Guys, there is some audio glitch after 6:50 mark, sound goes to mono for few minutes - sorry for this. I guess something had to happen during RUclips video processing...it goes back to normal (stereo) at 12:40. Thank you for watching! If you would like to help the channel, shop at AK4774.com 🙂
I would argue the 1917 Enfield was the best rifle. World War I easily had the best sights of World War I rifles, and is widely considered to be one of the strongest actions ever produced
After shooting a Japanese type 38 carbine… damn that thing is great. The small size of 6.5 Arisaka means it doesn’t have too much recoil. Extremely pleasant to shoot and carry, plus the dust cover would make it a great trench rifle
Thanks for this review/educational video! You said Gweher 98 and I instantly thought: “Doesn’t he mean Kar98?” I didn’t realize the gweher was a predecessor to the Kar. When I hear gweher, I instantly think of the semi auto 43- probably because of all the WWII fps shooters I’ve played. Thanks again, and good shooting as usual!
Hey Rob Another method that was thought was to lower the front sight into the rear sight the same way you would raise it up to make a longer range shot without taking the time to adjust the sight. These methods actually worked well once troops were trained to use them. The idea was in close combat there was no need to adjust the sight. With a 400m bz aim at the knees at 100m. At 200m aim at the belt, at 3/400m aim at the chest. I do this all the time in military rifle action matches and it works well. Some shooters get a taller front sight, but you then have to work out the dope with the markings one the rear sight for the rest of the longer ranges. I have one Springfield 1903A3 that is only used in 100y CMP matches on the reduced targets. Being that 200y is the lowest bz I did put a taller front sight and zero if for a 6 a clock hold. It shoots very well with the match load I worked up specifically for this use. If I ever wanted to use it on the real N.M. course 2,3,600 all I need do is put the original front sight blade back on and use a service rifle load I shoot in my M1 rifles.
I was taught to use the milsurp mausers, my first was a geware... 29" bbl. Bury the front site in the bottom of the rear notch, puts you on at 100-125 yds w issue ammo. We were poor and used what was cheap n reliable. I have a 1914 it uses the 196grn f.m.j. ammo dead on w said hold at 100yds... i do so enjoy your videos. Brings back memories or the a.m.u. ft Benning. God bless.
Man, I just hate that system of hoping to remember that hold-under though. Especially under stress with bullets flying at you, or a snap shot over a parapet when speed keeps your grape intact. Forget that 400m zero noise!
@@dangvorbei5304 That’s the training, point shooting at 100 and less meters wouldn’t have been seen as the default like we pretty much do in the States.
Keep in mind, Paul Mauser designed the G98 with tangent sights and the flatter-shooting 7x57, which is how the export models were configured (the Brazilian 1908 long rifle was essentially a G98 as originally designed). 8x57 and the Langevizier sight were introduced by the “problematic” system of Imperial German arms procurement.
Yes, imperial Germany general stuff was extremely optimistic about war plans and their vision of the “next great war”. To their defense tho, almost nobody learned anything from even Russo Japanese war…warning signs about “modern warfare “ were popping up everywhere, but many generals in charge (across the continent) were to stubborn to see it. The fact that some armies started the war wearing extremely visible to everyone uniforms, tells you everything you need to know about what those generals were thinking (or rather exposes their lack of critical thinking).
I love all the reviews and practical application of the various sniper and other historical rifles. Love watching your channel and look forward to your videos. Keep up the great work!
Hi Rob, great video but I think you've overlooked a key thing my friend. You haven't taken into account that any advance to contact or in defence you would have the 2 foot long Seitengewehr bayonet fitted. With this attached to the rifle it would significantly lower the point of impact at 100metres. Also on the flip side it would make the rifle even more cumbersome for CQB within the confines of a trench and also when FIWAF (fighting in woods and forests). 😉👍👍👍
I literally JUST purchased one of these the day before you released this video. How did you know??? Lmao Can't wait to for the shipping to be done and I get my hands on this rifle, such an amazing piece of history!
Great video Rob and I appreciated the other than basic shooting comments and examples.... too often forgot by shooter collectors without Infantry experience.
Wow no wonder the AZ was so beloved, I had no idea they were sighted in at 400m at their lowest thats insanity once you factor in the type of combat they encountered as the years went on and probably cost SO many lives. War is truly hell, god bless the men who fought on both sides of that horrible conflict. Thank you for another amazing video Robski!! Love the work you do
Don't forget the Rilfe wasn't desinged for trench warfare, but for fighting infantery lines (Schützenlinie) 100 to 400 meters away in open field. In 1898 nobody can know that the next war would be fought in trenches 100 meters distance at most.
Hello and thank you for all your hard work, I enjoy your video's immensely. As far as I know as far as the sights go, originally the first setting of the roller coaster sight was 100m with the old round nosed projectiles, but after they adopted the spitzer projectile their superior ballistics drastically changed the zero of the rifle.
I appreciate all the videos Rob. You're channels are easily among not only my top favorite for Vintage military long guns on this channel as well as the Kalashnikov platform on your AK Operators Union channel but of any genre and channel. Happy shooting my friend ! 🤜🏼🤛🏼 -Dustin C. NW Alabama 🐍🇺🇲
In WWI (and II for that matter) the .30-06 was not better than the 7,92x57 and was, at best, just in the same ballpark as the rest of the approximately .30 cal rounds used by combatants on both sides. If anything, it was inferior to most of the other ones because it wasn’t up to date with better bullet designs. Only the post war M1 ball could hang with the S and sS 7,92 loadings. We think of it as a very flexible cartridge today since it became popular in numerous sporting guns and lots of effort in modern loadings has made it so. But in the military it was overly long and inefficient for the performance it yielded.
