A carbine ( / ˈ k ɑːr b iː n / KAR -been or / ˈ k ɑːr b aɪ n / KAR -byn ) is a long gun that has a barrel shortened from its original length. Most modern carbines are rifles that are compact versions of a longer rifle or are rifles chambered for less powerful cartridges .
202-471: The Karabiner 98 kurz ( German: [kaʁaˈbiːnɐ ˌʔaxtʔʊntˈnɔʏntsɪç ˈkʊɐ̯ts] ; ' carbine 98 short ' ), often abbreviated Karabiner 98k , Kar98k or K98k and also sometimes incorrectly referred to as a K98 (a K98 is a Polish carbine and copy of the Kar98a), is a bolt-action rifle chambered for the 7.92×57mm Mauser cartridge. It was adopted on 21 June 1935 as the standard service rifle by
404-521: A Colt Single Action Army revolver in .44-40 or .38-40 . During the 20th century, this trend continued with more modern and powerful smokeless revolver cartridges, in the form of Winchester and Marlin lever action carbines chambered in .38 Special / .357 Magnum and .44 Special / .44 Magnum . Modern equivalents include the Ruger PC carbine , which uses the same magazine as the Ruger pistols of
606-403: A dovetail slot on the back part of the barrel or the receiver , closer to the eye of the shooter, allowing for easy visual pick-up of the notch. Front sights are mounted to the front end of the barrel by dovetailing, soldering , screwing , or staking very close to the muzzle , frequently on a "ramp". Some front sight assemblies include a detachable hood intended to reduce glare , and if
808-448: A " figure 8 " configuration, where a proper sight picture uses a bead mounted at the midpoint of the barrel in conjunction with a front bead mounted toward the muzzle. Many shotgun manufacturers, such as Browning, calibrate these sighting systems to produce a shotgun pattern that is "dead-on" when the front bead is stacked just above the mid-bead, producing the figure-8 sight picture. Aperture sights, also known as "peep sights", range from
1010-477: A 'sunburst' proof mark and sometimes had the factory designation '1001' applied, which was the factory where the refurbishment was carried out. Numbers were re-stamped to match the receiver and old numbers barred out. Numbers of East German and Czech refurbished Karabiner 98ks were exported to the West in the late 1980s and early 1990s and are now in the hands of collectors. Russian Capture Karabiner 98ks were exported to
1212-730: A 500 mm (19.7 in) sight radius. The sight lines were factory zeroed ( Anschießen ) as part of the acceptance process before issue. The non user adjustable windage was factory set by horizontally drifting the front sight in a dovetail. It was discouraged to (re)zero the iron sight line by non-armorers. During World War II, s.S. Patrone ball ammunition was gradually replaced by S.m.E. - Spitzgeschoß mit Eisenkern ("spitzer with iron core") mild steel cored projectile ammunition and later by S.m.E. lg - Spitzgeschoß mit Eisenkern lang ("spitzer with iron core long") ammunition to save on lead and other metals that became scarce in Germany during
1414-431: A Karabiner 98k required machining by a skilled armourer. A telescopic sight mounted low above the center axis of the receiver will not leave enough space between the rifle and the telescopic sight body for unimpaired operation of the bolt handle or the three-position safety catch lever . This ergonomic problem was solved by mounting the telescopic sight relatively high above the receiver and sometimes modifying or replacing
1616-583: A barrel length of 490 mm (19.29 in) and 3.2 kg (7.1 lb) weight was a shortened experimental version of the Karabiner 98k. The rear tangent sight of the G40k was graduated for s.S. Patrone cartridges from 100 m to 1000 m in 100 m increments. A batch of 82 G40k rifles was produced in 1941 at Mauser Oberndorf. The Mauser KKW ( Klein Kaliber Wehrsportgewehr ) cadet rifle is
1818-406: A big white or gold bead front sight. These sights do not occlude the target as much as some other styles which is useful in the case of a charging animal. In cases where the range is close and speed far outweighs accuracy (e.g. the shooter is being charged by dangerous big-game), the front sight is used like a shotgun bead; the rear sight is ignored, and the bead is placed on the target. When more time
2020-430: A bolt disassembly tool), and other features deemed unnecessary. Non-critical parts like the stock were finished to lower standards and metal parts like the nose cap, barrel band, floor plate and trigger guard (lacking the small locking screw provision) were simplified stamped parts and less elaborately mounted to the rifle. The M98 bolt was also simplified by no longer milling the two oval-shaped emergency gas relief holes in
2222-565: A carbine converted pistol may be treated as a standard rifle under Title I of the Gun Control Act of 1968 (GCA). However, certain "Broomhandle" Mauser C96, Luger, and Browning Hi-Power Curio & Relic pistols with their originally issued stock attached only may retain their pistol classification. Carbines without a stock and not originally manufactured as a rifle are not classified as rifles or short barreled rifles. A carbine manufactured under 26 in (660 mm) in length without
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#17327908345752424-402: A certain number of soldiers need to retain longer-range weapons, serving as designated marksmen. The rest can carry lighter, shorter-ranged weapons for close quarters combat and suppressive fire. This is basically a more extreme extension of the idea that brought the original assault rifle. Another factor is that with the increasing weight of technology, sighting systems, ballistic armor , etc.,
2626-422: A complete miss (a 3 mm (0.12 in) point of impact miss). At 1,000 m (3,300 ft), that same misalignment would be magnified 100 times, giving an error of over 300 mm (12 in), 1,500 times the sight misalignment. Increasing the sight radius helps to reduce eventual angular errors and will, in case the sight has an incremental adjustment mechanism, adjust in smaller increments when compared to
2828-490: A design proposal by Unteroffizier Schätzle. The HUB-23 weighs 0.5 kg (1.1 lb ) and is 180 mm (7.1 in) long. The maximum effective range of a Karbiner 98k with a HUB-23 mounted and firing special subsonic Nahpatrone ("near cartridge") reduced load ammunition with a muzzle velocity of 220 m/s (722 ft/s) was 300 m (330 yd). The use of the HUB-23 suppressor and subsonic ammunition resulted in
3030-598: A flat 85 mm (3.3 in) wide by 135 mm (5.3 in) long sheet metal container with two hinged lids carried on the person, which held an oiler, a take down tool for removing the floorplate and cleaning the receiver of the rifle, an aluminum barrel pull-through chain, a cleaning and an oiling brush, and short lengths of tow used as cleaning patches. From 1905 until 1945, the German military used Ballistol intended for cleaning, lubricating, and protecting metallic, wooden and leather firearms parts. The Karabiner 98k rifle
3232-475: A flat buttplate. After 1940, some stocks had a cupped buttplate to prevent the separation of the butt stock. All stocks had a steel buttplate. When issued, the Karabiner 98k came accompanied with assorted accessory items including a sling , a protective muzzle cover, and for field maintenance a Reinigungsgerät 34 ("Cleaning Kit 34") or RG34 kit. Introduced in 1934, the Reinigungsgerät 34 consisted of
3434-580: A forward vertical grip will be a pistol and, state law notwithstanding, can be carried concealed without creating an unregistered Any Other Weapon . A nearly identical carbine with an overall length of 26 in (660 mm) or greater is simply an unclassified firearm under Title I of the Gun Control Act of 1968, as the Any Other Weapon catch-all only applies to firearms under 26 in (660 mm) or that have been concealed. However,
3636-421: A further identical shorter sighting line. With the front sight on the front end of the barrel, sight radius may be increased by moving the rear sight from the barrel onto the receiver or tang. Sights for shotguns used for shooting small, moving targets (such as skeet shooting , trap shooting , and clay pigeon shooting ) work quite differently. The rear sight is completely discarded, and the rear reference point
3838-460: A group of shots are fired into the target, hits on the outer part of the target are disregarded, while only half of the hits on the inner part of the circles are counted (50% or R 50 ). This significantly reduces the overall diameter of the groups. The vertical and horizontal measurements of the reduced groups are then used to measure accuracy. This circular error probable method used by the German and other European militaries cannot be converted and
4040-426: A hot barrel. Rather than being aimed like a rifle or handgun, the shotgun is pointed with the focus always on the target, and the unfocused image of the barrel and bead are placed below the target (the amount below depends on whether the target is rising or falling) and slightly ahead of the target if there is lateral movement. This method of aiming is not as precise as that of a front sight/rear sight combination, but it
4242-405: A larger, brighter ring. The precise sizes are quite subjective, and depend on both shooter preference and ambient lighting, which is why target rifles come with easily replaceable front sight inserts, and adjustable aperture mechanisms. Front aperture size is a compromise between a tight enough aperture to clearly define the aiming point and a loose enough aperture so as to not cause 'flicker'. When
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#17327908345754444-489: A long barrel like the Gewehr 98. It was found that the s.S. Patrone , originally designed for long range machine gun use, produced less muzzle flash out of rifles that had a shorter barrel and also provided better accuracy. Because of this, the S Patrone was phased out in 1933 and the s.S. Patrone became the standard German service ball cartridge in the 1930s. The Karabiner 98k is a controlled-feed bolt-action rifle based on
4646-529: A modification intending to fire from the shoulder and bypass the regulation of short-barreled rifles is considered the unlawful possession and manufacture of an unregistered short-barreled rifle. In some historical cases, the term machine carbine was the official title for submachine guns, such as the British Sten and Australian Owen guns . The semiautomatic-only version of the Sterling submachine gun
4848-419: A modified Kriegsmodell design, with the cleaning rod and stock disk omitted, but the bayonet lug restored. In Czechoslovakia it was known as P-18 or puška vz.98N, the first being the manufacturer's cover designation of the type, the second official army designation - rifle model 98, N for německá - German. From 1948 to 1965, Yugoslavian Zastava Arms produced a close copy of the Karabiner 98k imported between
5050-672: A new serial number (with a prefix denoting the branch of service) was stamped. Some of these rifles conversions were rechambered again to 7.62×51mm NATO , but this program was canceled with only a few thousand converted when Norway adopted the AG-3 (H&K G3) as a replacement for both the M1 and the K98k. Some actions from Mauser Karabiner 98k left by German armed forces in 1945 were used by Kongsberg Våpenfabrikk (currently Kongsberg Small Arms) for building both military and civilian sniper/target rifles under
5252-549: A new, slightly larger and heavier caliber such as the 6.5mm Grendel or 6.8mm Remington SPC , which are heavier and thus retain more effectiveness at lower muzzle velocities. While the U.S. Army adopted the M4 carbine in 1994, the U.S. Marine Corps retained their 20-inch (510 mm) barrel M16A4 rifles long afterwards, citing the increased range and effectiveness over the carbine version; officers were required to carry an M4 carbine rather than an M9 pistol, as Army officers do. Because
