In Europe, the use of this very common rifle, considered accurate and reliable, continued after World War II in both Norway and France, and the K98k has appeared in the hands of French troops in both Indochina and Algeria. Of these, the first 100 carbines with accessories were donated by the Germans to Marshal Mannerheim in 1943. 600 grenade launcher versions, which could be used against infantry, fortresses and light vehicles, were also bought by Finland. In the middle of the war in 1939, Sweden bought 5000 K98k carbines, which were named Gevär m/40 in Sweden. Although Germany eventually began to use both semi-automatic rifles and fully automatic weapons, this bolt-lock rifle remained the main service rifle until the end of the war.ĭuring World War II, the K98k carbine was used not only by Germany but also by the resistance movement in the conquered territories, as well as by Soviet troops, whose shortage of equipment in the early part of the war led to them making use of each weapon that was won. The weaker firepower provided by the bolt-locked rifle was noticed when the Soviet Union and the United States began rolling new submachine guns and semi-automatic weapons into the field. In Asia, China and Japan were at war with each other, after Japan invaded chaotic China, so it is interesting how the same weapon was sold to both parties.Īfter the outbreak of World War II, this rifle was in use by all the troops of the German army as they conquered large areas of Europe, North Africa, the Soviet Union, Norway and Finland. In Portugal, Kar98k was actively used in the Portuguese colonial wars in Africa. Since one carbine version had already been made, this new rifle was called the Karabiner 98 Kurz, a short carbine.Īlthough most of the rifles manufactured were made for German use, before the start of World War II this carbine was also sold abroad to Portugal, China and Japan. However, despite its name, this earlier carbine was not a shorter or lighter version, but only an improved model of the Gewehr 98 rifle.

This rifle had previously been made into a version called the Karabiner 98b. It was developed on the basis of the Gewehr 98 rifle, a bolt-lock military rifle from 1898.

The K98k was the latest development in Mauser's line of military rifles. The Karabiner 98 Kurz is often abbreviated to Kar98k or K98k. It became a service rifle in 1935 in the Wehrmacht, the National Socialist German military, and was in use throughout World War II. The Karabiner 98 Kurz, or carbine 98 for short, is a bolt-lock rifle manufactured by Mauser.

Karabiner 98k price