@Dominic1962 7.9 is still great for anything with four legs. The real advantage.30-06 has today is the availability of match bullets. At least in the States, you can walk into any gun shop worth visiting and get a box of 175 grain SMKs. A-Max, or whatever floats your boat. Case capacity is a plus, and since most of the guns out there are still 1:12" twist, you can go past 1000 with 155 grain. .308 is efficient, but it ain't always about that. Just imagine what people will say about 6.8 after we're all dead.
@@dangvorbei5304 Oh, absolutely. The basic SP loadings available for 7,92 absolutely pale in comparison to what is even just commonly available for .30-06. They’ll certainly drop medium to larger game no issue, no doubt but the .30-06 is way more versatile. But that is the result of the popularity of the round here in the US (it was our official military round for 2 WWs after all) not any inherent superiority of the round itself-which was based on the 7 and 7,92 rounds. Military wise, the m1906 was slower than the 7,92 S Patrone but managed that inferior performance with a case that was 6mm longer. Those extra 6mm give some versatility today but I doubt it would still really be truly better than the 7,92 if that cartridge had as much attention thrown at it on the civilian side of things.
@@greybone777 Perhaps less potential accuracy than others, but if you're rifle fires to point of aim in a trench, while you're enemy has to aim at the dirt in front of you, you have an advantage.
@@greybone777 funny my long branch MK 4 no 1 star is very accurate, about the same with all battle rifles with iron sights , but the Lee Enfield MK 4 had better sights so it has the edge it’s after that it’s up too the accuracy of rifleman and the quality of ammunition then , most of these military rifles are around 2-3 moa
Definitely. Best ergonomics, best magazine capacity, no exposed barrel (no burns or heat mirage), sights can be set dead on closer ranges. It's been said that the Germans brought a hunting rifle, the Americans brought a target rifle, and the British brought a fighting rifle. A bit of a simplification but there's a grain of truth to it.
The ‘98 is a fine rifle. Looking back is easier because we know what happened. Turns out a lot of people missed the mark on range. The SMLE was 200yrds probably in part by accident and in part on purpose from colonial experiences. Which rifle I would carry would depend on where I was born, Bavaria or Sheffield. No one got to pick. Be good with what you have.
Good video!! Lots and lots of good bolt actions came from ww1. 🤔 some with excellent sights and some with complex sights (1903).. Gonna have to say either the 1917 or P-14.
As a Swede I'm biased to the Mauser M/96 however it did not see combat in WW1 although in some capacity in the Finnish Civil War which was intertwined with the greater conflict..
My Husqvarna is a sub-MOA antique. I don't see how modern manufacturers can beat their chest when Mauser was doing what they did with barrels back then.
@@dangvorbei5304Mauser was doing what they did with special tool steel imported from Sweden. The M96 was simply made to a higher standard, relatively speaking, than any standard issue infantry rifle in history.
@@NCC-2893 that's probably a rabbit hole worth going down. Swedish steel provided the raw material for innumerable quality tools. A worthwhile project would be to see exactly what went into DWM, Mauserwerke or even Husqvarna's barrel making processes. And by project, I mean "doctorate".
I think I had one of these rifles, except that it was called a turkish mauser when I got it. I do not remember if it had only one, or 2 locking nubs on the bolt. It was a big solid rifle. As far as accuracy like you explained here it would shoot what must have been 2 feet high at 100-200 yards and at first I didn't understand this but then like you said here it was supposed to be this way, it was normal. The same thing with a k98 i had later. I am American, last name Risner. My younger brother did some family Tree searching and found that our first ancestor, Hans Michael Reisner, said to be from Bavaria, came here in 1732. The spelling f the last name changed over the years and we found some Native American groups with our same last name. I have always been fascinated by German weapons of ww2 and ww2 because it's entirely possible that someone of our bloodline carried one.
Nice video. Yes, the practical experience in WWI led to changes in weapons and tactics. The first "Storm Troops" emerged on the German side as a result of realizations like this. Fast moving squads of guys with hand grenades, carbines, and lots of ammo. That move was ultimately, in my opinion, the reason for German success in the first years of WWII but also the cause for defeat in WWI. Specifically, the Germans waited too long after Russia surrendered to retrain their troops in the Storm Trooper fashion and while they had success in the last year of the war, they were spent, and too many Americans had shown up and were thus able to shatter the German lines.
I asked my Grandfather years ago I believe it was 1982 and asked him about carrying those rifles through the woods in the Battle of the Bulge and the Hurtgen Forest in WW2 and he said that they did it with M1 Garand , Springfield 03A3 and Lee Enfield they said they would use everything that they could get their hands on to fight and in the trench, woods, fox holes, building and room to room fighting. He said that they were very observant of where they were carrying them and where they were at dictated how and what they did. Good night and have a great upcoming week.
US M 1917 imo..... great peep sight with a long radius...30.06 round...very robust action and ergonomic design. The Springfield '03 was shorter/lighter but the sights at that period were sub standard.
In the 19th century the bayonet was still very relevant on the battle field. The bayonets were long the rifles were long for obvious reasons The last known cavalry charge was at Omdurman . Winston Churchill participated.
I'd argue the M96 Swedish Mauser would be the greatest long rifle of the World War 1 era designs. Did it actually serve in major fighting? No, but its place as part of the Mauser family lends credence to the idea that it'd be a capable rifle. With its relatively low recoil, highly accurate and flat shooting round, it'd be a nightmare to face off against.
For the size and ammo capability, the SMLE. Sights, the M1917. Arisaka Type 38 carbine is very handy. Have one that never fired cause I never found ammo for it, but I read 6.5 is an excellent round. Low recoild and doesn't create a huge blast.
