• German Mauser K98 Caliber
• German Mauser K98 Serial Numbers
• Mauser K98 Price
• German Mauser K98 Manual

In 1898 the German Army purchased a Mauser design, the Model 98, which incorporated improvements introduced in earlier models. The weapon was originally chambered for the M/88 iteration of the 7.92×57mm Mauser and officially entered German service as the Gew. 98 on April 5, 1898. Rare genuine WW2 GERMAN ARMY K98 MAUSER RIFLE BAYONET with early type leather frog. The Bayonet and Scabbard have matching serial numbers 5358 plus manufacturing date on ricasso 1941 asw, the maker was E.F. Receiver S/243 from 1937 year - Mauser-Werke AG, Berlin-Borsigwalde Receiver with byf 1943 code - Mauser-Werke KG, Oberndorf on the Neckar Receiver wihth propably CE code from 1942 year - J.P.

The last stockpiles of surplus Karabiner 98 Kurz (K98k) rifles are drying up, even as demand from collectors, hunters and shooters continues to rise. K98ks are legendary bolt-action rifles—the last in a long line of military Model 98s. They provide a rich field for collecting, a hands-on connection with history and an opportunity for enjoyable shooting. The K98k was the fruit of a tree with deep roots. And one look at the Mauser Model 98 will tell you that Peter Paul Mauser was a belt-and-suspenders man.

Mauser’s classic bolt-action rifle is a portrait of defensive engineering at its best. He incorporated multiple redundant safety features that protect the shooter: In addition to the two fixed lugs at the front of the bolt, a third safety lug at the root of the bolt handle served as a backup. A gas escape port and a flared striker shield protected the shooter’s eyes from hot propellant gasses in the event of a case-head failure. The Model 98’s three-position mechanical safety set the standard for fail-safe design and ease of use. Another quality that defined Mausers in general, and the Model 98s in particular, was their rapid reloading. In addition to the clip slot in the rear receiver bridge, a semi-circular cutout in the right-hand receiver wall for the firer’s thumb helped ensure that the rounds were deeply and positively seated in the magazine. Also, its huge claw extractor controlled the cartridge from the moment it was presented by the follower until the spent case was kicked out by the ejector. Built for maximum durability and reliability, the Model 98 came to be appreciated by sportsmen and military shooters alike.

Eye of the Storm
During the Great War, Imperial Germany’s standard infantry rifle, the Gewehr 98, and cavalry carbine, the Karabiner 98AZ, were based on the Model 98. The reasons for the defeat of Imperial Germany and her Axis allies are almost too numerous to list, but the lack of good service rifles and carbines was not one of them. In the muddy trenches of the Western Front, the Gewehr 98 and Karabiner 98AZ proved reliable under the worst conditions imaginable. After the war, both guns remained the standard service arms of the Reichsheer. The armament restrictions of the Treaty of Versailles and the economic deprivation of the Weimar era stalled any further development of new service rifles. Scarce resources were funneled into secret programs that were a higher priority—particularly planes and to tanks. But in 1934, one year after Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party came into power, a comprehensive rearmament program that included updating the Model 98 began in earnest. The German military, now renamed the Wehrmacht, was, of course, very interested in a semi-automatic service rifle, but they concluded that development would take several years, at a time when they felt they desperately needed a new rifle.

What the Wehrmacht wanted was a universal service rifle rather than different models for the infantry, cavalry, and artillery and support troops. The result was the K98k (the “k” stands for “kurz,” which means “short” in German). The new rifle incorporated all of the hard lessons learned through bitter defeat. For example, the 29-inch barrel of its predecessor, the Gewehr 98, was a product of military doctrine that was dated and backward even before the Model 98 was developed. At the end of the 19th century, every army wanted to make the most of the ballistic potential of the then-new smokeless powder. Generals compared a platoon of infantry to a mobile artillery battery whose firepower was most effective as long-range volley fire. Enemy troops, softened up by this rain of lead, would then be driven from the field by mass bayonet charges. When you envision a battlefield like that, issuing your troops a short barrel and bayonet would be seen as an act of contempt.

Universal Carbine
Of course, like so many other myths, this myopic military doctrine died a brutal death in Flanders fields. It turned out that a shorter 24-inch barrel was more than enough to maximize the range of the 8x57mm Mauser cartridge and was much easier to handle in tight quarters. The turned-down bolt handle offered a shorter bolt throw and, thus, a faster rate of fire. Dispensing with finger grooves made for a sleeker, lighter, more compact forend. Compared to its predecessor, the K98k was compact, lightweight, well balanced and easy to carry and shoot. Arguably, it was the developmental pinnacle of the Mauser 98 as a service rifle but also a dead-end. Over the course of the next decade, the Germans discovered countless ways to streamline the K98k’s manufacture, but they were never able to significantly improve its performance. However, two small improvements were introduced: a 2-inch-longer cleaning rod that allowed its seat to be moved deeper, making the stock less likely to crack; and the addition of a front sight hood with horizontal grooves cut in the front sight base, which helped anchor the spring steel hood.

Once the German firearms industry got behind it, production ramped up quickly at Mauser Oberndorf (then Mauser Borsigwalde), at Sauer und Sohne and at Gustloffwerke. After the annexation of Austria, Steyr was brought online. When Czechoslovakia was absorbed into the Reich, its arsenals in Bystrica and Brno (which the Germans called “Bruenn”) were put to work making K98ks as well. The Germans refrained from making small arms in occupied countries, for fear their products would fall into the hands of guerrillas and saboteurs. Factories that made 98 Mausers before the war, such as FN in Belgium, made just parts and not complete guns. As the war dragged on and battlefield losses increased, German manufacturers did everything they could to fill in the gap and speed up production. Walnut stocks gave way to laminated birch and beech. Milled furniture such as the flat buttplate and U-shaped forend cap were replaced by stamped steel components. In addition, fit and finish was allowed to deteriorate in the name of rapid production. Prewar guns were usually highly polished and richly blued, but wartime components were often littered with tooling marks and coated with a dull blue or even a flat phosphate finish.

Millions of K98ks were made during the war. Despite desperate efforts to replace the bolt-action K98k with the semi-automatic Gewehr 43 and the revolutionary select-fire Sturmgewehr 44, it remained the standard service rifle until the last days of WWII.

Spoils Of War
Chief among the numerous allied countries that took home K98ks, parts and machinery as war reparations was Yugoslavia. After the war, it also built thousands of K98ks, which the Yugoslavians dubbed the “M98.” M98s include both reconditioned wartime K98ks and rifles built from leftover parts. Norway and Israel also used re-barreled K98ks for a time: The Norwegians opted for the .30-06 Springfield, while the Israelis chose the 7.62mm NATO. All three of these countries scrubbed most of the swastika-laden wartime proof marks during their re-build processes.

The size, scope, duration and not to mention the ferocity of the savage war on the Eastern Front was difficult to comprehend. A large part of the story remains untold, so it should be no surprise that most K98ks wound up in Soviet hands at the end of the war. Their intent was to put them away: The K98ks were to be brought out in an emergency or supplied to client states or communist insurgent movements in the Third World. Accordingly, the rifles were prepared for long-term storage. Unserviceable rifles were rebuilt, so guns were reassembled without regard to their manufacturers. As a result, most of the Russian-capture K98ks are a hodgepodge of early- and late-war components. And the front sight hood, cleaning rod and floorplate capture screws often went astray during the overhauls. Additionally, it appears that there was no effort to keep bolts with their original receivers, even in cases where the guns were serviceable. (The Soviets often electro-penciled the bolt with the serial number of the receiver to which it was mated.) The K98ks were preserved in true Soviet style: crudely but effectively. The guns were reblued, but the Soviets had no qualms about rebluing over rusted metal. And the stocks were coated with shellac that was allowed to spill over metal parts. The result was not attractive, but it certainly kept the guns from rusting and rotting away.

