The Archetypical German Gewehr 98

By Will Dabbs, MD

Posted in
#Guns

In March of 1915, the 16^th Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment under the command of LTC Phillipp Englehardt was posted along a two-mile length of defensive trench near Fromelles, France. This regiment had already survived Ypres and had been well-blooded. Amongst the surviving veterans was a skinny, hard-charging 26-year-old Austrian.

The German Gewehr 98 represented a massive leap forward in military rifle design when it entered service in 1898.

He was a simple man but a dedicated soldier. He was also an artist whose wartime sketches were of sufficient quality to have been stolen by some nameless opportunist. When first issued his long Gewehr 98 rifle, the newly minted trooper was enthralled. A comrade later said of his experience, “He looked at it with delight, as a woman looks at her jewelry, which made me laugh.”

Historical photograph from 1919 showing Polish insurgents armed with German Gewehr 98 bolt-action rifles during combat operations against Bolshevik forces in Eastern Europe. Two kneeling fighters on the right side hold Mauser Gew 98 rifles while the standing insurgent on far right carries a Mauser C96 pistol tucked in his belt. This image demonstrates widespread distribution of German military rifles following World War I when millions of G98 rifles became surplus weapons used by various European forces. The Polish fighters display the 49-inch long Gewehr 98 rifles with their distinctive straight bolt handles and 29-inch barrels. These 7.92x57mm Mauser rifles served Polish irregular forces during the Polish-Soviet War when captured German arms became essential weapons for Eastern European militaries and resistance groups fighting against communist expansion. — Polish insurgents armed with German military weapons during the 1919 conflict against Bolshevik forces. Image: Polish National Digital Archives

Combat in these ghastly trenches was unimaginably horrible. For interposing his own body to save LTC Englehardt during a particularly severe artillery barrage, the young man had been awarded the Iron Cross 2d Class. He later described the moment of the award as, “The happiest day of my life.” By this point in the war, the man had been promoted to corporal and made a runner for the regimental staff.

The Gewehr 98 bolt-action rifle served as the standard issue infantry weapon for Imperial German Army forces throughout World War I from 1914 to 1918. This German military rifle chambered in 7.92x57mm Mauser S Patrone cartridge equipped millions of soldiers fighting in trenches across the Western Front, Eastern Front, and other theaters of the Great War. The Gew 98 rifle with its 29-inch barrel and controlled-feed Mauser action provided German infantrymen with reliable firepower during brutal trench combat at locations like Ypres, Verdun, Somme, and Fromelles. The five-round internal magazine loaded via stripper clips allowed German soldiers to maintain sustained fire while the rifle's robust construction withstood mud, water, and harsh battlefield conditions. Over nine million G98 rifles were manufactured between 1898 and 1918 making the Gewehr 98 one of the most widely produced military bolt-action rifles of World War I era. — The Gewehr 98 equipped millions of German soldiers during the First World War and became synonymous with Imperial German military power.

Runners at this time passed orders and retrieved combat reports in an era without radios. This job was harrowing and immensely dangerous. It involved timing the fall of artillery and gauging enemy machine gun fire, then sprinting across the battlefield from one position of cover to another. It was amazing the man had survived as long as he had. Many of his comrades had not.

Polish rifleman from 1st Naval Rifle Battalion photographed circa 1937 in Wejherowo holding Mauser wz. 98 bolt-action rifle with attached Polish wz. 28 bayonet demonstrating continued military use of Gewehr 98 derivative designs in interwar Poland. The Mauser wz. 98 rifle represents Polish military variant based directly on German Gew 98 action using same 7.92x57mm Mauser cartridge and controlled-feed bolt system that made the original Gewehr 98 successful during World War I. This Polish naval infantry soldier displays the full-length military rifle with wooden stock, barrel bands, and characteristic straight bolt handle inherited from German G98 design. The wz. 28 bayonet mounted on the rifle demonstrates Polish domestic production of both rifles and edged weapons for their armed forces during 1930s period leading up to World War II when Poland would face German invasion. — The Polish military adopted the Mauser wz. 98 rifle based on the German Gewehr 98 design and paired it with their own wz. 28 bayonet. Image: Polish National Digital Archives

The deprivations in such a place were legendary. In this case, the man’s unit had gone weeks without hot food. When a mobile horse-drawn field kitchen set up and began distributing black bread and hot-boiled cabbage, it was like manna from heaven.