I've done several WW1 reenactments at the Newville Trenches and the Gewehr 98 definitely was a great choice for that. On a night battle when it was 20 degrees I have my great coat one with wool gloves and the rifle worked great. It was easy to manipulate in stress in the "heat of battle" during the reenactment. It actually works really well under pressure as it is very balanced, reloads were easy with gloves, and although we were using blanks, those large wings on the Lange Visier sight makes for some very fast close range aiming (not aiming directly at close range because obviously blanks are dangerous at under 20 feet). And at the range with the WW1 spec ammo, the top of the sight hits dead on at 100 yards. I have a late war (1918 Mauser Obendorf) Gewehr 98 that hits much lower since towards the end of the war, they put taller front sights on them to make a 150 meter zero instead of a 400 meter zero. Also I forgot to mention the large sight wings are better than other WW1 rifle sights in low light. Also I found out that under pressure, a straight bolt handle is quicker and easier to grip for me than a bent bolt handle, especially when you constantly change positions.
At the early stages of the war there were multiple reports of troops thinking that the mauser 98 was less accurate that the French 1886/93 rifle and was one of the reasons Prussia geared quite fast for outfitting rifles with scopes. There are several reasons for it of course but having a 400 meter base sight setting did not help indeed. For comparison, the French had a 250 meter battle sight on their standard issue rifle. Mauser 98 is however quite decent for the time. Best rifle of the war is imo either the Greek mannlicher shoenauer 1903/14 or the type 38 arisaka that Russia got in large quantities.
Hi Gordon, yeah, I honestly can't blame Germans for feeling good about Gew98 before the WWI started. They had very solid solution. Now, what happened next was a wake up call for many. They did make some changes as war was progressing, but on the other hand, when you are running on the wartime economy, it's hard to really do much...
Thanks, Rob. I put tall front sights on both of mine, and they did pretty well, but still my least favorite Mauser shooters. CQB with a bayonet is stupid hard. A SMLE beats pretty much everything out there for WWI, if you ask me.
Hey guys, love your videos! I was wondering what camera/video equipment you are using? I'm looking to record my range sessions to hopefully improve my shooting ability. Hope to hear from you soon.
The Gewehr 98 is a beautiful rifle. I'll say it is the best looking rifle. There is a rare version of the Gewehr 98 with a ladder sight. And, there is the rare the Kar.98b of the same length, with a turned down bolt.
I have my grandma’s father’s 1899 M95 Steyr Carbine from WW1 in 8x50R. I had to clean it up but it fires 7.62x54 fine. I have a 1915 Carcano long rifle and honestly they all need better iron sights 😮 my 1910 G98 was a nonfunctional rifle that I bought for $100 now if I replace the barrel it will be fine but it has a cracked barrel
P17 Enfield was better than any of them. Period. Had actual battle sights, 6 round internal mag, cock on close action, very good machining, and was universally well received. The best bolt action that the war produced, and it's not even close.
Many Mauser rifles were later built with conventional sights, instead of the famous "roller coaster" sight. The Argentine, Turkish, and Persian Mausers are prime examples.
Cool deal sir ,ya just happened to pop up here tonight. Will check ya channel out. Now as to best rifle of WW1.n cant argue with the score ya gave the Ol 98 there. I will say its the 03 Springfield. Why. Shorter n better sights for me. Even Sgt York agreed n have to stick to a fellow TN . The weak part of the Springfield is the front sight lacks protection,rear is adjustable a wee bit. While the US M1917 is a fine rifle n has better front sight,rear isnt adjustable n set for 200. With practice to get use too its fine.Am sure the same on others n the Gew98 as well.havent been around one in a very long time. The m17 is also a bit more bulky than the 03. Honestly not much difference between those..n I feel all 3 are superior to the rest.
1917 would be my first choice, supplied to US troops due to shortages of the 1903. We were already supplying the P 14 Enfield to England, so conversion to 30.06 was simple, second choice would be the British SMLE with a very slick bolt and 10 round magazine.😊
I agree on the G98, wrong sights and too long. Plus the caliber is a bit heavy. I had to carry around a long rifle and a short rifle for 10 hours, the short version was bad enough but that old school long version was way worse. My first choice would be an M1917, then a SMLE. I would also rather have a Type38.
As a collector of the Gewehr 98, they are wonderful rifles. And the battle sights have a majestic appearance to them. But, they would not be my first choice on a WW1 battlefield. Having shot the old smelly the SMLE for many years. It would most likely be my first choice. It's shorter in length, battle sights are easier to use, and that 10 round capacity. The M1917 would be my second choice. With those wonderful battle sights, especially the front sight being well protected from damage. Honestly, if I was a German Sturmtruppen in 1917-1918 raiding a trench. Give me a kar98a carbine over a Gewehr 98 for trench raid. By then German rifle production was slowing down as well. The Army wanted more carbines, Lugers, and MG08/15 machine guns. Not rifles.
The Springfield battle sight is like that folded down. You have to flip it up to shoot accurately at shorter distances. And the adjustable sight is prone to coming loose as their are no notches only a screw for a friction hold. Pretty sorry. The Mauser 98 is far superior to any of the imitation that followed.
Could you compare it to the carbine version, the K98AZ? It was produced in large numbers and favored by the stormtroopers. I agree with the G98, too long, no great sights, but in my opinion the best action.
The Gewehr 98's 400 meter sight base makes a lot more sense when you use WW1 s-Patrone spec lightball compared to more heavier sS patrone spec ammo most people are familiar with today or other commercial loadings which gives a significantly higher impact under 400 meters with a Gew98. My Gew98's when paired with lighter faster s-patrone loading is very flat shooting out to 400 meters and requires lot less holding under in comparison.
