Karabiner 98a

About the Karabiner 98a

The Karabiner 98a (Kar98a, also catalogued as the Karabiner 98AZ) is a German bolt-action carbine derived from the Gewehr 98, chambered in 7.92x57mm Mauser and fed from a five-round internal magazine via stripper clips. Adopted by the Imperial German Army, it shortened and lightened the long Gewehr 98 for cavalry, artillery, signal and assault troops, featuring a turned-down bolt handle and a stacking rod with bayonet lug. It is the WWI-era predecessor of the later Karabiner 98k.

Issued to cavalry, artillery and the Stormtroopers of the late-war German offensives, the handier Kar98a foreshadowed the universal short-rifle concept that Mauser would finalize two decades later as the Karabiner 98k.

Karabiner 98a specifications

Confusion exists in collector literature between this WWI carbine and the WWII Karabiner 98k; the 'AZ' suffix referenced the Aufpflanz- und Zusammensetzvorrichtung (bayonet lug and stacking rod) that distinguished it from earlier short rifles. The Kar98a is noticeably longer than a true carbine, sitting between a full rifle and the later short rifle in length.