5454-477: A pistol or full carbine conversion kits, which are at least 26 in (660 mm) long and replace the pistol's barrel with one at least 16 in (410 mm) long for compliance with the United States law. In the United States, fitting a shoulder stock to a handgun with a barrel less than 16 inches (410 mm) long possibly turns said firearm into a short-barreled rifle , which may be in violation of
5656-501: A pistol using the same ammunition is controllability. The combination of firing from the shoulder, longer sight-radius, three points of contact (firing hand, support hand, and shoulder), and precision offer a significantly more user-friendly platform. Many carbines have the ability to mount optics, lights and lasers to accessory rails, which make target acquisition and engagement much easier. The longer barrel can offer increased velocity and, with it, greater energy and effective range due to
5858-525: A pre-determined point of impact (POI) at that distance, known as a "zero". Using that "zero" as a default reference, the point of aim can be readily re-calibrated to superimpose with the bullet's point of impact when shooting at different distances. Modern iron sights can all provide some horizontal and vertical adjustments for sighting-in, and often have elevation markings that allow the shooter to quickly compensate (though with rather limited precision) for increasing bullet drops at extended distances. Because
6060-565: A predefined projectile weight/type, muzzle velocity and air density at ranges. The Austrian military ZF 58 sight's BDC was calibrated from 100–1,000 m (109–1,094 yd) in 100 m (109 yd) increments. For storage and transport, the ZF 58 sights were issued with a leather carrying pouch. In Austrian service, the SSG 98k started to be replaced from 1969 when the Steyr SSG 69 sniper rifle
6262-647: A primitive finder sight for optical telescopes . Iron sights, which are typically made of metal, are the earliest and simplest type of sighting device. Since iron sights neither magnify nor illuminate the target, they rely completely on the viewer's naked eye and the available light by which the target is visible. In this respect, iron sights are distinctly different from optical sight designs that employ optical manipulation or active illumination, such as telescopic sights , reflector (reflex) sights , holographic sights , and laser sights . Iron sights are typically composed of two components mounted perpendicularly above
Karabiner 98k - Misplaced Pages Continue
6464-567: A process which can take several months. Because of this, firearms with barrels of less than 16 in (410 mm) and a shoulder stock are uncommon. A list of firearms not covered by the NFA due to their antique status may be found here or due to their Curio and Relic status may be found here; these lists includes a number of carbines with barrels less than the minimum legal length and firearms that are "primarily collector's items and are not likely to be used as weapons and, therefore, are excluded from
6666-418: A range of 280 m (306 yd). For these differing tasks, several specialized grenades with accompanying special propelling cartridges were developed for the 1,450,113 produced Schiessbecher rifle grenade launchers. The rifle grenade-propelling cartridges fired a wooden projectile through the barrel to the rifle grenade that, upon impact, automatically primed the rifle grenade. The Schiessbecher could be mounted on
6868-668: A rear sight enclosed in the wooden hand guard (the German-style hand guard began in front of the rear sight, unlike e.g. exports to South America that had a handguard and rear sight like the M48). A hunting variant of the Yugoslavian M48 is still produced by Zastava Arms, it is designated as the Zastava Arms M70 Bolt Action Rifle now. The Spanish M43, produced in A Coruña from 1944 to 1958,
7070-523: A result of the propellant . The drawback is that one loses the primary benefits of a handgun, i.e. portability and concealability, resulting in a weapon almost the size of, but less accurate than, a long-gun, but not much more powerful than a pistol. Also widely produced are semi-automatic and typically longer-barreled derivatives of select-fire submachine guns , such as the FN PS90 , HK USC , KRISS Vector , Thompson carbine , CZ Scorpion S1 carbine , and
7272-443: A rifle, perhaps because it was designed as such and not shortened from a longer weapon. Modern carbines use ammunition ranging from that used in light pistols up to powerful rifle cartridges, with the usual exception of high-velocity magnum cartridges. In the more powerful cartridges, the short barrel of a carbine has significant disadvantages in velocity, and the high residual pressure, and frequently still-burning powder and gases, when
7474-480: A short barrel and sight radius, it is not accurate or powerful enough at longer ranges. Submachine guns also tend to have poorer armor and cover penetration than rifles and carbines firing rifle ammunition. Consequently, carbines have gained wide acceptance among United States Special Operations Command , United Kingdom Special Forces , and other communities, having relatively light weight, large magazine capacity, selective fire, and much better range and penetration than
7676-652: A shorter barrel, flash suppressor, and manufacturing modifications designed to decrease the rifle's weight Officially titled Rifle, No. 5 Mk I , it was introduced in the closing months of World War II, but it did not see widespread service until the Korean War , the Mau Mau Uprising , and the Malayan Emergency as well as the Vietnam War . A shorter weapon was more convenient when riding in
7878-402: A shotgun toward its target is considered a slightly different skill than aiming a rifle or pistol. Shotgunners are encouraged to " point " a shotgun versus the accurate aiming of a rifle. Some even espouse a mentality that eliminates the concept of "aim" altogether. Because much of shotgunning involves putting a scatter pattern in the path of moving targets, the concept of a sight is considered
8080-427: A single minute of arc over the full range of the sight. Assault rifles and sporterized semi-automatic rifles can have foldable rear and front sight elements that can be readily flipped up or down by the user. Such iron sights are often used as secondary sighting systems in case the main weapon sight (typically an optical sight such as a telescopic sight or red dot sight ) malfunctions or becomes unsuitable for
8282-645: A single shot, .22 caliber rifle that was introduced in 1938. Its operation is virtually identical to the Karabiner 98k. These cadet rifles were used by all German military, paramilitary and police organizations, especially the Hitler Youth for basic firearms and marksmanship training. Karabiner 98k receivers were stamped with a factory code indicating date and location of manufacture. These codes were originally prefixed with "S/" and suffixed with "K" for 1934 or "G" for 1935. The intervening numeric code indicated location. The two- or four-digit year of manufacture
Karabiner 98k - Misplaced Pages Continue
8484-548: A sound signature reduction by 75%. The HUB-23 suppressor and the special subsonic ammunition were mainly used by special forces units such as the Brandenburgers and snipers. Starting in late 1944, Karabiner 98k production began transition to the Kriegsmodell ("war model") variant. This version was simplified to increase the rate of production, removing the bayonet lug, cleaning rod, stock disc (which functions as
8686-478: A standard-issue weapon by the US M1 Garand, but remained in service as Norwegian Home Guard weapons until the 1990s, in which role they were rebarreled for the .30-06 Springfield round used by the M1, with a small cutout in the receiver so that the slightly longer US round could still be loaded with stripper clips. These Norwegian conversions had a section of the receiver flattened on the upper left side, where
8888-429: A standing man at 600 m (656 yd) when used by a skilled sniper. Regarding effective support/harassment fire ranges of up to 1,000 m (1,094 yd) were achievable. The German Zeiss Zielvier 4× (ZF39) telescopic sight had bullet drop compensation in 50 m (55 yd) increments for ranges from 100 to 800 m (109 to 875 yd) or in some variations from 100 to 1,000 m (109 to 1,094 yd). It
9090-433: A subconscious aid. The front sight of a shotgun is a small spherical "bead" attached to the muzzle , acts as a reference, while the "rear sight" is nothing more than a narrow longitudinal groove on the receiver and barrel rib . When shooting, aligning the rear groove with the front bead is not to be consciously considered, as it comprises only a rough reference allowing the shooter to use their natural point of aim to make
9292-425: A submachine gun. The smaller size and relative lighter weight of carbines makes them easier to handle in close-quarter situations such as urban engagements, when deploying from military vehicles, or in any situation where space is confined. The disadvantages of carbines relative to rifles include inferior long-range accuracy and a shorter effective range. These comparisons refer to carbines (short-barreled rifles) of
9494-525: A thin black oxide layer provides only minimal protection against rust or corrosion, unless also treated with a water-displacing oil to reduce wetting and galvanic corrosion . From 1944 onwards phosphating / Parkerizing was introduced as a more effective metal surface treatment. The impractical Langevisier or "rollercoaster" rear sight of the Mauser Gewehr 1898 was replaced with a conventional tangent leaf sight. The Karabiner 98k rear tangent sight
9696-482: A thin layer of mud or dirt applied to the sight will help kill the glare, as long as the coating is thin and consistent enough not to change the shape of the sights. Many target sights are designed with vertical or even undercut front sight blades, which reduces the angles at which light will produce glare off the sight—the downside of these sights is that they tend to snag on clothing, branches, and other materials, so they are common only on target guns. Sight hoods reduce
9898-399: A time, and the rear sight, front sight and target are all in separate planes, only one of those three planes can be in focus. Which plane is in focus depends on the type of sight, and one of the challenges to a shooter is to keep the focus on the correct plane to allow for best sight alignment. The general advice, however, is to focus on the front sight. Due to parallax , even a tiny error in
10100-434: A trench milled into the top strap of the frame, and the front sight is the to-be-expected blade. Certain handguns may have the rear sight mounted on a hoop-like bracket that straddles the slide. With typical blade- or post-type iron sights, the shooter would center the front sight's post in the notch of the rear sight and the tops of both sights should be level. Since the eye is only capable of focusing on one focal plane at
10302-641: A truck, armored personnel carrier , helicopter , or aircraft, and also when engaged in close-range combat. Based on the combat experience of World War II, the criteria used for selecting infantry weapons began to change. Unlike previous wars, which were often fought mainly from fixed lines and trenches, World War II was a highly mobile war, often fought in cities, forests, or other areas where mobility and visibility were restricted. In addition, improvements in artillery made moving infantry in open areas even less practical than it had been. The majority of enemy contacts were at ranges of less than 300 metres (330 yards), and
