Karabiner 88
Ludwig Loewe & Company / Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken (DWM) · Carbine · Discontinued · 1890
Also known as: Kar 88, Karabiner 1888, Kar. 88, Reichskarabiner
Overview
The Karabiner 88 (Kar 88) is a German bolt-action carbine, the shortened cavalry variant of the Gewehr 1888 Commission Rifle. Introduced in 1890, it featured a markedly shorter barrel, a full-length barrel jacket, a turned-down bolt handle and reduced weight compared to the full-length infantry rifle, making it suitable for mounted cavalry, artillery and other support troops. Like its parent rifle it chambered the 8mm Patrone 88 (later the 7.92x57mm Mauser S Patrone after 1903 conversions) and fed from a five-round Mannlicher-type en-bloc clip in a fixed internal magazine.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3100 g (109.3 oz) |
| Overall Length | 953 mm (37.52") |
| Barrel Length | 457 mm (17.99") |
| Action Type | Bolt Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Striker Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 5 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 600 m/s (1969 fps) |
| Effective Range | 400 m (437 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 2000 m (2187 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 240 mm (9.45") |
| Number of Grooves | 4 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 7.92x57mm Mauser · primary — also known as 8mm Mauser, 8x57mm IS, 7.92x57mm, Patrone 88, M/88
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: En Bloc Clip
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety
- Features: En Bloc Clip Loading, Turned Down Bolt Handle, Cavalry Carbine, Barrel Jacket
Base model
Service history
Operators
- Imperial German Army · adopted 1890
Conflicts
- Boxer Rebellion (1899-1901)
- World War I (1914-1918)
Production
Production years: 1890-1897
Produced for roughly seven years; C.G. Haenel alone is reported to have made around 100,000 examples during the Model 1888 program.
Origin
Country of origin: Germany
Designer: German Rifle Testing Commission (Gewehr-Prüfungskommission, Spandau)
Discontinued: 1897
Notes
Originally chambered for the round-nose 8mm M/88 Patrone; many carbines received an 'S' barrel marking after the 1903 adoption of the pointed S Patrone, though the older bore could be unsafe with the higher-pressure cartridge. Manufacturers included Ludwig Loewe, C.G. Haenel, V.C. Schilling and the imperial arsenals.
Background
The Gewehr 1888 family was developed in haste by the German Rifle Testing Commission after the French adoption of smokeless-powder small arms, borrowing a Mannlicher-style en-bloc clip rather than a Mauser design. The Karabiner 88 put that same action into a handier package for cavalry troopers.