In 1904, contracts were placed with Waffenfabrik Mauser for 290,000 rifles and Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken (DWM) for 210,000 rifles. The Gewehr 98 received its first combat use in the Boxer Rebellion (1898–1901). In 1901, the first troop issues of the Gewehr 98 Rifles were made to the East Asian Expeditionary Force, the Navy and three premier Prussian army corps. The action was derived from the experimental Gewehr 96 Rifle. The German Gewehr-Prüfungskommission (G.P.K.) (Rifle Testing Commission) adopted the Gewehr 98 on 5 April 1898. The Gewehr 98 itself was the latest in a line of Mauser rifles that were introduced in the 1890s.
The bolt-action design used for the Gewehr 98 was patented by Paul Mauser on 9 September 1895. The Gewehr 98, named for 1898, the first year of its manufacture, superseded the earlier Gewehr 1888 in German service.
2.1.4 Modern civilian offspring of the M98 system. 2.1 M98 controlled-feed bolt-action system. Many have been converted to sporting use. The Gewehr 98 saw further military use by the Ottoman Empire and by Spanish Nationalists. The Gewehr 98 replaced the earlier Gewehr 1888 rifle as the German service rifle, first saw combat in the Boxer Rebellion, and was the main German infantry weapon of World War I. The Gewehr 98 action, using stripper clip loading with the powerful 7.92×57mm Mauser cartridge, introduced advanced infantry weapon features rapidly used in the M1903 Springfield, the M1917 Enfield and the Arisaka. The Gewehr 98 (abbreviated G98, Gew 98 or M98) is a German bolt action Mauser rifle firing cartridges from a 5 round internal clip-loaded magazine that was the German service rifle from 1898 to 1935, when it was replaced by the Karabiner 98k. Schilling Co., Simson, Imperial Arsenals of Amberg, Danzig, Erfurt, Leipzig, and SpandauĤ.09 kg (9.0 lb) with empty magazine Gewehr 98 Mauser, Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken, Haenel, Sauer & Sohn, Waffenwerke Oberspree, V. I can post some pictures later if they would be of use.Gewehr 98 with bayonet and 5 round stripper clip on the side Someone recently posted a link to a dealer who was selling a GEW which was clearly a post war transitional rifle but labelled(and priced!) as a Great War example (caveat emptor!) There are a couple of people with very nice examples and lots of expertise on this forum and I am sure they will be along in a bit. The situation is further complicated by the fact that versions of the GEW were used by several other countries (China and Turkey for example)and these sometimes appear being sold as Great War GEWs. Some GEWs were restamped in the 1920s to meet the requirements of the Versailles treaty and others were modified and put into service in WWII (these will typically carry Nazi inspection markings). Collectors much prefer all matching examples although they are pretty hard to come by and command a premium.Īs mentioned above - there are sometimes unit markings stamped on the steel bolt dismounting ring (set into the butt) or on the barrel band (although in my limited experience this is more common on earlier GEW 88s)Ĭouple of things to look for - post war variants/modifications often had a flat, tangent rear sight fitted rather than the wartime "rollercoaster" sight, also some versions had a bent bolt handle (as opposed to the WWI straight bolt). Mauser gewehr 98 sling serial#
German Mausers also had almost every component serial numbered some parts with the full serial, some of the smaller parts (including on mausers some invidual screws!) with just the last two digits.
Some manufacturers are less common than others. In general, a Great War Gew 98 will be stamped with GEW 98 on the receiver wall and will have the manufacturer and date stamped on the reciever ring.
Like many of the rifle types utilised in the Great War they continued in service long after in various forms and were subject to many modifications. It is probably worth taking some care when getting a GEW 98 if you want a WWI example. Reproduction slings are also available - which have the advantage of being cheaper (and usuable) but are not (obviously) original. Slings also show up on eBay with some frequency.
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