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#173279083457510504-868: A way that could potentially damage or distort the shape of the ring. Target aperture sights are designed for maximum precision. The rear sight element (often called " diopter ") is usually a large disk (up to 1 inch or 2.5 cm in diameter) with a small hole in the middle, of approximately 1.2 mm (0.047 in) or less, and is placed close to the shooter's eye. High end target diopters normally accept accessories like adjustable diopter aperture and optical filter systems to ensure optimal sighting conditions for match shooters. Typical modern target shooting diopters offer windage and elevation corrections in 2 mm (0.079 in) to 4 mm (0.157 in) increments at 100 m (109.4 yd). Some International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) (Olympic) shooting events require this precision level for sighting lines, since
10706-592: Is a growing tendency for carbines to be issued to front-line soldiers to offset the increasing weight of other issued equipment. An example of this is the M4 carbine , the standard issue carbine of the United States Armed Forces . The name comes from its first users — cavalry troopers called " carabiniers ", from the French carabine , from Old French carabin (soldier armed with a musket), whose origin
10908-460: Is a matte finish on the sights. Serrating or bead blasting the sight is a common solution for brightly finished sights, such as blued steel or stainless steel. Matte finishes such as parkerizing or matte black paint can also help. "Smoking" a sight by holding a match or cigarette lighter under the sight to deposit a fine layer of soot is a technique used by many shooters, and special soot-producing lighters are sold for use by competition shooters. Even
11110-443: Is available, the bead is placed in the "V" of the rear sight. Open sights have many advantages: they are very common, inexpensive to produce, uncomplicated to use, sturdy, lightweight, resistant to severe environmental conditions, and they do not require batteries. On the other hand, they are not as precise as other forms of sights, and are difficult or impossible to adjust. Open sights also take much more time to use—the buckhorn type
11312-457: Is considered by some to be the fastest type of aperture sight. It is fairly accurate, easy to use, and obscures the target less than nearly all other non-optical sights. Because of this, ghost ring sights are commonly installed on riot and combat shotguns and customized handguns , and they are also gaining ground as a backup sighting system on rifles . The ghost ring is a fairly recent innovation, and differs from traditional aperture sights in
11514-424: Is graduated for 7.92×57mm Mauser s.S. Patrone cartridges loaded with 12.8 g (197 gr) s.S. ( schweres Spitzgeschoß – "heavy pointed bullet") ball bullets from 100 to 2,000 m (109 to 2,187 yd) in 100 m (109 yd) increments. The sight line of early productions rifles have the ranging scale copied at the bottom of the tangent aiming element for setting the range whilst lying down. The Karabiner 98k has
11716-529: Is known as battle rifles and were a few inches shorter than the standard-issue rifles they replaced (22-inch (560 mm) barrel as opposed to 24 inches (610 mm) for the M1 Garand), although they were still full-powered rifles, with selective fire capability. These can be compared to the even shorter, less-powerful assault rifle, which might be considered the "carbine branch of weapons development", although indeed, there are now carbine variants of many of
11918-480: Is known as the 'point of aim' (POA) within their own field of view , which then gets pointed directly (i.e. aimed) at the target. The physical distance between the front and rear sights is known as the 'sight radius', the longer of which produces smaller angular errors when aiming. " Sighting in " is a process in which the sight axis is adjusted to intersect the trajectory of the bullet at a designated distance (typically at 100 yards / meters ), in order to produce
12120-438: Is much faster, and the wide spread of shots can allow an effective hit even if there is some aiming error. Some shotguns also provide a mid-bead , which is a smaller bead located halfway down the rib, which allows more feedback on barrel alignment. Some shotguns may also come equipped with rifle-style sights. These types of sights are typically found on shotguns intended for turkey hunting . Open sights generally are used where
12322-434: Is not comparable to US military methods for determining rifle accuracy. When the R 50 results are doubled the hit probability increases to 93.7%. The minimum accuracy acceptance standard for the Karabiner 98k was putting three out of five shots inside an 8 cm × 12 cm (3.1 in × 4.7 in) wide and high rectangle at a distance of 100 m (109.4 yd) during the factory zeroing ( Anschießen ) of
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#173279083457512524-424: Is provided by the correct and consistent positioning of the shooter's head. A brightly colored (generally the bead is made of a polished metal such as brass and silver , or a plastic fluorescent material, such as green and orange ) round bead is placed at the end of the barrel . Often, this bead will be placed along a raised, flat rib , which is usually ventilated to keep it cool and reduce mirage effects from
12726-727: Is the Korean War , where a number of these rifles were provided by the Soviet Union (along with Soviet-made small arms) to Chinese Communist forces to supplement their supply of Type Zhongzheng rifles. Both the Soviet-capture Kar98k rifle and the Chinese Type Zhongzheng rifle were used extensively by the People's Volunteer Army throughout the course of the Korean War. The Korean War would not be
12928-401: Is the inherent fragility of the moving parts. A fixed sight is a solid piece of metal, usually steel, and if firmly attached to the gun, little is going to be able to damage it beyond usefulness. Adjustable sights, on the other hand, are bulkier, and have parts that must move relative to the gun. Solid impact on an adjustable sight will usually knock it out of adjustment, if not knock it right off
13130-457: Is the pistol-caliber carbine. These first appeared soon after metallic cartridges became common. These were developed as "companions" to the popular revolvers of the day, firing the same cartridge but allowing more velocity and accuracy than the revolver. These were carried by cowboys , lawmen, and others in the Old West . The classic combination would be a Winchester lever-action carbine and
13332-433: Is the slowest, patridge, "U" and "V" type notch sights are only a bit quicker; only the express sight is relatively fast. In addition, open sights tend to block out the lower portion of the shooter's field of view by nature, and because of the depth of field limitations of the human eye, do not work as well for shooters with less than perfect vision. Among those utilizing shotguns for hunting of upland game , directing
13534-700: Is unclear. One theory connects it to an "ancient engine of war" called a calabre ; another connects it to Medieval Latin Calabrinus 'Calabrian'; yet another, less likely, to escarrabin , gravedigger, from the scarab beetle . In 1432, the Joseon dynasty under the reign of Sejong the Great introduced the world's first handgun , the chongtong ( 총통 ). The chongtong has a total length of 13.8 cm (5.4 in), an inner diameter of 0.9 cm (0.35 in), and an outer diameter of 1.4 cm (0.55 in). It
13736-467: The .30-06 M1 Garand, as is typical for most rifles and carbines, but it was a wholly different design, firing a smaller, less-powerful cartridge . The "M1" designates each as the first model in the new U.S. designation system, which no longer used the year of introduction but a sequential series of numbers starting at "1": the M1 carbine and M1 rifle . The United Kingdom developed a " jungle carbine " version of their Lee–Enfield service rifle, featuring
13938-542: The American West , who could carry a revolver and a carbine, both using the same ammunition. The Lee–Enfield cavalry carbine , a shortened version of the standard British Army infantry rifle was introduced in 1896, although it did not become the standard British cavalry weapon until 1903. In late 1918, France developed the Chauchat-Ribeyrolles for tank crews to defend themselves. Developed from
14140-589: The Apartheid era of South Africa and the Rhodesian Bush War / South African Border War , a semi-automatic-only pistol-calibre carbine based on submachine guns existed for civilian personal protection as land defence pistol s (LDP). Known examples were the Bell & White 84, BHS Rhogun, Cobra Mk1 , GM-16, Kommando LDP, Northwood R-76, Paramax, Sanna 77 and TS III. Some handguns used to come from
14342-531: The Austrian Army created and adopted the SSG 98k ( S charf s chützen g ewehr 98k , literally Sharpshooter Rifle 98k) in 1958 as their standard sniper rifle. Modifications and updates included rechambering to the at the time recently introduced 7.62×51mm NATO with new 600 mm (23.6 in) free floating barrels, sporterizing the original stock and adding a rubber Pachmayr recoil pad. The rechambering matched
14544-497: The EM-2 . They pressed for the U.S. to adopt it so it could become a NATO-standard round, but the U.S. insisted on retaining a full-power, .30 caliber round. This forced NATO to adopt the 7.62×51mm NATO round (which in reality is only slightly different ballistically from the .308 Winchester), to maintain commonality. The British eventually adopted the 7.62mm FN FAL , and the U.S. adopted the 7.62mm M14 rifle . These rifles are both what
14746-910: The East German Combat Groups of the Working Class ), and were replaced by Soviet weapons in the 1960s. During the Greek Civil War , the Greek pro-communist factions were equipped with large numbers of Kar 98k rifles, captured from the Germans or supplied by Yugoslavia. Later, during the Cyprus Emergency , the Cypriot EOKA smuggled several dozens of these rifles from Greece. East German refurbished Karabiner 98ks featured Russian-style thicker blue finish,
14948-699: The First Indochina War and Type Zhongzheng rifles provided by the People's Republic of China) were found in the hands of Viet Cong guerrillas and People's Army of Vietnam (NVA) soldiers by US, South Vietnamese, South Korean, Australian and New Zealand forces alongside Soviet-bloc rifles like the Mosin–Nagant, the SKS , and the AK-47 . In the years after World War II, several European nations on both sides of
15150-514: The Fusil Automatique Modèle 1917 , the stock was replaced with a pistol grip, and the barrel is significantly shorter at 340 mm (13 in) resulting in an overall length of 575 mm (22.6 in). In the decades following World War I, the standard battle rifle used by armies around the world had been growing shorter, either by redesign or by the general issue of carbine versions instead of full-length rifles. This move
15352-515: The Gewehrgranatengerät or Schiessbecher ("shooting cup") was introduced that was developed based on rifle grenade launcher models designed during World War I. The 30 mm Schiessbecher cup-type rifle grenade launcher could be mounted on any Karabiner 98k and was intended to replace all previous rifle grenade launcher models. The rifle grenade launcher could be used against infantry, fortifications and light armored vehicles up to
