Haenel M-1907
Notes: The
Haenel M-1907 (Aptierte Haenel-Gewehr
M-1907) was not actually built for use by German forces; it was made for
export to China shortly after the turn of the 20th century.
It is basically a Gewehr 88 with the addition of a bolt-guide rib,
gas-escape port, guides for stripper clips, and modifications necessary to
accept the 8mm Mauser round. A few
of these rifles were still in Germany at the start of World War 1, awaiting
shipment to China; these sere seized by the Kaiser’s Army and used by Landsturm
troops to free Gewehr 88s for regular Army use.
Some of these retained their original 6.5x57mm Mauser chambering, but
most were modified for 8mm Mauser.
Weapon |
Ammunition |
Weight |
Magazines |
Price |
M-1907 |
8mm Mauser |
3.87 kg |
5 Clip |
$1756 |
M-1907 |
6.5x57mm Mauser |
3.04 kg |
5 Clip |
$1272 |
Weapon |
ROF |
Damage |
Pen |
Bulk |
SS |
Burst |
Range |
M-1907 (8mm) |
BA |
5 |
2-3-Nil |
8 |
5 |
Nil |
112 |
M-1907 (6.5mm) |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
8 |
5 |
Nil |
93 |
Heckler & Koch G-3
Notes: The G-3
was first taken into German Army service in 1959.
Since then, it has been sold and manufactured in so many countries, it
may be encountered almost anywhere in the world.
The G-3 is based on the design of the Spanish CETME-58; however, the
CETME-58 was itself based on a Nazi design that was never produced.
(In fact, the first prototypes of the G-3 were virtually identical to the
CETME-58.) The G-3 was the first
Heckler & Koch rifle to use roller-locking action that became synonymous with
the company’s name.
After many
modifications and some improvements, the G-3 did not look so much like the
CETME-58 anymore; there is still, however, a noticeable family difference.
Unlike the CETME-58, however, the G-3 is built using as many steel
stampings as possible. Early G-3s
used stamped steel ventilated handguards, but had inexpensive high-impact
plastic pistol grips. Early stocks
were of wood, but these were later replaced with plastic stocks.
The first G-3s used sights which were little-changed from those of the
CETME-58, but most G-3s use drum-type sights with a hooded front post.
The charging handle is on the left side above the barrel, and folds for
storage or to prevent snagging.
Very early production G-3s had no flash suppressor; a prong-type flash
suppressor was quickly added, but virtually all G-3s were built with a compact
birdcage-type flash suppressor or retrofitted with them.
The original G-3 also was fitted with a folding bipod and a FAL-type
carrying handle.
Operation is by
delayed blowback using roller locking.
In addition, a tiny amount of gas is leaked through internal flutes to
the chamber, which actually helps keep the spent cases from sticking and aids in
extraction.
The G-3 was
first fielded in 1959, but user feedback led to some of the changes described
above in 1963, such as the drum-type rear sight.
The bipod and carrying handle were also eliminated.
Also in 1963, the first sliding-stock variant, the G-3A1, was introduced,
with a metal stock similar to (but not exactly the same as) later Heckler & Koch
sliding stock patterns, including a textured rubber-coated buttplate.
The G-3A2, though approved in 1962, does not appear to have been fielded
until 1964; this model used a fixed plastic stock, plastic handguards, and a
floating barrel which improved accuracy.
Many earlier G-3s were rebuilt to the G-3A2 standard.
The G-3A3 was
adopted later that year, and replaced the plastic stock with a synthetic one,
improved the front sight, and changed the design of the flash suppressor to
allow it to use NATO-pattern rifle grenades.
In 1968, a version of the G-3A3 also became available with four selector
lever positions (safe, semiautomatic, 3-round burst, and full auto), but the
Germans and many other countries do not seem to have used that version very
much. In 1974, further
modifications were made to the G-3A3, re-shaping the pistol grip and simplifying
the handguards. In 1985, even more
changes were made, including a synthetic sub-frame for the stock and pistol grip
for strengthening and an ambidextrous fire selector.
The G-3A4 is virtually identical to the G-3A3, but uses a sliding steel
stock. The G-3A3 and G-3A4 have
become the standard production versions of the G-3 series.
(There are also G-3A5, A6, and A-7 versions, which are simply export
versions of the G-3A3 or G-3A4.)
Other
significant variants of the G-3 include the G-3KA3 and A4; these versions have
barrels shortened to 12.7 inches, with the G-3KA3 using a fixed stock (and being
relatively quite rare) and the G-3KA4 having a sliding steel stock.
Neither are capable of mounting bayonets or using rifle grenades.
The G-3SG/1 is an otherwise-standard G-3A3 which, during test firing,
showed itself (due to slight variances in manufacturing) to be somewhat more
accurate and/or better built than the normal G-3A3.
They have a normal fire selector, but also are fitted with a trigger
group including a set trigger (useable only when the rifle is set on
semiautomatic). The standard
trigger is also adjustable for pull weight.
The G-3SG/1 also has a folding bipod mounted as standard, as well as a
modified stock with a removable cheekpiece (of various sizes to suit the
shooter). They have a claw-type
telescopic sight mount fitted (which in German service usually holds a Zeiss
1.5-6x scope). The G-3A3 and G-3A4
INKAS have an infrared laser spotting device built into the cocking handle, with
the switch behind the front sight.
A minor
modification of the G-3A3 is called the G-3PT; this version is made by using a
parts kit consisting of a subcaliber barrel insert and a magazine insert to
allow the G-3A3 to fire .22 Long Rifle ammunition.
No other G-3A3 parts need be changed to produce the G-3PT, though the
sights must be adjusted for the shorter range.
The G-3PT is meant to allow lower-cost basic marksmanship training.
The G-3TGS is not really a variant as such; it is simply the nomenclature
for a G-3A3 or G-3A4 fitted with the HK-79 grenade launcher and the special
interface handguard/fore-end hardware and grenade-launching sights.
The G-3 also
spawned several related designs (which are covered elsewhere in these pages);
these include the PSG-1 and MSG-90 sniper rifles, HK-33 and G-41 assault rifles,
and HK-11 and HK-21 machineguns; in addition, there is a civilian version called
the HK-91, which has a fire selector locked to allow only semiautomatic fire
only. There are in fact so many
countries which wither have licenses to manufacture the G-3 series or use the
G-3 series themselves that it is possible to encounter the G-3 almost anywhere
in the world, with virtually innumerable local modifications both large and
small.
Perhaps one of
the largest manufacturers of civilian-legal G-3s (i.e., HK-91s) is the US
manufacturer PTR-91 Inc (formerly JLD Enterprises).
For the most part, these are identical to HK-91s and their variants, but
one version, the PTR-32 is worth a little more elaboration.
The PTR-32 is chambered for 7.62mm Kalashnikov and has a 16-inch barrel.
It is built to the heavier HK-91/PTR-91 frame, and the name appears to be
a combination of the PTR-91 and the limited-production HK-32.
The barrel is 16 inches, and is tipped with a bird-cage-type flash
suppressor which can be removed and replaced with a variety of aftermarket
muzzle devices. The PTR-32KC is
designed for compliance with California regulations, and has no MIL-STD-1913
rail and can accept 10-round magazines; the flash suppressor is also
non-removable. A PTR-32KCM4 is identical, but does have the MIL-STD-1913 rails,
including four on the handguards.
