Mauser Kar98
R I F F L E S
Caliber
8x57JS
In Service
1935-present
Type
R I F F L E S
About this weapon
The Mauser Kar98k (Karabiner 98 kurz) is a short, rugged bolt-action rifle adopted by Germany in 1935 as the standard service rifle. Chambered in 7.92×57mm Mauser, it combined proven Mauser bolt-action engineering with a shorter, more manoeuvrable carbine length ideal for infantry, mountain troops and armoured crews. Renowned for its accuracy, strong Mauser action and five-round stripper-clip reload, the Kar98k was the backbone of the Wehrmacht through World War II and later turned up worldwide in surplus arsenals. Its simple, durable design made it easy to maintain in trenches, deserts and forests — a historic tool of 20th-century warfare that still feels remarkably tactile today. Trying a Kar98k at Churchill Shooting Budapest lets you hold the same kind of rifle seen in classic war films and re-enactments — a deeply cinematic, hands-on history lesson and one of the most memorable daytime activities in Budapest. If you want a historic piece that smells of oil, steel and cinema, the Kar98k is an unforgettable thing to do in Budapest. Seen in movies: – Saving Private Ryan – Fury – WWII classics and period dramas recreating Eastern and Western Front battles Featured in games: – Call of Duty (WWII titles) – Battlefield (WWI/WWII and historic modes) – Red Orchestra / Day of Defeat and realistic WWII simulators Used by militaries & forces: – German Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS (primary WWII users) – Various post-war national armies and resistance groups using surplus Kar98k rifles – Frequently seen in militia and irregular service across mid-20th century conflicts due to wide availability Fun Fact: The Kar98k’s five-round stripper-clip reload is one of the most cinematic weapon actions — in films and re-enactments you’ll often see actors reload with the same sweeping motion used by soldiers in the 1940s. Collectors also love that many Kar98k stocks still carry carved names, unit marks or drawings from soldiers — tiny human stories hidden in the wood that make handling one feel like holding a piece of someone’s life.