15554-533: The Karabiner 98a , G98/40 , StG 44 and FG 42 . Starting from 1941, the short 1.5× Zielfernrohr 41 (ZF41) long eye relief telescopic sight was fitted over the rear iron sight element to some Karabiner 98k rifles for designated marksman use. Adding the ZF41 to the rifle turned the Karabiner 98k essentially into an early somewhat big and heavy scout rifle , though that concept did not exist at that time. The ZF41
15756-642: The Kongsberg Våpenfabrikk Skarpskyttergevær M59 - Mauser M59 and Kongsberg Våpenfabrikk Skarpskyttergevær M67 - Mauser M67 designations. These rifles were used by the Norwegian armed forces up to the 2000s. Karabiner 98k rifles rechambered to .30-06 Springfield are still used by the Svalbard Global Seed Vault security guards mainly as a last resort against polar bear attack. In West Germany,
15958-484: The Mauser M98 system . Its internal magazine can be loaded with five 7.92×57mm Mauser cartridges from a stripper clip or one-by-one. After loading, the empty clip is ejected when the bolt is closed. The straight bolt handle found on the Gewehr 98 bolt was replaced by a turned-down bolt handle on the Karabiner 98k. This change made it easier to rapidly operate the bolt, reduced the amount the handle projected beyond
16160-563: The National Firearms Act ; this is currently being adjudicated by the courts. Under the National Firearms Act, firearms with shoulder stocks or originally manufactured as a rifle and barrels less than 16 in (410 mm) in length are classified as short-barreled rifles. Short-barreled rifles are restricted similarly to short-barreled shotguns , requiring a $ 200 tax paid prior to manufacture or transfer –
16362-546: The Sturmgewehr 44 , later translated as " assault rifle " (also frequently called "machine carbines" by Allied intelligence, a quite accurate assessment, in fact). Very shortly after World War II, the USSR adopted a similar weapon, the ubiquitous AK-47 , the first model in the famed Kalashnikov-series , which became the standard Soviet infantry weapon and which has been produced and exported in extremely large numbers up through
16564-551: The Union was the Spencer carbine , one of the first breechloading , repeating weapons. It had a spring-powered, removable tube magazine in the buttstock which held seven rounds and could be reloaded by inserting spare tubes. It was intended to give the cavalry a replacement weapon which could be fired from horseback without the need for awkward reloading after each shot – although it saw service mostly with dismounted troopers, as
16766-571: The Uzi carbine . In order to be sold legally in many countries, the barrel must meet a minimum length (16 inches (410 mm) in the United States). So the original submachine gun is given a legal-length barrel and made into a semi-automatic firearm, transforming it into a carbine. Though less common, pistol-caliber conversions of centerfire rifles like the AR-15 are commercially available. During
16968-508: The black powder used in muzzleloaders and early cartridges was not capable of propelling a bullet at high speed, these sights had very large ranges of vertical adjustments, often on the order of several degrees, allowing very long shots to be made accurately. The .45-70 cartridge, for example, was tested by the military for accuracy at ranges of up to 1,500 yards (1,372 metres), which required 3 1 ⁄ 3 degrees of elevation. Both ladder and tang sights folded down when not in use to reduce
17170-480: The experiences of World War I , prior to the outbreak of World War II the German military command believed sniper rifles with telescopic sights were not necessary due to military technology advances in connection with new resulting tactics. Partly for that reason, the Karabiner 98k was not designed for use with aiming optics and the German military did not standardize a particular telescopic sight or mounting system and fielded many variants of sniper rifles. Already in
17372-418: The saber often remained main weapon of such cavalry. Dragoons and other mounted infantry that dismounted for battles usually adopted standard infantry firearms, though some favored versions that were less encumbering when riding – something that could be arranged to hang clear of the rider's elbows and horse's legs. While more portable, carbines had the general disadvantages of less accuracy and power than
17574-412: The "V" of the notch. The semi-buckhorn is similar but has a wider gently curving notch with the more precise "V" at its center and is standard on classic Winchester and Marlin lever-action rifles. Express sights are most often used on heavy caliber rifles intended for the hunting of dangerous big game , and are in the form of a wide and large "V" with a heavy white contrast line marking its bottom and
17776-404: The "ghost ring" sight, whose thin ring blurs to near invisibility (hence "ghost"), to target aperture sights that use large disks or other occluders with pinhole-sized apertures. In general, the thicker the ring, the more precise the sight, and the thinner the ring, the faster the sight. The theory of operation behind the aperture sight is often stated that the human eye will automatically center
17978-528: The 16th century had infantry armed with firearms , prompting cavalry to do the same, even though reloading muzzle loading firearms while moving mounted was highly impractical. Some cavalry, such as the German Reiters , added one or more pistols, while other cavalry, such as harquebusiers , tried various shorter, lightened versions of the infantry arquebus weapons – the first carbines. But these weapons were still difficult to reload while mounted, and
18180-623: The AK-47 was put into service – was designated a carbine, even though its 20-inch (510 mm) barrel was significantly longer than the AK series' 16.3 inches (410 mm). This is because of the Kalashnikov's revolutionary nature, which altered the old paradigm. Compared to previous rifles, particularly the Soviets' initial attempts at semi-automatic rifles, such as the 24-inch (610 mm) SVT-40 ,
18382-558: The AK47 was produced by the millions and was standard-issue to all Soviet troops, as well as those of many other nations. The U.S. was slow to follow suit, insisting on retaining a full-power, 7.62×51mm NATO rifle, the M14 (although this was selective fire). In the 1950s, the British developed the .280 British , an intermediate cartridge, and a select-fire bullpup assault rifle to fire it,
18584-720: The Arab-Israeli conflict approached and the British Mandate set to expire, the Haganah and other Jewish forces in The British Mandate of Palestine tried to get hold of as many weapons as they could in the face of an arms embargo by British colonial authorities. One of the most important purchases was a secret January 14, 1948, $ 12,280,000 worth contract with Czechoslovak Government including 4,500 P-18 rifles, as well as 50,400,000 rounds of ammunition. Later,
18786-619: The Colt Commando was a bit longer, at 11.5 inches (290 mm). Neither was adopted as standard issue, although the U.S. did later adopt the somewhat longer M4 carbine, with a 14.5-inch (370 mm) barrel. In 1994, the U.S. had adopted the M4 carbine , a derivative of the M16 family which fired the same 5.56mm cartridge but was lighter and shorter (in overall length and barrel length), resulting in marginally reduced range and power, although offering better mobility and lighter weight to offset
18988-548: The German Wehrmacht . It was one of the final developments in the long line of Mauser military rifles. Although supplemented by semi-automatic and fully automatic rifles during World War II, the Karabiner 98k remained the primary German service rifle until the end of the war in 1945. Millions were captured by the Soviets at the conclusion of World War II and were widely distributed as military aid . The Karabiner 98k therefore continues to appear in conflicts across
19190-646: The German armed forces, the weapon was sold abroad in the years prior to World War II. In Portugal, a large quantity of Karabiner 98k rifles made by Mauser Werke were adopted as the Espingarda 7,92 mm m/937 Mauser infantry rifle. They were later used during the Portuguese Colonial War . Other pre-war exports of Karabiner 98ks were to China (an unknown number of rifles 1935 - 38), and 20,000 in 1937 to Japan. Exports of Karabiner 98ks decreased as war drew closer, as all available production capacity
19392-548: The Iron Curtain that were invaded and occupied by Nazi Germany used the Mauser Karabiner 98k rifle as their standard-issue infantry rifle, due to the large number of German weapons that were left behind by the Germans at the end of World War II. Nations like France and Norway used the Mauser Karabiner 98k rifle and other German weapons in the years after World War II. France produced a slightly modified version of
19594-918: The Kar 98k in the French occupation zone of Germany in the immediate post-war period. The new manufacture Kar 98ks equipped some French units that used them in Indochina for a limited time. Some of these rifles were also used by pro-French second-line units and Algerian independentists during Algerian War . French Police forces, the Paris Police Prefecture and the Compagnies Républicaines de Sécurité , used 98ks from 1945 to 1992, to fire lachrymator and smoke grenades . These rifles were also used by West German border guards. Norway's captured Karabiner 98k rifles were soon superseded as
19796-544: The Karabiner 98k were issued to the Bundesgrenzschutz (BGS; English: Federal Border Guard ), which was originally organized along paramilitary lines and armed as light infantry; in the 1950s. Former German Karabiner 98k rifles were widely distributed throughout the Eastern Bloc, some being refurbished two or three times by different factories. They were used by military and para-military forces (such as
19998-466: The M1 Garand rifle, and that it was intended for rear-area troops who could not be hindered with full-sized rifles but needed something more powerful and accurate than a Model 1911 pistol (although this did not stop soldiers from using them on the front line). Contrary to popular belief, and even what some books claim, in spite of both being designated "M1", the M1 carbine was not a shorter version of
20200-463: The M14 as the standard infantry weapon, although the M14 continued to be used by designated marksmen . Although at 20 inches (510 mm), the barrel of the M16 was shorter than that of the M14, it was still designated a "rifle" rather than a "carbine", and it was still longer than the AK-47, which used a 16-inch (410 mm) barrel. (The SKS – an interim, semi-automatic, weapon adopted a few years before
20402-845: The M44. When Spain began switching to the CETME automatic rifle, many M43 were converted to FR8 rifles for military training purposes and Guardia Civil service. A number of non-European nations used the Mauser Karabiner 98k rifle as well as a few guerrilla organizations in conflicts to establish new nation-states. Israel issued Mauser Karabiner 98k rifles from the late 1940s until the 1970s, which are today sought after by collectors. Many were acquired under Operation Balak . Many Jewish organizations in Mandatory Palestine acquired them from Europe after World War II to both defend themselves and carry out operations against Arabs and British forces in
20604-558: The Marine Corps emphasizes "every Marine a rifleman", the lighter carbine was considered a suitable compromise between a rifle and a pistol. Marines with restricted mobility such as vehicle operators, or a greater need for mobility such as squad leaders, were issued M4 carbines. In 2015, the Marine Corps approved the M4 carbine for standard issue to front-line Marines, replacing the M16A4 rifle. The rifles are issued to support troops while