The standard PTR-32KF is very similar to the California model, but has a
removable flash suppressor and mounts for a bipod, a MIL-STD-1913 rail, or other
types of scope mounts. The
PTR-32KMF4 (formerly designated the PTR-32KFR) has the MIL-STD-1913 rail as
standard, and the handguards also have four MIL-STD-1913 rails on the handguard.
The PTR-32 can take any magazine which will fit into an AK-type weapon.
PTR-91 also produces the PTR-91 Super Sniper, which is their version of the
G-3SG/1, though it has MIL-STD-1913 rails atop the receiver and handguards and
below the handguards. It costs 1%
more than a standard G-3SG/1.
It should be
noted that while the G-3 is not normally issued with a bipod, it can easily be
fitted with one; any G-3 can also be fitted with a claw-type scope/accessory
mount. There are also rumors that
some G-3s have recently been fitted with MIL-STD-1913 rails, but I have not been
able to confirm this.
Weapon |
Ammunition |
Weight |
Magazines |
Price |
G-3 (With Bipod) |
7.62mm NATO |
4.79 kg |
20 |
$1428 |
G-3 (No Bipod) |
7.62mm NATO |
4.58 kg |
20 |
$1001 |
G-3A1 |
7.62mm NATO |
5.29 kg |
20 |
$1026 |
G-3A2 |
7.62mm NATO |
5.09 kg |
20 |
$1010 |
G-3A3 |
7.62mm NATO |
4.4 kg |
20 |
$1403** |
G-3A4 |
7.62mm NATO |
4.7 kg |
20 |
$1423** |
G-3KA3 |
7.62mm NATO |
4.12 kg |
20 |
$1350** |
G-3KA4 |
7.62mm NATO |
4.4 kg |
20 |
$1370** |
G-3SG/1 |
7.62mm NATO |
4.75 kg |
20 |
$1653 |
G-3A3 INKAS |
7.62mm NATO |
4.6 kg |
20 |
$1803** |
G-3A4 INKAS |
7.62mm NATO |
4.9 kg |
20 |
$1823** |
PTR-32KF/PTR-32CF |
7.62mm Kalashnikov |
4.03 kg |
10,
20, 30 |
$780 |
PTR-32KFM4/PTR-KCF4 |
7.62mm Kalashnikov |
4.05 kg |
10,
20, 30 |
$788 |
G-3PT Parts Kit |
(.22 Long Rifle) |
5 kg* |
20 |
$181* |
Weapon |
ROF |
Damage |
Pen |
Bulk |
SS |
Burst |
Range |
G-3 |
5 |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
3 |
8 |
52 |
(With Bipod) |
5 |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
2 |
4 |
67 |
G-3A1 |
5 |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
6/7 |
3 |
8 |
52 |
G-3A2 |
5 |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
3 |
8 |
54 |
G-3A3 |
3/5 |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
3 |
5/9 |
54 |
G-3A4 |
3/5 |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
6/7 |
3 |
5/8 |
54 |
G-3KA3 |
3/5 |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
6 |
3 |
5/9 |
32 |
G-3KA4 |
3/5 |
4 |
2-Nil |
5/6 |
3 |
5/8 |
32 |
G-3SG/1 |
5 |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
3 |
8 |
55 |
(With Bipod) |
5 |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
2 |
4 |
70 |
G-3A3 INKAS |
3/5 |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
3 |
5/9 |
54 |
G-3A4 INKAS |
3/5 |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
6/7 |
3 |
5/8 |
54 |
PTR-32 |
SA |
3 |
2-Nil |
6 |
3 |
Nil |
44 |
G-3PT |
5 |
1 |
Nil |
7 |
1 |
1 |
38 |
*Plus the cost of the base G-3A3; the parts kit cannot be used as a rifle by
itself! The weight listed, however,
is the weight of the parts kit in addition to the weight of the base G-3A3; by
itself, the weight is 0.6 kg.
**If one chooses one of these G-3
versions without burst firing capability, subtract $182 from the price of the
weapon.
Mauser Gew-88
Notes: In 1888, smokeless
powder military weapons were still a rarity, generally the result of custom
conversions by countries or military units.
The Gewehr 88 (also known as
the 1888 Commission Rifle) was one of
the first production military rifles that was designed from the start to use
modern (ie, smokeless) propellants in its ammunition.
It was chambered for what would become one of the most common rifle,
battle rifle, and machinegun rounds, the 8mm Mauser (also known as the 7.92mm
Mauser). The Gew-88 was designed
for use in the Franco-Prussian War and was also used in World War 1 and as late
as World War 2 by both friendly and Nazi units.
German state factories, including Steyr in Austria, made some 2 million
of these rifles and their German variants.
Though it uses
now what would be a simple bolt-action operation, the design was innovative for
its time, with a receiver with a split bridge and is loaded using a stripper “en
block” clip from the top of the open bolt.
The clip remains in place throughout firing, and when empty, the clip
drops out of the bottom of the receiver.
(While this makes loading and unloading a snap, it also means that there
is a hole in the bottom of the receiver that can bring dirt into the mechanism.)
The design is basically almost an exact copy of the Mannlicher rifles of
the period; to settle a patent infringement lawsuit, Mauser allowed
Steyr-Mannlicher to build and sell the Gew-88 on their own, with any
modifications they felt were necessary.)
Other “borrowings” included the barrel design of the French Lebel
Magazine Rifle. The entire barrel is enclosed in a sheet metal tube for
protection; many troops removed this to lighten the weapon, discovering that the
Gew-88 functioned just as well without it.
The tube was intended to create a specially-bedded barrel, but in
practice is creates a space for rust between the barrel and the tube.
Originally, the
Gew-88 was designed for the round-nosed M/88 cartridge.
Soon thereafter, however, the rifle’s ammunition was replaced with what
we now call the 8mm Mauser cartridge.
Variants include
the Kar-88, which had a 17.15-inch barrel, was much lighter, and in general much
shorter. It was issued to Artillery
Troops, Cavalry Troops, and other rear-area personnel.
It was introduced in 1890 and never used the M/88 round. At first, there
was an issue with burst barrels, caused by the shortening process weakening the
barrel; by 1896, this was eliminated by issuing new barrels with new striker
heads and deepened rifling grooves.
Gew-91s were issued to Artillery troops; it was the same dimensions as the
Kar-88, but somewhat heavier.
The Gew-88/05 is
the same as the Gew-88, but is modified to use simpler stripper clips; this
modification was also done to cavalry Kar-88s.
By 1890, sufficient carbines had been delivered so that all cavalry
squadrons were equipped with them. The Gew-88/14 was issued at the start of
World War 1; it is a “no frills” version of the Gew-88 and is in general more
crudely-built. The Gew-88/97 was the Gew-88 modified to use a Mauser-type solid
bolt rather than the slit bridge, and due to wartime conditions, less than 2000
were built. For game purposes, they
are identical to the Gew-88.
The Gew-88 was
exported to several countries; most of these had peculiarities of their own and
were often rechambered for the service cartridges of the destination country.
They were also remade into some very elegant civilian sporting rifles,
with several chamberings.