I have heard the argument comparing Russian-capture K98ks to U.S. small arms like Garands and M1 Carbines, which almost always went through numerous postwar rebuilds. I would say that is certainly true, but U.S. surplus arms, even those returned by our Cold War allies, were generally rebuilt to a high standard. Also, for collectors of U.S. small arms, all-original guns are very scarce while all-matching German small arms are relatively more numerous. If you have the money and expertise, you might as well hold out for them. That said, Russian-capture K98ks certainly have their place in the collector’s market. They are great shooters and an excellent way to learn more about original markings and production idiosyncrasies firsthand, rather than from pictures in books or internet message boards. Underneath all of that heavy bluing and shellac are stories ready to be told and lessons ready to be learned.

GERMAN EXPATRIATE
Century International Arms sent me a Russian-capture K98k for testing, so I had a chance to try out one out for myself. The receiver ring bears the “147” code for Sauer and a production date of 1940. (Most but not all of the “Waffenamt” proof markings have had their swastikas peened out, but they haven’t been scrubbed away entirely.) As Russian-capture K98ks go, this is a real gem. The stock is free of shellac, and the bluing is relatively dark but competently applied and not at all inconsistent (as I’ve seen on some late-war guns). Another welcome surprise was the presence of a front sight hood, cleaning rod and capture screws. One oddity was the straight bolt handle: it may have come from a WWI-era Gewehr 98. Given the heavy pressure on the German war industry, the Germans were relentless recyclers, and some wartime-produced K98ks have bolts from WWI-era rifles and carbines. But my gut is telling me that this gun’s bolt was replaced by the Soviets because, firstly, that was their habit and, secondly, the bolt lacks any of the WWII-era stamps, strikeouts or restrike markings that show up on German-recycled parts.

My K98k’s bore was bright, and the rifling was strong. At the range it proved to be a good shooter. I had a chance to shoot it with Romanian and Yugoslavian surplus, as well as some new-production 8mm Mauser from Hornady. With the latter, it held just over 2 inches at 100 yards, which is probably the best I can do with open-notch iron sights. The two-stage trigger was one of the best I have ever experienced on a K98k. Take-up was long (like they all are), but it broke cleanly at just over 4 pounds of pull. Recoil was stout, but the wide footprint of the buttplate and the ergonomic design of the stock kept it manageable. Unlike a straight-stocked ’03 Springfield or a Mosin-Nagant, it didn’t tax my endurance.

Code Breakers
Between 1934 and 1945, the German military’s system of receiver codes changed three times. During the first three years of production, receiver rings were marked with an “S” followed by a two- or three-digit number assigned to the manufacturer, as well as a letter that referred to the year of manufacture. In 1937, both the “S” prefix and the year suffix were dropped. Instead of a coded letter for the year, the Germans stamped all four digits of the production year below the manufacturer’s numeric code. Finally, during 1940 the German military dropped numeric codes in favor of a system based on letters, and the year of production was denoted only by the last two digits. During the last two years of the war, many manufacturers stamped only a single digit on the receiver, such as “4” or “5,” to represent the year of production.

Accessories, particularly bayonets, are a big part of collecting K98ks. Like the K98k itself, the bayonet was shortened in an effort to make it handier and more useful. It has a 10-inch drop-forged steel blade with a fuller (blood groove) and a spear point. Grips may be wood or Bakelite. Apart from a decline in quality (more pronounced tooling marks, reduced polishing, duller finish), the construction and design of the K98k bayonet remained unchanged until the end of the war. The bayonets were not made by the rifle manufacturers but by manufacturers who specialized in cutlery. The bayonets were serial numbered in a manner identical to the rifles (four digits with a letter suffix), but they were not paired with a rifle that carried the same serial number.

The K98k was also issued a tobacco-can cleaning kit made of stamped sheet steel and containing a pull-through chain, an oil bottle and a bore brush. German troops were supposed to carry it in a haversack suspended by their service belt, but it was small enough to fit in most jacket or trouser pockets.

Into the Field
The K98k is a legendary bolt-action rifle with an interesting history that provides a rich field for collecting. Ten different manufacturers and countless wartime production changes helped create a wide variety of markings and unusual variants to chase down. Not to mention sniper rifles and Mauser variants the Germans produced from captured rifles and machinery like the 98/40 and G 33/40. The guns are starting to dry up, but Century Arms and a handful of other importers still have some in stock, so if you are interested in these guns, the time to buy is now. For more information, contact Century Arms at 800-527-1252, centuryarms.com.

The Karabiner 98 kurz (German: [kaʁaˈbiːnɐ ˌʔaxtʔʊntˈnɔʏntsɪç ˈkʊɐ̯ts]; 'carbine 98 short', often abbreviated Kar98k or K98k and often incorrectly referred to as a 'K98' (which was a Polish Carbine), is a bolt-actionrifle chambered for the 7.92×57mm Mauser cartridge that was adopted on 21 June 1935 as the standard service rifle by the German Wehrmacht.^[1] It was one of the final developments in the long line of Mauser military rifles. Although supplemented by semi- and fully automatic rifles during World War II, it remained the primary German service rifle until the end of the war in 1945. Millions were captured by the Soviets at the conclusion of World War II and were widely distributed as military aid. The Karabiner 98k therefore continues to appear in conflicts across the world as they are taken out of storage during times of strife.

• 2Design details
  • 2.4Accessories
• 3Variants
• 6Usage history
  • 6.3Post–World War II use
• 7Post–World War II derivatives
• 9Civil use
• 10Users

History[edit]

In February 1934 the Heereswaffenamt (Army Weapons Agency) ordered the adoption of a new military rifle. The Karabiner 98k was derived from earlier rifles, namely the Mauser Standardmodell of 1924 and the Karabiner 98b, which in turn had both been developed from the Gewehr 98. Since the Karabiner 98k rifle was shorter than the earlier Karabiner 98b (the 98b was a carbine in name only, a version of Gewehr 98 long rifle with upgraded sights), it was given the designation Karabiner 98 kurz, meaning 'Carbine 98 Short'. Just like its predecessor, the rifle was noted for its reliability, great accuracy and an effective range of up to 500 metres (550 yd) with iron sights and 1,000 metres (1,090 yd) with an 8× telescopic sight.^[4]

The desire for adopting new shorter barreled rifles and the introduction of the Karabiner 98k, featuring a 600 mm (23.62 in) long barrel, were reasons for changing the standard German service ball rifle cartridge. The 1903 pattern 7.92×57mm Mauser S Patrone produced excessive muzzle flash when fired from arms that did not have a long barrel like the Gewehr 98. It was found that the s.S. Patrone, originally designed for long range machine gun use, produced less muzzle flash out of rifles that had a shorter barrel and also provided better accuracy. Because of this the S Patrone was phased out in 1933 and the s.S. Patrone became the standard German service ball cartridge in the 1930s.^[5][6]

Design details[edit]

Features[edit]

The Karabiner 98k is a controlled-feed bolt-action rifle based on the Mauser M98 system. Its internal magazine can be loaded with five 7.92×57mm Mauser cartridges from a stripper clip or one-by-one.^[3] The straight bolt handle found on the Gewehr 98 bolt was replaced by a turned-down bolt handle on the Karabiner 98k. This change made it easier to rapidly operate the bolt, reduced the amount the handle projected beyond the receiver, and enabled mounting of aiming optics directly above the receiver. Each rifle was furnished with a short length of cleaning rod, fitted through the bayonet stud. The joined rods from 3 rifles provided one full-length cleaning rod.

