The Gewehr 1898 was the product of a decade of bolt action repeating rifle improvements by the Mauser company, and would be the standard German infantry rifle through both World Wars. Today we are looking at a pre-WWI example (1905 production) that shows all the features of what a German soldier would have taken to war in 1914.
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1905 manufacture, to me, would indicate the weapon may, have balloon head bolt face. I do not recall when engineering made the transition from black powder to smokeless powder, and if early smokeless powder had the same or reduced copper units of pressure. Decades ago, I bought a 1895 8x57mm Small Ring Mauser, cock-on-close type rifle. The gas port hissed when I fired modern 8×57 ammunition, which is really, very mild, and the head of the brass cases were balloon rounded after firing with the primers popping out, noticeably. Personally, I refrain from anything prior to 1917 vint manufacturing with exception to Large Ring 1898 Mauser action designs. That’s my Two Cents.
Typo: “8×57” should read, “7×57”.
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