One of these
countries was Argentina, who used the Gew-98 as the M-1891.
It used a half-length forend and was chambered for the 7.65mm Mauser
round. The barrel was 29.1 inches,
but a carbine version with a barrel of 17.6 inches was also made and used by the
Argentine Army. The Engineers’ Carbine was a version of the Carbine with
slightly different markings and barrel bands.
The M-1909 was a version of the M-1891 that had a tangent rear sight, was
fed from a box magazine instead of a clip, and had a full Mannlicher stock with
a semi-pistol grip instead of a straight wrist. The M-1909 Sniper Rifle is an
M-1891 fitted with a German-made scope of the period; it was made from the
better-shooting examples of M-1891s in the Argentine Army issue and were fitted
with a high-quality barrel. For
game purposes, they are sniper rifles, but included here for completeness. The
M-1909 Cavalry Carbine has a barrel length of 21.5 inches and a forestock about
two thirds the length of the barrel.
The M-1909 Mountain Carbine has a barrel of 21.25 inches and is
essentially a cut down M-1909 Rifle with appropriately adjusted sights.
Most M-1891 and their brethren were sold as surplus in the 1960s, and
many would up in the US and Mexico.
An unknown, but
large number, of Gew-88s and Kar-88s were manufactured in China on German
equipment gained through nefarious means.
The rifles were produced without license, and Germany was never able to
get royalty payments from China.
These are identical to the Gew-88 and Kar-88 for game purposes, and usually
called Hanyang Rifles.
The
Austro-Hungarian version of the Gew-88 used the 8mm Austrian Service round, and
had a barrel length of 29 inches. It was called the M1888/1890. The sights were
replaced with ones more appropriate to the cartridge and longer barrel. These
were graduated sights. After World War 1, a number of these were sold to
Bulgaria, Greece and Chile. Some
were still found in irregular units as late as World War 2. The M-1890 Carbine
was similar to the rifle, but has a shorter 19.5-inch barrel.
The trigger was moved behind the bolt handle.
It had a stronger action to better cope with the power of the cartridge
in a shorter rifle. The M-1890
Carbine had sights designed for the shorter barrel.
The M-1895 Infantry Rifle, on the other hand, had the sights adjusted for
the opposite reason – the barrel length was extended to 30 inches.
This was the primary shoulder arm of the Austro-Hungarian Army in World
War 1 and was built in huge quantities.
After World War 1, much of these rifles made their way to the Balkans,
where they equipped many partisan forces and some national armies.
From there, the captured examples were taken by the Nazis, rechambered to
8mm Mauser, and put into Volkssturm service; this is the same as the Gew-88 for
game purposes. The ones that
remained in Austrian and Hungarian service had been rechambered to the 8mm
Hungarian Mannlicher round, a more powerful but shorter round.
The M-1895 Sniper Rifle was the same, but with better barrels and a
telescopic sight. It had a set
trigger in addition to a firing trigger.
The Sharpshooter’s rifle is the same, but without the telescopic sight;
it is the same as the Sniper Rifle, but subtract $200.
The Cavalry Carbine is the same as the Infantry Rifle, but with a
19.5-inch barrel. For game purposes. The same as the M-1890 Cavalry Carbine.
It has no bayonet lug. It was produced until 1918, longer than any other
Gew-88-based rifle. The Stutzen
M-95 is identical to the Cavalry Carbine, but has a bayonet lug, and is
otherwise identical to the Cavalry Carbine for game purposes.
The Brazilian
version of the Gew-88 was similar to the Spanish M1893, but is chambered for the
7mm Mauser cartridge. It was called
the M-1894 Rifle. It had a 29-inch barrel, and had a flush-mounted internal
magazine, clip-fed. The rear sight
is a peep-type sight graduated from 400 to 2000 meters.
It was produced for Brazil by FN and DWM.
A carbine version was also produced, the M-1894 Carbine; this has a
mechanism like the M1894 Rifle, but a barrel of only 18 inches, no bayonet lug,
and a rear sight with a maximum adjustment of 1400 yards.
The Mexican variants were similar for game purposes.
After World War
1, a significant number of Gew-88s were sold to Turkey after being refurbished,
and designated M-1890. These rifles were
rechambered for 7.65mm Mauser, and had a barrel of 29 inches. Markings are in
Turkish only. The barrel sleeve was also removed before delivery, and the stocks
were replaced after their hard use in World War 1.
The magazine is a box magazine instead of feeding from a clip. These
versions are heavier than the standard Gew-88.
The M-1890 Carbine is the same, but with a barrel length of 19.5 inches.
The M-1893 Rifle is similar to the M-1890, but has a magazine safety and a
magazine cutoff, and is a little heavier than the M-1890. The M-1903 was also
similar to the M-1893, but could be reloaded through the receiver from stripper
clips while the magazine was inserted into the weapon, and had a semi-pistol
grip. These two weapons are
identical for game purposes. The M-1903 was the standard Turkish battle rifle
from World War 1 until just before World War 2. The M-1905 Carbine was also
similar to M-1903, with the 21.5-inch barrel. Most Turkish Gew-88 versions were
later rechambered for 8mm Mauser. Most of the antique Gew-88s seen in the US
today, whether in their original caliber or not, are former Turkish Army rifles,
sold to US civilians in the 1930s in large numbers.
The M-03 (t) is the Yugoslavian counterpart to the Turkish M-1903, with a
barrel cut down to 21.5 inches, and chambered for 8mm Mauser. (This was the new
service cartridge for Yugoslavia at the time.)
The Balkan
Republics (later Yugoslavia) used the Gew-88 extensively, having bought them
from the Turks as well as the Germans.
The first of these rifles was designated the M-1899 by the Serbs, and is
essentially a Gew-88 chambered for 7mm Mauser.
The rear sight is graduated from 100 to 2000 meters.
They can be identified by the Serbian crest on the receiver ring.
It has a barrel 29 inches long.
The M-1899c is a shorter version of the M-1899, not really short enough
to be called a carbine, with its 23.25-inch barrel.
It is also rechambered, and can be found in two chamberings; the Serbs
were trying to decide their new military chambering at the time and issued quite
a large number in 7.65 Mauser and 8mm Mauser chamberings (then they switched
back to 7mm Mauser – thing about all the logistical headaches!).
The M-1908 is in fact a true carbine version of the M-1899, with a barrel
of 17 inches. The M-1910 was
received from Germany at a time when the Serbs were still primarily using the
7mm Mauser chambering, and has a 29.13-inch barrel.
The M-90(t) was received from the Turks after World War 1, and have been
rechambered for 7mm Mauser. Their
barrels have also been cut down to 23.25 inches.
The M-03 (t) Short Rifle is basically the same rifle, chambered for 8mm
Mauser.
The Gew-88 and
its variants were also used by Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, during the Russian
Civil War (by both sides), Hungary, Poland, The Ulster Special Constabulary, on
both sides of the Irish War of Independence, Lithuania, and Ethiopia.
They were also used by the Home Guard in Britain, and the German
Volkssturm. The last known use of
these rifles in warfare is believed to be by Chinese Forces in the Korean War.
For game purposes, these Gew-88s and Kar-88s are identical to the Turkish
Gew-88s and Kar-88s.
