Karabiner 98a
Mauser · Carbine · Out Of Production · 1908
Also known as: Kar98a, Karabiner 98AZ, Kar98AZ, Karabiner 98A
Overview
The Karabiner 98a (Kar98a, also catalogued as the Karabiner 98AZ) is a German bolt-action carbine derived from the Gewehr 98, chambered in 7.92x57mm Mauser and fed from a five-round internal magazine via stripper clips. Adopted by the Imperial German Army, it shortened and lightened the long Gewehr 98 for cavalry, artillery, signal and assault troops, featuring a turned-down bolt handle and a stacking rod with bayonet lug. It is the WWI-era predecessor of the later Karabiner 98k.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3420 g (120.6 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1090 mm (42.91") |
| Barrel Length | 590 mm (23.23") |
| Action Type | Bolt Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Rotating Bolt |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 5 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal |
| Muzzle Velocity | 850 m/s (2789 fps) |
| Effective Range | 500 m (547 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 3700 m (4046 yd) |
| 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: Stripper Clip, Internal Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Three Position Wing Safety
- Features: Controlled Round Feed, Stripper Clip Loading, Turned Down Bolt Handle, Tangent Leaf Sight
Service history
Operators
- Imperial German Army · adopted 1908
Conflicts
- World War I (1914-1918)
- Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)
Production
Production years: 1908-1935
Produced in large numbers for the Imperial German Army during World War I and used into the interwar period; many were later refurbished or rebuilt
Origin
Country of origin: Germany
Designer: Paul Mauser
Discontinued: 1935
Notes
Confusion exists in collector literature between this WWI carbine and the WWII Karabiner 98k; the 'AZ' suffix referenced the Aufpflanz- und Zusammensetzvorrichtung (bayonet lug and stacking rod) that distinguished it from earlier short rifles. The Kar98a is noticeably longer than a true carbine, sitting between a full rifle and the later short rifle in length.
Background
Issued to cavalry, artillery and the Stormtroopers of the late-war German offensives, the handier Kar98a foreshadowed the universal short-rifle concept that Mauser would finalize two decades later as the Karabiner 98k.