Useful excerpts about scoped rifles and snipers

[Dave Roberts]

Somewhat surprising, that nobody seems interested in the scoped 98/40.



From:
http://www.k98kforum.com/showthread.php?19984-98-40-sniper

IMHO this 98/40 Document sums up the K98 ZF41 as well .

 

[Stephan98k]

Sniper - the fight in quiet times

Here are instructions about defense by the Commander of 123. Infantry Division.


123. Inf. Division Kommandeur - Div. Gef.Std., June 1, 1942

Only for official use.

123. Inf. Division
Kommandeur

Div. Gef.Std., June 1, 1942

Instructions
about
d e f e n s e .

I didn't translate this and the following paragraphs

(Page 16)

13. ) The fight in quiet times is led out of the position by sniper, the heavy infantry weapons and the artillery. Into the enemy direction of our main battlefield by reconnaissance patrols, raiding patrols, and attacks with limited target.

a) In each company section at least 1 sniper must be present. His job is to shoot at any enemy movement, forcing the enemy completely into cover during the day. The sniper must be a hunter, who lies here and there for hours, to whom nothing escapes and his shot hit perfect the targets. So a man who is particularly suitable for this, and who is to be relieved of other service as possible. He will usually bring the best enemy observations. He must have shot his distances accurately (if possible scoped rifle). His protection is the camouflage. As a tree-shooter, snipers often have better ability to observe and effect.

I didn't translate this and the following paragraphs

 

[Stephan98k]

Sniper - Rifle rest / Zielstock

Please look again at post #22 "SS Division Wiking field report 1941" and the following posts, there is the Mono Pod mentioned, which was attached to the stock of the rifle.

In this document by the Generalkommando II. LW. Feldkorps they mention a rifle rest made of a branch crotch. This Zielstock (aiming-stick) wasn't attached to the rifle, the sniper just had the order to constantly carry it. Like I mentioned in post #28, at that time the hunters used very often the Zielstock and even in the present time some hunters still use it. Here you can see a modern example: Link


Generalkommando II. LW. - Feldkorps - Der Kommandierende General - Ia Br. B. Nr. 664/42 n.f.D. - Gef.Qu., November 23, 1942

Generalkommando II. LW. - Feldkorps
- Der Kommandierende General -
Ia Br. B. Nr. 664/42 n.f.D.

Gef.Qu., November 23, 1942

Only for official use !

Advice for the combat mission
No. 3

(distribute to all company- and unit commanders)

I didn't translate this and the following paragraphs

I I I . T r a i n i n g.

1. ) Scoped rifles.

The Divisions now have a larger number of scoped rifles available.

For their deployment I order :

a) The scoped rifles are not schematically issued, but as a special award in the hands of the best shooter regardless of his rank. The shooter keeps this rifle without change as his permanent equipment.

b) Prior to issue, the scoped rifles must be adjusted and zero in by the Waffenmeister. New adjustment is required after each longer transport.

c) The hunters selected for the equipment with scoped rifles are to be trained with the utmost care behind the front line on the training ground after order of the battalion. Target recognition and observation, aiming and stance must be intensively practiced against changing targets at different distances.

Prerequisite for a good shot is a safe rifle rest. For each scoped rifle a adequate-fitted rifle rest (branch crotch) is to be made, which is constantly carried by the shooter.

d) For the combat mission, the scoped rifle shooters must receive a clear fighting order. They are to be used in sectors in which combat contact with the enemy exists. It is the task of the scoped rifle shooters to shoot down enemy guard, standing patrols, observers and carelessly visible soldiers and make the enemy unsafe by a continuous firefight.

In the enemy attack, the scoped rifle shooter has the task of fighting in particular the persons recognized as leaders, as well as machine guns and heavy weapons, which the enemy wants to deploy.

Particularly effective is the cooperation of the scoped rifle shooter with grenade launchers and other heavy weapons. The scoped rifle shooter fight the enemy when they are pushed out of cover by the grenade launcher fire.

In order to set the sights to important terrain points in the foreground, the distance is determined with tracer ammunition. The observation is done by another man with binoculars. The actual fire fight is led from a new fighting position, since the tracer ammunition reveals the position of the shooter.

I didn't translate this and the following paragraphs

 

[ditch68]

SO if they don't have the monopod, they were to build one from a tree branch and carry it in the field. Interesting.



Jeff

 

[RyanE]

Somewhat surprising, that nobody seems interested in the scoped 98/40.

I assume this is just a nomenclature error in the document, K98k with Zf40 listed as 'Karabiner 98/40' not a scoped G98/40.

 

[mrfarb]

SO if they don't have the monopod, they were to build one from a tree branch and carry it in the field. Interesting.



