Mauser-Werke · Sniper Rifle
Karabiner 98k (Sniper)
Bolt action · 7.92x57mm Mauser · introduced 1935
Also known as K98k Sniper, Scharfschützengewehr 98k, Kar98k ZF39
About the Karabiner 98k (Sniper)
The Karabiner 98k sniper variant was the standard German sniper rifle of World War II, selected from standard K98k production for superior accuracy and fitted with various telescopic sights including the ZF39, ZF41, and ZF4. Approximately 132,000 scoped K98k rifles were produced during the war, serving on all fronts from Stalingrad to Normandy. The Mauser action's legendary strength and reliability, combined with the powerful 7.92x57mm cartridge, made it one of the most effective sniper weapons of the conflict.
Matthäus Hetzenauer of the Wehrmacht's Gebirgsjäger (mountain troops) recorded 345 confirmed kills on the Eastern Front using a K98k fitted with a 6x ZF39 scope, with his longest confirmed shot at 1,100 meters. Josef 'Sepp' Allerberger, another Austrian Gebirgsjäger, achieved 257 confirmed kills with the same rifle type. Both were awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for their service.
Karabiner 98k (Sniper) specifications
General
- Type
- Sniper Rifle
- Action
- Bolt action
- Firing mechanism
- Striker-fired
- Trigger
- Single stage
- Trigger pull
- 2.5 kg (5.6 lb)
- Calibres
- 7.92x57mm Mauser
- Magazine capacity
- 5 rounds
- Magazine
- Internal
Dimensions
- Barrel length
- 600 mm (23.6 in)
- Overall length
- 1110 mm (43.7 in)
- Weight (empty)
- 4.10 kg (9.04 lb)
- Weight (loaded)
- 4.40 kg (9.70 lb)
Barrel
- Rifling twist
- 1:9 in (240 mm)
- Rifling
- Right hand
- Grooves
- 4
Materials
- Barrel
- Steel
- Receiver / frame
- Steel
- Stock
- Wood
- Finish
- blued
Performance
- Muzzle velocity (typical)
- 760 m/s (2493 fps)
- Muzzle energy (typical)
- 3700 J (2729 ft·lb)
- Effective range
- 800 m
History
- Introduced
- 1935
- Discontinued
- 1945
- Production status
- Out of production
- Country of origin
- DE
- Designer
- Paul Mauser / Mauser Werke
Features
- Telescopic sight mount
- Hand selected barrel
- Controlled round feed
- Mauser claw extractor
- Iron sights retained
Safety
- Three position wing safety
German sniper rifles used a variety of commercial and military scopes, with the most common being the Zeiss Zielvier 4x (ZF39) and the shorter-range ZF41 1.5x scope. The ZF41 was controversial as its low magnification made it more of a sharpshooter's aid than a true sniper scope. Late-war production saw increasing use of the ZF4 scope, a copy of the Soviet PU scope. German snipers were trained at specialized schools and were required to demonstrate consistent accuracy at ranges exceeding 600 meters. The K98k sniper rifles were hand-selected from production lines, test-fired for groupings, and only rifles capable of sub-2 MOA accuracy were accepted for scope mounting.
