The Karabiner 98 k was the main rifle of the German army during the Second World War. While the name is often abbreviated as Kar 98 k, period German documents consistently use the abbreviation K 98 k.
Production
Production Statistics
Production numbers only include production from September 1939. Some of the numbers in the original reports are rounded to the nearest hundred or thousand. Production of the Gewehr 29/40 and Gewehr 33/40 are included in the numbers, but were relatively small. Until October 1942, production numbers for scoped and unscoped rifles were amalgamated.
Month |
Without scope |
With scope |
Inventory |
Wa A |
Fz In |
Losses |
Exports and other |
Inventory |
Wa A |
Fz In |
Losses |
Exports and other |
1939 |
September |
2 770 000 |
62 100 |
48 000 |
7 900 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
October |
2 810 000 |
80 600 |
73 400 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
November |
2 894 000 |
68 000 |
60 000 |
4 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
December |
2 943 000 |
69 100 |
69 400 |
4 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
1940 |
January |
3 013 000 |
68 400 |
58 000 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
February |
3 071 000 |
61 400 |
63 000 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
March |
3 134 000 |
86 100 |
86 100 |
82 400 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
April |
3 137 700 |
94 800 |
97 800 |
7 000 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
May |
3 228 500 |
101 600 |
79 100 |
10 800 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
June |
3 296 800 |
106 400 |
96 400 |
18 700 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
July |
3 374 500 |
112 200 |
104 500 |
12 600 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
August |
3 466 400 |
93 000 |
93 100 |
3 500 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
September |
3 524 500 |
100 800 |
99 600 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
October |
3 624 000 |
89 000 |
83 100 |
5 900 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
November |
3 701 000 |
107 000 |
93 300 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
December |
3 794 000 |
85 500 |
93 200 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
1941 |
January |
3 887 000 |
103 700 |
101 700 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
February |
3 989 470 |
105 700 |
108 450 |
10 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
March |
4 091 900 |
101 800 |
100 900 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
April |
4 198 800 |
80 390 |
89 800 |
497 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
May |
4 286 300 |
87 985 |
84 860 |
320 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
June |
4 372 800 |
102 280 |
101 420 |
6 156 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
July |
4 468 100 |
74 360 |
77 900 |
21 440 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
August |
4 524 600 |
70 150 |
66 700 |
21 800 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
September |
4 569 500 |
68 294 |
70 000 |
3 982 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
October |
4 630 600 |
53 124 |
55 550 |
5 921 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
November |
4 680 200 |
51 864 |
52 464 |
15 083 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
December |
4 717 500 |
52 865 |
38 200 |
7 500 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
1942 |
January |
4 748 260 |
114 363 |
92 800 |
5 700 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
February |
4 835 400 |
103 669 |
122 950 |
13 780 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
March |
4 844 500 |
87 406 |
98 490 |
5 628 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
April |
5 037 380 |
97 666 |
94 717 |
5 786 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
May |
5 126 317 |
105 786 |
118 593 |
17 508 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
June |
5 227 402 |
81 197 |