Hunting rifle
versions of the Gew and Kar-88s will be dealt with elsewhere.
Weapon |
Ammunition |
Weight |
Magazines |
Price |
Gew-88 |
8mm
M/88 and 8mm Mauser |
3.8
kg |
5
Clip |
$1641 |
Kar-88 |
8mm
Mauser |
3.4
kg |
5
Clip |
$1519 |
M-1891 |
7.65mm Mauser |
3.99 kg |
5
Clip |
$1572 |
Argentine M-1891 Carbine |
7.65mm Mauser |
3.27 kg |
5
Clip |
$1455 |
Argentine M-1909 |
7.65mm Mauser |
4.08 kg |
5 |
$1571 |
Argentine M-1909 Sniper Rifle |
7.65mm Mauser |
4.28 kg |
5 |
$1785 |
Argentine M-1909 Cavalry Carbine |
7.65mm Mauser |
3.86 kg |
5 |
$1493 |
Argentine M-1909 Mountain Carbine |
7.65mm Mauser |
3.86 kg |
5 |
$1491 |
Austro-Hungarian M1888/90 |
8mm
Austrian Service |
3.9
kg |
5
Clip |
$1596 |
Austro-Hungarian M-1890 Carbine |
8mm
Austrian Service |
3.65 kg |
5
Clip |
$1500 |
Austro-Hungarian M-1890 Infantry Rifle |
8mm
Austrian Service |
3.93 kg |
5
Clip |
$1606 |
Austro-Hungarian M-1895 Sniper Rifle |
8mm
Austrian Service |
4.03 kg |
5
Clip |
$1822 |
Brazilian M-1894 Rifle |
7mm
Mauser |
4.08 kg |
5
Clip |
$1436 |
Brazilian M-1894 Carbine |
7mm
Mauser |
3.72 kg |
5
Clip |
$1325 |
Turkish M-1890 Rifle |
7.65mm Mauser |
3.97 kg |
5 |
$1570 |
Turkish M-1890 Carbine |
7.65mm Mauser |
3.68 kg |
5 |
$1473 |
Turkish M-1893 Rifle |
7.65mm Mauser |
4.08 kg |
5 |
$1570 |
Turkish M-1905 Carbine |
7.65mm Mauser |
3.74 kg |
5 |
$1493 |
Turkish M-1903/38 Rifle |
8mm
Mauser |
4.08 kg |
5 |
$1765 |
Turkish M-1905/38 Carbine |
8mm
Mauser |
3.74 kg |
5 |
$1689 |
Yugoslav M-1899 Rifle |
7mm
Mauser |
4.08 kg |
5
Clip |
$1436 |
Yugoslav M-1899c Short Rifle |
7.65mm Mauser |
3.86 kg |
5
Clip |
$1513 |
Yugoslav M-1899c Short Rifle |
8mm
Mauser |
3.86 kg |
5
Clip |
$1708 |
Yugoslav M-1908 Carbine |
7mm
Mauser |
3.08 kg |
5
Clip |
$1378 |
Yugoslav M-1910 Rifle |
7mm
Mauser |
4.08 kg |
5
Clip |
$1438 |
Yugoslav M-90(t) Short Rifle |
7mm
Mauser |
3.86 kg |
5
Clip |
$1378 |
Yugoslav M-03(t) Short Rifle |
8mm
Mauser |
3.86 kg |
5
Clip |
$1708 |
Weapon |
ROF |
Damage |
Pen |
Bulk |
SS |
Burst |
Range |
Gew-88 (M/88) |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
8 |
5 |
Nil |
112 |
Gew-88 (8mm
Mauser) |
BA |
5 |
2-3-Nil |
8 |
5 |
Nil |
112 |
Kar-88 |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
5 |
Nil |
54 |
Argentine
M-1891 |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
8 |
4 |
Nil |
114 |
Argentine
M-1891 Carbine |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
5 |
Nil |
57 |
Argentine
M-1909 |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
8 |
4 |
Nil |
114 |
Argentine
M-1909 Sniper
Rifle |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
8 |
4 |
Nil |
119 |
Argentine M-1909 Cavalry Carbine |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
4 |
Nil |
76 |
Argentine M-1909 Mountain Carbine |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
4 |
Nil |
75 |
Austro-Hungarian M1888/90 |
BA |
5 |
2-3-Nil |
8 |
5 |
Nil |
110 |
Austro-Hungarian M-1890 Carbine |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
4 |
Nil |
66 |
Austro-Hungarian M-1890 Infantry Rifle |
BA |
5 |
2-3-Nil |
8 |
5 |
Nil |
114 |
Austro-Hungarian M-1895 Sniper Rifle |
BA |
5 |
2-3-Nil |
8 |
5 |
Nil |
120 |
Brazilian M-1894 Rifle |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
8 |
4 |
Nil |
104 |
Brazilian M-1894 Carbine |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
6 |
4 |
Nil |
52 |
Turkish M-1890 Rifle |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
8 |
4 |
Nil |
113 |
Turkish M-1890 Carbine |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
4 |
Nil |
66 |
Turkish M-1905 Carbine |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
4 |
Nil |
76 |
Turkish M-1903/38 Rifle |
BA |
5 |
2-3-Nil |
8 |
4 |
Nil |
117 |
Turkish M-1905/38 Carbine |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
4 |
Nil |
76 |
Yugoslav M-1899 Rifle |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
8 |
4 |
Nil |
104 |
Yugoslav M-1899c Short Rifle (7.65mm) |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
4 |
Nil |
86 |
Yugoslav M-1899c Short Rifle (8mm) |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
4 |
Nil |
86 |
Yugoslav M-1908 Carbine |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
5 |
Nil |
76 |
Yugoslav M-1910 Rifle |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
8 |
4 |
Nil |
104 |
Yugoslav M-90(t) Short Rifle |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
4 |
Nil |
76 |
Yugoslav M-03(t) Short Rifle |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
4 |
Nil |
86 |
Mauser Gew-98
Notes:
This version of the Mauser rifle rivals the Kalashnikov for the most
common rifle in history. This is in
spite of the rather clumsy arrangement of the bolt handle and group, the stock
that is normally way too long for the size of an average person (especially one
of that time, 1898), and a full 29-inch barrel.
The pistol grip-wrist stock was generally of walnut, with an almost
full-length fore-end; a length of the fore-end contained a tube for a cleaning
rod. Versions built before 1915 had
finger grooves in the fore-end, a steel grommet behind the pistol grip wrist,
and V-notch adjustable rear sights.
In 1915, the finger grooves and the steel grommet were deleted to ease
manufacturing, but the rear sight was changed to a tangent sight which offered
finer adjustments. The Gew-98 was
built until 1918, with over 3.5 million having been made.
The Nazis were still carrying millions of them when they invaded Poland
in 1939, and a substantial number of them still survive to this day – and many
have been rechambered for different cartridges.
The action has formed the base for hundreds of rifle designs for over a
century. They are strong, reliable,
and accurate.
After World War
1, a large number of Gew-98s were altered to comply with the Armistice
requirements. The excellent tangent
sight was replaced with a simple flat tangent sight, the stacking hook was
removed, and a slot was cut into the stock for a sling.
