Combat!

@WebblyGreene455 have you seen “Hogan’s Hero’s”? It kills me how Sgt Schultz carries a Krag. I guess the prop department said a rifle is a rifle.
 
It may have been "borrowed" for improper, off-course "target" shooting, which my friend's grandfather did not approve of before his sqad effectively "settled" the matter and scored 2 guns! ;) LOL "All" is a word my business insurance company advises that I not use....Many or Most might be more appropriate, as I'm not so sure Every soldier carried the Exact same gun. ;) I'm sure they were well aware that this (c. 1892'ish) cartridge was far superior at distance than the 8. I wish the neighbor that off'ed himself was still around to elaborate...He had one too (and did NOT hunt or target shoot)! Mauser sold a PILE of 'em for overseas work-I find it hard to believe that Hitler's bunch didn't use anything and everything available in the stockpile (i.e. unsold 7s)! His parties' 100% taxation of businesses in the end was the reason for the mass exodus to America, Africa and S. America (why my Dad's fam came over.) It only makes sense that the more modern snipers were afforded the better guns/cartridges (i.e. 300 win mag, .338 Lapua, et. al. instead of 30-06 or .308, or a cartridge not even considered for woodchucks where i live-.223.) IMHO the 8 would be a poor choice for longer shots as its trajectory is more like an arrow than a 7mm...It would not surprise me at all if similar 6.5s made their way into the mix as special purpose rifles (another neighbor has a very similar, 26" Swiss 6.5 Mauser sniper rifle w/ adj., calibrated peep sights-made in Germany.)
I am not sure what you are trying to communicate, but Wehrmacht units used rifles that employed the 8x57 S (7.92x57) as issue ammunition - not the 7x57. That is a fact not an opinion. Even with the advent of the Sturmgewher 44, the German Army stayed with a reduced power 8x33mm round rather than changing bullet caliber. And no German sniper in either World War used a peep sight as his primary sight.

Many countries did use Mausers chambered in 7x57 - but not Germany - in either World War. That is also not an opinion.

Someone's grandfather could have easily brought home a rifle "liberated" from a shooting club or a home in that was chambered in 7x57. Or there could be some confusion about the caliber. But the Wehrmacht issued no 7x57 arms during the Second World War. None.
 
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@Wyatt Smith
Personal side arms, in German army, ww2, not uncommon. Officers frequently bought their private pistol, which actually was a part of their uniform and tradition.

Winston Churchil, carried his own pistols, as young officer of imperial army (mauser c96 - with time, he had three of them).

in World war I:
Hunting rifles were frequently used.
British brought along their dangerous game rifles, from colonies, for shooting at bunkers, and german airplanes, and for sniping.

Germans, started sniping in WW I, first, and confiscated for war effort rifles, and scopes from german hunters. Certainly, there were some with double set trigger and claw mounts.

In ww2, germans supplied "survival gun" to their airforces in africa, which was actually a Sauer drilling, a hunting rifle.

In occupied teritories of europe, in ww2, especially in the east, hunting rifles were confiscated, it is very easy that some of better scoped rifles found use in german hands, especially if in stanard caliber 8x57.
Non confiscated - so illegal guns - went in good use with various ressistance forces, in ww2.

@sestoppelman
Ed Harris in movie Enemy at the gates used the mauser k98 karabiner with zeiss scope ZF42.
Standard issue, more or less.
 
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I guess we all watch the same channel. Do you guys like “Baa Baa Black Sheep”? I look forward to that one all week also.
I liked that one years ago, but dont watch it now. I can barely handle Rat Patrol now but loved it as a kid. Its interesting that the main German antagonist is named Hans Gudegast. He later changed his name to Eric Braeden and went on to do soaps, both day and night.
 
Yeah “Rat Patrol” is kind of tough to get through. Not to mention a whole bunch of historical inaccuracies.
 

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