I am curious what you think of 300 meter zeros like on the Argentine 1909 Mausers in 7.65 Argentine, you have better sights, and while you still have a long battle zero the 300 meter zero seems much easier to deal with compared to 400 meters, being "only" about 10-11in high in the 100yards range and evening out to 300. I am a big fan of the 1909 model which is essentially a better G98 at least imo, better cartridge remarkable close to .308 in performance, and those pre war German made Mausers were just something else, incredible craftsmanship and quality compared to the major drop off you see in war time rifles.
I have always been amazed that some soldiers, maybe from an engineering background, didn't just 16" off a second rifle especially for close arm combat like trenches & house clears. I know I've got hindsight, but if it to long, you got to think, " shorter "?
The M1903 seems to be unpopular but I'd much rather carry it than a G98. The M1903 has a rear-mounted peep sight adjustable for windage and elevation that gives a longer sight radius. The bolt handle is turned down and closer to the trigger than the G98. This allows you to operate the mechanism without moving your right hand. You just use your index finger while retaining your aim. It's not as easily done as with the Lee-Enfield, but good enough. Both the G98 and the M1903 have a Mauser action. A flaw with the M1903 is the front sight. It's better than the barley corn sight on the G98, but it's too thin. Anyway, I don't understand the love affair people have with the G98.
Best ww1 rifle i hate to say it's probably in 6.5mm either the Arisaka or some sort of carano carbine. I'm not going to say the russian federov because too few to take note! Of the .30 calibers, it was a non-cobatant at point zero, swiss K-11 although it has the same sighting issues, fast action and smaller size probably would done better in the trenches?
The GEW 98 was outclassed by British Lee Enfield, Springfield M1903 and the M1917 Enfield (US secondary standard rifle). Out of the three (G-98, Lee Enfield, M1903) the M1917 was superior due to the bolt action and rear peep sights.
Showin us the reality of things like this is why I love you rob. I bet you’d like it up in my holler in Ky. Mts on all 4 sides. Gonna pack some jugs to my targets ina bit. I set on the porch and shoot 520yrds off my old dinner table from the 80s. Homemade rear sock/bag and a fn special police .308.
Everybody thought engagements would happen at 500-1000+ meters, therefore the sights on most military rifles were hopelessly long range. It's a general problem for rifles of this era.
very nice video SMLE is the best unfortunately can’t beat it and extremely easy to field strip the bolt literally in one switch and you can pull the whole bolt housing out had a shorter barrel could easily manoeuvre in a trench, 10 shots and a slicker bolt.
Had one a long time ago that shot very well at 100 yards but was in rough shape, i sold it to buy a much nicer version that shot feet high at 100 yards. I dont have a G98 anymore now lol.
Guys, there is some audio glitch after 6:50 mark, sound goes to mono for few minutes - sorry for this. I guess something had to happen during RUclips video processing...it goes back to normal (stereo) at 12:40.
Thank you for watching!
If you would like to help the channel, shop at AK4774.com 🙂
The action of those rifles is smooth as silk and very strong and durable. Also very accurate
The Smelly was great: so pointable, rugged, accurate and well balanced.
I would argue the 1917 Enfield was the best rifle. World War I easily had the best sights of World War I rifles, and is widely considered to be one of the strongest actions ever produced
I have an Eddystone and I would take it over my 03 or SMLE for sure. Although the 10 rounds in the SMLE is enticing.
M1917 or P14, both are definitely high on my radar!
@@RiflesShootersClub I think the 1917 edges out the P14, for two reasons, no rimmed rounds and a bonus round
@@RiflesShootersClub The sight and sight radius on those rifles are wonderful. Rear mount peep, very modern. Thanks for the video!
The Ross rifle as well. It has an excellent sight and accuracy. However, the Ross is unreliable in combat
After shooting a Japanese type 38 carbine… damn that thing is great. The small size of 6.5 Arisaka means it doesn’t have too much recoil. Extremely pleasant to shoot and carry, plus the dust cover would make it a great trench rifle
Whenever you get the chance, you must review the Swedish M96 Mauser; it's an extremely pleasant shooting rifle 👍
Great video!
These old rifles are definitely misunderstood.
Thanks for this review/educational video!
You said Gweher 98 and I instantly thought: “Doesn’t he mean Kar98?”
I didn’t realize the gweher was a predecessor to the Kar.
When I hear gweher, I instantly think of the semi auto 43- probably because of all the WWII fps shooters I’ve played. Thanks again, and good shooting as usual!
Hey Rob
Another method that was thought was to lower the front sight into the rear sight the same way you would raise it up to make a longer range shot without taking the time to adjust the sight. These methods actually worked well once troops were trained to use them. The idea was in close combat there was no need to adjust the sight. With a 400m bz aim at the knees at 100m. At 200m aim at the belt, at 3/400m aim at the chest. I do this all the time in military rifle action matches and it works well. Some shooters get a taller front sight, but you then have to work out the dope with the markings one the rear sight for the rest of the longer ranges. I have one Springfield 1903A3 that is only used in 100y CMP matches on the reduced targets. Being that 200y is the lowest bz I did put a taller front sight and zero if for a 6 a clock hold. It shoots very well with the match load I worked up specifically for this use. If I ever wanted to use it on the real N.M. course 2,3,600 all I need do is put the original front sight blade back on and use a service rifle load I shoot in my M1 rifles.
The problem with all those methods was, that recruits were not receiving a lot trigger time training before going into the "meat grinder"...
Great video, as usual Rob. Thanks.
A solid review as always! Thanks for continuing to create such quality content!