20806-618: The Poland campaign, and especially in the Russian campaign, it became apparent that specialist snipers were urgently needed as substantial losses were suffered caused by enemy snipers. For snipers, Karabiner 98k rifles selected for being exceptionally accurate during factory tests were fitted with a telescopic sight and issued as sniper rifles . The sniper rifles with Zeiss Zielvier 4× (ZF39) telescopic sights were expected to be capable of head or chest shots up to 400 m (437 yd) and to hit
21008-639: The SKS was significantly shorter. The Kalashnikov altered traditional notions and ushered in a change in what was considered a "rifle" in military circles.) In 1974, shortly after the introduction of the 5.56mm NATO, the USSR began to issue a new Kalashnikov variant, the AK-74 , chambered in the small-bore 5.45×39mm cartridge, which was a standard 7.62×39mm necked down to take a smaller, lighter, faster bullet. It soon became standard issue in Soviet nations, although many of
21210-599: The United States did not change between the bolt-action M1903 rifle of World War I and the World War II M1 Garand rifle, because the 610 mm (24 in) barrel on the M1903 was still shorter than even the shortened versions of the Model 1891 and Gewehr 98. The U.S. M1 carbine was more of a traditional carbine in that it was significantly shorter and lighter, with a 450.9 mm (17.75 in) barrel, than
21412-526: The United States, and their magazines can be used in the Hi-Point C-9 pistol. Another example is the Kel-Tec SUB-2000 series chambered in either 9mm Parabellum or .40 S&W , which can be configured to accept Glock, Beretta, S&W, or SIG pistol magazines. The SUB-2000 also has the somewhat unusual (although not unique) ability to fold in half. The primary advantage of a carbine over
21614-551: The West in large numbers in the early and mid-2000s. Because of the lack of weapons after World War II, the Yugoslavian arms producer Crvena Zastava (Nowadays Zastava Arms ) refurbished German Karabiner 98k rifles that were left over or captured during the war. These rifles are readily identifiable as the German factory code markings have been scrubbed from the receiver and replaced with the Yugoslavian communist crest and
21816-542: The adoption in 1958 of the 7.62×51mm NATO Sturmgewehr 58 by the Austrian military. The SSG 98k was issued with the Kahles ZF 58 4×41 telescopic sight that could be quickly user detached and attached from their mounts, but retained iron sights for back up purposes. The ZF 58 optical sight featured a Bullet Drop Compensating (BDC) elevation turret tuned for the ballistic trajectory of the gun- cartridge combination with
22018-494: The angle of sight alignment results in a trajectory that diverges from the target on a trajectory directly relative to the distance from the target, causing the bullet to miss the target; for example, with a 10 meter air rifle shooter trying to hit the 10 ring, which is merely a 0.5 mm (0.020 in) diameter dot on the target at 10 m (33 ft) and with a 4.5 mm (0.18 in) diameter pellet , an error of only 0.2 mm (0.0079 in) in sight alignment can mean
22220-522: The aperture is too small, the boundary between the target and front aperture outline becomes indistinct, requiring the shooter to consciously or subconsciously generate small eye movements to measure the distance around the target. USA Shooting recommends a front aperture that creates at least 3 Minutes of Angle (MOA) of boundary space. In research performed by Precision Shooting, it was found that this increased shooter confidence, reduced hold times, and created more decisive shots. There may be an upper bound to
22422-455: The aperture's diameter is completely contained within the eye's pupil diameter, the exact visual location of the front sight post within the rear aperture ring does not affect the accuracy, and accuracy only starts to degrade slightly due to parallax shift as the aperture's diameter begins to encroach on the outside of the eye's pupil diameter. An additional benefit to aperture sights is that smaller apertures provide greater depth of field , making
22624-549: The assault rifles which had themselves seemed quite small and light when adopted. By the 1960s, after becoming involved in war in Vietnam, the U.S. did an abrupt about-face and decided to standardize on the intermediate 5.56×45mm round (based on the .223 Remington varmint cartridge ) fired from the new, lightweight M16 rifle , leaving NATO to hurry and catch up. Many of the NATO countries could not afford to re-equip so soon after
22826-459: The bottom of the bolt. Instead, two emergency gas relief holes were drilled and the bolt guide was omitted from the bolt body. It had fewer serial numbered parts, a phosphate metal surface finish, and a hole at the bottom end of the butt plate that replaced the stock disk. At least two transitional variants existed, which incorporated only some Kriegsmodell features, and some factories never switched to Kriegsmodell production at all. Despite
23028-438: The bullet exits the barrel results in substantially greater muzzle blast . Flash suppressors are a common, partial solution to this problem, although even the best flash suppressors are hard put to deal with the excess flash from the still-burning powder leaving the short barrel (and they also add several inches to the length of the barrel, diminishing the purpose of having a short barrel in the first place). The typical carbine
23230-417: The carbines go to the front-line Marines, in a reversal of the traditional roles of "rifles for the front line, carbines for the rear". Special forces need to perform fast, decisive operations, frequently airborne or boat-mounted. A pistol, though light and quick to operate, is viewed as not having enough power, firepower, or range. A submachine gun has selective fire, but firing a pistol cartridge and having
23432-424: The case of firearms, where the projectile follows a curved ballistic trajectory below the bore axis , the only way to ensure it will hit an intended target is by aiming at the precise point on the trajectory at that target's intended distance. To do that, the shooter aligns their line of sight with the front and rear sights, forming a consistent 'line of aim' (known as the 'sight axis') and in turn producing what
23634-417: The center of the target, bisecting the target vertically and horizontally. For a 6 o'clock hold, the front sight is positioned just below the target and centered horizontally. A 6 o'clock hold is only good for a known target size at a known distance and will not hold zero without user adjustment if these factors are varied. From the shooter's point of view, there should be a noticeable space between each side of
23836-423: The chance of damage to the sights. Ladder sights were mounted on the barrel, and could be used as sights in both the folded and unfolded states. Tang sights were mounted behind the action of the rifle, and provided a very long sight radius, and had to be unfolded for use, though rifles with tang sights often had open sights as well for close range use. Tang sights often had vernier scales , allowing adjustment down to
24038-564: The chances of snagging an undercut sight and are common on some types of rifles, particularly lever-action rifles, but they are prohibited in some shooting disciplines. While target shooters generally prefer a matte black finish to their sights, to reduce the chance of glare and increase the contrast between the sights and the light bars, black sights don't offer good visibility with dark targets or in low light conditions, such as those often encountered in hunting, military, or self-defense situations. A variety of different contrast enhancements to
24240-400: The conventional one-piece patterns, did not require lengthy maturing, and were cheaper. The laminated stocks were, due to their dense composite structure, somewhat heavier compared to one-piece stocks. In addition to the use of walnut and beech laminate, elm was used in small quantities. The butts of the semi-pistol grip Karabiner 98k stocks were not uniform. Until early 1940 the stocks had
24442-467: The earlier Karabiner 98b (the 98b was a carbine in name only, as it was in reality a version of the Gewehr 98 long rifle designated a carbine to adhere to the Treaty of Versailles; the 98b was additionally fitted with a tangent rear sight rather than the more claustrophobic "Lange" ramp sight), the new rifle was given the designation Karabiner 98 kurz , meaning "Carbine 98 Short". Just like its predecessor,
24644-404: The early years of World War II. Many German soldiers used the verbal expression "Kars" as the slang name for the rifle. Sweden ordered 5,000 Karabiner 98ks that were provided from the regular production run in 1939 for use as light anti-tank rifles under the designation gevär m/39 (rifle m/39) but it was soon evident that the penetration offered by the 7.92×57mm Mauser was inadequate and thus
24846-543: The end of the war in 1945, more than 100,000 ZF41 sights had been produced, the largest production of German optical sights during the war. A removable, muzzle-mounted HUB-23 suppressor , visually resembling the Schießbecher, was manufactured for the Karabiner 98k. After several suppressor proposals from the firearms industry and the SS-Waffenakademie (SS Weapons Academy), the HUB-23 was produced based on
25048-405: The enemy was exposed to fire for only short periods of time as they moved from cover to cover. Most rounds fired were not aimed at an enemy combatant but instead fired in the enemy's direction to keep them from moving and from firing back . These situations did not require a heavy rifle, firing full-power rifle bullets with long-range accuracy. A less-powerful weapon would still produce casualties at
25250-406: The extreme thinness of the rear ring and the slightly thicker front sight. The thin ring minimizes the occlusion of the target, while the thicker front post makes it easy to find quickly. Factory Mossberg ghost ring sights also have thick steel plates on either side of the extremely thin ring. These are to protect the sight's integrity in cases where, if the shotgun were to fall and impact a surface in
25452-415: The factory with mounting lugs for a shoulder stock, notably including the "Broomhandle" Mauser C96 , Luger P.08 , and Browning Hi-Power . In the case of the first two, the pistol could come with a hollow wooden stock that doubled as a holster. Carbine conversion kits are commercially available for many other pistols, including M1911 , and most Glocks . These can either be simple shoulder stocks fitted to
25654-446: The final score of the top competitors last shots series is expressed in tenths of scoring ring points. The complementing front sight element may be a simple bead or post, but is more often a " globe "-type sight, which consists of a cylinder with a threaded cap, which allows differently shaped removable front sight elements to be used. Most common are posts of varying widths and heights or rings of varying diameter—these can be chosen by
25856-425: The front aperture size that improves performance, however. In 2013, researchers performed experiments with the game of golf, specifically the skill of putting which is another skill that combines visual alignment with motor skills. They found that by manipulating the perceived size of the target (the golf hole) by surrounding it with concentric rings of various sizes, there was a phenomenon that improved performance when
