The Second Showdown: The Mosin Nagent vs. the Gew 98/Kar98K Rifles

World War II saw a de facto rematch between the Mauser and the Mosin-Nagant, but it was with new versions of each respective rifle. Following a trend that had begun with the British Army's Short Magazine Lee Enfield (SMLE), which proved better suited to the trench warfare of World War I than the longer rifles of the era, and without compromising range or accuracy—the length of both the Soviet (Russian) and German rifles decreased.

The Mosin-Nagant Model 91/30

Production of the Mosin-Nagant continued in the Soviet Union, but in 1930, the rifle underwent some notable changes. The basic M1891/30 saw the barrel shortened by about 3.5 inches to the length of the "Dragoon variant" produced for the Imperial Russian Army's cavalry before World War I.

The M91/30 was the standard issue weapon of Soviet troops when the nation was invaded by the Germans in 1941, and it remained in production throughout the war. As the manufacture of the semi-automatic Tokarev SVT-40 was disrupted following Nazi Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union, emphasis was placed again on the Mosin-Nagant—which was easier to produce. It also proved to be more reliable and rugged, both necessities as the Motherland was fighting for her very survival.

Millions of Soviet rifles were made during the war, and it remained the main small arm of the largest mobilized army in history with some 17.4 million being manufactured from 1941 to 1945. Numerous variations were produced notably a sniper version and a carbine version that was introduced in 1944. Arguably one of the most widely produced firearms ever (with the possible exception of the AK-47 assault rifle), some 37,000,000 were made between 1891 and 1965.

The Karabiner 98 Kurz

Officially designated the Karabiner 98 Kurz or Kar98K, it wasn't technically a "carbine" in the traditional sense, although there had been a carbine version of the Gewehr 98. Rather, it was a short rifle and became the standard service rifle of the German military when it was adopted in 1935.

As for why it wasn't the Kar35K comes down to restrictions placed on Germany under the Treaty of Versailles. The development of a new rifle was concealed, but it was a direct descendant of the Model 98 rifle. The new model resembled its preceding version in its basic shape, except for being almost six inches shorter, while also incorporating a few design improvements. The Kar98K used the same controlled-feed bolt-action system of its predecessor, while the most immediate difference is the straight bolt handle of the Gewehr 98 that was replaced by a turned-down bolt handle that made it easier to rapidly operate, and reduced the amount the handle projected beyond the receiver. That enabled the mounting of options directly above the receiver. The Langevisier—rollercoaster—rear sights were also replaced with a more conventional tangent leaf sight.

Though it was the standard infantry weapon of the Wehrmacht at the start of World War II and continued to serve in that role until Germany's defeat in May 1945, it was gradually supplemented by the semi-automatic Gewehr 43/Karabiner 43 (G43/K43), which almost ironically incorporated an improved short-stroke pistol gas system employed in the aforementioned SVT-40. Yet, while more than 9 million Kar98Ks were manufactured by the war's end, only around 402,000 K43s were produced.

As the war drew to a close, Germany was in the beginning stages of slowly replacing its bolt action rifle with the Sturmgewehr 44 (StG44) assault rifle designed by Hugo Schmeisser—and that weapon would go on to influence the AK-47 and other post-war assault rifles.

The Rifles Compared (Again)

Neither the Model 90/31 nor the Kar98K could be seen as a revolutionary step forward, and they were really simple evolutionary changes. The same level of German precision design and engineering is present with its rifle, while the Soviet weapon retained the same rugged reliability.

Both rifles could hold five rounds and could be loaded with a stripper clip or individually by hand. As with the previous models, the range and accuracy are about the same. The Soviet weapon was produced in massively larger numbers, which is fitting as Soviet leader Joseph Stalin was quoted as saying "Quantity is a quality of its own." Truer words were never spoken in wartime. The Mosin-Nagant M91/31 was certainly among the weapons that helped save the motherland during her darkest days.

So is one better than the other?

Now with nearly eighty years of hindsight, it may come down to collectability. In the immediate aftermath of World War II, Kar98Ks were so common that tens of thousands (perhaps more) were "sporterized" and converted into a poor man's hunting or target rifle. Throughout much of the Cold War, Mosin-Nagants weren't exactly rare, but certainly not as widely available as they are now.

Then in the 1990s and early 2000s, the Mosin Nagant flooded the market. As noted, those are still collectible, but not quite in the same way as the Mauser that the Doughboys brought home after the Great War or the Greatest Generation came back with following World War II. It should be noted that Mauser collectors can look to countless variations made for countries around the world, while Mosin-Nagants were made in far fewer flavors.

As the better rifle, it may be a matter of personal preference, but both will have a legacy that lasts for eons to come!

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.