I was taught to use the milsurp mausers, my first was a geware... 29" bbl. Bury the front site in the bottom of the rear notch, puts you on at 100-125 yds w issue ammo. We were poor and used what was cheap n reliable. I have a 1914 it uses the 196grn f.m.j. ammo dead on w said hold at 100yds... i do so enjoy your videos. Brings back memories or the a.m.u. ft Benning. God bless.
Man, I just hate that system of hoping to remember that hold-under though. Especially under stress with bullets flying at you, or a snap shot over a parapet when speed keeps your grape intact. Forget that 400m zero noise!
@@dangvorbei5304 That’s the training, point shooting at 100 and less meters wouldn’t have been seen as the default like we pretty much do in the States.
@@Dominic1962 maybe so, but it's still stupid. I'm going to contact Field Marshal von Hindenburg about it and see if I can't get that changed.
Blessings to you. Great show thanks And Semper Fidelis from Arizona
Excellent history lesson, Rob. Thank you!
Keep in mind, Paul Mauser designed the G98 with tangent sights and the flatter-shooting 7x57, which is how the export models were configured (the Brazilian 1908 long rifle was essentially a G98 as originally designed). 8x57 and the Langevizier sight were introduced by the “problematic” system of Imperial German arms procurement.
Yes, imperial Germany general stuff was extremely optimistic about war plans and their vision of the “next great war”. To their defense tho, almost nobody learned anything from even Russo Japanese war…warning signs about “modern warfare “ were popping up everywhere, but many generals in charge (across the continent) were to stubborn to see it. The fact that some armies started the war wearing extremely visible to everyone uniforms, tells you everything you need to know about what those generals were thinking (or rather exposes their lack of critical thinking).
I love all the reviews and practical application of the various sniper and other historical rifles. Love watching your channel and look forward to your videos. Keep up the great work!
Great video! I had a great day at the range recently with one of these from 1908!
Great insight and history Rob! I like this format.
Hi Rob, great video but I think you've overlooked a key thing my friend. You haven't taken into account that any advance to contact or in defence you would have the 2 foot long Seitengewehr bayonet fitted. With this attached to the rifle it would significantly lower the point of impact at 100metres. Also on the flip side it would make the rifle even more cumbersome for CQB within the confines of a trench and also when FIWAF (fighting in woods and forests). 😉👍👍👍
I literally JUST purchased one of these the day before you released this video. How did you know??? Lmao
Can't wait to for the shipping to be done and I get my hands on this rifle, such an amazing piece of history!
Great video Rob and I appreciated the other than basic shooting comments and examples.... too often forgot by shooter collectors without Infantry experience.
Wow no wonder the AZ was so beloved, I had no idea they were sighted in at 400m at their lowest thats insanity once you factor in the type of combat they encountered as the years went on and probably cost SO many lives. War is truly hell, god bless the men who fought on both sides of that horrible conflict. Thank you for another amazing video Robski!! Love the work you do
Belt buckle zero inside 400m
Don't forget the Rilfe wasn't desinged for trench warfare, but for fighting infantery lines (Schützenlinie) 100 to 400 meters away in open field. In 1898 nobody can know that the next war would be fought in trenches 100 meters distance at most.
I loved my AZ even more than the K98k. They're just handy.
@@dangvorbei5304 They are built on the smaller action than the k98k which makes them feel more svelte.
Hello and thank you for all your hard work, I enjoy your video's immensely. As far as I know as far as the sights go, originally the first setting of the roller coaster sight was 100m with the old round nosed projectiles, but after they adopted the spitzer projectile their superior ballistics drastically changed the zero of the rifle.
I appreciate all the videos Rob. You're channels are easily among not only my top favorite for Vintage military long guns on this channel as well as the Kalashnikov platform on your AK Operators Union channel but of any genre and channel. Happy shooting my friend ! 🤜🏼🤛🏼 -Dustin C. NW Alabama 🐍🇺🇲
Good vid subscribed
Very interesting and informative video.
Very good topic and video. Thanks!! Have a great weekend everyone.
Thanks for watching and commenting!
I go with the 1917 Enfield just for the superior ballistics of the 30-06. And the accuracy
It's a better rifle all around. Any day of the week.
In WWI (and II for that matter) the .30-06 was not better than the 7,92x57 and was, at best, just in the same ballpark as the rest of the approximately .30 cal rounds used by combatants on both sides. If anything, it was inferior to most of the other ones because it wasn’t up to date with better bullet designs. Only the post war M1 ball could hang with the S and sS 7,92 loadings.
We think of it as a very flexible cartridge today since it became popular in numerous sporting guns and lots of effort in modern loadings has made it so. But in the military it was overly long and inefficient for the performance it yielded.
@Dominic1962 7.9 is still great for anything with four legs. The real advantage.30-06 has today is the availability of match bullets. At least in the States, you can walk into any gun shop worth visiting and get a box of 175 grain SMKs. A-Max, or whatever floats your boat. Case capacity is a plus, and since most of the guns out there are still 1:12" twist, you can go past 1000 with 155 grain. .308 is efficient, but it ain't always about that. Just imagine what people will say about 6.8 after we're all dead.
@@dangvorbei5304 Oh, absolutely. The basic SP loadings available for 7,92 absolutely pale in comparison to what is even just commonly available for .30-06. They’ll certainly drop medium to larger game no issue, no doubt but the .30-06 is way more versatile. But that is the result of the popularity of the round here in the US (it was our official military round for 2 WWs after all) not any inherent superiority of the round itself-which was based on the 7 and 7,92 rounds.
Military wise, the m1906 was slower than the 7,92 S Patrone but managed that inferior performance with a case that was 6mm longer. Those extra 6mm give some versatility today but I doubt it would still really be truly better than the 7,92 if that cartridge had as much attention thrown at it on the civilian side of things.
