Origin:                             Imperial Germany

Military Service:                   1908 - 1918

Wars:                               WWI

Cartridge:                          8MM Mauser

Action:                             Bolt Action

Magazine:                           5 Round Internal Magazine

Significance:Issued to German Stormtroopers of WWI, an extremely effective carbine that served as the basis for the Nazi K98k of WWII.

The rod on the underside of the K98a (photographed above) is actually a stacking rod that did not interfere with the attachment of a bayonet.

During World War I, the Karabiner 98a (K98a) was issued to cavalry, mountain troops, and later to "established" assault units (known as Stormtroopers) of the German Army. It was extremely successful because it was lighter and shorter than the Gewehr 98 (full-size, standard-issue rifle), and was thus better suited for use in trench assaults.

This particular example is a 1915 production vet bring back. Germans took extreme pride in their small arms manufacturing. Notice that even the screws of the rifle are meticulously numbered with the last two numbers of the rifle's serial number.

German soldier searching a house with a wooden stick. 

Note the K98a slung over his shoulder.