At the same time, the bolt handle was bent down instead of being straight
out like the Gew-98. This version
is known as the Kar-98b, but is identical to the Gew-98 for game purposes.
Built only from
1900 to 1905, the Gew-98A carbine (not to be confused with the later Kar-98
series) had a barrel shortened to 17 inches and a fore-end that ran all the way
to the muzzle. Versions built
1900-02 had no provisions for a bayonet nor a tube for a cleaning rod.
In late 1902, a bayonet bar was added as well as provision for a cleaning
rod in the fore-end. Only about
3000 were built.
The Kar-98
series was introduced in 1908 with the Kar-98a (at first designated the
Gew-98AZ; it was re-designated after World War 1).
For the most part, the Kar-98a was the same as the Gew-98, but with a
24-inch barrel. Other differences
included a full-length fore-end and a fore-end cap equipped with a bayonet lug
and a small curved bar used when stacking the rifles in an encampment.
1.5 million were built before the end of World War 1.
The Kar-98k was
the primary battle rifle of the Nazi forces during World War 2. Though it still
used the same basic design, the Kar-98k used a 23.6-inch barrel and a shorter
stock to make it handier. The bolt
handle and bolt action were at the same time reshaped and reworked for smoother
action. As the war went on, the
quality of materials of this weapon became lower and lower, but it soldiered on.
It became the last Mauser rifle design used by the military.
During World War
2, an attempt to address the low magazine capacity of the Kar-98k was attempted.
Mauser attached a fixed, curved 25-round magazine to the normal place
where the internal magazine was.
Loading was still from the top, by a succession of the same 5-round clips.
It was quite unpopular with the troops, more difficult and expensive to
produce, and after a very short time dropped from production.
The Gew-98
Training Rifle was built in the 1930s as a training rifle exclusively for Nazi
party members. The Training Rifle
still used the same action, but the magazine was blocked, making it a
single-shot rifle. The barrel was
26 inches long. Despite the
potential range, the tangent rear sight was adjustable only to 200 meters.
After the switch
to the Kar-98k, a number of Kar-98as were rechambered as casual target rifles,
called the Kar-98a Zimmerstutzen.
This version drills out the 8mm barrel to 13mm, then inserts a barrel for 4mm
ammunition inside of it. The
working parts are all altered for the new ammunition. The ammunition is the
now-rare 4mm rimfire long. The
barrel is almost as long at 23.6 inches, but the action takes only one round at
a time and the sights are replaced with ones more appropriate for the ammunition
(though still graduated from 300 to 2000 meters, the standard range for 4mm
ammunition was only 15 meters).
Just prior to
and during World War 2, certain Kar-98ks which had been tested by Mauser or the
German Army and found to have superior quality were drilled and tapped for a
scope and used as sniper rifles.
These were designated the Kar-98k ZF-41.
For the most part, they were standard Kar-98ks, but due to “accidents” in
production, they happened to shoot and handle better than most Kar-98ks.
Individual Scharfschutzen
(German word for “snipers” at the time) generally further modified these rifles
with raised cheekpieces, trigger adjustments, and other little enhancements.
In the cost below, the scope is included; the standard scope for this
rifle was the ZF-41 1.5x long eye relief scope.
This was the biggest drawback for the Kar-98k ZF-41 as a sniper rifle;
the low power of the scope did not extend the range much, and today the ZF-41
would not even be considered as a scope for a sniper rifle due to its low power.
Even worse, the ZF-41 had a rather narrow field of view. Whenever
possible, German snipers would try to acquire better scopes for their Kar-98k
ZF-41s. Due to the position and
angle of the Kar-98k’s receiver and ejection port, the ZF-41 had to be mounted
relatively forward on the rifle, in what would today be called the “scout”
position. A modified version of the
scope, the ZF-41/1, was designed to both simplify production and to provide more
reliable adjustments in extreme cold weather such as in Russia.
For game purposes, the scope and therefore the rifle it is mounted on is
identical to the standard Kar-98k ZF-41.
The ZF-41 and ZF-41/1 was furnished with a special carrying case;
included in this was a specially-treated lens-cleaning cloth called a
Klarinotuch, which is impregnated with a compound to reduce the formation of
condensation on the lenses of the scope.
The Gew-98 has
also spawned a number of individual company’s armies versions for use by those
countries or for export to other countries.
In most cases, the Gew-98-based rifles served only to about the 1960s
(though they were encountered in combat as late as the Vietnam War).
These late models are typically second or third-hand weapons, or newer
copies of the Gew-98 series. In
many cases, Nazi weapons were built by the arms factories of captured countries.
Many Gew-98-based rifles were later sold to civilians, and new copies can
be had from certain other countries or inside the US or Mexico.
Belgium’s
FN-Herstal firm built Gew-98-series rifles for use by Belgium’s military
immediately after World War 2. One
of these rifles is the Kar-98 based M-50 Short Rifle; it has a 23.2-inch barrel
and was chambered after the war for .30-06.
It had sights graduated to 2000 meters.
The M-35/46 is identical for game purposes; however, manufacture started
before World War 2 and picked up again after the war, in 1946.
It’s particulars are the same as the M-50, and are identical for game
purposes. Also after World War 2,
FN produced a training rifle for the Belgian Army known as the M-24/30 - Army,
and it was chambered in rimfire rounds.
The M-24/30 – Navy is identical for game purposes, but produced for the
Belgian Navy. Both are identical
for game purposes. The M-30 Short Rifle is like the M-50, but has a 23.3-inch
barrel.
Brazil produced
the Gew-98 under license before World War 2, and without a license after the
war. An odd variant, not produced
in great numbers, is the M-1904 Mauser-Verueiro rifle, chambered for the
little-used (in Brazil) 6.5x54mm Mauser cartridge.
(It is generally thought that these rifles were an experiment, which was
not repeated.) The M-1907 was German-built and chambered for Brazil’s normal 7mm
Mauser round; it is fitted with a 29-inch barrel and has a semi pistol-grip
wrist. The M-1907 Carbine is the
same as the M-1907 Rifle, but with a barrel length of 19.5 inches. The M-1908
Rifle is similar to the original Gew-98, but has a 29.25-inch barrel and with a
semi-pistol-grip wrist. The M-1908
has tangent rear sights and is graduated to 2000 meters. The M-1908 Short Rifle
is the same, but with a 22-inch barrel.
The M-1922 Carbine is similar to the M-1907 Carbine for most game
purposes, but is lighter in weight.
The M-1935 Banner Rifle was built for an important celebration in Brazil, and is
similar to the M-1908 for most game purposes except for its 28.75-inch barrel
and its beastly weight for its type of rifle, and luxury and show-type
accouterments. A Mauser Banner
Carbine was also produced, but with a 21.5-inch barrel; it too is heavy for its
type of rifle. The M-1908/34 Short Rifle was also the same as the Banner
Carbine, but with a barrel length of 23.5 inches and differently-chambered.
The M-1954 Short Rifle was the last Gew-98-type rifle used by the
Brazilians, and had a 23.25-inch barrel.
The barrel’s muzzle is threaded for the attachment of a grenade launcher
device. The stock is equipped with
semi-pistol-grip and has finger grooves on the fore-end.
It has a Mauser-style cupped buttplate.