101 450 |
17 456 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
July |
5 311 390 |
91 602 |
108 668 |
17 757 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
August |
5 402 295 |
84 873 |
87 992 |
20 221 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
September |
5 470 076 |
91 362 |
108 305 |
18 055 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
October |
5 560 326 |
96 691 |
96 470 |
9 357 |
19 480 |
- |
3 732 |
- |
- |
- |
November |
5 627 959 |
88 718 |
89 851 |
13 205 |
32 072 |
- |
3 423 |
- |
- |
- |
December |
5 672 533 |
88 906 |
121 845 |
15 768 |
26 501 |
- |
5 771 |
- |
- |
- |
1943 |
January |
5 752 109 |
82 017 |
102 987 |
13 919 |
17 494 |
- |
5 380 |
- |
649 |
- |
February |
5 823 683 |
113 426 |
124 953 |
238 126 |
13 991 |
- |
5 690 |
5 733 |
1 068 |
- |
March |
5 696 519 |
137 191 |
151 472 |
17 652 |
8 000 |
- |
6 050 |
4 990 |
703 |
- |
April |
4 190 1401Inventory verified. |
150 880 |
151 701 |
14 425 |
12 000 |
36 129 |
5 030 |
4 860 |
642 |
320 |
May |
4 315 416 |
154 924 |
153 069 |
73 596 |
28 452 |
40 027 |
3 474 |
4 605 |
1 510 |
- |
June |
4 366 437 |
152 168 |
260 398 |
6 491 |
39 233 |
43 122 |
4 828 |
5 295 |
431 |
160 |
July |
4 581 111 |
164 471 |
174 713 |
31 727 |
18 576 |
47 826 |
5 288 |
6 529 |
1 310 |
167 |
August |
4 705 521 |
154 200 |
165 227 |
63 141 |
14 250 |
52 878 |
4 797 |
6 688 |
2 837 |
1 913 |
September |
4 793 357 |
172 106 |
213 818 |
27 604 |
18 351 |
54 916 |
3 605 |
4 400 |
974 |
400 |
October |
4 961 220 |
176 175 |
153 300 |
44 091 |
13 497 |
57 882 |
4 170 |
2 791 |
1 612 |
1 131 |
November |
4 494 3731Inventory verified. |
165 872 |
163 868 |
28 855 |
10 000 |
40 1951Inventory verified. |
4 037 |
4 844 |
1 232 |
- |
December |
4 619 386 |
170 709 |
200 727 |
30 291 |
15 000 |
43 807 |
4 906 |
2 484 |
1 823 |
88 |
1944 |
January |
4 774 822 |
161 505 |
209 961 |
44 364 |
20 140 |
44 380 |
2 563 |
5 836 |
1 646 |
1 525 |
February |
4 920 279 |
154 501 |
170 383 |
90 246 |
11 000 |
47 045 |
2 563 |
2 273 |
3 681 |
350 |
March |
4 989 416 |
156 021 |
170 562 |
63 908 |
13 500 |
45 287 |
5 236 |
2 706 |
1 172 |
350 |
April |
5 082 570 |
126 689 |
183 831 |
34 347 |
29 000 |
46 471 |
3 276 |
5 470 |
838 |
402 |
May |
5 203 054 |
150 052 |
165 168 |
124 750 |
24 547 |
50 701 |
3 076 |
3 919 |
2 289 |
748 |
June |
5 218 925 |
162 288 |
166 084 |
21 885 |
16 500 |
51 583 |
3 494 |
3 217 |
402 |
136 |
July |
5 346 624 |
213 616 |
225 031 |
208 276 |
14 071 |
54 262 |
2 454 |
3 614 |
1 779 |
- |
August |
5 349 308 |
170 969 |
198 441 |
114 889 |
2 241 |
56 097 |
3 125 |
2 141 |
2 009 |
30 |
September |
5 430 619 |
140 575 |
168 254 |
328 614 |
330 |
56 199 |
1 428 |
2 982 |
4 248 |
- |
October |
3 200 0001Inventory verified. |
141 666 |
167 817 |
186 089 |
12 507 |
22 0001Inventory verified. |
1 984 |
1 370 |
1 991 |
- |
November |
3 169 221 |
176 942 |
202 532 |
79 467 |
26 440 |
21 379 |
3 900 |
2 606 |
1 283 |
- |
December |
3 265 846 |
167 658 |
178 202 |
67 568 |
9 316 |
22 702 |
2 533 |
2 374 |
1 211 |
10 |
1945 |
January |
3 367 164 |
148 654 |
138 513 |
53 576 |
5 166 |
23 855 |
1 775 |
1 680 |
641 |
N/A |
February |
3 446 935 |
79 363 |
N/A |
24 894 |
N/A |
March |
N/A |
106 275 |
N/A |
Production Costs
Karabiner 98 k |
Price |
65-70 Reichmark |
Man-hours |
20 |
Production time |
3 months |
Iron |
13.27 kg |
Tin |
0.0025 kg |
Tin |
0.0025 kg |
Karabiner 98 k |
Caliber |
7.92 mm |
Weight |
- Walnut wood stock: 3.9 kg
- Plywood stock: 4.1-4.2 kg
|
Length overall |
1110 mm |
Lenght of barrel |
600 mm |
Range |
- Highest sight mark: 2000 m
- Maximum range: 4500 m
|
Magazine capacity |
5 rounds |
Rate of fire |
9-10 rounds per minute |
Muzzle velocity |
755 m/s |
Barrel life |
No practical limitation |
Penetration Data
While the Karabiner 98 k was capable of firing the S m K and S m K H armor-piercing ammunition, this ammunition was only issued to be fired by machine guns. The penetration data below is therefore limited to other objects using regular S and sS ammunition.