Jeff

I think some explanation should be done - to me, these documents are from specific units, not general OKH mandates/guidelines, so the excerpts you see are geared toward specific units who adopted these measures. That would mean only that unit was given this directive, other units did not see them.

 

[ditch68]

Yes, I completely agree. When I was in Iraq, some guys in our unit fabricated MG swivel mounts for the gun turret side plate on our HMMWVs from M113 mounts found in DRMO for backup M249/M240 guns, this became a battalion wide accepted and condoned modification, and some guys were tasked with fabbing them for all the trucks, but it went no higher than that. So, official but certainly not Army wide doctrine.

Jeff

 

[mrfarb]

Yes, I completely agree. When I was in Iraq, some guys in our unit fabricated MG swivel mounts for the gun turret side plate on our HMMWVs from M113 mounts found in DRMO for backup M249/M240 guns, this became a battalion wide accepted and condoned modification, and some guys were tasked with fabbing them for all the trucks, but it went no higher than that. So, official but certainly not Army wide doctrine.

Jeff

Perfect analogy, and what I meant exactly.

 

[Stephan98k]

I think some explanation should be done - to me, these documents are from specific units, not general OKH mandates/guidelines, so the excerpts you see are geared toward specific units who adopted these measures. That would mean only that unit was given this directive, other units did not see them.

You are right Mike and it's good you mention it! Some orders and guidelines you can find in several units and in such a case I will mention it. But so far this guideline I could just find for the 2nd Luftwaffe Feldkorps.

 

[Stephan98k]

SO if they don't have the monopod, they were to build one from a tree branch and carry it in the field. Interesting.



Jeff

My last comment could be misunderstood in relation to the tree branch (Zielstock), you was right Jeff.

Exactly that guideline I could just find for the 2nd Luftwaffe Feldkorps in 1942, not for other units. On May 15, 1943 the Oberkommando des Heeres (Army High Command) published "Guidance for training and deployment of snipers". The leaflet should be an assistance in the training of snipers, it summarizes the order O.K.H./Gen.St.d.H./Gen.d.Inf. II Nr. 375/42 of September 8, 1942 subject “Scoped rifles” and the “Leaflet on the Karabiner 98k – Zf.41” for insertion into the H.Dv. 240 of April 26, 1941. They override it.
The Army High Command officially gives the advice to build and carry such a Zielstock, because in their opinion it could be useful. I don't call it Mono Pod because it's not attached to the rifle.

I have the complete leaflet and in the future I will show it, I just need a lot of time for the translation and at first I will continue with the documents from the year 1942.

 

[Stephan98k]

Selbstlade-Zielfernrohrgewehr 260 (r) - SVT-40 with scope

Here is a document excerpt of the Panzer-Aufklärungsabteilung 13 from December 9, 1941. As example they mention the Selbstlade-Zielfernrohrgewehr 260 (r), SVT-40 with scope.

As of June 22, 1941, the Panzer-Aufklärungsabteilung 13 participated in the Russian campaign. They crossed the Bug river and marched via Luck and Rowno to the Holsk area, where on July 7 they broke through the Stalin-Line and then pushed further east on Shitomir. By July 10, the Panzer-Aufklärungsabteilung 13 reached the Irpen river. Then they marched to Berdichef-Kasatin. At Dnipropetrovsk, the division crossed the Dnieper and from there advanced to the Sea of Azov and marched from there across the Mius in the direction of Rostov. After the attempted capture of Rostov until November 20, 1941, the division had to withdraw in the association of the 13. Panzer Division until the beginning of December 1941 on the Mius. The Panzer-Aufklärungsabteilung 13 remained in the Mius bridgehead Taganrog in the following months.


Panzer-Aufklärungsabteilung 13 - O.U., December 9, 1941

Panzer-Aufklärungsabteilung 13

O.U., December 9, 1941

Questions of leadership and training.

I didn't translate this and the following paragraphs

a) Shooting training

................................................................................

In each company, there must be so many outspoken snipers that in attack or in defense a greater number of them can be used to fight specially recognized enemy. I am thinking of the use of snipers, as we have often encountered it disturbing by the Russians.


................................................................................

To paragraph 13.)

The semi-automatic 10-round-rifle has proved to be a useful rapid-fire weapon in the hands of snipers, especially in hedge warfare and bush warfare, as well as during summer combat in grainfields. For the instinctive firing also from the motor vehicle as well as for the fight against hedgehopper it's better than the light machine gun because its faster shot sequence and easy handling.

The scoped rifle proved to be a useful weapon at medium and long range. The easy-to-use optics also allow the less trained soldiers to safely aim at ranges where accuracy is normally not achieved otherwise. The scope is by no means a hindrance due to its small size and good attachment.

I didn't translate this and the following paragraphs