This man queued up alongside his mates, slung his long G98 rifle, and waited in line for his first hot meal in about forever. Once he had his steaming tin of cabbage, he found a handy spot with his friends to wolf it down. Before he could get his mess utensils out, however, the strangest thing happened.

German Gewehr 98 bolt-action rifle displayed with original military leather sling attached showing complete field configuration carried by Imperial German infantry during World War I. The Gew 98 rifle sling connects through metal swivel points mounted on forward barrel band and rear stock allowing soldiers to carry the 9-pound rifle over shoulder during marches and trench movements. This 7.92x57mm Mauser rifle with sling demonstrates standard German military equipment issue where the leather carrying strap proved essential for infantrymen hauling the 49-inch long G98 through battlefield conditions. The sling system on this Gewehr 98 also provided shooting support when soldiers used hasty sling techniques for improved accuracy with the bolt-action rifle. The complete rifle with sling represents typical configuration that millions of German soldiers including runners, infantrymen, and trench fighters carried from 1914 through 1918 during Great War combat operations. — This Gewehr 98 displays the standard military sling configuration used throughout World War I. It allowed German soldiers to carry the 9-lb. rifle during long marches.

Amidst the banter of his buddies and their enthusiasm for this hot repast, an audible voice came to the man directing him to simply get up and walk around the corner. At first, the hungry corporal wrote the experience off to combat fatigue and proceeded with his dinner. Then the voice came back again, more forcefully this time. Now both confused and frustrated, the man grudgingly gathered his gear and his weapon and did as he was told. Moments later, a French artillery round landed where he had previously been sitting, killing everyone in the immediate vicinity. This young man had been miraculously spared by an inexplicable phantasmic voice in his head.

Adolf Hitler used to relate the preceding tale of his time in the trenches during World War I at dinner parties as evidence of his divine mandate to rule. In another instance, a British artillery round landed nearby, killing all those around him and ripping the sleeve off of his tunic while leaving him unscathed.

Historical World War I photograph showing German trench rifle locker storing multiple Gewehr 98 bolt-action rifles in defensive position illustrating how Imperial German infantry organized and protected their weapons during Great War trench warfare. The rifle locker contains several Gew 98 rifles with visible wooden stocks and long barrels stored vertically to save space in cramped trench conditions where soldiers lived for extended periods. These 7.92x57mm Mauser rifles stored in the locker represent standard German infantry weapons that needed protection from mud, water, and debris common in World War I trenches at Somme, Verdun, Ypres, and Fromelles. The organized storage system for Gewehr 98 rifles demonstrates German military efficiency in maintaining the reliable bolt-action rifles that soldiers depended on for survival during trench combat from 1914 through 1918 when proper weapon maintenance proved critical for the controlled-feed Mauser action G98 rifles. — German trenches featured rifle lockers where soldiers stored their Gewehr 98 rifles. Lockers kept the bolt-action rifles organized and protected from the constant mud and water of trench life. Image: Public Domain

Perhaps he had a point, though I don’t think his particular guardian actually took his mail in heaven. Regardless, the long bolt-action rifle he carried in that most horrible of wars was a legend in its own right.

The Weapon

The rifle with which a young Private Adolf Hitler was so enamored back in 1914 was the famed Gewehr 98, often shortened to simply G98 or Gew98. Launched in April of 1898, the Gew98 replaced the previous Gewehr 1888 in Imperial German service. The Gew98 was an evolutionary development of Paul Mauser’s 1895 action. The rifle first saw combat in China during the Boxer Rebellion.