Steel
Thickness |
S |
sS |
Regular Steel |
7 mm |
450 m |
550 m |
10 mm |
200 m |
300 m |
Armor Steel |
3 mm |
400 m |
600 m |
5 mm |
100 m |
100 m |
Dry Pinewood
Range |
S |
sS |
100 m |
600 mm |
650 mm |
400 m |
800 mm |
850 mm |
800 m |
350 mm |
450 mm |
1800 m |
100 mm |
200 mm |
Other Targets
Both S and sS could penetrate up to 900 mm of sand. A brick thickness of 250 mm would stop single shots unless the bullet would hit a joint. Continued fire would be able to destroy the wall.
Notes
- Inventory verified. Back
Sources
- Zahlen, Formeln und Kurven für den Waffentechniker. Rheinmetall-Borsig. 51 p.
- Überblick über den Rüstungsstand des Heeres (Waffen und Geräte) : Stand: 1.2.41. Berlin, 1941. 86 p. Der Chef der Heeresrüstung und Befehlshaber des Ersatzheeres - Stab IIc (Rüst) Nr. 300/41 g.Kdos.. NARA T78 R164.
- Berlin, 1942. 11 p. NARA T78 R146.
- Überblick über den Rüstungsstand des Heeres - Waffen- u. Gerätegebiet : Stand: 1.12.1942. Berlin, 1942. 124 p. Der Chef der Heeresrüstung und Befehlshaber des Ersatzheeres - Stab Rüst IIIc Nr. 3100/42 g.Kdos.. NARA T78 R166.
- Überblick über den Rüstungsstand des Heeres (Waffen und Gerät) : Stand: 1.2.1942. Berlin, 1942. 91 p. Der Chef der Heeresrüstung und Befehlshaber des Ersatzheeres - Stab Rüst IIc Nr. 300/42 g.Kdos.. NARA T78 R165.
- Überblick über den Rüstungsstand des Heeres - Waffen und Geräte : Stand: 1.12.1943. Berlin, 1943. 224 p. Der Chef der Heeresrüstung und Befehlshaber des Ersatzheeres - Stab Rüst IIIc Nr. 3600/43 g.Kdos.. NARA T78 R167.
- IIIc - Entwicklung. Wünsdorf : GenStdH/Org Abt III c, 1944. 211 p. NARA T78 R413 H 1/158.
- Überblick über den Rüstungsstand des Heeres - Waffen und Geräte : Stand: 1.12.1944. Berlin, 1944. 198 p. Der Chef der Heeresrüstung und Befehlshaber des Ersatzheeres - Stab Rüst IIIc Nr. 6600/44 g.Kdos.. NARA T78 R169.
- Überblick über den Rüstungsstand des Heeres - Waffen und Geräte : Stand 1. März 1944. Berlin : WaA, 1945. 190 p. Heereswaffenamt - Wa Stab St Nr. 600/45 g.Kdos.. NARA T78 R413 H 1/156.
- PAWLAS, Karl R. Waffen-Revue W 127 - Datenblätter für Heeres-Waffen, -Fahrzeuge und Gerät. Nurnberg : Publizistisches Archiv für Militär- und Waffenwessen, 1976. 248 p. ISBN 3-88088-213-4.