The metal parts of the rifle were blued, a process in which steel is partially protected against rust by a layer of magnetite (Fe₃O₄). Such a thin black oxide layer provides only minimal protection against rust or corrosion, unless also treated with a water-displacing oil to reduce wetting and galvanic corrosion. From 1944 onwards phosphating/Parkerizing was introduced as a more effective metal surface treatment.^[7]

Sights[edit]

The impractical 'Langevisier' or 'rollercoaster' rear sight of the Mauser Gewehr 1898 was replaced with a conventional tangent leaf sight. The Karabiner 98k rear tangent sight was flatter compared to and does not obstruct the view to the sides during aiming as the Langevisier (long sight). Originally, the Karabiner 98k iron sight line had an open-pointed-post-type front sight, and a tangent-type rear sight with a V-shaped rear notch.^[3] From 1939 onwards the post front sight was hooded to reduce glare under unfavourable light conditions and add protection for the post. These standard sight lines consisted of somewhat coarse aiming elements, making it suitable for rough field handling, aiming at distant area fire targets and low-light usage, but less suitable for precise aiming at distant or small point targets. It is graduated for 7.92×57mm Mauser s.S. Patrone cartridges loaded with 12.8 g (197 gr) s.S. (schweres Spitzgeschoß – 'heavy pointed bullet') ball bullets from 100 to 2,000 m (109 to 2,187 yd) in 100 m (109 yd) increments. The sight line of early productions rifles have the ranging scale copied at the bottom of the tangent aiming element for setting the range whilst lying down. The Karabiner 98k has a 500 mm (19.7 in) sight radius.

1911.45 ACP Production. Military Versions from 1912 to 1945. Manufacturer/Serial Number/Date Made Beginning of M1911: 1) Colt: S/N 1 to 3190 = April 16, 1912 to May 31, 1912 2). Gold Cup National Match.45; Year Serial Number 1957 10-NM 1958 1850-NM 1959 3600-NM 1960 5550-NM. Colt's Manufacturing Company - firearms, handguns, pistols, rifles, revolvers. /colt-gold-cup-serial-number.html. Oct 29, 2002  colt 1911 serial number lookup, colt 70 n 33575 serial number, colt firearms year of manufacture, colt gold cup national match serial numbers, colt gold cup serial numbers, colt mk iv serial numbers, colt serial number lookup, colt serial numbers, colt series 80 serial numbers. Enter the serial number, without spaces or dashes, to search the database. If multiple models appear for your serial number simply match the date with the appropriate model, as certain vintage firearms can share serial numbers between different models.

Stock[edit]

Early Karabiner 98k rifles had solid walnut wood or from 1943 some had solid oak woodone-piece stocks. From 1937 onwards the rifles had laminated stocks, the result of trials that had stretched through the 1930s.^[7]Plywoodlaminates are stronger and resisted warping better than the conventional one-piece patterns, did not require lengthy maturing, and were cheaper. The laminated stocks were, due to their dense composite structure, somewhat heavier compared to one-piece stocks.^[8] In addition to the use of walnut and beech laminate, elm was used in small quantities. The butts of the semi-pistol grip Karabiner 98k stocks were not uniform. Until early 1940 the stocks had a flat buttplate. After 1940 some stocks had a cupped buttplate to prevent the separation of the butt stock. All stocks had a steel buttplate.^{[citation needed]}

Accessories[edit]

When issued the Karabiner 98k came accompanied with assorted accessory items including a sling, a protective muzzle cover, and for field maintenance a Reinigungsgerät 34 ('Cleaning Kit 34') or RG34 kit. Introduced in 1934, the Reinigungsgerät 34 consisted of a flat 85 mm (3.3 in) wide by 135 mm (5.3 in) long sheet metal container with two hinged lids carried on the person, which held an oiler, a take down tool for removing the floorplate and cleaning the receiver of the rifle, an aluminum barrel pull-through chain, a cleaning and an oiling brush, and short lengths of tow used as cleaning patches.^[9] From 1905 until 1945 the German military used Ballistol intended for cleaning, lubricating, and protecting metallic, wooden and leather firearms parts.^[10]

The Karabiner 98k rifle was designed to be used with an S84/98 III bayonet.^[11] The S84/98 III had a blade length of 252 mm (9.9 in) and an overall length of 385 mm (15.2 in) and was accompanied by a bayonet frog.^[12]

Rifle grenade launcher[edit]

In 1942, an attachable rifle grenade launcher called the Gewehrgranatengerät or Schiessbecher ('shooting cup') was introduced that was developed based on rifle grenade launcher models designed during World War I. The 30 mm Schiessbecher cup-type rifle grenade launcher could be mounted on any Karabiner 98k and was intended to replace all previous rifle grenade launcher models. The rifle grenade launcher could be used against infantry, fortifications and light armored vehicles up to a range of 280 m (306 yd). For these differing tasks, several specialized grenades with accompanying special propelling cartridges were developed for the 1,450,113 produced Schiessbecher rifle grenade launchers. The rifle grenade-propelling cartridges fired a wooden projectile through the barrel to the rifle grenade that, upon impact, automatically primed the rifle grenade. The Schiessbecher could be mounted on the Karabiner 98a, G98/40, StG 44 and FG 42.^[13]

Suppressor[edit]

A removable, muzzle-mounted HUB-23 suppressor, visually resembling the Schießbecher, was manufactured for the Karabiner 98k. After several suppressor proposals from the firearms industry and the SS-Waffenakademie (SS Weapons Academy) the HUB-23 was produced based on a design proposal by Unteroffizier Schätzle. The HUB-23 weighs 0.5 kg (1.1 lb) and is 180 mm (7.1 in) long. The maximum effective range of a Karbiner 98k with a HUB-23 mounted and firing special subsonic Nahpatrone ('near cartridge') reduced load ammunition with a muzzle velocity of 220 m/s (722 ft/s) was 300 m (330 yd). The use of the HUB-23 suppressor and subsonic ammunition resulted in a sound signature reduction by 75%.^[14] The HUB-23 suppressor and the special subsonic ammunition were mainly used by special forces units such as the Brandenburgers and snipers.^{[citation needed]}

Variants[edit]

Kriegsmodell[edit]

Starting in late 1944, Karabiner 98k production began transition to the Kriegsmodell ('war model') variant. This version was simplified to increase the rate of production, removing the bayonet lug, cleaning rod, stock disc (which functions as a bolt disassembly tool), and other features deemed to be unnecessary.^[15] Non-critical parts like the stock were finished to lower standards and metal parts like the nose cap, barrel band, floor plate and trigger guard (lacking the small locking screw provision) had become simplified stamped parts that were less elaborately mounted to the rifle. The M98 bolt was also simplified by stopping milling the two oval-shaped emergency gas relief holes in the bottom of the bolt. Instead two emergency gas relief holes were drilled and the bolt guide was omitted from the bolt body. It had less serial numbered parts, a phosphate metal surface finish, and a hole at the bottom end of the butt plate that replaced the stock disk. At least two transitional variants existed, which incorporated only some Kriegsmodell features, and some factories never switched to Kriegsmodell production at all.^[16]

