Where trench warfare ruled the battlefields of World War 1, the rifleman could quickly be assaulted at close range by his enemy. Though a highly-effective and efficient weapon, the Gewehr sported the negative found on most other turn-of the century rifles - she was simply too long to be used effectively in close-quarters. The Gewehr 98 had an oil finished rifle stock with a slight pistol grip made from walnut. This open-wide aiming sight was designed for field use in all levels of light and for a quick-shooting action against large targets like men in units or groups at ranges from 200m to 2000m in 100m increments. The rifle made use of an open front sight post and a tangent rear sight mounted perpendicular to the line-of-sight (LOS).

The two swivels connected on the bottom of the stock supported a leather sling, but as the war dragged on the slings were made out of canvas. With the soldier in mind, the rifle was designed to incorporate two sling swivels for a shoulder strap, useful in transport of the gun by infantry or helping to sight the rifle on a target. It was fitted with an internal magazine holding five cartridges and fully held within the receiver. The Gew 98 weighed in at approximately 9lbs (4.09kg) and was 49-inches long (1,250mm) overall with a 29-inch (740mm) rifled barrel. The outgoing rifle was then pressed into service with Austro-Hungarian and Turkish forces after the Germans abandoned it in favor of the newer Gew 98.Дevelopment of a new service rifle managing the same 7.92mm ammunition (with greater powder charge) spurred the Model 1898/Gew 98 into being.

The rifle managed an existence throughout World War 1 (used in a frontline role until 1915) but was seemingly lacking many of the frontline qualities required of a service rifle - proving generally unsuccessful and something of a failure - partly due to the all-new ammunition in use and the lack of a single-loading/topping off capability of the magazine. Loading was by way of a Mannlicher-style 'clip' system which required all 5 rounds to be fired before the magazine could be accessed, the clip dropping through the bottom of the rifle. Consistent with the times was a mounting point for a field bayonet intended for close-quarters combat. The bolt-action handle stuck out in the horizontal for quick access though this feature increased the likelihood of snags (addressed in future Mauser revisions). Sights were located at center of the stock top and just aft of the muzzle while sling loops allowed for a shoulder strap. The magazine was integral to the design and projected through the bottom of the body as part of the trigger ring. The Model 1888 held its bolt-action function within a single-piece stock which incorporated the butt, grip and forend. In an effort to match their foe and long-time neighbor, the Germans utilized a committee approach to formulate the new Model 1888/Gew 88 to make use of its own brand of smokeless powder in 7.92x57mm cartridge form. This development immediately rendering all other black powder guns obsolete and brought about a new era in firearms. The rifle was quickly developed in response to the arrival of the new French 8-round Lebel bolt-action service rifle of 1888 - the first firearm in the world to make successful use of small bore smokeless powder ammunition. Origins of the Model 1898 could be traced back to its immediate predecessor, the Gew 88 (also Model 1888 or M1888). The Model 1898/Gew 98's historical influence was such that other notable foreign developments was born of its reliable and robust approach including the famous American M1903 Springfield and Japanese Arisaka Type 38/Type 99 series.

The Gew 98 proved so popular that a myriad of offshoots and variants were born from her design, seeing action in all parts of the globe. The Mauser rifle, and its classic bolt-action system, went on to set the standard of such guns - a standard still followed by the arms industry today. The rifle was patented by Paul Mauser in 1895 with initial production running from 1898 to 1918, becoming the standard German Army rifle used during World War 1. The Mauser Gewehr 98 (formally as the 'Infantry Rifle Model 1898') was a manually operated, magazine fed, bolt-action rifle and became one of the most successful military and sport firearms ever produced (numbering over 5,000,000 units).

Mauser gewehr 98 sling