Mauser Gew 98 Bolt Action Sniper Rifle

Fitted with a telescopic sight, this bolt-action Mauser rifle was used by German snipers in the First World War. Piece may be 'tween the wars rework.

Circa 1916 Mauser (Germany) Gewehr 98 Bolt-Action Box-Magazine Rifle (repeater/ breech-loading/ smokeless powder/ cartridge ammunition) The Gewehr (rifle) 98, developed by Mauser, was originally adopted in 1898 as the standard arm for Germany.

During two World Wars, the Germans made improvements. In World War I, German opticians developed excellent sniper scopes for use with specially-fitted rifles. The rifle displayed here employs optics produced by Dr. Walter Gerard of Charlottenburg. It symbolizes German ingenuity better than any other gun of its time. Symbolically, America (Browning and Maxim) developed the flying-bolt machine gun, and Germany (Mauser) the turning-bolt rifle. --Dr. William L. Roberts, THE AMERICAN LIBERTY COLLECTION; #123