Much like the Empire of Japan (http://imgur.com/gallery/hlktV), Germany found the war turned against her in late 1944. As the western allies advanced across France, Belgium and Italy, the Soviet hammer (and presumably sickle as well) exacted bloody retribution on both the German military forces and civilians caught in the path of the Red Army. This brutality echoed the savagery that German forces inflicted upon Soviet forces following the launch of Operation Barbarossa in 1941.
The top rifle is an example of the finely finished weapons produced by the Third Reich during the heady early years of WW2. Finely finished and profusely stamped this rifle demonstrates the manufacturing excellence the world still expects out of German machinery. In contrast the bottom rifle, produced in the last months of the war, exhibits numerous manufacturing shortcuts designed to get functional weapons out to the front lines as quickly as possible to combat the allied advance.
In the photos below we will review some of these changes and display a side by side comparison detailing these two rifles. Both are fully functional battle rifles, but I hope you find the differences as fascinating as I do!
The receiver markings on a military rifle are very usually the first thing a collector will look at upon picking up a weapon for the first time. In the case of these rifles they tell a story all of their own.
On the left is the "byf" coded K98k, produced in 1941. Manufactured at the Mauser-Werke plant in Oberndorf, Germany this rifle has a nicely polished receiver that exhibits a smooth and well finished exterior. This example does show considerable wear, but that is certainly consistent with a rifle that likely saw 4-5 years of field use by a German soldier.
On the right is the "dot" coded Semi-Kriegsmodell K98k, produced in either late 1944 or early 1945 (they utilized surplus 1944 receivers into early 1945). Manufactured at Waffenwerke Bruenn in Czechoslovakia this rifle has a rough and rugged receiver, still exhibiting the obvious machining marks used to create the rounded shape. Any fan of Soviet weapons will recognize similarities between this change and the change between pre-war and mid-war Mosin Nagant 91/30s.
The Kriegsmodell (War Model) type rifles appear in numerous variations as German factories implemented the changes in different ways and at different times. This "semi-Kriegsmodell" bears most of the characteristics of war expediency, with the exception that it still features the bolt disassembly disk in the stock.
The left side of the receiver shows that the serial number is only stamped on the barrel of this Kriegsmodell, instead of both the barrel and the receiver as is traditional with most earlier rifles.
In fact the Kreigsmodell rifles feature a LOT less serial numbered parts when compared to early production rifles. Based on quick visual inspection most early rifles will have serial numbers on: Bolt handle, extractor, bolt shroud, safety, cocking piece, stock, barrel, receiver, buttplate, bolt release lever, trigger guard, floorplate, main action screws, rear band, front band and rear sight. There are also some parts numbered that are not visible until you take the rifle apart (and I'm sure I missed some because the Germans got a little ridiculous with their stamping. So 16+ numbers.
By comparison a dot semi-kriegsmodell should have the serial number in a whopping 4 places: Barrel, bolt handle, bolt shroud, cocking piece. I'm not a machinist, but I'm going to assume that by ditching the overzealous stamping they really sped up production!!
Another stamp that appears in much smaller numbers are the Waffenamt markings. These inspection stamps show the suitability of the stamped part, and appear on nearly EVERY part on the early rifle, including the front sight base and recoil bolt. In comparison the late war rifle has much fewer, cutting out some of the intense bureaucracy in order to produce more rifles.
To me personally nothing shows the mania of German industry better than the fact that they numbered their screws with the last two digits of the weapon's serial number. On the right you can see the stamped (as opposed to the earlier milled) trigger guard lacks the capture screws on the earlier model, as well as being completely devoid of any serial numbers.
It bears mentioning here as well that a typical Kriegsmodell rifle will have a roughly finished stock displaying "chatter" from the machine that shaped them. On my particular example though someone (either the GI who probably brought it back or a later owner) "improved" the weapon by sanding it smooth. Unfortunately this removed any markings the stock once had and lowers the value of the weapon.
The front and rear bands are another clear indicator about how the war had turned against the Germans. The earlier rifle has beautifully milled bands, replete with both serial numbers and waffenamts, held in place by a spring that sits into a milled channel. The later rifle in contrast has much cruder bands that feature unsightly weld marks. Instead of a spring, the bands are instead held in place by wood screws sunk directly into the stock.
From what I can tell, most Kriegsmodell rifles still had the front sight protector installed so it seems that mine lost it at some point.
A bottom shot of the front bands, showing the hasty welding on the late war rifle. A finish like this would be unacceptable on even the cheapest modern sporting rifle, but aesthetics don't mean much when you need to send functional rifles to the fighting force as quickly as possible!
A key feature on the Kriegsmodell is the deletion of both the bayonet lug and cleaning rod hole. These are replaced with a simple plate that screws into the wood of the stock.
While I'm sure many will bemoan the lack of killing potential, I follow the General SLA Marshall school of thought that the bayonet in modern combat is little more than a camp tool and added weight for the combat soldier. In regards to the assertion that it steels men to take lives he states: "The bayonet is not a chemical agent the mere possession of it will not make men one whit more intrepid than they are by nature. Nor will any amount of bayonet training have such an effect."
The last major difference between these two particular rifles is the bolt body. The earlier bolt (top) features oval gas holes in the bottom, while the later rifle has simpler round holes to vent excess gas.
Well I hope this has be interesting and informative. The usual disclaimer applies that I am simply an amateur historian / weapons enthusiast and not an expert exhaustively schooled in this subject. If you liked this write up, please see my article on Early vs Late War Arisaka Rifles at http://imgur.com/gallery/hlktV