Close-up photograph of Gewehr 98 bolt action mechanism showing robust Mauser controlled-feed design that made the G98 rifle exceptionally tough and reliable under harsh World War I combat conditions in trenches across Europe. The Gew 98 bolt features dual locking lugs that engage steel receiver recesses providing positive lockup for firing 7.92x57mm Mauser cartridges plus third safety lug at rear of bolt assembly for additional strength. This German military rifle action includes gas relief holes on bottom of bolt directing hot gases away from shooter during case or primer failures, cam-assisted extraction for removing dirty or sticky spent cartridges, and three-position flag-style safety on bolt rear. The controlled-feed Mauser action visible here where extractor snaps over cartridge rim during feeding ensured reliable function even in muddy trench warfare conditions that German soldiers like Adolf Hitler experienced during Great War service with 16th Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment and other Imperial German units from 1914-1918. — The Gewehr 98 bolt action proved exceptionally tough and reliable, even under the harshest battlefield conditions.

During WWI, the Gew98 fired the 7.92x57mm Mauser S Patrone cartridge. This round pushed a 154-gr. Spitzer (pointed) bullet that was fairly devastating downrange. Muzzle velocities were a bit north of 2,000 feet per second out of this rifle.

Mechanical Details of the Gewehr 98

The Gew98 is a manually operated bolt-action rifle that feeds from an integral five-round box magazine. The rifle is loaded single rounds or via five-round stripper clips that feed from the top. The bolt handle sticks out at a right angle from the receiver.

Historical photograph showing Roman Catholic priest providing marksmanship instruction to young Polish men using German Gewehr 98 bolt-action rifles demonstrating civilian firearms training programs in Poland during interwar period following World War I. The priest instructs youth in proper handling of Gew 98 rifles or Polish Mauser wz. 98 variants chambered in 7.92x57mm Mauser that became widely available throughout Eastern Europe after millions of German military rifles flooded region as war surplus. These young Polish men learning to shoot with Gewehr 98 rifles represent community preparation for military service when Poland faced threats from both Germany and Soviet Union during 1920s and 1930s leading to World War II. The marksmanship training using reliable controlled-feed Mauser action G98 rifles shows how Catholic Church participated in preparing Polish youth for national defense using same bolt-action rifle design that equipped German forces during Great War and would later arm Polish military units. — Poles, receiving firearms training from a Roman Catholic priest, are using Gewehr 98 rifles. Image: Polish National Digital Archives

The Gew98 was a controlled-feed design. This meant that the extractor snapped over the rim of the cartridge as it fed from the magazine, maintaining positive control of the round all the way into the chamber. This is opposed to push-feed designs wherein the extractor does not positively grab the cartridge rim until the bolt closes.

Close-up photograph of Lange Visier rear sight system on German Gewehr 98 bolt-action rifle showing complex tangent-style sighting device graduated from 200 meters to 2000 meters in 100-meter increments used by Imperial German infantry during World War I. The elaborate curved rear sight on Gew 98 rifle represents sophisticated German military engineering with adjustable elevation settings allowing soldiers to theoretically engage targets at extreme distances using 7.92x57mm Mauser S Patrone ammunition firing 154-grain Spitzer bullets. This complex Lange Visier sight mechanism on Gewehr 98 featured movable aperture and tangent graduations that German soldiers including Adolf Hitler and millions of infantrymen used from 1914-1918 though practical effective range with iron sights under combat conditions proved much shorter than theoretical 2000-meter maximum. The intricate rear sight design on G98 bolt-action rifle demonstrates German attention to precision engineering even if extreme range capability rarely proved useful during typical trench warfare engagements on Western Front and Eastern Front battlefields. — The Gewehr 98 featured the complex “Lange Visier” rear sight system graduated from 200 to 2,000 meters in 100-meter increments.

The bolt on the Gew98 was designed for both strength and safety. Two beefy locking lugs engage corresponding recesses in the steel receiver to ensure positive lockup for firing. There was also a third safety lug milled into the rear of the bolt assembly to provide extra strength. Nowadays, quality reliable steels make such redundancy superfluous. However, that was not necessarily the case at the turn of the 20^th century.

Gas relief holes on the bottom of the bolt direct hot gases away from the firer in the event of a case or primer failure. Once again, this is not much of problem nowadays given the refined state of munitions manufacture. Back then, however, it was a bigger deal.

