Quick question about Mauser K98
- Thread starter skirsons
- Start date
Yeah, that was a Kar98a in a previous life. The date you see on top of the reciever is 1920. This wasn't a manufacture date but a date stamped on the receiver after the Treaty of Versaille allowing the Reichswehr to have a limited number of rifles for it's standing army. They double dated the rifles they were allowed to have. The manufacture date and manufacturer marking would have been under the 1920 date but they have been milled off for the .22 conversion.
You have a pic of the whole rifle? Did they stick it in a K98 stock or does it have the original stock? It should look like this with a distinctive stacking hook near the muzzle:
You have a pic of the whole rifle? Did they stick it in a K98 stock or does it have the original stock? It should look like this with a distinctive stacking hook near the muzzle:
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I did put it side by side with my K98 and noticed it was smaller. That's what a "small ring" is I guess. So far I've seen a German Mod. 98, a Czech receiver 98, and this Kar 98 converted to .22 by Israel. I like this one the best though. It also has some Nazi marked parts.
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The first part of your original question was not answered. Kar is just an abbreviation for the German word Karabiner which means Carbine in English. All K98's are Karabiners. Your version appears to be one of the early 98 actioned rifles that were transitioned from the G 98 (Gewehr 98, also seen abbreviated Gew 98) mauser which was first adopted in 1898. Around the same time a model 1898A was modified and called the Kar 98. Basically it had some stock and other design changes as compared to the standard Infantry Model 98 or G 98/Gew 98. (Gewehr = Rifle)
The Kar 98 was the early beginnings of the WWII K 98k. The K was kept to denote karabiner.
Now the mauser went through so many design changes between 1898 and 1945 that my little explaination is not good enough. I would do some research on your own too.
My book Mauser Military Rifles of the World has some pics and info on that same type of straight 98 receiver
The Kar 98 was the early beginnings of the WWII K 98k. The K was kept to denote karabiner.
Now the mauser went through so many design changes between 1898 and 1945 that my little explaination is not good enough. I would do some research on your own too.
My book Mauser Military Rifles of the World has some pics and info on that same type of straight 98 receiver
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So it may be possible that my marking means 1903?
I'm certain part of the issue is marking too. Since the official name was K98k, you would think that would be how the rifles were marked, but in my experience they say Mod. 98 - the Karabiner and Kurz are assumed! I wonder when they added "Kurz" because it is so redundant.
Of course other rifles aren't marked with their model at all (Mosin Nagant).
I'm certain part of the issue is marking too. Since the official name was K98k, you would think that would be how the rifles were marked, but in my experience they say Mod. 98 - the Karabiner and Kurz are assumed! I wonder when they added "Kurz" because it is so redundant.
Of course other rifles aren't marked with their model at all (Mosin Nagant).
In Germany, Karabiner did not refer to "carbine length". It basically meant that the gun had tangent sights (not lange-vizier) and a turned-down bolt handle. Kar98b rifles,for example, are just Gew98's with new sights added and the bolt handle (usually) turned down.
The "kurz" was to designate that the K98k was shorter than the Kar98b, but both were considered to be "karabiners".
The "kurz" was to designate that the K98k was shorter than the Kar98b, but both were considered to be "karabiners".