Sniper variant[edit]

For snipers, Karabiner 98k rifles selected for being exceptionally accurate during factory tests were fitted with a telescopic sight as sniper rifles. Karabiner 98k sniper rifles had an effective range of up to 1,000 m (1,094 yd) when used by a skilled sniper. The German Zeiss Zielvier 4× (ZF39) telescopic sight had bullet drop compensation in 50 m (55 yd) increments for ranges from 100 to 800 m (109 to 875 yd) or in some variations from 100 to 1,000 m (109 to 1,094 yd). There were ZF42 4×, Zeiss Zielsechs 6× and Zielacht 8× telescopic sights by various manufacturers like the Ajack 4× and 6×, Hensoldt Dialytan 4×, Kahles Heliavier 4× and Opticotechna Dialytan 4× with similar features employed on Karabiner 98k sniper rifles.^[17] Several different mountings produced by various manufacturers were used.^[18] The Karabiner 98k was not designed to accept telescopic sights.^[19] Attaching such sights to a Karabiner 98k required machining by a skilled armourer. A telescopic sight mounted low above the center axis of the receiver will not leave enough space between the rifle and the telescopic sight body for unimpaired operation of the bolt handle or the three-position safety catch lever. This ergonomic problem was solved by mounting the telescopic sight relatively high above the receiver and sometimes modifying or replacing the safety operating lever or using an offset mounting to position the telescopic sight axis to the left side in relation to the receiver center axis. A common minor modification was replacing the stock buttplate with a waffled anti-slip 'sniper' buttplate. Approximately 132,000 of these sniper rifles were produced by Germany.^[20]

Paratrooper variants[edit]

Experimental versions of the Karabiner 98k intended for the German paratroopers that could be transported in shortened modes were produced. The standard Karabiner 98k was too long to be carried in a parachute drop. However, the German paratroopers made only limited combat drops after the 1941 Battle of Crete; there was therefore little need for these rifles. Specimens with folding stocks (Klappschaft) and with detachable barrels (Abnehmbarer Lauf) are known to have been produced at Mauser Oberndorf.^[7]

G40k[edit]

The G40k with a total length of 1,000 mm (39.37 in) and a barrel length of 490 mm (19.29 in) and 3.2 kg (7.1 lb) weight was a shortened experimental version of the Karabiner 98k.^[7][20] The rear tangent sight of the G40k was graduated for s.S. Patrone cartridges from 100 m to 1000 m in 100 m increments. A batch of 82 G40k rifles was produced in 1941 at Mauser Oberndorf.^[21]

Mauser KKW cadet rifle[edit]

The Mauser KKW cadet rifle is a single shot, .22 caliber rifle that was introduced in 1938. It is virtually identical to the Karabiner 98k. These cadet rifles were used by all German military, paramilitary and police organizations, especially the Hitler Youth.

Receiver codes[edit]

Karabiner 98k receivers were stamped with a factory code indicating date and location of manufacture. These codes were originally prefixed with 'S/' and suffixed with 'K' for 1934 or 'G' for 1935. The intervening numeric code indicated location. The two- or four-digit year of manufacture was stamped on the receiver ring instead of a letter suffix after 1935. The numeric codes were:

• 27 for Erma Werke in Erfurt
• 42 for Mauser in Oberndorf am Neckar
• 147 for Sauer & Sohn in Suhl
• 237 for Berlin-Lübecker Maschinenfabrik in Lübeck
• 243 for Mauser in Borsigwalde
• 337 for Gustloff Werke in Weimar
• 660 for Steyr-Daimler-Puch in Steyr
• 945 for Waffenwerke Brünn in Brno

The 'S/' prefix was dropped and letters were used for location codes beginning in 1937, although some manufacturers retained the numeric codes past that date. The letter codes were:

• ar for Mauser in Borsigwalde
• ax for Erma Werke
• bcd for Gustloff Werke
• bnz for Steyr-Daimler-Puch
• BSW for Berlin-Suhler Waffen und Fahrzeugwerke
• byf for Mauser in Oberndorf am Neckar
• ce for Sauer & Sohn
• dot for Waffenwerke Brünn in Brno
• dou for Waffenwerke Brünn in Bystrica
• duv for Berlin-Lübecker Maschinenfabrik
• svw45 for Mauser 1945 production in Oberndorf am Neckar
• swp45 for Waffenwerke Brünn 1945 production in Brno

Combined production by multiple manufacturers are indicated by two codes separated by a slash.^[22]

German small arms doctrine[edit]

The Karabiner 98k had the same disadvantages as all other military rifles designed around the year 1900 in that it was comparatively bulky and heavy, having been created during a time when military doctrine centered around highly trained marksmen engaging at relatively long range. The rate of fire was limited by how quickly the bolt could be operated. Its magazine had only half the capacity of Great Britain's Lee–Enfield series rifles, but being internal, it made the weapon more comfortable to carry at its point of balance. An experimental trench magazine was produced during World War I (originally intended only for the original Gewehr 98 but it could be made to work with all Model 98 variants) that could be attached to the bottom of the internal magazine by removing the floor plate, increasing capacity to 20 rounds, though it still required loading with 5-round stripper clips.

While the Americans had standardized a semi-automatic rifle in 1936 (the M1 Garand), the Germans maintained these bolt-action rifles due to their tactical doctrine of basing a squad's firepower on the general-purpose machine gun in the light machine gun role so that the role of the rifleman was largely to carry ammunition and provide covering fire for the machine gunners. The advantage of the general purpose machine gun concept was that it added greatly to the overall volume of fire that could be put out by a squad-sized unit.^[23][24] They did experiments with semi-automatic rifles throughout the war and fielded the Gewehr 43/Karabiner 43 series of which 402,713 were built, and introduced the first assault rifle in 1943 – the MP43 / MP44 / StG 44 series, of which 425,977 were built. Due to the relatively limited production of semi-automatic and assault rifles, the Karabiner 98k remained the primary service weapon until the last days of the war, and was manufactured until the surrender in May 1945.

German Mauser K98 Caliber

In close combat, however, submachine guns were often preferred, especially for urban combat, where the rifle's range and low rate of fire were not very useful, although the rifle's powerful ammunition was better able to penetrate walls and other cover found in urban areas. Towards the end of the war, it was intended to phase out the Karabiner 98k in favour of the StG 44, which fired the 7.92×33mm Kurzintermediate rifle round that was more powerful than the pistol cartridges of submachine guns, but that could be used like a submachine gun in close-quarters and urban fighting. Production of the StG 44, being a late-war weapon, was never sufficient to meet demand and did not come near to the 1,500,000 ordered nor the 4,000,000 planned.^[25]

Usage history[edit]

Pre–World War II export[edit]

Though most Karabiner 98k rifles went to the German armed forces, the weapon was sold abroad in the years prior to World War II. In Portugal, a large quantity of Karabiner 98k rifles made by Mauser Werke were adopted as the Espingarda 7,92 mm m/937 Mauser infantry rifle.^[26] Latter, they were used during Portuguese Colonial War^[27] Other pre-war exports of Karabiner 98ks were to China (an unknown number of rifles 1935 - 38),^[28] and 20,000 in 1937 to (China's then-enemy) Japan.^[29] Exports of Karabiner 98ks decreased as war drew closer, as all available production capacity was needed to equip the German Armed Forces.