There is a cam built into the bolt that enables a slight degree of cartridge extraction at the beginning of the unlocking process. This aids in removal of spent cartridges even if they are dirty or sticky. The case is also positively controlled during the extraction stroke. This makes for an exceptionally reliable action that has been widely copied in both military and sporting arms, particularly those for use with dangerous game where a mechanical failure might prove catastrophic. The firing pin cocks on opening.

Formal group photograph of Polish Military Training Corps members posing with German Gewehr 98 bolt-action rifles showing organized Polish military training organization during interwar period between World War I and World War II. The uniformed Polish trainees hold Gew 98 rifles or Polish Mauser wz. 98 variants with characteristic 29-inch barrels, straight bolt handles, and full-length wooden stocks that became standard armament for Polish military training programs. These Polish Military Training Corps personnel armed with 7.92x57mm Mauser chambered rifles represent formalized preparation for national defense when Poland rebuilt military capabilities after gaining independence and faced threats from neighboring powers during 1920s-1930s. The group displays Gewehr 98 rifles featuring reliable controlled-feed Mauser action, five-round internal magazines, and robust construction that made German G98 design ideal for training future Polish soldiers in marksmanship and military tactics using same bolt-action rifle system that equipped millions of German Imperial Army infantry during Great War. — Members of the Polish Military Training Corps pose with their Gewehr 98 rifles in this formal group photograph circa 1928. Image: Polish National Digital Archives

The safety is a three-position, flag-style tab on the back of the bolt. Left is fire. Right locks both the bolt and the firing mechanism. In the up position, the firing mechanism is still locked, but the bolt will open.

Close-up photograph of three-position flag-style safety tab on rear of Gewehr 98 bolt showing accessible manual safety mechanism that German soldiers could easily operate during World War I combat with the 7.92x57mm Mauser bolt-action rifle. The Gew 98 safety features simple tab design with left position for fire, right position locking both bolt and firing mechanism, and up position locking firing pin while allowing bolt to open for unloading without disengaging firing mechanism safety. This easy-to-access safety on German Gewehr 98 rifle provided Imperial German infantrymen with intuitive control over weapon status that soldiers including Adolf Hitler and millions of troops could manipulate quickly even with cold wet hands or while wearing gloves in trenches during 1914-1918 Great War. The three-position flag safety on Mauser G98 bolt-action rifle demonstrates practical German engineering allowing flexible carry options where soldiers could keep rifle loaded safely while maintaining ability to bring weapon into action rapidly during trench warfare combat operations. — The Gewehr 98 featured a three-position flag-style safety tab on the rear of the bolt that was easy to access and operate under stress.

The Gew98 is 49” long and weighs 9 lbs. The barrel is 29” long. The curved, tangent-style rear sight is graduated from 200 meters out to 2,000 meters in 100-meter increments. This complex sighting device is called the Lange Visier.

Legacy

More than nine million copies were produced from 1898 through 1918. In 1915, the Germans converted some 15,000 Gew98 rifles for sniper use by fitting these weapons with optical sights. These Scharfschützen-Gewehr 98 (sniper rifle 98) featured turn-down bolts that were angled to clear the scopes and corresponding stock cutouts to accommodate.

World War I photograph showing German soldiers armed with Gewehr 98 bolt-action rifles guarding military train during reconnaissance mission illustrating diverse combat roles for G98 equipped troops beyond trench warfare. The German infantrymen hold their long Gew 98 rifles with 29-inch barrels and characteristic straight bolt handles while providing security for rail transport operations that proved vital to Imperial German Army logistics moving troops, supplies, and equipment across Western Front and Eastern Front during 1914-1918 conflict. These guard troops armed with 7.92x57mm Mauser chambered Gewehr 98 rifles represent typical German military operations protecting critical railroad infrastructure from enemy raids, partisan attacks, and sabotage attempts throughout Great War. The soldiers with their reliable controlled-feed Mauser action G98 rifles demonstrate how German forces used same bolt-action infantry weapons for multiple mission types including reconnaissance, security operations, and transportation protection duties during World War I. — German soldiers with some Gew98 rifles protect a train during reconnaissance operations in the Great War. Image: Public Domain

Accuracy expectations were surprisingly sloppy by modern standards. For acceptance into service, the Gew98 was expected to put half its rounds into a 2.4” circle at 100 meters and 93% of its rounds inside a 4.7” ring. However, this was not atypical for martial arms of this era.