26058-405: The front sight and the edges of the notch; the spaces are called light bars , and the brightness of the light bars provides the shooter feedback as to the alignment of the post in the notch. Vertical alignment is done by lining up the top of the front post with the top of the rear sight, or by placing the bead just above the bottom of the V or U-notch. If the post is not centered in the V or U notch,
26260-412: The front sight can increase the apparent brightness of the light bar on one side of the sight, causing windage errors in aiming, or lower the apparent height of the front sight, causing elevation errors in aiming. Since the direction of the ambient light is rarely constant for a shooter, the resulting changing glare can significantly affect the point of aim. The most common solution to the problem of glare
26462-451: The front sight when looking through the rear aperture, thus ensuring accuracy. However, aperture sights are accurate even if the front sight is not centered in the rear aperture due to a phenomenon called parallax suppression. This is because, when the aperture is smaller than the eye's pupil diameter, the aperture itself becomes the entrance pupil for the entire optical system of target, front sight post, rear aperture, and eye. As long as
26664-530: The frontier provinces starting in June 1437. The chongtong was used by soldiers of different units and civilians, including women and children, as a personal defense weapon. The gun was notably used by chetamja ( 체탐자 , special reconnaissance), whose mission was to infiltrate enemy territory , and by carabiniers carrying multiple guns, who benefited from its compact size. The carbine was originally developed for cavalry . The start of early modern warfare about
26866-532: The gevär m/39 were rechambered to the 8×63mm patron m/32 , which was a more powerful 8 mm cartridge specifically designed for long-range machinegun fire. Accordingly, the Karabiner 98ks were rechambered in Sweden for the 8×63mm patron m/32 and the internal box magazine of the M 98 system was adapted to match the dimensionally larger 8×63mm patron m/32 cartridge, reducing the capacity to 4 rounds and accepted into service as pansarvärnsgevär m/40 . A muzzle brake
27068-447: The gun. Because of this, guns for self defense or military use either have fixed sights, or sights with "wings" on the sides for protection (such as those on the M4 carbine). Iron sights used for hunting guns tend to be a compromise. They will be adjustable, but only with tools—generally either a small screwdriver or an allen wrench . They will be compact and heavily built, and designed to lock securely into position. Target sights, on
27270-402: The hood is circular, then this provides a reference where the eye will naturally align one within the other. In the case of handguns , the rear sight will be mounted on the frame (for revolvers , derringers , and single-shots ) or on the slide (for semi-automatic pistols ). Exceptions are possible depending on the type of handgun, e.g. the rear sight on a snub-nose revolver is typically
27472-726: The image through an aperture sight is darker than with an open sight. These sights are used on target rifles of several disciplines and on several military rifles such as the Pattern 1914 Enfield and M1917 Enfield , M1 Garand , the No. 4 series Lee–Enfields , M14 rifle , Stgw 57 , G3 and the M16 series of weapons along with several others. Rifle aperture sights for military combat or hunting arms are not designed for maximal attainable precision like target aperture sights, as these must be usable under suboptimal field conditions. The ghost ring sight
27674-481: The late 19th century was artillery carbine . As the rifled musket replaced the smoothbore firearms for infantry in the mid 19th century, carbine versions were also developed; this was often developed separately from the infantry rifles and, in many cases, did not even use the same ammunition, which made for supply difficulties. A notable weapon developed towards the end of the American Civil War by
27876-595: The left side of the receiver. The Soviet arsenals made no effort to match the rifle's original parts by serial number when reassembling them, and some metal parts (the cleaning rod, sight hood, and locking screws) were omitted after rebuilding, and instead were melted down and recycled, presumably with the other parts that weren't suitable for re-use. Many of these rifles (along with the Mosin–Nagant rifle) served in conflicts after World War II. One example of Soviet-captured Mauser Kar98k rifles being used in post-WWII conflicts
28078-434: The longer guns of the infantry. During Napoleonic warfare , pistol and carbine-armed cavalry generally transitioned into traditional melee cavalry or dragoons. Carbines found increased use outside of standard cavalry and infantry, such as support and artillery troops, who might need to defend themselves from attack but would be hindered by keeping full-sized weapons with them continuously; a common title for many short rifles in
28280-619: The main infantry rifle of the Wehrmacht until the end of the war, and about between 900 thousand and 2 million of them were produced annually. Resistance forces in German-occupied Europe made frequent use of captured German Karabiner 98k rifles. The Soviet Union also made extensive use of captured Karabiner 98k rifles and other German infantry weapons due to the Red Army experiencing a critical shortage of small arms during
28482-421: The majority of shooters find the vertical alignment is more precise than other open sights. V-notch and U-notch sights are a variant of the patridge which substitute a V- or U-shaped rear notch. Other common open sight types include the buckhorn , semi-buckhorn , and express . Buckhorn sights have extensions protruding from either side of the rear sight forming a large ring which almost meets directly above
28684-528: The marking "Preduzeće 44" on the receiver's ring. In addition to this, if the refurbishment took place after 1950, the marking "/48" was added to the "Mod. 98" originally present on the left side of the receiver, becoming "Mod. 98/48". The refurbished rifles were known also as Zastava M 98/48 . The refurbished Prеduzeće 44 Karabiner 98k rifles were still being used in the Yugoslav Wars of the 1990s. By modifying and accurizing surplus Karabiner 98K rifles,
28886-443: The nations with export Kalashnikovs retained the larger 7.62×39mm round. In 1995, the People's Republic of China adopted a new 5.8×42mm cartridge to match the modern trend in military ammunition, replacing the previous 7.62×39mm and 5.45×39mm round as standard. Later, even lighter carbine variants of many of these short-barreled assault rifles came to be adopted as the standard infantry weapon. In much modern tactical thinking, only
29088-435: The natural ability of the eye and brain to easily align concentric circles. Even for the maximum precision, there should still be a significant area of white visible around the bullseye and between the front and rear sight ring (if a front ring is being used). Since the best key to determining center is the amount of light passing through the apertures, a narrow, dim ring of light can actually be more difficult to work with than
29290-738: The newly established Israel Defense Forces ordered more Mauser Karabiner 98k rifles, produced this time by Fabrique Nationale. These have Israeli and Belgian markings on the rifle as well as the emblem of the IDF on the top of the rifle's receiver. The FN-made Karabiner 98k rifles with the IDF markings and emblem on the rifle were produced and sold to Israel after it established itself as an independent nation in 1948. At some point, Israel converted all other Mauser 98-pattern rifles in their inventory (most commonly Czechoslovak vz. 24 rifles, but small numbers of contract Mausers from sources ranging from Ethiopia to Mexico were also known to have come into Israeli hands) to
29492-801: The now standardized Karabiner 98k configuration. The original receiver markings of these conversions were not altered, making it easy for collectors to identify their origin. The Israeli Karabiner 98k utilized the same bayonet design as in German service, with a barrel ring added. Swedish Gevär m/40 rifles were converted to the 7.92×57mm Mauser round. The Israeli bayonets were a mix of converted German production and domestically produced examples. Carbine The smaller size and lighter weight of carbines make them easier to handle. They are typically issued to high-mobility troops such as special operations soldiers and paratroopers , as well as to mounted, artillery , logistics, or other non- infantry personnel whose roles do not require full-sized rifles, although there
29694-407: The only conflict where Soviet-capture Kar98k rifles and WWII German small arms were provided to the allies of the Soviet Union. The Vietnam War would become another example with Soviet-capture Mauser Karabiner 98k rifles being provided to North Vietnam by the USSR as military aid. Many Soviet-capture Karabiner 98k rifles (as well as some Karabiner 98k rifles that were left behind by the French after
29896-413: The only way to reduce the burden on the modern soldier was to equip them with a smaller, lighter weapon. Also, modern soldiers rely a great deal on vehicles and helicopters to transport them around the battle area, and a longer weapon can be a serious hindrance to entering and exiting these vehicles. Development of lighter assault rifles continued, matched by developments in even lighter carbines. In spite of
30098-407: The other hand, are much bulkier and easier to adjust. They generally have large knobs to control horizontal and vertical movement without tools, and often they are designed to be quickly and easily detachable from the gun so they can be stored separately in their own protective case. The most common is a rear sight that adjusts in both directions, though military rifles often have a tangent sight in
30300-504: The present day. Although the United States had developed the M2 carbine, a selective-fire version of the M1 carbine during WW2, the .30 carbine cartridge was closer to a pistol round in power, making it more of a submachine gun than an assault rifle. It was also adopted only in very small numbers and issued to few troops (the semi-automatic M1 carbine was produced in a 10-to-1 ratio to the M2), while
30502-535: The propellant having more time to burn. However, loss in bullet velocity can happen where the propellant is utilised before the bullet reaches the muzzle, combined with the friction from the barrel on the bullet. As long guns, pistol-caliber carbines may be less legally restricted than handguns in some jurisdictions. Compared to carbines chambered in intermediate or rifle calibers, such as .223 Remington and 7.62×54mmR , pistol-caliber carbines generally experience less of an increase in external ballistic properties as
30704-418: The provisions of the National Firearms Act." Machine guns , as their own class of firearm, are not subject to requirements of other class firearms. Distinct from simple shoulder stock kits, full carbine conversion kits are not classified as short-barreled rifles. By replacing the pistol barrel with one at least 16 in (410 mm) in length and having an overall length of at least 26 in (660 mm),
30906-411: The rear sight is at significant distance from the shooter's eye. They provide minimum occlusion of the shooter's view, but at the expense of precision. Open sights generally use either a square post or a bead on a post for a front sight. To use the sight, the post or bead is positioned both vertically and horizontally in the center of the rear sight notch. For a center hold, the front sight is positioned on