British SMLE was the best all around rifle of WW1. Great history lesson Rob . Thank you
Absolutely.
It was fast to fire and with a 10 round magazine. Not greatly accurate.
@@greybone777 Perhaps less potential accuracy than others, but if you're rifle fires to point of aim in a trench, while you're enemy has to aim at the dirt in front of you, you have an advantage.
@@greybone777 funny my long branch MK 4 no 1 star is very accurate, about the same with all battle rifles with iron sights , but the Lee Enfield MK 4 had better sights so it has the edge it’s after that it’s up too the accuracy of rifleman and the quality of ammunition then , most of these military rifles are around 2-3 moa
Definitely. Best ergonomics, best magazine capacity, no exposed barrel (no burns or heat mirage), sights can be set dead on closer ranges. It's been said that the Germans brought a hunting rifle, the Americans brought a target rifle, and the British brought a fighting rifle. A bit of a simplification but there's a grain of truth to it.
Enjoy your content my brother Infantryman ..please continue making excellent content..Vince g 11b Infantry.
Gew 98 was long like most ww1 rifles. Ive always favored the kar98a for its size and turned down bolt. Very similar to the k98k used in ww2
The Gewer 98 really just needed improved sights.
Hi Rob, thanks for another great informative video 👍
Thanks for being with us and commenting!!!!
Your welcome
The ‘98 is a fine rifle. Looking back is easier because we know what happened. Turns out a lot of people missed the mark on range. The SMLE was 200yrds probably in part by accident and in part on purpose from colonial experiences. Which rifle I would carry would depend on where I was born, Bavaria or Sheffield. No one got to pick. Be good with what you have.
Great video!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for commenting!
Good video!! Lots and lots of good bolt actions came from ww1. 🤔 some with excellent sights and some with complex sights (1903).. Gonna have to say either the 1917 or P-14.
Oh I agree. I will talk about M1917 and P14 for sure!
@RiflesShootersClub excellent!! Can't wait!! You are by far my favorite RUclipsr
As a Swede I'm biased to the Mauser M/96 however it did not see combat in WW1 although in some capacity in the Finnish Civil War which was intertwined with the greater conflict..
I love M96 too. Very nice rifles for sure.
My Husqvarna is a sub-MOA antique. I don't see how modern manufacturers can beat their chest when Mauser was doing what they did with barrels back then.
@@dangvorbei5304Mauser was doing what they did with special tool steel imported from Sweden. The M96 was simply made to a higher standard, relatively speaking, than any standard issue infantry rifle in history.
@@NCC-2893 that's probably a rabbit hole worth going down. Swedish steel provided the raw material for innumerable quality tools. A worthwhile project would be to see exactly what went into DWM, Mauserwerke or even Husqvarna's barrel making processes. And by project, I mean "doctorate".
I think I had one of these rifles, except that it was called a turkish mauser when I got it. I do not remember if it had only one, or 2 locking nubs on the bolt. It was a big solid rifle. As far as accuracy like you explained here it would shoot what must have been 2 feet high at 100-200 yards and at first I didn't understand this but then like you said here it was supposed to be this way, it was normal. The same thing with a k98 i had later. I am American, last name Risner. My younger brother did some family Tree searching and found that our first ancestor, Hans Michael Reisner, said to be from Bavaria, came here in 1732. The spelling f the last name changed over the years and we found some Native American groups with our same last name. I have always been fascinated by German weapons of ww2 and ww2 because it's entirely possible that someone of our bloodline carried one.
Enfield for sure was alot shorter length in the trenches helped alot im sure
Nice video. Yes, the practical experience in WWI led to changes in weapons and tactics. The first "Storm Troops" emerged on the German side as a result of realizations like this. Fast moving squads of guys with hand grenades, carbines, and lots of ammo. That move was ultimately, in my opinion, the reason for German success in the first years of WWII but also the cause for defeat in WWI. Specifically, the Germans waited too long after Russia surrendered to retrain their troops in the Storm Trooper fashion and while they had success in the last year of the war, they were spent, and too many Americans had shown up and were thus able to shatter the German lines.
My grandfather with his M1917 among them
Excellent presentation, Rob. Thanks.
Thank you for watching and commenting Paul!
Another great vid Rob!
Thank you watching!
Great video & Break down!
Great video would love to see you put an SMLE through it's paces.
I used an old Mauser 8mm for many years deer hunting, a great gun, worked for me
Cool video. Are you planning on doing more of these "tactical" WW1 rifle videos?
Rob? Sorry I did not know he had other channels. Subscribed and following.
Top show as always keep this up n rolling out buddy 😊
Thank you for watching and commenting!
Beautiful old rifle aside, this is a great lesson for shooters on why you need a practical zero
I asked my Grandfather years ago I believe it was 1982 and asked him about carrying those rifles through the woods in the Battle of the Bulge and the Hurtgen Forest in WW2 and he said that they did it with M1 Garand , Springfield 03A3 and Lee Enfield they said they would use everything that they could get their hands on to fight and in the trench, woods, fox holes, building and room to room fighting. He said that they were very observant of where they were carrying them and where they were at dictated how and what they did. Good night and have a great upcoming week.
You are a great shot bro! Try using that sling (hasty, loop even better)when you shoot and your accuracy may get better.
Impossible. Leather on this sling is extremely fragile and it would crack...but thank you for the tips.
US M 1917 imo..... great peep sight with a long radius...30.06 round...very robust action and ergonomic design. The Springfield '03 was shorter/lighter but the sights at that period were sub standard.
That was my grandfather's opinion. He traded his M1917 and a couple of bottles of wine for an '03 because it was lighter and hated it!
