M98 8x57 barrel exstenion??

I have a mauser K98 and was wondering if anyone has ever seen one with a short removable piece attached to the muzzle. It is about 3/4" long,pushes on to the barrel then hooks behind the front sight and is rifled. The rifled part can spin inside of the actual housing which is only slighlty larger than the barrell. I hope someone can visualise and identify what i am so ineptly trying to explain. I have misplaced the piece several years ago and just got thinking about it again, I had removed it thinking it unwise to fire the gun with it in place even though it appears to be a factory item. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
It's a cap used to keep #### out of the barrel.

Does it look something like this?
H58655thumb.jpg
 
Skippy, I have a few rifles with the caps that you have pics of. I was under the impression that the were for use when cleaning, to prevent muzzle wear.
Mine all have holes that are much smaller than the bore as well.

The unit rugerman is describeing is "rifled" and has a rotateing interior.
You may have hit the nail on the head with the muzzle protector/cover but what he is describeing seems different to me. bearhunter
 
Is it possibly a Gewehrgrenategerät 42 (a grenade launcher variant)? I've never seen one but it seems to match a verbal description I have in a book.

"introduced in 1942, which consisted of a cup-type projector clamped to the rifle muzzle and fire with a special blank cartridge. The pre-rifled tail of the grenades, which came in several different patterns, engaged in the rifling cut in the inner surface of the discharger cup."
 
launcher piece

That definately sounds like a fairly accurate description (gernade launcher) and to answer the other question it looks some what similar to the picture except to cap on the end and no provisions for there ever being one either. and yes the bore of the rifle and the add on are the same.​
 
Skippy, I have a few rifles with the caps that you have pics of. I was under the impression that the were for use when cleaning, to prevent muzzle wear.
Mine all have holes that are much smaller than the bore as well.

The unit rugerman is describeing is "rifled" and has a rotateing interior.
You may have hit the nail on the head with the muzzle protector/cover but what he is describeing seems different to me. bearhunter

You're probably right beahunter. I've never actually handled one of these cap, but his discription seemed to point in this direction, I missed the bit about it being rifled.

Also, the only WWII grenade launchers I was aware of for the K98k look like these ones, a bit longer than 3/4":
ggpspigot.jpg

H079556thumb.jpg
 
Last edited:
The same book I was referring to (The German Rifle by John Walker) mentions a 2nd variant of grenade launcher that attaches to the bayonet lug.
 
The launcher that attached to the bayo lug, is the first picture in the post above. Notice how the rear end looks almost like a bayonet handle?
 
pics

Skippy, your pic's look a lot more feasible to what a gernade launcher should like compared to what my piece is. I think it may be one of those rare hoosawhatsits or something? But seriously it's bluing matches the barrell as does the rifling so it must of had some use, it doesnt look,judging by the bluing that it has been modified. I am going to have to get off my ass and see if I can did it up and take some pic's for everyone to look at.
 
Yes, pics would probably have it identified in a few seconds.

My next guess is that it might be a blank-firing adapter, though I'm not certain if there even is a WWII vintage one for the K98k.
 
Back
Top Bottom