31108-437: The rear, which a slider on the rear sight has pre-calibrated elevation adjustments for different ranges. With tangent sights, the rear sight is often used to adjust the elevation, and the front the windage. The M16A2 later M16 series rifles have a dial adjustable range calibrated rear sight, and use an elevation adjustable front sight to "zero" the rifle at a given range. The rear sight is used for windage adjustment and to change
31310-400: The receiver, and enabled mounting of aiming optics directly above the receiver . Each rifle was furnished with a short length of cleaning rod, fitted through the bayonet stud. The joined rods from 3 rifles provided one full-length cleaning rod. The metal parts of the rifle were blued , a process in which steel is partially protected against rust by a layer of magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 ). Such
31512-410: The recent 7.62mm standardization, leaving them armed with full-power 7.62mm battle rifles for some decades afterwards, although by this point, the 5.56mm has been adopted by almost all NATO countries and many non-NATO nations as well. This 5.56mm NATO round was even lighter and smaller than the Soviet 7.62×39mm AK-47 cartridge but possessed higher velocity. In U.S. service, the M16 assault rifle replaced
31714-423: The recoil of full-power rifle cartridges caused the weapon to be uncontrollable in full-automatic fire. They then developed an intermediate-power cartridge round, which was accomplished by reducing the power and the length of the standard 7.92×57mm Mauser rifle cartridge to create the 7.92×33mm kurz (short) cartridge. A selective-fire weapon was developed to fire this shorter cartridge, eventually resulting in
31916-760: The region. The Haganah , which later evolved into the modern-day Israel Defense Forces , was one of the Jewish armed groups in Palestine that brought large numbers of Mauser Karabiner 98k rifles and other surplus arms (namely the British Lee–Enfield bolt-action rifle, which was used on a large scale by these groups) and the Mosin–Nagant from Europe after World War II. Many, though not all, Israeli-used German surplus Mauser Karabiner 98k rifles have had their Nazi Waffenamt markings and emblems stamped over with Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Hebrew arsenal markings. As
32118-734: The rifle between the attempts. If a rifle did not pass the first test firing submission, the unsatisfactory target was kept to compare it to the second test firing submission. Many of the liberated European countries continued production of rifles similar to the Karabiner 98k, for example Fabrique Nationale (FN) in Belgium and Česká Zbrojovka (CZ) in Czechoslovakia produced both their proprietary older models and brand new Karabiner 98k rifles, many of which were assembled from leftover German parts or using captured machinery. As with post-Nazi occupation service post-war production of derivatives
32320-529: The rifle was noted for its reliability, safety and an effective range of up to 500 metres (550 yd) with iron sights and 1,000 metres (1,090 yd) with an 8× telescopic sight . The desire for adopting new shorter barreled rifles and the introduction of the Karabiner 98k, featuring a 600 mm (23.62 in) long barrel, were reasons for changing the standard German service ball rifle cartridge. The 1903 pattern 7.92×57mm Mauser S Patrone produced excessive muzzle flash when fired from arms that did not have
32522-410: The round's velocity and external ballistics and thus its trajectory and point of impact. Sight adjustments are orthogonal , so the windage can be adjusted without impacting the elevation, and vice versa. If the firearm is held canted instead of level when fired, the adjustments are no longer orthogonal, so it is essential to keep the firearm level for best accuracy. The downside to adjustable sights
32724-504: The safety operating lever or using an offset mounting to position the telescopic sight axis to the left side in relation to the receiver center axis. A common minor modification was replacing the stock buttplate with a waffled anti-slip "sniper" buttplate. Approximately 132,000 Karabiner 98k sniper rifles were produced by Germany. Experimental versions of the Karabiner 98k intended for the German paratroopers that could be transported in shortened modes were produced. The standard Karabiner 98k
32926-460: The same sight picture , known as cowitnessing , as the primary optical sights. Fixed sights are sights that are not adjustable. For instance, on many revolvers , the rear sight consists of a fixed sight that is a groove milled into the top of the gun's receiver. Adjustable sights are designed to be adjustable for different ranges, for the effect of wind , or to compensate for varying cartridge bullet weights or propellant loadings , which alter
33128-448: The same caliber, and the (discontinued) Marlin Camp carbine , which, in .45 ACP , used M1911 magazines. The Ruger Model 44 and Ruger Deerfield carbine were both carbines chambered in .44 Magnum. The Beretta Cx4 Storm shares magazines with many Beretta pistols and is designed to be complementary to the Beretta Px4 Storm pistol. The Hi-Point 995TS are popular, economical and reliable alternatives to other pistol caliber carbines in
33330-451: The same power and class as the regular full-sized rifles. Compared to submachine guns, carbines have a greater effective range and are capable of penetrating helmets and body armor when used with armor-piercing ammunition . However, submachine guns are still used by military special forces and police SWAT teams for close quarters battle because they are "a pistol caliber weapon that's easy to control, and less likely to over-penetrate
33532-650: The shooter for the best fit to the target being used. Tinted transparent plastic insert elements may also be used, with a hole in the middle; these work the same way as an opaque ring, but provide a less obstructed view of the target. High end target front sight tunnels normally also accept accessories like adjustable aperture and optical systems to ensure optimal sighting conditions for match shooters. Some high end target sight line manufacturers also offer front sights with integrated aperture mechanisms. The use of round rear and front sighting elements for aiming at round targets, like used in ISSF match shooting, takes advantage of
33734-402: The short barrels of the new assault rifles, carbine variants like the 5.45×39mm AKS-74U and Colt Commando were being developed for use when mobility was essential and a submachine gun was not sufficiently powerful. The AKS-74U featured an extremely short 8.1-inch (210 mm) barrel which necessitated redesigning and shortening the gas-piston and integrating front sights onto the gas tube;
33936-459: The shorter barrel, which when coupled with the typical small, lightweight bullets, causes effectiveness to be diminished; a 5.56mm gets its lethality from its high velocity, and when fired from the 14.5-inch (370 mm) M4 carbine, its power, penetration, and range are diminished. Thus, there has been a move towards adopting a slightly more powerful cartridge tailored for high performance from both long and short barrels. The U.S. has experimented with
34138-430: The shorter ranges encountered in actual combat, and the reduced recoil would allow more shots to be fired in the short amount of time an enemy was visible. The lower-powered round would also weigh less, allowing a soldier to carry more ammunition. With no need of a long barrel to fire full-power ammunition, a shorter barrel could be used. A shorter barrel made the weapon weigh less, was easier to handle in tight spaces, and
34340-439: The shot will not be accurate. If the post extends over the V or U-notch it will result in a high shot. If the post does not reach the top of the V or U-notch it will result in a low shot. Patridge sights, named after inventor E. E. Patridge, a 19th-century American sportsman, consist of a square or rectangular post and a flat-bottomed square notch and are the most common form of open sights, being preferred for target shooting, as
34542-449: The shot. In the tactical environment, where targets aren't moving across the visual field as quickly, sights do have a role. For many, a fiberoptic front sight is the preferred sighting reference in conjunction with a rear leaf. In this instance, the shotgun is used more like a rifle, allowing intentionally aimed shots. Some even equip their shotguns with open or aperture sights akin to a rifle. Many shotgun bead sights are designed for
34744-433: The sight axis (which is a straight line) and the projectile trajectory (which is a parabolic curve) must be within the same vertical plane to have any chance of intersecting, it will be very difficult to shoot accurately if the sights are not perpendicularly above the gun barrel (a situation known as canting ) when aiming or sighting-in. Rear sights on long guns (such as rifles and carbines ) are usually mounted on
34946-414: The sight line and firing test with no marking or observation between rounds. If a fired round touched the edge of the rectangle it was considered inside. All five shots had to be inside a 12 cm (4.7 in) circle at 100 m (109.4 yd), which translates into 4.1 MOA as the minimum standard. The rifle manufacturer had two attempts to pass the accuracy acceptance standard and was allowed to correct
35148-433: The sights for elevation or windage . On many firearms it is the rear sight that is adjustable. For precision shooting applications such as varminting or sniping , the iron sights are usually replaced by a telescopic sight . Iron sights may still be fitted alongside other sighting devices (or in the case of some models of optics, incorporated integrally) for back-up usage, if the primary sights are damaged or lost. In
35350-460: The tactical situation at hand, and are therefore referred to as backup iron sights (BUIS). Backup sights are usually mounted via Rail Integration Systems (most often Picatinny rails ) in tandem with optical aiming devices, although "offset" BUISs that are mounted obliquely from the bore axis also exist. When used with non-magnifying optics (e.g. reflex or holographic sights ), the flip-up rear and front elements often are designed to appear in
35552-596: The target has been created. Front sights vary in design but are often a small post, bead, ramp, or ring. There are two main types of rear iron sight: 'open sights', which use an unenclosed notch, and 'aperture sights', which use a circular hole. Nearly all handguns, as well as most civilian, hunting, and police long guns , feature open sights. By contrast, many military service rifles employ aperture sights. The earliest and simplest iron sights were fixed and could not be easily adjusted. Many modern iron sights are designed to be adjustable for sighting in firearms by adjusting
35754-405: The target less blurry when focusing on the front sight. In low light conditions the parallax suppression phenomenon is markedly better. The depth of field looking through the sight remains the same as in bright conditions. This is in contrast to open sights, where the eye's pupil will become wider in low light conditions, meaning a larger aperture and a blurrier target. The downside to this is that
35956-422: The target was surrounded by smaller circles thereby increasing its perceived size. They found that when the target was perceived as larger, performance increased. Aperture sights on military rifles use a larger aperture with a thinner ring, and generally a simple post front sight. Rifles from the late 19th century often featured one of two types of aperture sight called a " tang sight " or a "ladder sight". Since