Patrick, I love M1917 - for sure one of my favorite rifles.
American soldiers didn't like the M1917 Enfield.
In the 19th century the bayonet was still very relevant on the battle field.
The bayonets were long the rifles were long for obvious reasons
The last known cavalry charge was at Omdurman .
Winston Churchill participated.
I'd argue the M96 Swedish Mauser would be the greatest long rifle of the World War 1 era designs. Did it actually serve in major fighting? No, but its place as part of the Mauser family lends credence to the idea that it'd be a capable rifle. With its relatively low recoil, highly accurate and flat shooting round, it'd be a nightmare to face off against.
For the size and ammo capability, the SMLE. Sights, the M1917.
Arisaka Type 38 carbine is very handy. Have one that never fired cause I never found ammo for it, but I read 6.5 is an excellent round. Low recoild and doesn't create a huge blast.
I've done several WW1 reenactments at the Newville Trenches and the Gewehr 98 definitely was a great choice for that. On a night battle when it was 20 degrees I have my great coat one with wool gloves and the rifle worked great. It was easy to manipulate in stress in the "heat of battle" during the reenactment. It actually works really well under pressure as it is very balanced, reloads were easy with gloves, and although we were using blanks, those large wings on the Lange Visier sight makes for some very fast close range aiming (not aiming directly at close range because obviously blanks are dangerous at under 20 feet). And at the range with the WW1 spec ammo, the top of the sight hits dead on at 100 yards. I have a late war (1918 Mauser Obendorf) Gewehr 98 that hits much lower since towards the end of the war, they put taller front sights on them to make a 150 meter zero instead of a 400 meter zero. Also I forgot to mention the large sight wings are better than other WW1 rifle sights in low light. Also I found out that under pressure, a straight bolt handle is quicker and easier to grip for me than a bent bolt handle, especially when you constantly change positions.
That makes a lot of sense, also practical use of period weapons handling gives one a better perspective of the rifles capabilities in action.
At the early stages of the war there were multiple reports of troops thinking that the mauser 98 was less accurate that the French 1886/93 rifle and was one of the reasons Prussia geared quite fast for outfitting rifles with scopes. There are several reasons for it of course but having a 400 meter base sight setting did not help indeed. For comparison, the French had a 250 meter battle sight on their standard issue rifle.
Mauser 98 is however quite decent for the time. Best rifle of the war is imo either the Greek mannlicher shoenauer 1903/14 or the type 38 arisaka that Russia got in large quantities.
Hi Gordon, yeah, I honestly can't blame Germans for feeling good about Gew98 before the WWI started. They had very solid solution. Now, what happened next was a wake up call for many. They did make some changes as war was progressing, but on the other hand, when you are running on the wartime economy, it's hard to really do much...
@@RiflesShootersClubinfantry made more advances in WWI than any other time, because they had to. Brutal.
Thanks, Rob. I put tall front sights on both of mine, and they did pretty well, but still my least favorite Mauser shooters. CQB with a bayonet is stupid hard. A SMLE beats pretty much everything out there for WWI, if you ask me.
i just LOVE this Rifle!
The Gewehr 98 and 88 are unfortunately completely overshadowed by the Karabiner 98...
I've read and seen photos of those in a Sniper Role with excellent results.
Hi James, yes, they kicked ass in that role for sure!
Hey guys, love your videos! I was wondering what camera/video equipment you are using? I'm looking to record my range sessions to hopefully improve my shooting ability. Hope to hear from you soon.
With the trenches, you also had a 12 inch bayonet on the end as well.
The Gewehr 98 is a beautiful rifle. I'll say it is the best looking rifle. There is a rare version of the Gewehr 98 with a ladder sight. And, there is the rare the Kar.98b of the same length, with a turned down bolt.
I have my grandma’s father’s 1899 M95 Steyr Carbine from WW1 in 8x50R. I had to clean it up but it fires 7.62x54 fine. I have a 1915 Carcano long rifle and honestly they all need better iron sights 😮 my 1910 G98 was a nonfunctional rifle that I bought for $100 now if I replace the barrel it will be fine but it has a cracked barrel
Thank you. I have a Mauser 1917 made in Austria.
Serbia had Model 1899 full length rifle and 1908 carbine in 7x57 Mauser which showed great results against Austro Hungarian army
One of the all time all-around cartridges 7x57. So good the Brits stole it and renamed it .275 Rigby.
P17 Enfield was better than any of them. Period. Had actual battle sights, 6 round internal mag, cock on close action, very good machining, and was universally well received. The best bolt action that the war produced, and it's not even close.
With the long bayonet it’s realy cumbersome to use
Just as other rifles of that era.
Many Mauser rifles were later built with conventional sights, instead of the famous "roller coaster" sight. The Argentine, Turkish, and Persian Mausers are prime examples.
THANKS ROB !! Best rifle? I'm a Mosin fan, but I think the Lee Enfield SMLE, would be the best. In my opinion of course.
Cool deal sir ,ya just happened to pop up here tonight. Will check ya channel out.
Now as to best rifle of WW1.n cant argue with the score ya gave the Ol 98 there.
I will say its the 03 Springfield.
Why. Shorter n better sights for me. Even Sgt York agreed n have to stick to a fellow TN .
The weak part of the Springfield is the front sight lacks protection,rear is adjustable a wee bit.
While the US M1917 is a fine rifle n has better front sight,rear isnt adjustable n set for 200. With practice to get use too its fine.Am sure the same on others n the Gew98 as well.havent been around one in a very long time. The m17 is also a bit more bulky than the 03.
Honestly not much difference between those..n I feel all 3 are superior to the rest.
I personally like the k98 the most but that was a stormtrooper rifle and not common in the German army but that's my favorite rifle from the great war
Rob , Spot on !
