Most students of these rifles are well aware of “Backbone of the Wehrmacht (The German K98k Rifle, 1934 - 1945)” and “Backbone of the Wehrmacht II - Sniper Variations of the German K98k Rifle,” both by Law.
I’ve just ordered a new book called “Rifle and Carbine 98, M98 Firearms of the German Army from 1898 to 1918” by Dieter Storz which promises to be an excellent tome.
Storz’ qualifications are second to none and his research tends to be of the highest order. It’s published both in German and English, (to reach the wider market,) so should have a good client base amongst readers of these fora.
I’ve only read a few excerpts so far and while the English syntax might be a little strange on the (very) odd occasion, it in no way detracts from the wealth of information contained within it’s pages.
Here’s the bumf from Verlag Militaria:
Rifle & Carbine 98, M98 Firearms of the German Army from 1898 to 1918 by Dieter Storz, 2006, 464 pages.
ISBN: 3-902526-04-01 (German Edition), 3-902526-05-X (English Edition)
Publisher: Verlag Militaria, Editor Stefan Rest, Vienna, Austria
Homepage: www.militaria.at
About the book:
464 pages, approx. 850 photographs and illustrations,
bound in linen with a protective cover. Format: 29.5 x 26.0 cm
Content:
In 1898 the German army introduced a new rifle that was to influence not only the armament of the German armed forces until the mid 20th century, but also that of many other countries. This book deals in detail with the history of M 98 rifles and carbines in Germany between 1898 and 1918.
The book relies above all on the collections of the major military historical museums in Germany such as the Bayerisches Armeemuseum in Ingolstadt, the Wehrtechnische Studiensammlung in Koblenz and the Militärhistorisches Museum der Bundeswehr in Dresden. The Deutsches Historisches Museum in Berlin and the Royal Army Museum in Brussels also made their stocks available for this book. After years of research work in the archives in Munich, Dresden, Stuttgart and Suhl, new data, facts and contexts can now be presented to the public.
Hitherto unknown experimental rifles originating from the Prussian Rifle Inspection Commission allow the path to be reconstructed leading to the new weapon. Exotic models and special patterns such as rifles with telescopic sights, accessories, ammunition, bayonets and many other things belonging to the rifle are presented in detail in the illustrations and text. But the book is not confined to describing the artifacts, it also illuminates the historical, military and technological background.
The reader learns how troops handled weapons, how rifles and carbines were maintained at the time, how and according to which principles rifle training was carried out in peacetime and during the war and what role the rifle played in combat. The book also treats in detail technical modifications, manufacturing methods, the organization of mass production, state-run and private arms industry, production figures and the problems of arms supply during the First World War.
Author:
Dieter Storz
Dr. phil., born 1958. After military service, studies in History and German in Munich. 1990 doctoral dissertation on the ‘Image of War and Armament before 1914’. This study was awarded the Werner Hahlweg Prize for military history. Since 1991 member of the scholary staff of the Bayerisches Armeemuseum Ingolstadt and responsible, among other things, for the collection of handguns. Different publications on the military history of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Focus of reserach: the armament of the German army from 1871 to 1918 and the First World War.
You can pick up a copy here for 95.00 Euros, an acceptable price for what looks like a top volume for shooter and collector alike.