36158-944: The target." Also, carbines are harder to maneuver in tight encounters where superior range and stopping power at distance are not great considerations. Firing the same ammunition as standard-issue rifles or pistols gives carbines the advantage of standardization over those personal defense weapons that require proprietary cartridges . The modern usage of the term carbine covers much the same scope as it always had, namely lighter weapons (generally rifles) with barrels up to 20 inches (510 mm) in length. These weapons can be considered carbines, while rifles with barrels longer than 20 inches (510 mm) are generally not considered carbines unless specifically named so. Conversely, many rifles have barrels shorter than 20 inches, yet are not considered carbines. The AK series rifles has an almost universal barrel length of 16.3 inches (410 mm), well within carbine territory, yet has always been considered
36360-474: The trenches and merely proved a hindrance to the soldiers. Examples include the Russian Model 1891 rifle , originally with an 800 mm (31 in) barrel, later shortened to 730 mm (29 in) in 1930, and to 510 mm (20 in) in 1938, the German Mauser Gewehr 98 rifles went from 740 mm (29 in) in 1898 to 600 mm (24 in) in 1935 as the Karabiner 98k (K98k or Kar98k), or "short carbine". The barrel lengths in rifles used by
36562-443: The war. Within the Karabiner 98k effective range the external ballistic behavior of these rounds were practically identical to s.S. ammunition, so the iron sight line range graduation could be retained. Early Karabiner 98k rifles had solid one-piece stocks . From 1937 onwards, the rifles had laminated stocks , the result of trials that had stretched through the 1930s. Plywood laminates are stronger and resisted warping better than
36764-499: The wars from Fabrique Nationale called the Model 1948 , which differed from the German rifle in that it had the shorter bolt-action of the Yugoslav M1924 series of rifles (not to be confused with the widely distributed Czech Vz 24, which had a standard length action), a thicker barrel profile (Yugoslavia had low chromium iron ore deposits, so they could not produce steel as hardened as the Krupp or Swedish steel used in other variants, and made up for it in adding extra material), and
36966-417: The weapon's bore axis : a 'rear sight' nearer (or 'proximal') to the shooter's eye, and a 'front sight' farther forward (or 'distal') near the muzzle . During aiming, the shooter aligns their line of sight past a gap at the center of the rear sight and towards the top edge of the front sight. When the shooter's line of sight, the iron sights, and target are all aligned, a 'line of aim' that points straight at
37168-415: The weight of equipment and armor that a modern soldier has to carry. In spite of the benefits of the modern carbine, many armies are experiencing a certain backlash against the universal equipping of soldiers with carbines and lighter rifles in general, and are equipping selected soldiers, usually designated marksmen, with higher-powered rifles. Another problem comes from the loss of muzzle velocity caused by
37370-404: The world as they are taken out of storage during times of strife. In February 1934, the Heereswaffenamt (Army Weapons Agency) ordered the adoption of a new military rifle. The Karabiner 98k was derived from earlier rifles, namely the Mauser Standardmodell of 1924 and the Karabiner 98b, which in turn had both been developed from the Gewehr 98 . Since the Karabiner 98k rifle was shorter than
37572-436: The zero range. While iron sights are very simple, that simplicity also leads to a staggering variety of different implementations. In addition to the purely geometric considerations of the front blade and rear notch, there are some factors that need to be considered when choosing a set of iron sights for a particular purpose. Glare, particularly from the front sight, can be a significant problem with iron sights. The glare from
37774-481: Was a stop-gap solution until enough numbers of more modern automatic rifles could be developed and produced. The vast majority of the 98k pattern rifles were soon stored as reserve weapons or given for very low prices to various fledgling states or rebel movements throughout the developing world. For instance, between 1950 and 1952, a hybrid of Kar 98k and Vz 24 was produced by Zbrojovka Brno for Bolivia , as Fusil Modelo Boliviano Serie B-50 . Both FN and CZ utilized
37976-425: Was a variant of the Karabiner 98k with a straight bolt handle, no front sight guard and a handle groove in the front stock much like the earlier Reichspostgewehr . It was chambered in 7.92×57mm Mauser calibre. It was the standard rifle of the Spanish units during the Ifni War . Some were rebuilt from Gewehr 98 or Republican wz. 29 rifles. The Spanish Air Force had a slightly modified version with front sight guards,
38178-437: Was adopted. The following table lists minimum expected accuracy statistics for typical in service Karabiner 98k rifles firing s.S. Patrone ball service ammunition. The statistics were computed under the 1930s German method for determining accuracy, which is more complex than Western methods which usually involve firing a group of shots and then measuring the overall diameter of the group. The German method differs in that after
38380-478: Was also officially called a carbine. The original Sterling semi-auto would be classed a short-barrel rifle under the U.S. National Firearms Act, but fully legal long-barrel versions of the Sterling have been made for the U.S. collector market. Iron sight Iron sights are a system of physical alignment markers used as a sighting device to assist the accurate aiming of ranged weapons such as firearms , airguns , crossbows , and bows , or less commonly as
38582-654: Was comparatively flatter and did not obstruct the view to the sides during aiming as the Langevisier . Originally, the Karabiner 98k iron sight line had an open-pointed-post-type (barleycorn) front sight, and a tangent-type rear sight with a V-shaped rear notch. From 1939 onwards the post front sight was hooded to reduce glare under unfavourable light conditions and add protection for the post. These standard sight lines consisted of somewhat coarse aiming elements, making it suitable for rough field handling, aiming at distant area fire targets and low-light usage, but less suitable for precise aiming at distant or small point targets. It
38784-444: Was designed to be used with an S84/98 III bayonet . The S84/98 III had a blade length of 252 mm (9.9 in) and an overall length of 385 mm (15.2 in) and was accompanied by a bayonet frog. The Seitengewehr 42 or SG 42 was a shorter multi tool combat knife that could also be mounted as a bayonet on the Karabiner 98k rifle. The SG 42 was issued in small numbers. In 1942, an attachable rifle grenade launcher called
38986-430: Was easier to shoulder quickly to fire a shot at an unexpected target. Full-automatic fire was also considered a desirable feature, allowing the soldier to fire short bursts of three to five rounds, increasing the probability of a hit on a moving target. The Germans had experimented with selective-fire carbines firing rifle cartridges during the early years of World War II. These were determined to be less than ideal, as
39188-436: Was held by the cheolheumja ( 철흠자 , "iron tong-handle"), which allows a quick change of barrel for the next shot, and fired chasejeon ( Korean : 차세전 ; Hanja : 次細箭 ; a contemporary type of standardized bolt ) with a maximum fatal range of around 250 metres (820 ft). Initially, Joseon considered the gun a failure due to its short effective range, but the chongtong quickly saw use after fielding to
39390-500: Was in fact the first attempt to provide the ordinary infantryman with a rifle capable of being used for sharpshooting. Early production ZF41 were matched, zeroed and fitted on Karabiner 98k rifles selected for being exceptionally accurate at the factory before issue. After the development of a field replaceable mount the ZF41 sights were issued to be mounted on random Karabiner 98k rifles by field armorers. This led to an inevitable reduction in accuracy in lots of these field fitted rifles. By
39592-433: Was initiated by the U.S. Model 1903 Springfield , which was originally produced in 1907 with a short 610 mm (24 in) barrel, providing a short rifle that was longer than a carbine but shorter than a typical rifle, so it could be issued to all troops without need for separate versions. Other nations followed suit after World War I, when they learned that their traditional long-barreled rifles provided little benefit in
39794-525: Was installed to reduce the excessive free recoil , and the resulting weapon was designated gevär m/40 in Swedish service. They were however also found to be unsatisfactory and were soon withdrawn from service, and sold off after WW II. During World War II, the Soviet Union captured millions of Mauser Karabiner 98k rifles and re-furbished them in various arms factories in the late 1940s and early 1950s. These rifles, referred to by collectors as RC ("Russian Capture") Mausers, can be identified by an "X" stamp on
39996-573: Was needed to equip the German Armed Forces. The Mauser Karabiner 98k rifle was widely used by all branches of the armed forces of Germany during World War II . It saw action in every theatre of war involving German forces, including occupied Europe, North Africa, the Soviet Union, Finland, and Norway. Although comparable to the weapons fielded by Germany's enemies at the beginning of the War, its disadvantages in rate of fire became more apparent as American and Soviet armies began to field more semi-automatic weapons among their troops. Still, it continued to be
40198-402: Was not windage adjustable. There were also Zeiss Zielsechs 6× and Zielacht 8× telescopic sights and sights by various other manufacturers like the Ajack 4× and 6×, Hensoldt Dialytan 4×, Kahles Heliavier 4× and Opticotechna Dialytan 4× with similar features employed on Karabiner 98k sniper rifles. Several different mountings produced by various manufacturers were used. Attaching telescopic sights to
40400-420: Was stamped on the receiver ring instead of a letter suffix after 1935. The numeric codes were: The "S/" prefix was dropped and letters were used for location codes beginning in 1937, although some manufacturers retained the numeric codes past that date. The letter codes were: Combined production by multiple manufacturers are indicated by two codes separated by a slash. Though most Karabiner 98k rifles went to
40602-413: Was too long to be carried in a parachute drop. However, the German paratroopers made only limited combat drops after the 1941 Battle of Crete ; there was therefore little need for these rifles. Specimens with folding stocks ( Klappschaft ) and with detachable barrels ( Abnehmbarer Lauf ) are known to have been produced at Mauser Oberndorf. The G40k with a total length of 1,000 mm (39.37 in) and
40804-436: Was typical of cavalry weapons during that war. In the late 19th century, it became common for a number of nations to make bolt-action rifles in both full-length and carbine versions. One of the most popular and recognizable carbines were the lever-action Winchester carbines , with several versions available firing revolver cartridges. This made it an ideal choice for cowboys and explorers, as well as other inhabitants of
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