1917 would be my first choice, supplied to US troops due to shortages of the 1903.
We were already supplying the P 14 Enfield to England, so conversion to 30.06 was simple, second choice would be the British SMLE with a very slick bolt and 10 round magazine.😊
Freaking sweet my favorite gun guy shooting my favorite rifle
Rob always have the fun toys
You are back!
Thought you left
I agree on the G98, wrong sights and too long. Plus the caliber is a bit heavy. I had to carry around a long rifle and a short rifle for 10 hours, the short version was bad enough but that old school long version was way worse. My first choice would be an M1917, then a SMLE. I would also rather have a Type38.
As a collector of the Gewehr 98, they are wonderful rifles. And the battle sights have a majestic appearance to them. But, they would not be my first choice on a WW1 battlefield. Having shot the old smelly the SMLE for many years. It would most likely be my first choice. It's shorter in length, battle sights are easier to use, and that 10 round capacity. The M1917 would be my second choice. With those wonderful battle sights, especially the front sight being well protected from damage. Honestly, if I was a German Sturmtruppen in 1917-1918 raiding a trench. Give me a kar98a carbine over a Gewehr 98 for trench raid. By then German rifle production was slowing down as well. The Army wanted more carbines, Lugers, and MG08/15 machine guns. Not rifles.
Great analysis Rob thanks. The SMLE for me, but size wise for that trench scenario? The Arisaka Type 38 carbine would be my choice.
The Springfield battle sight is like that folded down. You have to flip it up to shoot accurately at shorter distances. And the adjustable sight is prone to coming loose as their are no notches only a screw for a friction hold. Pretty sorry. The Mauser 98 is far superior to any of the imitation that followed.
The K98k addressed these problems, but was pretty much outdated from the start facing Garands and Tokarev rifles.
Could you compare it to the carbine version, the K98AZ? It was produced in large numbers and favored by the stormtroopers.
I agree with the G98, too long, no great sights, but in my opinion the best action.
The Gewehr 98's 400 meter sight base makes a lot more sense when you use WW1 s-Patrone spec lightball compared to more heavier sS patrone spec ammo most people are familiar with today or other commercial loadings which gives a significantly higher impact under 400 meters with a Gew98.
My Gew98's when paired with lighter faster s-patrone loading is very flat shooting out to 400 meters and requires lot less holding under in comparison.
Your that dude that does the AK channel 😅
Guilty as charged! lol! Thank you for watching!
Great rifle, powerful cartridge.Thanks.
My Mod 98 has taller front sight to bring the zero down to a 100m. I’ve heard of some guys putting Swedish Mauser front sights to do the same thing.
I am curious what you think of 300 meter zeros like on the Argentine 1909 Mausers in 7.65 Argentine, you have better sights, and while you still have a long battle zero the 300 meter zero seems much easier to deal with compared to 400 meters, being "only" about 10-11in high in the 100yards range and evening out to 300. I am a big fan of the 1909 model which is essentially a better G98 at least imo, better cartridge remarkable close to .308 in performance, and those pre war German made Mausers were just something else, incredible craftsmanship and quality compared to the major drop off you see in war time rifles.
I have always been amazed that some soldiers, maybe from an engineering background, didn't just 16" off a second rifle especially for close arm combat like trenches & house clears.
I know I've got hindsight, but if it to long, you got to think, " shorter "?
The M1903 seems to be unpopular but I'd much rather carry it than a G98. The M1903 has a rear-mounted peep sight adjustable for windage and elevation that gives a longer sight radius. The bolt handle is turned down and closer to the trigger than the G98. This allows you to operate the mechanism without moving your right hand. You just use your index finger while retaining your aim. It's not as easily done as with the Lee-Enfield, but good enough. Both the G98 and the M1903 have a Mauser action. A flaw with the M1903 is the front sight. It's better than the barley corn sight on the G98, but it's too thin. Anyway, I don't understand the love affair people have with the G98.
Best ww1 rifle i hate to say it's probably in 6.5mm either the Arisaka or some sort of carano carbine. I'm not going to say the russian federov because too few to take note! Of the .30 calibers, it was a non-cobatant at point zero, swiss K-11 although it has the same sighting issues, fast action and smaller size probably would done better in the trenches?
The Freikorps rifle ! :D
The GEW 98 was outclassed by British Lee Enfield, Springfield M1903 and the M1917 Enfield (US secondary standard rifle). Out of the three (G-98, Lee Enfield, M1903) the M1917 was superior due to the bolt action and rear peep sights.
Oh no! Not Claus, he always was so full of joy
“Claus is a gone man, I will be outside, good luck! “ - 🤣🤣🤣👌
Showin us the reality of things like this is why I love you rob. I bet you’d like it up in my holler in Ky. Mts on all 4 sides. Gonna pack some jugs to my targets ina bit. I set on the porch and shoot 520yrds off my old dinner table from the 80s. Homemade rear sock/bag and a fn special police .308.
You fight with what you have .
Everybody thought engagements would happen at 500-1000+ meters, therefore the sights on most military rifles were hopelessly long range. It's a general problem for rifles of this era.
very nice video SMLE is the best unfortunately can’t beat it and extremely easy to field strip the bolt literally in one switch and you can pull the whole bolt housing out had a shorter barrel could easily manoeuvre in a trench, 10 shots and a slicker bolt.
Id say the type 38 arisaka would be the best suited for trench warfare
Had one a long time ago that shot very well at 100 yards but was in rough shape, i sold it to buy a much nicer version that shot feet high at 100 yards. I dont have a G98 anymore now lol.
I have to imagine if you fought with that rifle and lived more than one week, you probably became very efficient with it!