China produced
some interesting variations of the Gew-98.
The M-98/22 Rifle, actually made for the Chinese by BRNO in
Czechoslovakia, is essentially a Gew-88 with a Gew-98 action and using a Gew-98
bayonet. Therefore, the rifle has a
29-inch Gew-88-type barrel and sights.
It’s a heavy rifle, but BRNO built about 70,000 of them for the Chinese.
FN built some M-24 and M-30 Short Rifles for the Chinese, and then
factories were set up in China to produce more M-30s, designated M-21s by the
Chinese. These have a 23.6-inch
barrel, and tangent rear sights graduated to 2000 meters.
It too is heavy for its type of rifle.
The Chang Kai-shek Short Rifle is basically the same for game purposes,
but is a even heavier. It was the
standard Chinese infantry small arm between 1936 and 1949, and some were also
used by the PRC in its early years, including in the War in Korea.
The M-1933 is identical to the Chang-Kai-shek Short Rifle for game
purposes, but has Mauser in addition to Chinese markings. The M-1933 Standard
Carbine has a turned-down bolt handle and a barrel length of 19.5 inches – and
very heavy for even a carbine version of the Gew-98.
The Dutch made a
modified carbine version of the Gew-98 after World War 2, with a 17.3-inch
barrel. They were designated the
M-1948, and issued primarily to police and Home Guard forces.
The Spanish
M-1916 Short Rifle is based on the Gew-98, but with a barrel shortened to 21.75
inches and chambered for the 7mm Mauser cartridge.
It has an almost-full stock up front, and has an upper handguard with
cooling holes. Some were reworked
during the Spanish Civil War to remove the Spanish Crest symbol (for use by
Nationalist forces). The M-1916
Short Rifle 7.62 is actually almost the same dimensions, but was rechambered to
use the 7.62mm CETME cartridge, which has somewhat less power than the standard
7.62mm NATO or .308 Winchester cartridge.
7.62mm NATO or .308 Winchester ammunition will chamber and fire in the
M-1916 Short Rifle, but this is considered unsafe and can cause a chamber
explosion. The M-1916 Carbine is
pre-World War 2 and is fitted with a 17-inch barrel and chambered for 7mm
Mauser. The forend is ¾-length, and
it cannot mount a bayonet. The bolt
handle is bent down. The M-1933
Standard Short Rifle is basically the same as the M-1916 Carbine, but with a
22-inch barrel and a straight grip stock, to ease manufacturing. The M-1943
replaced the M-1916 Short Rifle and has a 23.6-inch barrel.
It is chambered for 8mm Mauser and also has a ¾-length forestock.
The postwar FR-7 Special Purpose Rifle was made for some special troops,
but more for Training and Reserves.
It has an 18.5-inch barrel and is chambered for the 7.62mm CETME cartridge, and
cannot chamber 7.62mm NATO. It has
a CETME-type flash suppressor, and a faux gas tube to hold the CETME-type
bayonet lugs. The FR-8 is identical for game purposes.
Yugoslavia had a
few of its own versions of the Gew-98.
The M-24 Short Rifle was very much like the Kar-98, but used a 23.25-inch
barrel. It has a full-length stock
with a semi-pistol grip; the upper handguard extends from the receiver to the
front barrel band. The rear sight is an inferior-quality tangent sight graduated
to 2000 meters, but it is not generally thought that the rifle will produce
consistent hits even among the best shooters beyond 800 meters.
The M-24 Carbine is similar, but with a 16.75-inch barrel and bayonet
fittings moved to the endcap. The
FN M-24 Carbine was, of course, made for the Yugoslavians by FN, and based on
their own version of the Gew-98. It
has a 17.5-inch barrel with a bent turn bolt handle and action; the rear sight
is good and is a tangent rear sight graduated to 1400 meters.
The M-1948 98k Carbine is virtually identical to the Kar-98k, but was
built after World War 2. The
M-24/52C and M-24/47 are arsenal-reconditioned version of the M-24 Short Rifle;
for game purposes, they are identical to the M-24 Short Rifle.
Newer reconditioned versions are what are being sold today by Mitchell’s
Mausers. Most pre-World War 2
Yugoslavian Gew-98 were eventually captured by the Nazis or their allies or the
production facilities were seized by the Nazis.
Therefore, many “German” Gew-98s and Kar-98s found today are in fact
Yugoslavian.
Many don’t
realize that the Czech VZ-24 is a variant of the Mauser Gew-98.
The Danish also used the Gew-98; they were captured from the Germans
after and during World War 2, and later sold overseas as war surplus.
France post World War 2 used the Kar-98 for a short time; these had a
modified sling swivel setup to allow it to use the standard French Army sling.
Bolivia, Chile, Columbia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, and
may other South American, Central American, some European, pre-Soviet, African,
and Southeast Asian countries all used the Gew-98 and its German variants.
Barrels for Israeli Mausers are often marked “Remington,” as when they
were rebuilt, they used commercially-available barrels. The Polish used the
standard Gew-98 and Gew-98AZ, but they had tangent rear sights and were stocked
with Polish wood. The Polish Wz-29
Short Rifle is the equivalent of the Kar-98k, and was built at the Radom
facility, with an almost-full stock and a tangent leaf rear sight.