World War II use[edit]

The Mauser Karabiner 98k rifle was widely used by all branches of the armed forces of Germany during World War II. It saw action in every theatre of war involving German forces, including occupied Europe, North Africa, the Soviet Union, Finland, and Norway. Although comparable to the weapons fielded by Germany's enemies at the beginning of the War, its disadvantages in rate of fire became more apparent as American and Soviet armies began to field more semi-automatic weapons among their troops. Still, it continued to be the main infantry rifle of the Wehrmacht until the end of the War. Resistance forces in German-occupied Europe made frequent use of captured German Karabiner 98k rifles. The Soviet Union also made extensive use of captured Karabiner 98k rifles and other German infantry weapons due to the Red Army experiencing a critical shortage of small arms during the early years of World War II. Many German soldiers used the verbal expression 'Kars' as the slang name for the rifle.

Sweden ordered 5000 Karabiner 98ks that were provided from the regular production run in 1939 ^[30] for use as light anti-tank rifles under the designation gevär m/39 (rifle m/39) but it was soon evident that the penetration offered by the 7.92×57mm Mauser was inadequate and thus the gevär m/39 were rechambered to the 8×63mm patron m/32, which was a more powerful 8 mm cartridge specifically designed for long-range machinegun fire.^[31] Accordingly, the Karabiner 98ks were rechambered in Sweden for the 8×63mm patron m/32 and the internal box magazine of the M 98 system was adapted to match the dimensionally larger 8×63mm patron m/32 cartridge, reducing the capacity to 4 rounds and accepted into service as pansarvärnsgevär m/40.^[32] A muzzle brake was installed to reduce the excessive free recoil, and the resulting weapon was designated gevär m/40 in Swedish service. They were however also found to be unsatisfactory and were soon withdrawn from service, and sold off after WW II.^[33]

Post–World War II use[edit]

Soviet capture[edit]

During World War II, the Soviet Union captured millions of Mauser Karabiner 98k rifles and re-furbished them in various arms factories in the late 1940s and early 1950s. These rifles, referred to by collectors as RC ('Russian Capture') Mausers, can be identified by an 'X' stamp on the left side of the receiver. The Soviet arsenals made no effort to match the rifle's original parts by serial number when reassembling them, and some metal parts (the cleaning rod, sight hood, and locking screws) omitted after rebuilding, and instead were melted down and recycled, presumably with the other parts that weren't suitable for re-use.Many of these rifles (along with the Mosin–Nagant rifle) served in conflicts after World War 2.

Many Soviet-captured Mauser Karabiner 98k rifles (as well as some Karabiner 98k rifles that were left behind by the French after the First Indochina War) were found in the hands of Vietcong guerrillas and People's Army of Vietnam (NVA) soldiers by US, South Vietnamese, South Korean, Australian and New Zealand forces alongside Soviet-bloc rifles like the Mosin–Nagant, the SKS, and the AK-47.^[34]

Post-occupation service[edit]

In the years after World War II, several European nations on both sides of the Iron Curtain that were invaded and occupied by Nazi Germany used the Mauser Karabiner 98k rifle as their standard-issue infantry rifle, due to the large number of German weapons that were left behind by the Germans at the end of World War II.

Nations like France and Norway used the Mauser Karabiner 98k rifle and other German weapons in the years after World War II. France produced a slightly modified version of the Kar 98k in the French occupation zone of Germany in the immediate post-war period. The new manufacture Kar 98ks equipped some French units that used them in Indochina for a limited time.^[35] Some of these rifles were also used by pro-French second-line units and Algerian independentists during Algerian War.^[36] French Police forces, the Paris Police Prefecture and the Compagnies Républicaines de Sécurité, used 98ks from 1945 to 1992, to fire lachrymator and smoke grenades.^[37] These rifles were also used by the West German border guard.^[38]

Norway's captured Karabiner 98k rifles were soon superseded as a standard issue weapon by the US M1 Garand, but remained in service as Norwegian Home Guard weapons until at least the 1970s, in which role they were rebarreled for the .30-06 Springfield round used by the M1, with a small cutout in the receiver so that the slightly longer US round could still be loaded with stripper clips. These Norwegian conversions had a section of the receiver flattened on the upper left side, where a new serial number (with a prefix denoting the branch of service) was stamped. Some of these rifles conversions were rechambered again to 7.62×51mm NATO,^[35] but this program was canceled with only a few thousand converted when Norway adopted the AG-3 (H&K G3) as a replacement for both the M1 and the K98k. Some actions from Mauser Karabiner 98k left by German armed forces in 1945 were used by Kongsberg Våpenfabrikk (currently Kongsberg Small Arms) for building both military and civilian sniper/target rifles under the Kongsberg Våpenfabrikk Skarpskyttergevær M59 - Mauser M59 and Kongsberg Våpenfabrikk Skarpskyttergevær M67 - Mauser M67 designations. These rifles were used by the Norwegian armed forces up to the 2000s.

In West Germany, the Karabiner 98k were issued to the Bundesgrenzschutz (BGS; English: ), which was originally organized along paramilitary lines and armed as light infantry; in the 1950s.^[39]

Former German Karabiner 98k rifles were widely distributed throughout the Eastern Bloc, some being refurbished two or three times by different factories. They were used by military and para-military forces (such as the East GermanCombat Groups of the Working Class), and were replaced by Soviet weapons in the 1960s.

East German refurbished Karabiner 98ks featured Russian-style thicker blue finish, a 'sunburst' proof mark and sometimes had the factory designation '1001' applied, which was the factory where the refurbishment was carried out. Numbers were re-stamped to match the receiver and old numbers barred out. Numbers of East German and Czech refurbished Karabiner 98ks were exported to the West in the late 1980s and early 1990s and are now in the hands of collectors. Russian Capture Karabiner 98ks were exported to the West in large numbers in the early and mid-2000s.

Yugoslavian postwar refurbishment[edit]

Because of the lack of weapons after World War II, the Yugoslavian arms producer Crvena Zastava (Nowadays Zastava Arms) refurbished German Karabiner 98k rifles that were left over or captured during the war. These rifles are readily identifiable as the German factory code markings have been scrubbed from the receiver and replaced with the Yugoslavian communist crest and the marking 'Preduzeće 44' on the receiver's ring. In addition to this, if the refurbishment took place after 1950, the marking '/48' was added to the 'Mod. 98' originally present on the left side of the receiver, becoming 'Mod. 98/48'. The refurbished rifles were known also as Zastava M 98/48. The refurbished Prеduzeće 44 Karabiner 98k rifles were still being used in the Yugoslav Wars of the 1990s.

Post–World War II derivatives[edit]

Many of the liberated European countries continued production of rifles similar to the Karabiner 98k, for example Fabrique Nationale (FN) in Belgium^[40] and Česká Zbrojovka (CZ) in Czechoslovakia produced both their proprietary older models and brand new Karabiner 98k rifles, many of which were assembled from leftover German parts or using captured machinery.

