Karabiner 98k

Lore & Background

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 it was shorter than the earlier Karabiner 98b, the new rifle was given the designation Karabiner 98 kurz, meaning 'Carbine 98 Short'. The desire for adopting new shorter barreled rifles and the introduction of the Karabiner 98k were reasons for changing the standard German service ball rifle cartridge; the s.S. Patrone became the standard cartridge in the 1930s.

The Karabiner 98k is a controlled-feed bolt-action rifle based on the Mauser M98 system. Its internal magazine can be loaded with five cartridges from a stripper clip or one-by-one. The straight bolt handle of the Gewehr 98 was replaced by a turned-down bolt handle, making it easier to rapidly operate the bolt and enabling mounting of aiming optics directly above the receiver. The metal parts were blued; from 1944 onwards phosphating/Parkerizing was introduced as a more effective treatment.

The rear sight was a conventional tangent leaf sight, graduated for s.S. Patrone cartridges from 100 to 2,000 m. The front sight was originally an open pointed post, hooded from 1939 onwards. Early rifles had solid one-piece stocks; from 1937 onwards laminated stocks were used, made from walnut, beech, or elm. The rifle was designed to be used with an S84/98 III bayonet. In 1942, an attachable rifle grenade launcher called the Schiessbecher was introduced. Starting from 1941, the ZF41 long eye relief telescopic sight was fitted to some rifles for designated marksman use.

Reader's Guide

The Karabiner 98k was the primary German service rifle throughout World War II, despite the introduction of semi-automatic and fully automatic rifles. Millions were captured by the Soviets at the conclusion of the war and were widely distributed as military aid. Consequently, the Karabiner 98k continues to appear in conflicts across the world as they are taken out of storage during times of strife. Its design, derived from the Mauser M98 system, was noted for reliability and safety. The rifle's effective range with iron sights was up to 500 metres, and up to 1,000 metres with an 8× telescopic sight. The adoption of the shorter barrel and the s.S. Patrone cartridge addressed muzzle flash issues. The rifle's legacy is that of a widely distributed and enduring military arm, still encountered in modern conflicts due to its widespread capture and subsequent aid distribution.

Did You Know?

• The 'k' in Karabiner 98k stands for 'kurz', meaning 'short'.
• The Schiessbecher rifle grenade launcher could be mounted on the Karabiner 98k and was introduced in 1942.