Kb wz.98a
Encyclopedia
Karabin wzor 98a was a Polish bolt-action rifle based on the German Gewehr 98
.
Army was armed with Russian (Mosin
), Austrian (mainly Mannlicher M1895
) and German (Mauser M1898
) rifles. Even French rifles (Berthier
and Lebel
) appeared along with Blue Army soldiers.
As a result, at the end of the Polish-Soviet War
in 1921 the Polish army was armed with approximately 24 types of guns and 22 types of rifles, all firing different ammunition. Since such a combination of designs impeded training and logistics, work on one standard type of rifle was carried out starting in 1919. Initially it was assumed that the Lebel
would be adopted, but it was quickly rejected as an obsolete design. Later on, proposals for adoption as a standard rifle included the Mannlicher M1895 or Mauser M1912 (produced in Austria
for Mexico
).
Finally, after the award of the Council of Ambassadors to Poland by the Gdansk branch plants Mauser, was admitted to the Military Rifle Gew98 (German version of the Mauser M1898) as wz.98. Machinery factory in Gdańsk
to Warsaw
, to the newly created National Rifle Factory. Production at the new plants started in July 1922.
In 1924, after approximately 22,000 rifles were manufactured, wz.98 production ended. They took the place of wz.98 rifles (as the Mauser M1898
was designated), and later carbines (short rifles) wz. 29.
In the first half of the thirties as a result of changes in Polish doctrine extended distance, which was to be driven to the fire of the infantry 1200-1500 meters. New requirements could not cope with kbk wz.29, so in 1934 decided to resume production of the wz.98 gun, or rather its improved version wz.98a (it was a new sight krzywiznowy under the curve and not on the shoulder, and derived a new bayonet mount with wz.29).
Production started at the National Arms Factory in Radom
in 1936; the two years' delay between adoption and the start of production was due to the need for seasoning wood bed rifles.
Until the outbreak of war in 1939 produced 500 rifles wz.98a. They accounted for (with kb kbk wz.98 and wz.98 and wz.29) basic armaments of the Polish army. After the war, the defense they were armed guerrillas. Acquired copies wz.98 rifle were also taken to arms by the Wehrmacht
as the Gewehr 299 (p).
Gewehr 98
The Gewehr 98 is a German bolt action Mauser rifle firing the 8x57mm cartridge from a 5 round internal clip-loaded magazine that was the German service rifle from 1898 to 1935, when it was replaced by the Karabiner 98k. It was hence the main rifle of the German infantry during World War I...
.
Design History
After regaining independence, the PolishPoland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
Army was armed with Russian (Mosin
Mosin-Nagant
The Mosin–Nagant is a bolt-action, internal magazine-fed, military rifle invented under the government commission by Russian and Belgian inventors, and used by the armed forces of the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union and various other nations....
), Austrian (mainly Mannlicher M1895
Steyr-Mannlicher M1895
The Steyr-Mannlicher M1895 rifle is a bolt-action rifle, designed by Ferdinand Ritter von Mannlicher that used a refined version of his revolutionary straight-pull action. It was nicknamed the "Ruck-Zuck" by Landsers...
) and German (Mauser M1898
Gewehr 98
The Gewehr 98 is a German bolt action Mauser rifle firing the 8x57mm cartridge from a 5 round internal clip-loaded magazine that was the German service rifle from 1898 to 1935, when it was replaced by the Karabiner 98k. It was hence the main rifle of the German infantry during World War I...
) rifles. Even French rifles (Berthier
Berthier rifle
The Berthier rifles and carbines were a family of bolt-action small arms in 8mm Lebel, used in the French Army from the 1890s to the beginning of World War II...
and Lebel
Lebel Model 1886 rifle
The Lebel Model 1886 rifle is also known as the "Fusil Mle 1886 M93", after a bolt modification was added in 1893. It is an 8mm bolt action infantry rifle which entered service in the French Army in April 1887...
) appeared along with Blue Army soldiers.
As a result, at the end of the Polish-Soviet War
Polish-Soviet War
The Polish–Soviet War was an armed conflict between Soviet Russia and Soviet Ukraine and the Second Polish Republic and the Ukrainian People's Republic—four states in post–World War I Europe...
in 1921 the Polish army was armed with approximately 24 types of guns and 22 types of rifles, all firing different ammunition. Since such a combination of designs impeded training and logistics, work on one standard type of rifle was carried out starting in 1919. Initially it was assumed that the Lebel
Lebel Model 1886 rifle
The Lebel Model 1886 rifle is also known as the "Fusil Mle 1886 M93", after a bolt modification was added in 1893. It is an 8mm bolt action infantry rifle which entered service in the French Army in April 1887...
would be adopted, but it was quickly rejected as an obsolete design. Later on, proposals for adoption as a standard rifle included the Mannlicher M1895 or Mauser M1912 (produced in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
for Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
).
Finally, after the award of the Council of Ambassadors to Poland by the Gdansk branch plants Mauser, was admitted to the Military Rifle Gew98 (German version of the Mauser M1898) as wz.98. Machinery factory in Gdańsk
Gdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
to Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, to the newly created National Rifle Factory. Production at the new plants started in July 1922.
In 1924, after approximately 22,000 rifles were manufactured, wz.98 production ended. They took the place of wz.98 rifles (as the Mauser M1898
Gewehr 98
The Gewehr 98 is a German bolt action Mauser rifle firing the 8x57mm cartridge from a 5 round internal clip-loaded magazine that was the German service rifle from 1898 to 1935, when it was replaced by the Karabiner 98k. It was hence the main rifle of the German infantry during World War I...
was designated), and later carbines (short rifles) wz. 29.
In the first half of the thirties as a result of changes in Polish doctrine extended distance, which was to be driven to the fire of the infantry 1200-1500 meters. New requirements could not cope with kbk wz.29, so in 1934 decided to resume production of the wz.98 gun, or rather its improved version wz.98a (it was a new sight krzywiznowy under the curve and not on the shoulder, and derived a new bayonet mount with wz.29).
Production started at the National Arms Factory in Radom
Radom
Radom is a city in central Poland with 223,397 inhabitants . It is located on the Mleczna River in the Masovian Voivodeship , having previously been the capital of Radom Voivodeship ; 100 km south of Poland's capital, Warsaw.It is home to the biennial Radom Air Show, the largest and...
in 1936; the two years' delay between adoption and the start of production was due to the need for seasoning wood bed rifles.
Until the outbreak of war in 1939 produced 500 rifles wz.98a. They accounted for (with kb kbk wz.98 and wz.98 and wz.29) basic armaments of the Polish army. After the war, the defense they were armed guerrillas. Acquired copies wz.98 rifle were also taken to arms by the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
as the Gewehr 299 (p).