I have a 7.93mm ERFURT 1908 Kar 98 Mauser, matching numbers on receiver, bolt, front and rear sights, machined floor plate, most screws, butt plate& front sling band. Smaller parts only have the last 2 numbers of the S/N, can't find anything in the Mauser books. The stock seems to have been sporterized, any info would be welcomed. Thanks
Kar 98 Mauser identity?
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mapsjanhere
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Sounds like your original A model Imperial Army carbine. Needs pictures to say something about the stock.
The Kar 98 (not to be confused with earlier cavalry carbines) was actually a short rifle, comparable to the British SMLE and the U.S. M1903. The Germans apparently intended to replace all their long Gew. 98's with the Kar. 98 (aka Kar. 98a), but WWI ended before they did so. Many Kar. 98's were made, mainly at Erfurt, the Imperial government arsenal, and after the war, a large quantity were sold to Turkey, as a result of which they have become known to collectors as "small ring Turks." (Turkey never made Mauser receivers, though they reworked and rebarrelled many.)
Other than the size of the receiver ring, the receivers are standard 1898. The Fraktur marking on the left side appears to read "Kax 98", to the confusion of some collectors.
Jim
Other than the size of the receiver ring, the receivers are standard 1898. The Fraktur marking on the left side appears to read "Kax 98", to the confusion of some collectors.
Jim
mapsjanhere
New member
1908 was the year they switched from large ring to small ring receiver for the Karabiner. Lets hope he gets a picture of the front ring attached.
mapsjanhere
New member
According to this essay on the development of the Kar 98, you should have the small ring version, pictures here. As you can see you're missing the front stock and the end cap with the stacking hook. Finding that end cap with the hook will be difficult as it was specific to that model. Best way to restore would probably finding a shot-out non-matching donor rifle and make one original from it.
The essay link provided by mapsjanhere refers to the earlier carbines I mentioned. Those had 17.3" barrels, flat bolt handles and a large ring action. They were never made in large quantities and were out of production by 1908. They were made originally for the old "J" bullet ammunition, but the chambers were neck reamed for the new "S" bullet c. 1905 and marked "S" on the receiver ring.
The picture linked by mapsjanhere shows the Kar 98a that was adopted in 1908 and was never chambered for any ammuniition except the S bullet. The Kar 98a has a small ring, and it looks to me like that is what the OP has. The Kar 98a does have a bolt handle cutout in the stock, very similar to that of the K.98k. Its bolt is round, but the knob is flattened and knurled on the inner side.
To compound the confusion, the Kar 98a was also called the Kar 98AZ and at one point just Kar 98. I used the terminology Kar 98a, since that is the most common term and the least confusing.
Jim
The picture linked by mapsjanhere shows the Kar 98a that was adopted in 1908 and was never chambered for any ammuniition except the S bullet. The Kar 98a has a small ring, and it looks to me like that is what the OP has. The Kar 98a does have a bolt handle cutout in the stock, very similar to that of the K.98k. Its bolt is round, but the knob is flattened and knurled on the inner side.
To compound the confusion, the Kar 98a was also called the Kar 98AZ and at one point just Kar 98. I used the terminology Kar 98a, since that is the most common term and the least confusing.
Jim