles , 1948, ( online at archive.org ).
• Dieter Storz : Gun & Karabiner 98. The firearms 98 of the German Reichsheer from 1898 to 1918 (= catalogs of the Bavarian Army Museum Ingolstadt . Vol. 4). Verlag Militaria, Vienna 2006, ISBN 978-3-902526-04-5 .
• Sebastian Thiem: One pattern, two states. The 85/98 Seitengewehr for Germany and Portugal. In: DWJ (formerly Deutsches Waffenjournal) 6/2015, pp. 84–89.
• United States Army : TM-E 30-451 Handbook on German Military Forces , War Department, 1941, page 67, ( online at archive.org ).
• United States Army : Catalog Of Enemy Ordnance Materiel , Office of the Chief of Ordnance, 1945, page 206, ( online at archive.org ).
• United States Army Intelligence : German Infantry Weapons , War Department, 1943, pp. 21-33, ( online at archive.org ).

Web links

Commons : Karabiner 98K  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Commons : Mauser M1898  - Collection of Images, Videos and Audio Files

• Patent information Kar98k

Individual evidence

1. ^ Hans-Dieter Götz: The German military rifles and machine guns 1871-1945 . 3. Edition. Motorbuch Verlag, 2004, ISBN 3-87943-350-X .
2. ^ Karl R. Pawlas: Waffen Revue No. 6 Sept 1972 . 1st edition. Journalistic Archive for the Military and Arms, Nuremberg 1971.
3. ^ WHB Smith: Small Arms of the World The Basic Manual of Military Small Arms . 6th edition. The Stackpole Company, Harrisburg, PN (English).
4. ↑ Neil Grant, Peter Dennis, Alan Gilliland: Mauser Military Rifles . Osprey Publishing, London 2015, ISBN 978-1-4728-0595-9 , pp. 78 ( limited preview in Google Book search).
5. ^ Hans-Dieter Götz: The German military rifles and machine guns 1871-1945 . 3. Edition. Motorbuch Verlag, 2004, ISBN 3-87943-350-X .
6. ↑ Pawel M. Rozdzestwienski, Krzysztof Haladaj: Karabiny i karabinki Mauser 98 w Wojsku polskim w latach 1918-1939 . 1st edition. ZP Grupa Sp-z oo, Warsaw 2010, ISBN 978-83-65005-27-4 , p. 48 (Polish).
7. ^ WHB Smith: Small Arms of the World The Basic Manual of Military Small Arms . 6th edition. The Stackpole Company, Harrisburg, PN (English).
8. ↑ Reiner Lidschun, Günter Wollert: Infantry weapons Illustrated encyclopedia of infantry weapons from around the world until 1945 . Parragon Books, Königswinter, ISBN 978-1-4454-3816-0 .
9. ^ Hans-Dieter Götz: The German military rifles and machine guns 1871-1945 . 3. Edition. Motorbuch Verlag, 2004, ISBN 3-87943-350-X .
10. ^ Hans-Dieter Götz: The German military rifles and machine guns 1871-1945 . 3. Edition. Motorbuch Verlag, 2004, ISBN 3-87943-350-X .
11. ^ Hans-Dieter Götz: The German military rifles and machine guns 1871-1945 . 3. Edition. Motorbuch Verlag, 2004, ISBN 3-87943-350-X .
12. ^ Hans-Dieter Götz: The German military rifles and machine guns 1871-1945 . 3. Edition. Motorbuch Verlag, 2004, ISBN 3-87943-350-X .
13. ^ Hans-Dieter Götz: The German military rifles and machine guns 1871-1945 . 3. Edition. Motorbuch Verlag, 2004, ISBN 3-87943-350-X .
14. ↑ Niel Grant: Mauser Military Rifles . 3. Edition. Osprey, 2015, ISBN 978-1-4728-0594-2 .
15. ↑ Niel Grant: Mauser Military Rifles . 3. Edition. Osprey, 2015, ISBN 978-1-4728-0594-2 .
16. ↑ Niel Grant: Weapon Volume 39 Mauser Military Rifles . 1st edition. Osprey Publishing, Oxford 2015, ISBN 978-1-4728-0594-2 (English).
17. ^ Hans-Dieter Götz: The German military rifles and machine guns 1871-1945 . 3. Edition. Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart, ISBN 3-87943-350-X , p. 162 .
18. ↑ Niel Grant: Mauser Military Rifles . 3. Edition. Osprey, 2015, ISBN 978-1-4728-0594-2 .
19. ^ Hans-Dieter Götz: The German military rifles and machine guns 1871-1945 . 3. Edition. Motorbuch Verlag, 2004, ISBN 3-87943-350-X .
20. ^ Karl R. Pawlas: Waffen Revue No. 6 Sept 1972 . 1st edition. Journalistic Archive for the Military and Arms, Nuremberg 1971.
21. ^ Hans-Dieter Götz: The German military rifles and machine guns 1871-1945 . 3. Edition. Motorbuch Verlag, 2004, ISBN 3-87943-350-X .
22. ↑ Pawel M. Rozdzestwienski, Krzysztof Haladaj: Karabiny i karabinki Mauser 98 w Wojsku polskim w latach 1918-1939 . 1st edition. ZP Grupa Sp-z oo, Warsaw 2010, ISBN 978-83-65005-27-4 , p. 48 (Polish).
23. ↑ Niel Grant: Weapon Volume 39 Mauser Military Rifles . 1st edition. Osprey Publishing, Oxford 2015, ISBN 978-1-4728-0594-2 (English).
24. ^ WHB Smith: Small Arms of the World The Basic Manual of Military Small Arms . 6th edition. The Stackpole Company, Harrisburg, PN (English).
25. ^ WHB Smith: Small Arms of the World The Basic Manual of Military Small Arms . 6th edition. The Stackpole Company, Harrisburg, PN (English).
26. ↑ Reiner Lidschun, Günter Wollert: Infantry weapons Illustrated encyclopedia of infantry weapons from around the world until 1945 . 2nd edition edition. Parragon Books, Königswinter, ISBN 978-1-4454-3816-0 .
27. ↑ Special visor No. 34 . 2004, ISBN 3-9809243-2-7 .
28. ↑ Visor 1/2005 .