Karabiner 98k

Karabiner 98k
Karabiner 98k made in 1940 from the collections of the Swedish Army Museum
Type	Bolt-action rifle
Place of origin	Nazi Germany
Service history
In service	1935–present
Used by	See Users
Wars	See List of conflicts and wars
Production history
Designed	1934
Manufacturer	Mauser (augmented by several other makers)
Unit cost	55 ℛ︁ℳ︁ (1935) 250 EUR current equivalent
Produced	1934–1945
No. built	14,600,000+[1][2]
Variants	See Variants
Specifications
Mass	3.7–4.1 kg (8.2–9.0 lb)[3]
Length	1,110 mm (43.70 in)
Barrel length	600 mm (23.62 in)
Cartridge	7.92×57mm Mauser[3]
Action	Bolt-action[3]
Muzzle velocity	760 m/s (2,493 ft/s)
Effective firing range	500 m (550 yd) with iron sights 800 or 1,000 m (870 or 1,090 yd) with telescopic sight
Maximum firing range	4,700 m (5,100 yd) with s.S. Patrone
Feed system	5-round stripper clip, internal magazine
Sights	Iron sights or telescopic sight.

The Karabiner 98 kurz (German: [kaʁaˈbiːnɐ ˌʔaxtʔʊntˈnɔʏntsɪç ˈkʊɐ̯ts]; 'carbine 98 short'), often abbreviated Karabiner 98k, Kar98k or K98k and also sometimes incorrectly referred to as a K98 (a K98 is a Polish carbine and copy of the Kar98a), is a bolt-action rifle chambered for the 7.92×57mm Mauser cartridge. It was adopted on 21 June 1935 as the standard service rifle by the German Wehrmacht.^[1] It was one of the final developments in the long line of Mauser military rifles.

Although supplemented by semi-automatic and fully automatic rifles during World War II, the Karabiner 98k remained the primary German service rifle until the end of the war in 1945.^[4] Millions were captured by the Soviets at the conclusion of World War II and were widely distributed as military aid. The Karabiner 98k therefore continues to appear in conflicts across the world as they are taken out of storage during times of strife.