While capable of semi-automatic fire, the WWII Germans field two modifications to the Kar-98 that are intresting.
The first is the Gewehr 41: two versions were developed, one by Mauserwerke: the G41(M) and the second by Carl Walther: the G41(W). Both used a muzzle expansion chamber which turned some of the emerging gases backwards to actuate a piston surrounding the barrel. This then drove an operating rod to the rear and operated the bolt. The G41(M) mounted the rod on top of the barrel and the G41(W) mounted the rod underneath the barrel. Walther won the contest and was adopted into service. While the design worked, it was not popular; the muzzle cone was prone to fouling, and the weapon was poorly balanced with a pronounced muzzle prepondrance, making it difficult to handle.
Going back to the drawing boards, one of the first things discarded was the muzzle cone. A more conventional design of gas operated piston (very similar to the one used on the Soviet Tokarev) was added. The result was the Gewehr 43, this was a much more satisfactory design and was a popular weapon. It was adopted after the war by the Czech Army as their standard sniping rifle, which is a high compliment considering the firearms expertise of the Czechs!
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The reason that the American Army does so well in wartime, is that war is chaos, and the American Army practices chaos on a daily basis.
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04-18-2011, 08:52 AM
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