As with post-Nazi occupation service post-war production of derivatives was a stop-gap solution until enough numbers of more modern automatic rifles could be developed and produced. The vast majority of the 98k pattern rifles were soon stored as reserve weapons or given for very low prices to various fledgling states or rebel movements throughout the developing world. For instance, between 1950 and 1952, an hydrid of Kar 98k and Vz 24 was produced by Zbrojovka Brno for Bolivia, as Fusil Modelo Boliviano Serie B-50.^[41]

Both FN and CZ utilized a modified Kriegsmodell design, with the cleaning rod and stock disk omitted, but the bayonet lug restored. In Czechoslovakia it was known as P-18 or puška vz.98N, the first being the manufacturer's cover designation of the type, the second official army designation - rifle model 98, N for německá - German.

Yugoslavian M48[edit]

From 1948 to 1965, YugoslavianZastava Arms produced a close copy of the Karabiner 98k imported between the wars from Fabrique Nationale called the Model 1948, which differed from the German rifle in that it had the shorter bolt-action of the Yugoslav M1924 series of rifles (not to be confused with the widely distributed Czech Vz 24, which had a standard length action), a thicker barrel profile (Yugoslavia had low chromium iron ore deposits, so they could not produce steel as hardened as the Krupp or Swedish steel used in other variants, and made up for it in adding extra material),^{[citation needed]} and a rear sight enclosed in the wooden hand guard (the German-style hand guard began in front of the rear sight, unlike e.g. exports to South America that had a hand guard and rear sight like the M48).

A hunting variant of the Yugoslavian M48 is still produced by Zastava Arms.

Spanish M43[edit]

The Spanish M43, produced in A Coruña from 1944 to 1958,^[42] was a variant of the 98k with a straight bolt handle, a front sight guard and a handle groove in the front stock much like the earlier Reichspostgewehr.^[43] It was chambered in 7.92×57mm Mauser calibre. It was the standard rifle of the Spanish units during the Ifni War.^[44] Some were rebuilt from Gewehr 98 or Republican wz. 29 rifles.^[42][45] The Spanish Air Force had a slightly modified version, the M44.^[45] When Spain began switching to the CETME automatic rifle, many M43 were converted to FR8 rifles for military training purposes and Guardia Civil service.^[46]

Israeli Mauser[edit]

A number of non-European nations used the Mauser Karabiner 98k rifle as well as a few guerrilla organizations to help establish new nation-states. One example was Israel who used the Mauser Karabiner 98k rifle from the late 1940s until the 1970s.

The use of the Karabiner 98k to establish the nation-state of Israel often raises considerable interest among people, including rifle collectors, today. Many Jewish organizations in Palestine acquired them from post–World War II Europe to protect various Jewish settlements from Arab attack as well as to carry out guerrilla operations against British Army forces in Palestine.

The Haganah, which later evolved into the modern-day Israel Defense Forces, was one of the Jewish armed groups in Palestine that brought large numbers of Mauser Karabiner 98k rifles and other surplus arms (namely the British Lee–Enfield bolt-action rifle, which was used on a large scale by these groups) and the Mosin–Nagant from Europe during the post–World War II period. Many, though not all, Israeli-used German surplus Mauser Karabiner 98k rifles have had their NaziWaffenamt markings and emblems stamped over with Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Hebrew arsenal markings.

As the Arab-Israeli conflict approached, the Haganah and other Jewish forces in Palestine tried to get hold of as many weapons as they could in the face of an arms embargo by British colonial authorities. One of the most important purchases was a secret January 14, 1948, $12,280,000 worth contract with Czechoslovak Government including 4,500 P-18 rifles, as well as 50,400,000 rounds of ammunition. Later, the newly established Israel Defense Forces ordered more numbers of Mauser Karabiner 98k rifles, produced this time by Fabrique Nationale.^[40] These have Israeli and Belgian markings on the rifle as well as the emblem of the IDF on the top of the rifle's receiver. The FN-made Karabiner 98k rifles with the IDF markings and emblem on the rifle were produced and sold to Israel after it established itself as an independent nation in 1948. At some point, Israel converted all other Mauser 98-based rifles in their inventory (most commonly Czechoslovak vz. 24 rifles, but small numbers of contract Mausers from sources ranging from Ethiopia to Mexico were also known to have come into Israeli hands) to the now standardized Karabiner 98k configuration. The original receiver markings of these conversions were not altered, making it easy for collectors to identify their origin. The Israeli Karabiner 98k utilized the same bayonet design as in German service, with a barrel ring added. The Israeli bayonets were a mix of converted German production and domestically produced examples.

During the late 1950s, the IDF converted the calibre of their Mauser Karabiner 98k rifles from the original German 7.92×57mm Mauser round to 7.62×51mm NATO following the adoption of the FN FAL rifle as their primary rifle in 1958.^[47] The Israeli Mauser Karabiner 98k rifles that were converted have '7.62' engraved on the rifle receiver. Rifles with original German stocks have '7.62' burned into the heel of the rifle stock for identification and to separate the 7.62 NATO rifles from the original 7.92 mm versions of the weapon still in service or held in reserve. Some Karabiner 98k rifles were fitted with new, unnumbered beech stocks of recent manufacture, while others retained their original furniture. All of these converted rifles were proof-fired for service. The IDF employed a 22 mm rifle grenade adapter for the Mauser K98k rifle.^[48]

German Mauser K98 Serial Numbers

The Karabiner 98k rifle was used by the reserve branches of the IDF well into the 1960s and 1970s and saw action in the hands of various support and line-of-communications troops during the 1967 Six-Day War and the 1973 Arab-Israeli War.^[47] After the rifle was retired from reserve military service, the Israeli Mauser Karabiner 98k was given to a number of Third World nations as military aid by Israel during the 1970s and 1980s, and sold as ex-military surplus on the open market, with many Israeli Mausers being exported to Australia (the Israeli Mauser is the most predominant variant of the Mauser Kar98k rifle on the Australian surplus firearms market today) and the United States during the 1970s and 1980s. The Israeli Mausers provided to Third World armies began to themselves be imported for civilian sale in the United States, and tend to be in significantly worse condition than those sold directly out of Israeli storage.

Contemporary use[edit]

The Bundeswehr still uses the Karabiner 98k in the Wachbataillon for military parades and show acts. In 1995, remaining swastikas and other Nazi-era markings were removed from these rifles, after criticism regarding the presence of such symbols on Wachbataillon kit by the Social Democratic Party.^[49]

During the 1990s, the Yugoslavian Karabiner 98k rifles and the Yugoslavian M48 Mauser and M48A rifles were used alongside modern automatic and semi-automatic rifles by all the warring factions of the Yugoslav Wars. There are a number of photographs taken during the war in Bosnia, showing combatants and snipers using Yugoslavian-made Mauser rifles from high-rise buildings in the Bosnian city of Sarajevo.^[50]

The Norwegian Army currently (2008) use the Våpensmia NM149 and NM149-F1 sniper rifles, which are based on Karabiner 98k bolt actions. Besides Mauser M 98 system actions, captured by Norway at the end of World War II in 1945, contemporary components originating from several manufacturers are used by Våpensmia A/S to build the NM149 and NM149-F1.

The Karabiner 98k is still used by San Marino's Guardia di Rocca.^{[citation needed]}

After 2003, the Mauser Karabiner 98k rifle (along with the Mosin–Nagant, the Lee–Enfield and the Yugoslavian M48) was encountered in Iraq by US and Allied forces with Iraqi insurgents making use of the Karabiner 98k and other bolt-action rifles alongside more modern infantry weapons like the AK series rifles and the SKS carbine.^[51] The extra range afforded by the 7.92×57mm IS cartridge still makes it a viable low-cost marksman rifle.