Historical photograph from 1919 showing Polish insurgent fighters armed with German Gewehr 98 bolt-action rifles during combat operations against Bolshevik invasion forces illustrating widespread use of surplus German military weapons throughout Eastern Europe following World War I armistice. The Polish fighters hold Gew 98 rifles with characteristic 29-inch barrels, straight bolt handles, and full-length wooden stocks that became essential weapons for Polish irregular forces, resistance groups, and military units fighting Soviet expansion during Polish-Soviet War of 1919-1921. These Polish combatants equipped with 7.92x57mm Mauser chambered Gewehr 98 rifles benefited from same reliable controlled-feed Mauser action, five-round magazine capacity, and robust construction that served millions of German soldiers during 1914-1918 Great War trenches. The image demonstrates how G98 rifles transitioned from Imperial German Army service to arming Polish independence fighters defending their nation against communist forces when millions of surplus German bolt-action rifles flooded Eastern European markets after World War I ended.
ALT TEXT 2:
Polish resistance fighters photographed in 1919 carrying Mauser Gewehr 98 bolt-action rifles during anti-Bolshevik operations showing how German military surplus weapons equipped Eastern European forces fighting Soviet communist expansion after World War I. The Polish insurgents armed with Gew 98 rifles demonstrate widespread availability of reliable 7.92x57mm chambered German bolt-action rifles that Polish fighters used during crucial battles of Polish-Soviet War when Poland struggled to maintain independence against Bolshevik invasion forces. These Polish combatants with their Gewehr 98 rifles featuring controlled-feed actions, straight bolt handles, and 49-inch overall length represent typical irregular units that relied on captured or surplus German weapons during 1919-1921 conflict. The photograph illustrates how over nine million G98 rifles produced for Imperial German Army from 1898-1918 found new service arming various European forces during interwar period when Polish fighters needed dependable bolt-action rifles for resisting Soviet territorial ambitions in Eastern Europe.
ALT TEXT 3:
Group of Polish insurgent fighters armed with German Gewehr 98 bolt-action rifles during 1919 combat operations against Bolshevik forces demonstrating critical role of surplus German military weapons in Polish defense during Polish-Soviet War following World War I. The Polish resistance fighters carry Gew 98 rifles with visible long barrels and Mauser bolt actions that proved essential armament when Poland faced Soviet invasion and Polish irregular forces, volunteer units, and organized military needed reliable firearms chambered in widely available 7.92x57mm Mauser ammunition. These Polish combatants equipped with Gewehr 98 rifles benefited from same tough reliable controlled-feed design with dual locking lugs, positive extraction, and robust steel construction that served German soldiers like Adolf Hitler during Great War trenches at Ypres, Somme, and Fromelles from 1914-1918. The 1919 photograph shows how German G98 bolt-action rifles transitioned from trench warfare service to new conflicts across Eastern Europe when Polish fighters defending their independence against Bolshevik expansion relied on proven Mauser 98 action rifles that remained effective military weapons during interwar period leading to World War II.

Ready for the next [PHOTO DESCRIPTION].RetryClaude can make mistakes. Please double-check responses. — Polish insurgents armed with Gewehr 98 rifles prepare for combat against Bolshevik forces in 1919 during the Polish-Soviet conflict. Image: Polish National Digital Archives

The Gew98 went on to inspire the American M1903 Springfield, The British Pattern 14 and 1917 rifles, and the Czech Vz-24. A great many modern hunting arms use the same basic design today. The Gew98 was eventually shortened and polished into the Kar98k that carried German forces all the way through World War II.

Conclusion

The massive, heavy, bolt-action beast of a rifle that Adolf Hitler carried in combat in the First World War was one of the most influential military small arms in history. Coming as it did at the very beginning of the era of smokeless powder, the Gewehr 98 offered effective long-range performance, reliability, and ease of maintenance in a manual repeater action that facilitated impressive rates of fire. That same 127-year-old action soldiers on in a variety of guises even today. Its positive legacy is one that stands in marked contrast to that of the aforementioned corporal from the trenches of World War I that loved it so.

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