Gewehr 98

The Gewehr 98 or Mauser model 1898 , was the standard rifle of the German army, 1898 with 1935, when the Karabiner 98k, replaced it.

History

The model 1898 of the firm Mauser, is the last descendant of a line started with the beginning of the year 1890. It is a rifle with loading by cylinder head, which has an internal store of five blows, that one feeds by blades charger. He measures one meter twenty five length and weighs 4,09 kilograms, charged. The weapon inherited the mechanism of cylinder head, developped at the point gradually by Mauser, this mechanism will be appreciated for its reliability and its robustness. It includes/understands a safety with three positions with the back of the cylinder head, on the right the striker and the cylinder head is blocked, in the medium the cylinder head is released, but not the striker, which makes it possible to introduce a blade-charger in all safety, finally on the left the weapon is ready to make fire. In the event of rupture of the case of a cartridge, broad vents were designed to evacuate gases, without being likely to wound the gunner. The lever of cylinder head is right and the extraction of the cases is done with few incidents thanks to a nonrotary extractor on with dimensions one of the cylinder head. The ammunition used is Mauser of 7,92x57 Misters.

April 5th 1898, the charged commission of the armament of the German army decides to adopt Mauser rifle, as arms with ordinance of the army, to replace the Gewehr 88 or Judenflinte . The weapon is initially provided to the task force in the Far East and the three Prussian first Army corps . The weapon thus receives its baptism of fire during the Révolte of the Boxers. In 1904, contracts signed with Mauser, for two hundred and four twenty ten thousand rifles and with DWM, for two hundred and ten thousand. In 1905, the cartridge with round ball known as I-Owner starts to be replaced by an any news equipped with a pointed ball, the S-Owner (S pour" Spitzer") , which has the advantage of being precise with moreover long distance.

Alternatives

Germany

Karabiner 98 : version shortened manufactured in small series for the cavalry and artillery between 1903 and 1905. Was long. Curved ATS arming lever. No the fixing of bayonet
Karabiner 98a: replacing the preceding one. Was long. Curved ATS arming lever. Canon shortened. Raise légèmement modified. Side fixing of the strap. Accept a bayonet. Intended for the artillerists, riders and telegraphists. Copied by Poland
Karabiner 98b: Lawful version of the Reichswehr. Identical to G98 but has a bent ATS arming lever and the side fixing of the strap.

Foreigner

Mauser sold its license of manufacture easily giving rise to the Argentinian Mauser 98, Mauser FN 24, with the Mauser Mexicains, the Polish Mauser and the Mauser-CZ.

Data sheets

G98 rifle

Ammunition: 7,92mm Mauser
Store: 5 cartridges
Length: 1,25 m
Canon: 74 cm
Mass of empty rifle: 4,15 kg

Rifle 98

Ammunition: 7,92mm Mauser
Store: 5 cartridges
Length: 95 cm
Canon: 44 cm
Mass of empty rifle: 3,55 kg

K98a rifle

Ammunition: 7,92mm Mauser
Store: 5 cartridges
Length: 1,09 m
Canon: 59 cm
Mass of empty rifle: 3,8 kg

K98b rifle

Ammunition: 7,92mm Mauser
Store: 5 cartridges
Length: 1,24 m
Canon: 74 cm
Mass of empty rifle: 4,1 kg

Sources

Luc GUILLOU, Mauser: military rifles and rifles , 2 volumes, Editions of the Gate, 1997 and 2004
Jean HUON, Mauser 98 and its derivatives , Crepin Leblond, 2003

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