Many Third World nations still have Karabiner 98k rifles in their arsenals and it will most likely be encountered in regional conflicts for many years to come. For instance, Tuaregs of the People's Movement for the Liberation of Azawad used during Tuareg rebellion (1990–1995).^[52]

From photographic evidence, Mauser Kar98k rifles have also turned up in the hands of insurgents in the East Ukraine conflict alongside the Mosin-Nagant series rifles and carbines and many other WWII-vintage firearms. There's a strong possibility the Mausers used by the insurgents in east Ukraine are 'Russian Capture' Mauser rifles the Soviet Union captured, refurbished, and held in reserve during the post-WWII period.

Civil use[edit]

The Karabiner 98k rifles that were used by Germany during World War II are highly sought after collector's items in many circles. The Mauser Karabiner 98k rifle remains popular among many rifle shooters and military rifle collectors due to the rifle's historical background, as well as the availability of both new and surplus 7.92×57mm IS ammunition. As of 2010, the Mauser Karabiner 98k rifles that were captured by the Soviets during World War II and refurbished during the late 1940s and early 1950s have appeared in large numbers on the military surplus rifle market. These have proven popular with buyers in the United States and Canada, ranging from ex-military rifle collectors to target shooters and survivalists, due to the unique history behind the Soviet capture of Mauser Karabiner 98k rifles.

The widespread availability of surplus Mauser 98k rifles and the fact that these rifles could, with relative ease, be adapted for hunting and other sport purposes made the Mauser 98k popular amongst civilian riflemen. When German hunters after World War II were allowed again to own and hunt with full bore rifles they generally started to 'rearm' themselves with the then abundant and cheap former Wehrmacht service rifles. Civilian users changed these service rifles often quite extensively by mounting telescopic sights, aftermarket hunting stocks, aftermarket triggers and other accessories and changing the original military chambering. Gunsmiths rebarreled or rechambered Mauser 98K rifles for European and American sporting chamberings such as the 6.5×55mm Swedish Mauser, 7×57mm Mauser, 7×64mm, .270 Winchester, .308 Winchester, .30-06 Springfield, 8×60mm S, 8×64mm S, etc. The magnum hunting cartridges 6.5×68mm, 8×68mm S and 9.3×64mm Brenneke were even specially developed by German gunsmiths for the standard military Mauser 98 action.

Surplus Mauser 98K actions were used by Schultz & Larsen in Denmark as the basis for target rifles. The actions had the German markings removed, were refinished in gray phosphate, and new serial numbers and proof marks applied. The Schultz & Larsen M52 and M58 Target Rifles used shortened and refurbished Karabiner 98k stocks. Later versions had new target stocks fitted and were available in .30-06, 6.5×55mm and 7.62mm NATO. Some of these rifles are still in competitive use today although with the benefit of new barrels. Besides conversions of original Karabiner 98k rifles other sporter variants made by a number of manufacturers such as FN Herstal, Zastava, Santa Barbara (Spain) and many others have been available at various times in a wide variety of chamberings, but most are large-bore hunting calibres.

Modern civilian offspring[edit]

The Mauser-type action is widely held to be the pinnacle of bolt-action rifle design, and the vast majority of modern weapons of this type, both military and civilian, are still based on it to this day. The safety offered by its three-lug bolt and the added reliability of controlled feed (especially favored by dangerous game hunters) are considerable refinements not found in other designs.

Mauser K98 Price

Throughout the design's history, standard sized and enlarged versions of the Mauser M 98 system have been produced for the civil market.

John Rigby & Co. commissioned Mauser to develop the M 98 magnum action in the early 1900s. It was designed to function with the large sized cartridges normally used to hunt Big Five game and other dangerous game species. For this specialized type of hunting, where absolute reliability of the rifle under adverse conditions is very important, the controlled-feed M 98 system remains the standard by which other action designs are judged.^[53] In 1911 John Rigby & Co. introduced the .416 Rigby cartridge that due to its dimensions could only be used in the M 98 magnum action.^[54]

Zastava Arms currently (2010) manufactures the M48/63 sporting rifle, which is a short barreled variant of the Model 1948 military rifle and the Zastava M07 sniper rifle.^[55][56]

Since 1999 the production of Mauser M 98 and M 98 Magnum rifles has been resumed in Germany by Mauser Jagdwaffen GmbH^[57] (Mauser Huntingweapons Ltd.) according to original drawings of 1936 and the respective Mauser patents.^[58]

Users[edit]

• Algeria: Used by Armée de Libération Nationale guerrillas^[59]
• Austria^[60]
• Bolivia: Czech-made Modelo B-50^[41]
• Kingdom of Bulgaria: Karabiner 98k and M1895 were Bulgaria's primary Bolt-action rifles in World War II^{[citation needed]}
• Republic of China: The Chinese Nationalist Government imported Karabiner 98k rifle, as they had with the Mauser Standardmodell before it, also producing a licensed copy of it domestically.^[61]
• People's Republic of China: Used by the People's Volunteer Army in the Korean War.^[62]
• Independent State of Croatia: Used in large numbers by both Ustaše Militia and Croatian Home Guard^[4]
• Czechoslovakia: Used post-1945^[63]
• Denmark^[63]
• Egypt: obtained from Czechoslovakia^[64]
• Finland: ordered 600 rifles with rifle grenade launchers during World War II as the Finns lacked a domestic rifle grenade launcher for their Mosin–Nagants. Only 100 were used in combat.^[65]
• France
  • Vichy regime^[63]
  • French resistance^[63]
  • Post-war French armed forces and National Police
• Germany^[63]
• German Democratic Republic:^[63] In standard use by the Landstreitkräfte until the 1960s, in occasional use after this.
• Nazi Germany^[4]
• Israel^[63]
• Iraq^[66]
• Italy: some captured by Italian partisans^[67]
• Japan: Used by the Imperial Japanese Navy^[68]
• Libya: Used after World War II.^[69] Fielded by Libyan Rebels during Libyan Civil War^[70]
• Luxembourg: The Grand Ducal Guard used captured German K98ks in 1945, later replaced by Ross rifles in the same year.^[71]
• Mauritania^[72]
• Manchukuo: used rifles captured from the Chinese forces^[73]
• Netherlands: Post-World War II use.^[74]
• Norway^[75]
• Poland: (captured use)^[76]
• Portugal^[75]
• Kingdom of Romania: 27,000 received from Germany in 1943^[77]
• El Salvador: Kar 98k converted to 7.62 NATO bought before receiving surplus US weapons.^[78]
• Saudi Arabia: bought 1,000 Kar 98ks in the 1960s, probably to supply proxy forces.^[79]
• Serbia^[4]
• First Slovak Republic^[80]
• Soviet Union: (captured use)^[81]
• Syrian Republic^[82][83]
• Sweden: Imported 5,000 Kar 98k rifles in 1939.^[84]
• Tunisia^[85]
• Turkey^[74]
• United Kingdom: (captured and used by some British paratroopers)^{[citation needed]}
• North Vietnam^[86]
• Yemen^[87]
• Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia^[63]

Non-state users[edit]

