There is a Gewehr 98 from WWI with the Lange sight in the family. I was wondering: for what bullet weight and at what muzzle velocity were the sights on these rifles regulated???

Thanks,
RSY

Almost certainly an 8x57 Mauser; I hesitate to claim full authority in this matter but I think that the usual period military loading would have been something like a 150gr. bullet at around 2,800fps or so, depending on barrel length. Maybe 2,900fps.

Considering that there are all sorts of variations in 8x57 loads, including bullet diameter, weight, velocity, and pressures - you'd probably have to try it out to be certain. Armies are well known for taking earlier models of guns and retrofitting them to the most current pattern as needed..... however if the date stamp / serial number put it as WWI production, then it should be a 0.323" bore and set up for the spitzer load (as opposed to the 200+gr. RN loads of the late 1800s).

Note, however, that the military's idea of 'sighted in' may not match that of the hunter; not uncommon for military guns to hit quite a bit high at 100 yards (think about a human target being basically tall and skinny and you'll understand why).

The Gew 98 from WWI has the battle sight set at 400 meters in the lowest setting. With 150 grain bullets, it will probably shoot quite high at 100 yards. Before shooting the rifle, it would be a good idea to have it checked out by a competent gunsmith to verify it is safe. Current factory loadings are a bit on the anemic side and can be safely loaded up to higher performance levels in a sound rifle. All the best...
Gil

I believe the Gewehr 98s of the the WWI era were sighted for the 196gr spitzer boattailed ammo of that era. This ammo was intended primarily for longrange, mass machinegun fire, a tactic of that war, but was also used in the infantry rifles to simplify logistical demands. The 150gr ammo was available in the years before WWI, when the Germans switched from the 227gr .318" roundnose to the "Spitzgeschoss" or 150gr .323" bullet. They switched back to the 150gr bullet just prior to WWII.