k98 rods

[Leutnant G.M.W.]

What did the German soldiers do with their k98 cleaning rods?

Ive seen plenty of picture of soldiers carrying rifles without rods (obviously it would make fixing a bayonet easier), but where did the rods go?

Did soldiers just end up getting rid of them?

[albertasteve]

In theory, the individual cleaning rods could be screwed together (they are threaded male/female on either end) and a rifle cleaned. I am not sure on the preference of the average soldier to use the cleaning rod method or the linked chain found in the RG34 cleaning kit. I suspect the cleaning kit would have been used and the rod discarded but does anyone have any anecdotal evidence on preferred cleaning method?

[phild]

[quote=Leutnant G.M.W.;1997107]
Ive seen plenty of picture of soldiers carrying rifles without rods (obviously it would make fixing a bayonet easier), but where did the rods go?

quote]

It's interesting that you make the above statement. Having studied thousands of wartime photos of 98ks in the hands of German troops, I have always been struck as to just how very, very few that I have seen in these photos without cleaning rods.

I concluded that it was a "big deal" for the soldiers to keep up with the rods, if for no other reason than the appearence and to keep the NCOs off of their backs.

[Alan Smith]

I've never used a RG34 pull chain to clean a rifle. However, my experience in cleaning lots of dirty rifles is that there is no substitute for a good cleaning rod that you can push back and forth to really scrub out the bore.

Thus, if I were a German soldier in WWII the RG34's pull thru cleaning chain would not be attractive at all, and I would have made a strong effort to keep up with my rifle's cleaning rod.

BTW: I've got an early war Sauer 98k w/matching cleaning rod. The vet reportedly took it from the factory or an ordinance depot - either way it was allegedly unissued. To me, the fact that it still has its matching rod supports the unissued story, as in service the rods would have quickly become mis-matched due to having to share/combine rods when cleaning.

[SvenWittnebel]

...
Thus, if I were a German soldier in WWII the RG34's pull thru cleaning chain would not be attractive at all, and I would have made a strong effort to keep up with my rifle's cleaning rod.

...

The RG34 cleaning set was excellent, so the Bundeswehr, the BGS, Zoll and the state polices in (West-) Germany still use the modern version (stored in a plastic box) until today for the cleaning of all 7,62mm rifles (G1, G3) and MGs (MG1, MG2, MG3) and all types of 9mm pistols and SMGs.

[Leutnant G.M.W.]

Anybody else have anything to add?

This is becoming a rather interesting puzzle.

[mikel]

questions

Does this mean the cleaning rod each soldier carried (on his k98) was too short to clean the rifle? strange..

Or was it that the chain pull-through in the cleaning kit was used daily and the cleaning rods were used when the soldiers combined their rods?

How many cleaning rods were needed to clean a rifle?

Sorry for the newbie questions but it's interesting..

Mike

[Leutnant G.M.W.]

Two cleaning rods (on the rifle) were needed to reach the entire barrel.

These are the rods that disapear and we cant figure out why.

[phild]

Actually, as cited above, 2 of the 12 inch rods (post 39) could work on the 23+ inch k98 barrel.....but only barely. The older 10 inch rods required 3 combined.

IMO most rifles missing rods had this happen after capture/surrender...probably even often back in the states way after the war.

Based on the photos and common sense I think that the German soldier tried real hard to keep a rod in their assigned rifle. No doubt a lot were lost during operational use, but I believe they were quickly replaced.

[Suber]

I wound imagine that in theatre the cleaning rod would be a very easily lost item having to be replaced frequently in the field. I would also think that the chain in the cleaning kits were used in place of lost rods. I am only guessing here, but it seems very plausible.

[Leutnant G.M.W.]

They must have been replace as there are pleanty of rods floating around now.

Does anybody have any information on where the rods came from? Im sure there must have been rods made somewhere without K98s to match. Right?

[phild]

They must have been replace as there are pleanty of rods floating around now.

Does anybody have any information on where the rods came from? Im sure there must have been rods made somewhere without K98s to match. Right?

Many do not realize it, but there were large quantities of spare parts made for all weapons and these were sent out and stocked at all levels of German maintenance activities...essentialy from the Battalion level to the Depot level. In addition there was much salvaging and re-work of parts and weapons that added to parts sources. Cleaning rods were cleaning rods, other than the length there was no practical difference. Rods were numbered until about 1940 (last 2 digits) but that really seems meaningless. The truth is that all types of combat used small arms saw repair and refurbishment to one degree or another. Sometimes depending on the level that did the repair, the replaced parts were re-numbered or given their first number to match the weapon, often at lower levels they never bothered.

The chains in the kits were the recommended bore cleaning tool for daily cleanings. The use of several rods combined were sometimes used for the more garrison or behind the lines squad weapons cleaning.

[Leutnant G.M.W.]

Thanks for the info but I becam a bit confused when you said "Cleaning rods were cleaning rods, other than the length there was no practical difference."

When you say this your reffering to rifle rods correct?

How many k98 parts are compatible with other kinds of firearms?

[phild]

Thanks for the info but I becam a bit confused when you said "Cleaning rods were cleaning rods, other than the length there was no practical difference."

When you say this your reffering to rifle rods correct?

How many k98 parts are compatible with other kinds of firearms?

Yes I was referring to 98k cleaning rods as they would have been replaced or exchanged within the German military. In a broader context the same would apply to the other Mauser 98 rifles that saw German service like the Polish and Cz mausers.

I doubt that any k98 parts would fit on any other type of firearm except there would be a number of parts that will fit on other 98 Mauser types.

[Fallendes Grun]

K98 Rods

In my experience, dropping the rod down the barrel is a quick method to try and get an unextracted case from the chamber.
The brushes in the cleaning kit are not designed to fit on the cleaning rod which appears to be just used for patches but I suppose you could hook them on to it.