German Wermacht K98 Sniper model questions?

[IsraeliK98k]

I've long been fascinated by the Mauser K98 rifle, especially in German use during WWII, and was wondering if some of you guys could answer a few questions i have about Sniper variants of the K98?

-Where they ordinary standard battle rifles, minus modifications like free floating, trigger jobs or bolt truing etc.

-What type of telescopic sight s did they use, I know they started off using 1.25x Long Eye Relief scope, but in the movie- "Saving Pvt. Ryan", the SS Sniper in the bell tower was using a much more 'sophisticated" scope?

-Was ammo standard 7.92X57mm 198gr Boat Tail Spitzers, or where they issued special ammo.

-What was considered acceptable accuarcy for the snipers, bearing in mind they where using conventional battle rifles, and not specialist sniper weapons? What groups at what ranges?

Thanks for the warm welcome, sure beat those guys over at Glock Talk.com;)

Stay well,
Darian in South Africa

[Schuetzenman]

Here's what I can find out given my limited reference material. I'm using Ludwig Olson's book called "Masuer Bolt Rifles".

There were two sniper variants of the K98k. It appears they didn not have a special model designatin for the rifle like 98kS or something. Olson does not show any such informatio. He does talk about 3 different scopes offered for the K98k in the sniper role.

The most common one was called the ZF41, which is a small compact 1.5X scope It fit on a dovetail lug along side the left side of the rear sight. This was the base attachment point for the scope rings. It looks like a small Scout Scope setup as we call them today having an intermediate eye releif. It didn't require the removal of the iron sights. ZF stands for Zielfernrohr which means telescope.

The next type is a 4X scope. Here's how Olson puts it.

"The other sniper version of the K98k featured a 4X scope sight over the top of the action. A side mount or top mount heavier and stronger than sporting rifle scope mounts was used. The upper part of the side mount clamped to a base on the left side of the receiver. On the top mount, rings on the scope engaged a turret-type base on the receiver ring and another base on the reciever bridge. A special safety lock with a rearward-extending thumbpiece was usually used to permit operation of the safety when the scope was on the carbine".

The last type of scope was the ZF4, a 4X scope usually found on the G43 rifles. It was compact and the body was square in appearance. The objective and eyepiece end appear round. It attaches with a large bulky side mount that bears a resemblance to some of the AK side scope mounts.

The ZF41 and the ZF4 are pictured in Olson's book. Both scopes are shorter in length than the action of the weapon.

Well that's all I can find in Olson. I would assume that a selection process would have been used to screen for more accurate than usual rifles to turn into sniper rifles. I don't have any verification of that at this time.

[Tomovich]

The American G.I. sniper in the belltower in S.P.R. was shooting a U.S. .30-06 Remington 1903-A4 with a Weaver 330C (M73B1) scope on it. The K98k sniper variations are pretty varied. There was quite a few actually, from memory............

1)Zf41 ("Scout" type set up) 1.5X
2) Short side rail 4X
3) Long side rail 4X
4) Low turret mounts 4X
5) High turret mounts 4X
6) Claw mounts 4X
7) The G/K43 series of "sniper" rifles (not K98k's obviously).

I *THINK* that covers it.

:D