Haenel M1907

     Notes: The Haenel M1907 (Aptierte Haenel-Gewehr M1907) was not actually built for use by German forces; it was made for export to China shortly after the turn of the 20^th 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 were 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. 

Heckler & Koch G3

     Notes: The G3 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 G3 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 G3 were virtually identical to the CETME-58.)  The G3 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 G3 did not look so much like the CETME-58 anymore; there is still, however, a noticeable family difference.  Unlike the CETME-58, however, the G3 is built using as many steel stampings as possible.  Early G3s 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 G3s used sights which were little-changed from those of the CETME-58, but most G3s 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 G3s had no flash suppressor; a prong-type flash suppressor was quickly added, but virtually all G3s were built with a compact birdcage-type flash suppressor or retrofitted with them.  The original G3 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 G3 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 G3A1, 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 G3A2, 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 G3s were rebuilt to the G3A2 standard. 

     The G3A3 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 G3A3 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 G3A3, 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 G3A4 is virtually identical to the G3A3, but uses a sliding steel stock.  The G3A3 and G3A4 have become the standard production versions of the G3 series.  (There are also G3A5, A6, and A-7 versions, which are simply export versions of the G3A3 or G3A4.) 

     Other significant variants of the G3 include the G3KA3 and A4; these versions have barrels shortened to 12.7 inches, with the G3KA3 using a fixed stock (and being relatively quite rare) and the G3KA4 having a sliding steel stock.  Neither are capable of mounting bayonets or using rifle grenades.  The G3SG/1 is an otherwise-standard G3A3 which, during test firing, showed itself (due to slight variances in manufacturing) to be somewhat more accurate and/or better built than the normal G3A3.  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 G3SG/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 G3A3 and G3A4 INKAS have an infrared laser spotting device built into the cocking handle, with the switch behind the front sight. 

     A minor modification of the G3A3 is called the G3PT; this version is made by using a parts kit consisting of a subcaliber barrel insert and a magazine insert to allow the G3A3 to fire .22 Long Rifle ammunition.  No other G3A3 parts need be changed to produce the G3PT, though the sights must be adjusted for the shorter range.  The G3PT is meant to allow lower-cost basic marksmanship training.  The G3TGS is not really a variant as such; it is simply the nomenclature for a G3A3 or G3A4 fitted with the HK79 grenade launcher and the special interface handguard/fore-end hardware and grenade-launching sights.

     The G3 also spawned several related designs (which are covered elsewhere in these pages); these include the PSG1 and MSG90 sniper rifles, HK33 and G41 assault rifles, and HK11 and HK21 machineguns; in addition, there is a civilian version called the HK91, 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 G3 series or use the G3 series themselves that it is possible to encounter the G3 almost anywhere in the world, with virtually innumerable local modifications both large and small. 

     Perhaps one of the largest manufacturers of civilian-legal G3s (i.e., HK91s) is the US manufacturer PTR-91 Inc (formerly JLD Enterprises).  For the most part, these are identical to HK91s 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 HK91/PTR-91 frame, and the name appears to be a combination of the PTR-91 and the limited-production HK32.  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 G3SG/1, though it has MIL-STD-1913 rails atop the receiver and handguards and below the handguards.  It costs 1% more than a standard G3SG/1.

     It should be noted that while the G3 is not normally issued with a bipod, it can easily be fitted with one; any G3 can also be fitted with a claw-type scope/accessory mount.  There are also rumors that some G3s have recently been fitted with MIL-STD-1913 rails, but I have not been able to confirm this.

*Plus the cost of the base G3A3; 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 G3A3; by itself, the weight is 0.6 kg.