• Biafra: The Biafrans used Kar 98k and Vz. 98N rifles.^[79]
• Ethiopian insurgents used captured K 98ks against the Italians from 1941 onwards.^[88]
• Haganah (in Mandate Palestine)^[89]
• Hukbong Bayan Laban sa Hapon^{[citation needed]}
• Indonesian insurgents used Kar 98ks captured from the Dutch during the Indonesian National Revolution^[74]
• Iraqi insurgents^[51]
• Korean Liberation Army^[63]
• People's Movement for the Liberation of Azawad^[52]
• Syrian National Coalition^[90]
• Viet Minh^[35]
• Viet Cong^[91]
• Yugoslav Partisans^[92][93]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

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2. ^French K98k and G40k Page—go to 'sommaire' at the bottom of the page to use the index (in French)Archived 2008-02-02 at the Wayback Machine
3. ^ ^abcdeGerman Infantry Weapons. United States War Department. May 25, 1943. p. 23.
4. ^ ^abcdBishop, Chris (1998). The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II. New York: MetroBooks. p. 216. ISBN1-58663-762-2. Retrieved 28 April 2018 – via Google Books.
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6. ^'20th Century German Military Arms and Ammo - RifleShooter'. rifleshootermag.com. 18 February 2016. Archived from the original on 11 June 2017. Retrieved 28 April 2018.Cite uses deprecated parameter deadurl= (help)
7. ^ ^abcd'waffenHQ.de .... die Welt der Waffen'. www.waffenhq.de. Archived from the original on 20 October 2017. Retrieved 28 April 2018.Cite uses deprecated parameter deadurl= (help)
8. ^Ball, Robert W.D. (2011). Mauser Military Rifles of the World (5 ed.). Gun Digest Books. pp. 222, 227. ISBN978-1-4402-1544-5.
9. ^'Rifle Cleaning Kit 34 (Reinigungsgerät 34)'. Archived from the original on 2012-01-13.Cite uses deprecated parameter deadurl= (help)
10. ^'About Us - Ballistol'. ballistol.com. Archived from the original on 9 September 2017. Retrieved 28 April 2018.Cite uses deprecated parameter deadurl= (help)
11. ^REME Museum Page S84/98 III bayonetArchived April 3, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
12. ^'German Bayonets for the Mauser 98-system used 1914-1945'. Archived from the original on 2011-06-11.Cite uses deprecated parameter deadurl= (help)
13. ^'Der Schießbecher (Gewehrgranatengerät)' (in German). Archived from the original on 2010-08-22.Cite uses deprecated parameter deadurl= (help)
14. ^'Lexicon der Wehrmacht Gewehre' (in German). Archived from the original on 2011-07-17.Cite uses deprecated parameter deadurl= (help)
15. ^'Firearms and Uniforms of the Wehrmacht'. www.wehrmacht-awards.com. Archived from the original on 5 October 2017. Retrieved 28 April 2018.Cite uses deprecated parameter deadurl= (help)
16. ^Kriegsmodell
17. ^Military and commercial telescopic sights and mountings used on Karabiner 98k rifles
18. ^'Übe Auge und Hand fürs Vaterland, Die Waffen der Deutsche Jäger und Scharfschützen, Teil 3'(PDF). frankonia.de (in German). Archived(PDF) from the original on 21 October 2016. Retrieved 28 April 2018.Cite uses deprecated parameter deadurl= (help)
19. ^Senich, Peter R. (1982). The German sniper, 1914–1945 (1982 ed.). Paladin Press. ISBN978-0-87364-223-1.
20. ^ ^abFrench K98k and G40k PageArchived 2008-02-02 at the Wayback Machine
21. ^Ball 2011, p. 222
22. ^Gilbert, Glenn M. (2006). 'Mauser Kar. 98k Receiver Codes'. American Rifleman. National Rifle Association. 154 (September): 22&24.
23. ^Hogg, Ian V., & Weeks, John. Military Small-Arms of the 20th century (London: Arms & Armour Press, 1977), p.183, 'US Rifle, Caliber .30in ('Garand'), M1-M1E9, MiC, M1D, T26'.
24. ^Bull, Stephen (25 May 2004). World War II Infantry Tactics: Squad and Platoon. Elite 105. Osprey Publishing. pp. 22–23. ISBN9781841766621.
25. ^Erenfeicht, Leszek (30 September 2013), 'Sturmgewehr: Hitler's Only True Wunderwaffe', SAdefensejournal.com, archived from the original on 19 October 2013Cite uses deprecated parameter deadurl= (help)
26. ^Reynolds, Dan, The Rifles of Portugal 1880–1980, 'Archived copy'. Archived from the original on 2008-10-05. Retrieved 2008-09-09.Cite uses deprecated parameter deadurl= (help)CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
27. ^Abbott, Peter, and Rodrigues, Manuel, Modern African Wars 2: Angola and Mozambique 1961–74, Osprey Publishing (1998), p.17
28. ^Law, Richard D., 'Backbone of the Wehrmacht, Collector Grade Publications, Ontario, 1993, pp. 308–9
29. ^Law, Richard D., 'Backbone of the Wehrmacht, Collector Grade Publications, Ontario, 1993, p. 310
30. ^Law, Richard D., 'Backbone of the Wehrmacht, Collector Grade Publications, Ontario, 1993, p. 320
31. ^'8x63 M32 Bofors'. guns.ru. Archived from the original on 7 December 2010. Retrieved 28 April 2018.Cite uses deprecated parameter deadurl= (help)
32. ^'Urdrag ur besiktningsbestämmelser fastställda av KATD den 27/6 1942 för 8 mm sk ptr m/32'(PDF). evhf.se. Archived(PDF) from the original on 22 September 2017. Retrieved 28 April 2018.Cite uses deprecated parameter deadurl= (help)
33. ^Den tyska karbinen modell 98 K. Göta Vapenhistoriska Sällskap.Archived 2011-06-11 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 7 October 2012.
34. ^Operation Denver After Action Report, 1966 Archived 2017-02-20 at the Wayback Machine Pg. 6, Retrieved Feb 15, 2018
35. ^ ^abcGrant, Neil (20 Mar 2015). Mauser Military Rifles. Weapon 39. Osprey Publishing. p. 50. ISBN9781472805942.
36. ^'L'armement français en A.F.N.'Gazette des Armes (in French). No. 220. March 1992. pp. 12–16.
37. ^'Les armes du soulèvement'. prefecturedepolice.interieur.gouv.fr (in French). Paris Police Prefecture. 31 July 2014.
38. ^Ball 2011, p. 135.
39. ^'BUNDESGRENZSCHUTZ: Bitte Einmarsch'. 9 September 1953. Archived from the original on 27 April 2017. Retrieved 28 April 2018 – via Spiegel Online.Cite uses deprecated parameter deadurl= (help)
40. ^ ^ab'Karabiner 98k (Israel)'. iwm.org.uk. Imperial War Museum.
41. ^ ^abBall 2011, p. 61.
42. ^ ^abBall 2011, p. 433.
43. ^Ball 2011, p. 358.
44. ^Domínguez, Ismael López (January 2016). 'Guerra y armas en Ifni-Sáhara (1957-1958)'(PDF). Descubrir la Historia. No. 4. pp. 32–33.
45. ^ ^abBall 2011, p. 434.
46. ^Ball 2011, pp. 359–360.
47. ^ ^abGrant 2015, p. 51.
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German Mauser K98 Manual