Posted on 07/19/2018 8:01:42 AM PDT by w1n1
BY FAR THE greatest critique of the K98k is its rate of fire. As with any other bolt-action, soldiers could only fire as quickly as they could operate the bolt.
Critics of the German’s bolt-action-armed infantry blame Hitler for losing WWII because he refused to arm his infantry with faster, semiautomatic rifles.
When WWII began, the German infantry was not unlike other armies – armed with a mix of bolt-action rifles and some form of machine gun. Germany's strategy for implementing these weapons differed.
They emphasized the machine gun, usually an MG-34 or an MG-42 (Maschinengewehr 34/42) as their primary infantry weapon. A German squad early in the war would have four machine guns, and after 1944 six.
The K98k was only intended as the backup support to the more ominous weapon and for sniping.
German battle strategy did not intend for individual soldiers to engage the enemy.
In contrast, the Allies employed machine guns as support and point defense weapons. The American's squad-based weapons, usually Browning automatic rifles, were not comparable to the German’s belt-fed or saddle-drum magazine that could fire faster (1,200 rounds per minute) and longer. This opposite strategy left the American soldiers relying on their individual firepower. Read the rest of the K98 Mauser story here.
Had the German infantry me had the StG44 and the beginning of the war it might have been a real game changer.
Too bad she botched the number of machine guns per squad. I had a Soviet capture, never cared to fire it, the stock and I never meshed unlike my Garand whose stock is perfection.
Nope, highly unlikely that good tactics will overcome bad strategy.
I have one that’s converted to 7.62 by Israel
Germany lost the war not because they used the Mauser 98K as the standard infantry weapon. The Brits kept their Lee-Enfields, the Russians used a variant of the Moisin-Nagant. The reason that Germany lost the war was that their economy couldn’t support a protracted war on two fronts. The invasion of the USSR and the subsequent declaration of war on the USA doomed Germany to defeat. The TLDR reason is that Germany lost WWII due to Hitler.
Yep.
Pre 1939 = x1 MP38 or MP40 SMG, x1 P38 or P08, 8-10 K98s, x1 MG34 (or MG15 or MG 30 (or even VZ26)).
Mid-war: x1 MP40 and x1P39, 2 or 3 or MP44 or x1 scoped k98, 4-6 K98s, 1-2 G43s, possibly two MG42s. (squads got smaller).
Late war: Still some K98s and supplemented Stg44s and G43s. 2-3 MG42, but squads were typically only 6-8 men with 2-3 machineguns, 6 ammo carriers, and x1 anti tank team with Panzerfausts.
Interestingly enough, the scoped K98s weren't as much for designated marksmen, but for those with sight deficiencies.
Of course there is vast differences in armaments between the Heer/Wehrmacht, Waffen SS, Luftwafften, Gebirgsjäger and Fallschirmjäger, Afrika Korps and the differences between theatres: Eastern, Western, Italy, Africa.
We have a K98k with a scope and the rifle and scope have the same serial numbers. The leather pouch the scope comes in also has the same serial number on it. Kind of cool that these things are still together almost seventy-five years after that war.
Inept Hitler+American industry+new technologies+Russian human wave = No fourth Reich.
Ever watch the movie SAILOR OF THE KING with Jeffery Hunter? As a POW on board a German warship, he escapes with a 98 Mauser. When he shoots at the ship it is a British Lee-Enfield rifle.
Great movie!
The irony is that the Germans issued the low-power ZF-41 scopes to snipers, rather than the more numerous "designated marksmen" who just got a plain K98k. It was clearly more suited to the latter use, but there was a lot of Post-WWI strangeness that lingered over the official use of "sniper scopes". The linked video below (from a couple of firearm/history geeks) explains it pretty well. It also demonstrates that the scopes, once zeroed, could indeed be removed and replaced without losing effectiveness. I always wondered if that mount system worked well.
The mount system is pretty easy to use because I’ve done it and I’m not really fantastic with anything mechanical.
Three Fronts. Don’t forget Africa.
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