Shortening a G 98

[Rob Connolly]

In a fit of whimsy, I wondered what would happen if a G98 had about a foot of barrel cut off, and the stock cut off too. It would be a lighter, handier weapon for use in the trenches, but I suppose there'd be some kind of ballistic drawback?

[Garron]

You could just use the K98az (I think its 6 inches shorter than the G98)

http://collectorsmallarms.com/img/prodotti/452_k98az%20erf15.JPG

Unless the bayonet lug was replaced on the cut down you would lose the ability to attach a bayonet

The muzzle flash and noise would increase, the German did design a flash suppressor for that reason to be attached to the K98.

A good example is the No5 Lee Enfield which has a stout recoil, built in flash suppressor and butt pad to help with recoil. So basically the lighter and shorter you make a rifle the more recoil you will get, which can hinder accuracy.

Gaz

[Radlad]

I used to have an italian Terni made Carcano M91 in 6.5x52 cal. I don't know what a shortened K98 would be like but my carbine was a horrendous thing to fire, especially in dull light. Watchers told me that the muzzle flash must have been 15 feet long and , depending where they were, the blast could be uncomfortable, even when standing behind and well to the side of me. Homeloading for the shorter barrel made it much better than the surplus military stuff that Interarms supplied. I can imagine being on the recieving end of one at short range would not have been pleasant, due in part, to the 'shock and awe' effect.

[Story]

In a fit of whimsy, I wondered what would happen if a G98 had about a foot of barrel cut off, and the stock cut off too. It would be a lighter, handier weapon for use in the trenches, but I suppose there'd be some kind of ballistic drawback?

There was account (detailed in another thread) where about a dozen Enfields were salvaged and shortened for trench fighting. IIRC, the comment was that with a simple 'V' rear sight fixed over the receiver, they were reasonably accurate to 100 yards (not a big deal, considering that trench fighting was a Close Quarters Battle).

[Rob Connolly]

Ah, didn't know that about the Lee-Enfields. I asked about the G98 as this would have been acquired as "booty", hence not officially on unit strength and thus the owner would have been able to do what he liked with it, which wouldn't be the case with WD property!

[gew98]

I have not encountered any instance of either germans nor her enemies shortening gew98's for any purpose. The original Kar98 and the kar88 & gew91 carbines have very marked muzzle blasts with S patronen. The germans abandoned the kar98 and adopte dthe kar98a in 1907, and as noted the muzzleblast was still such that they devised a tube to attach to the end of the rifle to allow for most of the blast to be consumed in an attempt to neutralize the flash.