 **If one chooses one of these G3 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 M1891.  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 M1909 was a version of the M1891 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 M1909 Sniper Rifle is an M1891 fitted with a German-made scope of the period; it was made from the better-shooting examples of M1891s 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 M1909 Cavalry Carbine has a barrel length of 21.5 inches and a forestock about two thirds the length of the barrel.   The M1909 Mountain Carbine has a barrel of 21.25 inches and is essentially a cut down M1909 Rifle with appropriately adjusted sights.  Most M1891 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 M1890 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 M1890 Carbine had sights designed for the shorter barrel.  The M1895 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 M1895 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 M1890 Cavalry Carbine.  It has no bayonet lug. It was produced until 1918, longer than any other Gew 88-based rifle.  The Stutzen M95 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 M1894 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 M1894 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 M1890.  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 M1890 Carbine is the same, but with a barrel length of 19.5 inches. The M1893 Rifle is similar to the M1890, but has a magazine safety and a magazine cutoff, and is a little heavier than the M1890. The M1903 was also similar to the M1893, 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 M1903 was the standard Turkish battle rifle from World War 1 until just before World War 2. The M1905 Carbine was also similar to M1903, 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 M03 (t) is the Yugoslavian counterpart to the Turkish M1903, 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 M1899 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 M1899c is a shorter version of the M1899, 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 M1908 is in fact a true carbine version of the M1899, with a barrel of 17 inches.  The M1910 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 M90(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 M03 (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.

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 designated marksman rifles.  These were designated the Kar 98k ZF41.  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 ZF41 1.5x long eye relief scope.  This was the biggest drawback for the Kar 98k ZF41 as a sniper rifle; the low power of the scope did not extend the range much, and today the ZF41 would not even be considered as a scope for a sniper rifle due to its low power.  Even worse, the ZF41 had a rather narrow field of view. Whenever possible, German snipers would try to acquire better scopes for their Kar 98k ZF41s.  Due to the position and angle of the Kar 98k’s receiver and ejection port, the ZF41 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 ZF41/1, 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 ZF41.  The ZF41 and ZF41/1 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 M50 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 M35/46 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 M50, and are identical for game purposes.  Also after World War 2, FN produced a training rifle for the Belgian Army known as the M24/30 - Army, and it was chambered in rimfire rounds.  The M24/30 – Navy is identical for game purposes, but produced for the Belgian Navy.  Both are identical for game purposes. The M30 Short Rifle is like the M50, 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 M1904 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 M1907 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 M1907 Carbine is the same as the M1907 Rifle, but with a barrel length of 19.5 inches. The M1908 Rifle is similar to the original Gew 98, but has a 29.25-inch barrel and with a semi-pistol-grip wrist.  The M1908 has tangent rear sights and is graduated to 2000 meters. The M1908 Short Rifle is the same, but with a 22-inch barrel.  The M1922 Carbine is similar to the M1907 Carbine for most game purposes, but is lighter in weight.  The M1935 Banner Rifle was built for an important celebration in Brazil, and is similar to the M1908 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 M1908/34 Short Rifle was also the same as the Banner Carbine, but with a barrel length of 23.5 inches and differently-chambered.  The M1954 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 M98/22 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 M24 and M30 Short Rifles for the Chinese, and then factories were set up in China to produce more M30s, designated M21s 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 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 M1933 is identical to the Chang-Kai-shek Short Rifle for game purposes, but has Mauser in addition to Chinese markings. The M1933 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 M1948, and issued primarily to police and Home Guard forces.

     The Spanish M1916 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 M1916 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 M1916 Short Rifle, but this is considered unsafe and can cause a chamber explosion.  The M1916 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 M1933 Standard Short Rifle is basically the same as the M1916 Carbine, but with a 22-inch barrel and a straight grip stock, to ease manufacturing. The M1943 replaced the M1916 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 M24 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 M24 Carbine is similar, but with a 16.75-inch barrel and bayonet fittings moved to the endcap.  The FN M24 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 M1948 98k Carbine is virtually identical to the Kar 98k, but was built after World War 2.  The M24/52C and M24/47 are arsenal-reconditioned version of the M24 Short Rifle; for game purposes, they are identical to the M24 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.

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.

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.

Rheinmetall FG42

     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 FG42.  The FG42 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 FG42 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 FG42 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 FG42 has a bolt hold-open device, but it operates “properly” only when the FG42 is set on automatic and the magazine empties.  If the FG42 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 FG42 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 FG42 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 FG42 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 FG42s were built; combat experience and shortages of the manganese-steel alloy dictated several changes in design.

     In 1944, the FG42 II appeared.  Though critical parts were still made from manganese steel, most of the FG42 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 FG42 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 FG42; the cyclic rate was lowered by 100 rpm to 700 rpm.  The longer action meant that the FG42 II was about three inches longer than the FG42; it was also much heavier.  Approximately 3900 were built.

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 M1 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.