Weapon |
Ammunition |
Weight |
Magazines |
Price |
Gew-98 |
8mm
Mauser |
4.14 kg |
5
Clip |
$1768 |
Gew-98A |
8mm
Mauser |
3.4
kg |
5
Clip |
$1645 |
Kar-98a |
8mm
Mauser |
3.63 kg |
5
Clip |
$1716 |
Kar-98k |
8mm
Mauser |
3.9
kg |
5
Clip |
$1712 |
Kar-98k Long Magazine |
8mm
Mauser |
4.1
kg |
25
Clip |
$1732 |
Training Rifle |
8mm
Mauser |
3.86 kg |
1
Internal |
$1012 |
Zimmerstutzen |
4mm
Rimfire Long |
3.23 kg |
1
Internal |
$272 |
Kar-98k ZF-41 |
8mm
Mauser |
4.2
kg |
5
Clip |
$1868 |
Belgian M-50 Short Rifle |
.30-06 Springfield |
4.08 kg |
5
Clip |
$1720 |
Belgian M-24/30 Training Rifle |
.22
Long Rifle |
3.46 kg |
5
Clip |
$444 |
Belgian M-30 Short Rifle |
.30-06 Springfield |
4.08 kg |
5
Clip |
$1721 |
Brazilian M-1904 Mauser-Verueiro |
6.5x54mm Mauser |
3.63 kg |
5
Clip |
$1252 |
Brazilian M-1907 Rifle |
7mm
Mauser |
3.83 kg |
5
Clip |
$1436 |
Brazilian M-1907 Carbine |
7mm
Mauser |
3.54 kg |
5
Clip |
$1340 |
Brazilian M1908 Rifle |
7mm
Mauser |
3.84 kg |
5
Clip |
$1439 |
Brazilian M-1908 Short Rifle |
7mm
Mauser |
3.62 kg |
5
Clip |
$1365 |
Brazilian M-1922 Carbine |
7mm
Mauser |
2.95 kg |
5
Clip |
$1340 |
Brazilian Mauser Banner Rifle |
7mm
Mauser |
4.54 kg |
5
Clip |
$1434 |
Brazilian Mauser Banner Carbine |
7mm
Mauser |
4.08 kg |
5
Clip |
$1360 |
Brazilian M-1954 Short Rifle |
.30-06 Springfield |
3.97 kg |
5
Clip |
$1720 |
Chinese M-98/22 Rifle |
8mm
Mauser |
4.31 kg |
5
Clip |
$1767 |
Chinese M-24 and M-30 and M-21 Short Rifle |
8mm
Mauser |
3.86 kg |
5
Clip |
$1712 |
Chinese Chang Kai-shek Short Rifle |
8mm
Mauser |
3.97 kg |
5
Clip |
$1712 |
Chinese M-1933 Standard Carbine |
8mm
Mauser |
3.86 kg |
5
Clip |
$1670 |
Dutch M-1948 Carbine |
8mm
Mauser |
3.4
kg |
5
Clip |
$1648 |
Spanish M-1916 Short Rifle |
7mm
Mauser |
3.63 kg |
5
Clip |
$1360 |
Spanish M-1916 Short Rifle 7.62 |
7.62mm CETME |
3.76 kg |
5
Clip |
$1422 |
Spanish M-1916 Carbine |
7mm
Mauser |
3.06 kg |
5
Clip |
$1315 |
Spanish M-1933 Standard Short Rifle |
7mm
Mauser |
3.72 kg |
5
Clip |
$1365 |
Spanish M-1943 Short Rifle |
8mm
Mauser |
3.86 kg |
5
Clip |
$1712 |
Spanish FR-7 Special Purpose Rifle |
7.62mm CETME |
3.4
kg |
5
Clip |
$1392 |
Yugoslavian M-24 Short Rifle |
8mm
Mauser |
3.86 kg |
5
Clip |
$1708 |
Yugoslavian M-24 Carbine |
8mm
Mauser |
3.29 kg |
5
Clip |
$1642 |
Yugoslavian FN M-24 Carbine |
8mm
Mauser |
3.63 kg |
5
Clip |
$1650 |
Weapon |
ROF |
Damage |
Pen |
Bulk |
SS |
Burst |
Range |
Gew-98 |
BA |
5 |
2-3-Nil |
8 |
4 |
Nil |
118 |
Gew-98A |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
5 |
Nil |
53 |
Kar-98a |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
8 |
5 |
Nil |
90 |
Kar-98k (Both) |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
4 |
Nil |
88 |
Training Rifle |
BA |
5 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
5 |
Nil |
101 |
Zimmerstutzen |
BA |
-2 |
Nil |
8 |
1 |
Nil |
36 |
Kar-98k ZF-41 |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
4 |
Nil |
91 |
Belgian M-50 Short Rifle |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
8 |
4 |
Nil |
74 |
Belgian M-24/30 Training Rifle |
BA |
1 |
Nil |
8 |
1 |
Nil |
51 |
Belgian M-30 Short Rifle |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
8 |
4 |
Nil |
75 |
Brazilian M-1904 Mauser-Verueiro |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
8 |
4 |
Nil |
98 |
Brazilian M-1907 Rifle |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
8 |
4 |
Nil |
104 |
Brazilian M-1907 Carbine |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
4 |
Nil |
58 |
Brazilian M1908 Rifle |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
8 |
4 |
Nil |
105 |
Brazilian M-1908 Short Rifle |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
4 |
Nil |
70 |
Brazilian M-1922 Carbine |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
5 |
Nil |
58 |
Brazilian Mauser Banner Rifle |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
8 |
4 |
Nil |
103 |
Brazilian Mauser Banner Carbine |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
4 |
Nil |
68 |
Brazilian M-1954 Short Rifle |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
4 |
Nil |
74 |
Chinese M-98/22 Rifle |
BA |
5 |
2-3-Nil |
9 |
4 |
Nil |
117 |
Chinese M-24/30/21 Short Rifle |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
8 |
4 |
Nil |
88 |
Chinese M-1933 Standard Carbine |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
4 |
Nil |
66 |
Dutch M-1948 Carbine |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
5 |
Nil |
55 |
Spanish M-1916 Short Rifle |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
4 |
Nil |
68 |
Spanish M-1916 Short Rifle 7.62 |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
4 |
Nil |
68 |
Spanish M-1916 Carbine |
BA |
4 |
2-Nil |
6 |
5 |
Nil |
47 |
Spanish M-1933 Standard Short Rifle |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
4 |
Nil |
70 |
Spanish M-1943 Short Rifle |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
4 |
Nil |
88 |
Spanish FR-7 Special Purpose Rifle |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
6 |
4 |
Nil |
55 |
Yugoslavian M-24 Short Rifle |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
8 |
4 |
Nil |
86 |
Yugoslavian M-24 Carbine |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
5 |
Nil |
52 |
Yugoslavian FN M-24 Carbine |
BA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
4 |
Nil |
56 |
Mauser FSK-15
Notes: This rare
and unusual Mauser semiautomatic rifle was designed for defensive use by
aircrews (primarily those in zeppelins and other airships).
Only about 2000 examples of the FSK-15 (Flieger-Selbstladenkarabiner
Model 1915, or Flyer’s Self-Loading Carbine) were made, primarily due to an
unduly-complicated mechanism and a measure of unreliability.
The FSK-15 had a sort of Rube Goldberg operation – a sort of two-step
blowback mechanism that achieved the aim of shortening the rifle, but also had
enough small and easily-breakable parts that something was bound to go wrong.
On top of that, the real-world price of the FSK-15 was twice that of
Germany’s other aircrew rifle, a gas-operated semiautomatic Mondragon design
built in Switzerland, and the Mondragon was much more reliable and easier to
maintain. The FSK-15 was also
combat-tested by the German Army, where it suffered far greater reliability
problems. They were finally
reissued to the Navy, where they saw almost no usage whatsoever, and gradually
simply fell out of usage.
The mechanism of
the FSK-15 is by blowback. When the
weapon fires, the barrel and receiver both recoil by about 15mm; then small and
rather fragile locking bars are released, allowing the breechblock itself to
reciprocate. Once the breechblock
has returned forward, the breechblock locks into the receiver again, and the
receiver and barrel then return forward.
On top of all this, charging the FSK-15 took a good measure of strength.
And to top it all off, recoil was quite heavy, making accuracy difficult
and prolonged firing very fatiguing.
Otherwise, the
FSK-15 used a stock with a pistol-grip wrist, and usually a half-length fore-end
(though the ones combat tested by the Army used a full-length fore-end).
The FSK-15 accepted the three primary bayonets used on the Gew-98 rifles.
The FSK-15 was a rather heavy weapon for its size, with a 26.55-inch
barrel and a rear adjustable tangent sight.
Semiautomatic rifles themselves were unusual in World War 1, but the
FSK-15 was not one of the better ones.
