How come Gewehr 98s didn't feature the same cost cutting as K98s?

[R.W. Parker]

To tell you the truth there was a massive rifle shortage in 1914 for the German Armed Forces believe it or not.....

Maybe they should've done like the Brits, and laid in a supply of Type 38 Jap rifles (Pattern 1907, .256 inch).

Richie

 

[11mm]

Interesting...still though, why do you think they didn't drop as much in aesthetic quality as say late war K98s? Is it due to Germany not being bombed and the war situation being more favorable? Seems like that may have some validity as Germany wasn't fighting a two front war during the end of WWI when they knocked out Russia.

I do not collect K98ks, though I have had a few, mostly pre-war. Is a late WW2 K98k (other than the "last ditch" ones) in any way operationally inferior to a pre-war item? I suspect not. The aesthetics cost money/time and laminated stocks, stamped buttplates and welded front bands probably worked as well as the nicer looking, earlier parts. After all, the 1903a3 rifle is just as good as the (to me) nicer looking 1903, and it shoots well. The plants that made those rifles weren't being bombed.
I suspect the availability of manufacturing processes in WW2 that were not used or developed in WW1 had a lot to do with the abandonment of the aesthetics. It might have occurred in Germany even if the manufacturers had not been under the duress that they undoubtably experienced.

 

[runner]

I do not collect K98ks, though I have had a few, mostly pre-war. Is a late WW2 K98k (other than the "last ditch" ones) in any way operationally inferior to a pre-war item? I suspect not. The aesthetics cost money/time and laminated stocks, stamped buttplates and welded front bands probably worked as well as the nicer looking, earlier parts. After all, the 1903a3 rifle is just as good as the (to me) nicer looking 1903, and it shoots well. The plants that made those rifles weren't being bombed.
I suspect the availability of manufacturing processes in WW2 that were not used or developed in WW1 had a lot to do with the abandonment of the aesthetics. It might have occurred in Germany even if the manufacturers had not been under the duress that they undoubtably experienced.

I have an example of each year of production of the K98k from two of the company's that made them; Mauser Oberndorf and Steyr. I do not think the functionality of their 1945 production rifles was any less than their first production year examples. I am speaking of K98ks, not VK 98s or other mod. 98 based Rifles intended for the Volkstrum. I think even these were functional and safe, but operationally inferior due to crude sights, magazine systems, etc.