Karabiner 98 kurz or Karabiner 98k rifle (Mauser K98, K98k, K98 or Kar98k)

In the aftermath of the 1870-1871 war, the Mauser brothers developed a single-shot rifle that revolutionized the armament of the European powers. Transformed into a repeating model a few years later, it remained a valuable weapon, but failed to catch on when Germany adopted a small-calibre weapon. The eclipse was short-lived, however, and in 1889 a Mauser rifle was adopted by Belgium and then Turkey. Improved in 1893, it made its mark in Spain, Sweden, Latin America, South Africa, China and elsewhere. In 1898, the weapon reached its highest degree of perfection, and was declared legal by its country of origin, Germany. Available in multiple versions, the Mauser rifle was to enjoy unrivalled success, being used on all five continents by most nations, with the USA even buying the patent to develop a model to suit its own needs! Thus, the Mauser 98 was on every front during the two world wars and the colonial conflicts that punctuated the history of the XXᵗʰ century. Not so long ago, it was still to be found in Yugoslavia. Reading this book will take you on a real world tour.
Published: 1ˢᵗ January 2003

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