Karabiner 98k Kriegsmodell
Mauser · Rifle · Discontinued · 1944
Also known as: K98k Kriegsmodell, Kar98k War Model, Kriegsmodell 98k
Overview
The Karabiner 98k Kriegsmodell ("war model") is a late-war simplified version of the standard German Karabiner 98k bolt-action rifle, chambered in 7.92x57mm Mauser. Introduced in 1944 to accelerate production amid material and labour shortages, it stripped away every feature deemed non-essential to a working infantry weapon: the bayonet lug, cleaning rod, stock takedown disc, and milled fittings were deleted, the buttplate was simplified to a flat stamping, and stocks were often left in rough, unfinished wood. While its core action remained as safe and reliable as earlier rifles, the Kriegsmodell embodied the austerity of Nazi Germany's collapsing war economy. Full-specification Kriegsmodell rifles were produced by only a handful of factories (notably bnz and byf/svw coded) before the war's end.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3600 g (127.0 oz) |
| Weight (loaded) | 3900 g (137.6 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1110 mm (43.70") |
| Barrel Length | 600 mm (23.62") |
| Action Type | Bolt Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 5 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 760 m/s (2493 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 3700 J (2729 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 500 m (547 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 4700 m (5140 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 15 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 240 mm (9.45") |
| 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, 7.92x57mm, 8x57mm IS
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Internal Box Magazine, Stripper Clip
- Safety mechanisms: Three Position Wing Safety
- Features: Stripper Clip Loading, Controlled Feed, No Bayonet Lug, No Cleaning Rod, No Takedown Disc, Simplified Buttplate, Rough Finished Stock
Base model
Service history
Operators
- Wehrmacht · adopted 1944 · as Karabiner 98 kurz
- Volkssturm · adopted 1944
Conflicts
- World War II (1944-1945)
Production
Production years: 1944-1945
Produced in the final phase of WWII as a cost-reduced derivative of the Kar98k; full Kriegsmodell output was limited to a small number of factories before Germany's surrender.
Origin
Country of origin: Germany
Designer: Mauser
Discontinued: 1945
Notes
At least two transitional Kriegsmodell variants existed that incorporated only some of the simplification features; some factories never fully converted. Fully-realised Kriegsmodell rifles incorporating all simplifications are comparatively rare.
Background
The Kriegsmodell embodied the argument that an infantry rifle never needed the fit and finish of a fine sporting arm. Critics later noted these simplifications should have been adopted from the start to conserve resources, yet the rifle's bolt and barrel remained fully functional and safe even as its cosmetic and ancillary features fell away in 1944-45.