Weapon |
Ammunition |
Weight |
Magazines |
Price |
FSK-15 |
8mm
Mauser |
4.74 kg |
10,
20, 25 |
$1264 |
Weapon |
ROF |
Damage |
Pen |
Bulk |
SS |
Burst |
Range |
FSK-15 |
SA |
5 |
2-3-Nil |
8 |
4 |
Nil |
95 |
Mauser Gew-41(M)
Notes: This was
a competing design to Walther’s Gew-41(W). Only about 6700 were built, and it
was discovered that the modified Bang system used by the Gew-41(M) could be a
bit fragile, and the protruding charging handle tended to get caught up on just
about anything. Many of Mauser’s
design and production facilities had been destroyed by Allied bombing, and even
the Nazi government had doubts as to whether Mauser could deliver even the
15,000 rifles requested in the first batch, let alone any more after that. The
Gew-41(M) did have the virtue of being able to be top-loaded by stripper clips
or by inserting a fresh magazine; it also used a standard Mauser-pattern
bayonet. In the end, however, it
was hardly a successful design.
Ammunition |
Weight |
Magazines |
Price |
|
Gew-41(M) |
8mm
Mauser |
4.6
kg |
10 |
$1209 |
Weapon |
ROF |
Damage |
Pen |
Bulk |
SS |
Burst |
Range |
Gew-41(M) |
SA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
4 |
Nil |
70 |
Rheinmetall FG-42
Notes:
This weapon, one of the outstanding small-arms designs of World War 2,
was made for use by Nazi Paratroopers and first used during the rescue of
Mussolini. It is the ancestor of
modern assault rifles, being a fairly compact weapon firing on automatic or
semiautomatic; it is not considered an actual assault rifle only due to its
full-power cartridge. Devised in
1940, the Luftwaffe wanted a rifle about the same weight as the Kar-98k, yet
magazine-fed, capable of automatic fire, short enough to be reasonably handy,
and still fire the 8mm Mauser cartridge.
The Army felt that this was impossible, so Goering contacted Rheinmetall
on his own initiative, and weapon designer Louis Stange came up with the FG-42.
The FG-42 was expensive and time-consuming to manufacture, and only 7000
were made; only Herman Goering’s political influence and determination to
provide a distinctive weapon to “his” paratroopers allowed that many to be made.
Few of them survive in working order to this day; most of them belong to
private collectors or museums.
The FG-42 used
an unusual side-mounted magazine, and had a light bipod and reversible spike
bayonet carried under the barrel.
The design is a modern “straight-line” type from the stock to the muzzle.
The FG-42 fires from an open bolt in automatic fire to allow greater
cooling; it fires from a closed bolt in semiautomatic model to allow greater
accuracy when aiming. The FG-42 has
a bolt hold-open device, but it operates “properly” only when the FG-42 is set
on automatic and the magazine empties.
If the FG-42 is set on semiautomatic, the bolt hold-open still works, but
the charging handle has to be pulled back and locked before the empty magazine
removed and a fresh one inserted.
The FG-42 was really too light for prolonged automatic fire, and most troops
learned quickly to limit themselves to short bursts.
Original models
had a steeply-raked pistol grip that was a awkward, but did help control recoil
in automatic fire. The FG-42 had
folding sights that allowed for long-range fire and short-ranges using a peep
sight on the folded long-range sight.
The stock was of stamped steel, and the fore-end was wooden.
Most of the FG-42 was made of high-quality manganese-steel alloy. The
barrel was 20 inches long and tipped by a pepperpot-type muzzle brake.
A mere 527 of these first-pattern FG-42s were built; combat experience
and shortages of the manganese-steel alloy dictated several changes in design.
In 1944, the
FG-42 II appeared. Though critical
parts were still made from manganese-steel, most of the FG-42 II was built of
standard weapon-quality steel. The
barrel was slightly lengthened to 20.65 inches, and the muzzle brake was
improved in strength, though it was more bulky.
The bipod mounting allowed it to be attached at the muzzle or the end of
the fore-end. A gas regulator was
added, both to compensate for dirt and fouling and to allow for the varying
quality of ammunition being produced in Germany in 1944.
The trigger group was detachable for cleaning and adjustment and the
manual safety moved to a more ergonomic position.
A spring-loaded ejection port cover was added, and a brass deflector was
placed behind the ejection port.
The stamped steel buttstock of the FG-42 was replaced with a wooden buttstock.
The pistol grip was made of plastic and it’s shape changed to a normal
shape and angle. The stroke length
of the action was made longer, reducing the violent recoil found on the FG-42;
the cyclic rate was lowered by 100 rpm to 700 rpm.
The longer action meant that the FG-42 II was about three inches longer
than the FG-42; it was also much heavier.
Approximately 3900 were built.
Weapon |
Ammunition |
Weight |
Magazines |
Price |
FG-42 |
8mm Mauser |
4.38 kg |
10, 20 |
$1725 |
FG-42 II |
8mm Mauser |
5.05 kg |
10, 20 |
$1739 |
Weapon |
ROF |
Damage |
Pen |
Bulk |
SS |
Burst |
Range |
FG-42 |
5 |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
4 |
9 |
62 |
With Bipod |
5 |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
2 |
4 |
81 |
FG-42 II |
5 |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
3 |
8 |
65 |
With Bipod |
5 |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
7 |
2 |
4 |
85 |
Walther Gew-41(W)
Notes:
This is the result of an experimental program by the Nazis to produce a
semiautomatic rifle to compete with the likes of the American M-1 Garand.
They selected a Walther design, an adaptation of the Bang rifle system
using gas operation. The Gew-41(W)
proved to be satisfactory, and eventually over 122,000 were built.
Initial models
had a bolt hold-open device and a simple manual safety; when production
commenced, the bolt hold-open was eliminated and the safeties improved.
The barrel was 22 inches long and the entire rifle 45.5 inches.
One of the problems with the Gew-41(W) was that it was difficult and slow
to manufacture; another was that it was long and poorly-balanced.
The integral magazine was also slow to load and the whole rifle was a bit
heavy; it was eventually replaced by the Gew-43.
The Gew-41(W) was issued primarily to special units stationed on the
Russian Front.
Sometimes called
the Kar-43, the Gew-43 modified the Bang gas system with a combination of the
camming-flap breech locking of the Gew-41(W) and a Tokarev-type gas piston
system. The internal magazine was
replaced by a detachable box magazine.
When the Gew-43 was first ordered into production, only 3000 were made in
the first batch delivered in 1943.
By March of 1945, when production stopped, over 450,000 had been built – though
quality declined the quicker they were manufactured.
The Gew-43 was
similar in appearance to the Gew-41(W), but used a half-length fore-end and a
hooded front sight. On the right
side of the receiver, a mount for a Zf.4 telescopic sight was found.
The barrel length remained at 22 inches, though length was reduced by
nearly an inch, balance improved, and weight considerably reduced.
Despite the
large amounts of Gew-41(W)s and Gew-43s made, most were lost in the disastrous
Operation Barbarossa – the invasion of Russia by the Nazis.
Weapon |
Ammunition |
Weight |
Magazines |
Price |
Gew-41(W) |
8mm
Mauser |
4.58 kg |
10
Internal |
$1215 |
Gew-43 |
8mm
Mauser |
3.86 kg |
10 |
$1212 |
Weapon |
ROF |
Damage |
Pen |
Bulk |
SS |
Burst |
Range |
Gew-41(W) |
SA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
8 |
4 |
Nil |
72 |
Gew-43 |
SA |
4 |
2-3-Nil |
8 |
4 |
Nil |
72 |