Gewehr 98/40
Fémáru-, Fegyver és Gépgyár (FÉG) · Rifle · Discontinued · 1941
Also known as: G.98/40, Gew. 98/40, Mannlicher 98/40, puska 43M
Overview
The Gewehr 98/40 is a bolt-action rifle produced in Hungary under German contract during the Second World War. Despite its external resemblance to the German Karabiner 98k, it is a hybrid design that mates the Mannlicher-type rotating bolt of the Hungarian 35M rifle to a Mauser-pattern integral five-round box magazine, chambered for the standard German 7.92x57mm Mauser cartridge and loaded from Mauser stripper clips. It was built by Fémáru-, Fegyver és Gépgyár (FÉG) in Budapest to supplement Wehrmacht rifle supplies.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3910 g (137.9 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1092 mm (42.99") |
| Barrel Length | 605 mm (23.82") |
| Action Type | Bolt Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Striker Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 5 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Fixed Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 780 m/s (2559 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 3894 J (2872 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 500 m (547 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 2000 m (2187 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 4 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 7.92x57mm Mauser · primary — also known as 8mm Mauser, 7.92 Mauser, 8x57 IS, 7.9x57mm
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Stripper Clip, Internal Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety
- Features: Mannlicher Type Rotating Bolt, Mauser Pattern Integral Box Magazine, Stripper Clip Fed, Tangent Rear Sight, Bayonet Lug
Variants
- 43M - Hungarian Service
Service history
Operators
- German Wehrmacht · adopted 1941
- Royal Hungarian Army · adopted 1943 · as 43M
Conflicts
- World War II (1939-1945)
Production
Estimated total produced: 140,000 · Production years: 1941-1945
Approximately 140,000 German-contract G.98/40 rifles produced, plus around 90,000 of the closely related Hungarian 43M variant.
Origin
Country of origin: Hungary
Designer: Fémáru-, Fegyver és Gépgyár (FÉG)
Discontinued: 1945
Notes
Not a true Mauser design despite the K98k-like appearance. The 35M's underhanging Mannlicher magazine was replaced with a flush Mauser-style box magazine and the chambering changed from 8x56mmR to 7.92x57mm Mauser. The near-identical rifle produced for Hungarian domestic service was designated the 43M.
Background
When Hungary joined the Axis in 1940, a rifle-hungry Germany contracted the FÉG works in Budapest to adapt the existing Hungarian 35M Mannlicher into a substitute-standard infantry rifle firing German ammunition, producing a Mannlicher action wearing Mauser clothing.