[Hambone]

Kar.98k = Karabiner 98 Kurz = English translation: Carbine 98 Short or Short Carbine Model of 1898. Curiously the Germans had the Gewehr 43 (G.43) and Karabine 43 (K.43) which were the same length, same weapon really, but it was first Gew. (rifle) and then Kar. (carbine). Of course, the G.33/40, the shortest of the German issue rifles, was G. = Gew. = Gewehr = rifle, not carbine. This was in keeping with the German military nomenclature for their foriegn used weapons, all of which were "Gew." (e.g. Gew.24(t), Gew.98/40, etc.).

In short (pun intended), the K98k was technically a carbine, particularly when compared to the Gew.98.

 

[Hambone]

So what mods were done to the Rifle 43 (G.43) to make it a Karabiner 43 (K.43)?

We aren't going to force our nomenclature and definitions on what was done in the 1940s. I think we just have to go with that they called it.

 

[Hambone]

Roger, at least it hasn't degenerated yet into a 10 page debate over why the G.33/40 is a "rifle" and the Kar.98k is a "carbine" when the former is much shorter than the latter....:burp

 

[Hambone]

I though the whole reason the germans called the MP44 a Machinepistol was to get the project past Hitler.

Perhaps too or in the alternative they didn't know what else to call it other than a machine pistol because there was nothing like it (intermediate rifle cartride in a select fire weapon) ever manufactured. Stg. or "sturmgewehr" or assault rifle was the term invented for that weapon. It's pretty widely stated that that weapon was called an "MP" to get around Hitler's disapproval of development of a new rifle, but then again, there was the G.41 and G.43/K.43 in production too.