I happen to have a 1915 mauser from erfurt armory. a casual look one would thinkg okay another 98. but a closer inspection reveals just how intricate this thing is. just the front sight alone is intriguing. not a simple sight but many parts to make a front sight. some of these old mausers were just over designed, was that a trait common to all of them, i have many other 98's maybe 20 or so, and none of them have over designed anything just turn of the century designers making them more difficult to make???