Mauser Model 1888
Mauser · Rifle · Discontinued · 1888
Also known as: Gewehr 88, Gew 88, Commission Rifle, Kommissionsgewehr, Model 1888 Reichsgewehr
Overview
The Mauser Model 1888, officially the Gewehr 88 and commonly called the Commission Rifle (Kommissionsgewehr), is a German bolt-action service rifle developed by the German Rifle Testing Commission and adopted in 1888. It introduced the smokeless-powder 7.92x57mm cartridge and a barrel jacket surrounding the barrel, while feeding from a Mannlicher-style en bloc clip into a fixed integral magazine. Although widely associated with the Mauser name, its action and clip-loading system drew heavily on Mannlicher patterns rather than Paul Mauser's own designs. It served the German Army until largely replaced by the Gewehr 98 and saw extensive use in colonial conflicts and both World Wars.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3800 g (134.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1245 mm (49.02") |
| Barrel Length | 740 mm (29.13") |
| Action Type | Bolt Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Striker Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 5 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 640 m/s (2100 fps) |
| Effective Range | 500 m (547 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 2000 m (2187 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 12 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, M/88, Patrone 88
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: En Bloc Clip
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety, Cocking Piece Safety
- Features: Barrel Jacket, En Bloc Clip Feed, Fixed Integral Magazine, Iron Sights, Full Length Wood Stock
Variants
- Karabiner 88 — Carbine
- Gewehr 88/05 — Modernized
- Gewehr 88/14 — Modernized
Service history
Operators
- German Empire · adopted 1888 · as Gewehr 88
- Ottoman Empire
- Qing Dynasty China · as Hanyang 88
Conflicts
- Second Boer War (1899-1902)
- Boxer Rebellion (1899-1901)
- World War I (1914-1918)
- World War II (1939-1945)
Production
Production years: 1888-1896
Produced in large quantities by German contractors and state arsenals; over 100,000 examples remained in circulation during the First World War, with many exported to China and the Ottoman Empire.
Origin
Country of origin: Germany
Designer: German Rifle Testing Commission (Gewehr-Prufungskommission)
Discontinued: 1915
Notes
Despite the popular Mauser attribution, the Gewehr 88 was designed by the German government's Gewehr-Prufungskommission and built under contract by firms including Ludwig Loewe & Company, C. G. Haenel, V. C. Schilling and Steyr, as well as the state arsenals at Amberg, Danzig, Erfurt and Spandau. Many rifles were later rebuilt as the Gewehr 88/05 and 88/14 to chamber the rimmed-clip-fed 7.92x57mm IS (S Patrone) cartridge.
Background
The Gewehr 88 was rushed into service after France adopted the smokeless-powder Lebel rifle in 1886, leaving the German Army determined to field a small-bore smokeless rifle of its own. The committee design borrowed Mannlicher's en bloc clip and a barrel jacket, and despite the common 'Mauser' label it was not a Mauser design at all.