In the early period, especially before the war, the German-produced Kar 98K rifles were exemplary in both craftsmanship and precision.
However, by the late stages of the war, particularly in 1945, the quality of the Kar 98K declined sharply.
Differences between the early (pre-war to initial victories), mid (during conflicts with the Soviet Union), and late (retreat phase) versions of the Kar 98K are notable.
Overall, the color of the wood used in early, mid, and late versions of the Kar 98K varied, but this is not the critical point.
The key issue lies in the quality of the wood.
The early Kar 98K rifles were more like pieces of commercial art, using high-strength, corrosion-resistant walnut wood, a material still common in high-end furniture today, although often only used as veneer.
However, walnut is not suitable for mass production since it takes 50 years for these trees to mature.
By the time the Germans realized this, the walnut resources were nearly depleted.
During the war, the Kar 98K was mostly made with beech wood, often laminated beech.
Laminated beech is harder and easier to produce and process than walnut, but the late versions of the wood were treated more roughly.
There are also significant differences in the muzzle design between the early and late Kar 98Ks.
The early Kar 98K had a front sight without a protective hood, but the mid and late versions added a hood to prevent glare during use.
The cleaning rod and bayonet lug under the barrel were removed in the late versions since, by 1945, soldiers rarely had the chance to clean their barrels or engage in bayonet combat.
The barrel band design of the early versions was intricate, resembling an H-shape, but this complex design was abandoned in the later versions, replaced by simple welded iron strips.
Early and mid versions had spring-secured barrel bands, while late versions used two screws for attachment.
The trigger guard and magazine floor plate also differed.
The early versions had a milled trigger guard, while mid and late versions used stamping processes.
Early and mid versions had milled floor plates, but the late versions switched to stamped ones, even reducing the number of screws in the floor plate.
Although the Germans did not simplify the firing mechanism, such as the barrel, safety, receiver, and bolt, the late versions were less finely finished.
This reflected the German philosophy of maintaining structural integrity and accuracy despite financial and resource constraints.
Even in the VK98 "People’s Rifle," there was not much reduction in the firing mechanism compared to the Kar 98K.
The early Kar 98K featured a complex adjustable rear sight with a dual-range scale, but the reverse side was rarely used. This redundant design was eliminated in mid and late versions.
Regarding the stock, early and mid versions had a circular hole in the middle for disassembling the firing pin and storing it.
The early versions had a milled hole, the mid versions used stamping, and the late versions simply drilled a hole in the stock.
The early stock metal butt plate was unreinforced, prone to damage, so mid and late versions added a reinforced metal butt plate.
Overall, the decline in the quality of the Kar 98K, from excellent to poor, vividly reflected Germany's rise and fall.
It also highlighted that pre-war Germany's excessive pursuit of quality was not a wise strategy.
Ultimately, the Soviet emphasis on production capacity over craftsmanship taught the Germans a harsh lesson.
However, the German insistence on high-quality core components for firearms, even during the toughest phases of the war, remains commendable.
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