Why Is Mauser 98 Rifle Used By Tyler Robinson Is Untraceable Charlie

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Nov 18, 2025, 9:57 PM

why is mauser 98 rifle used by tyler robinson is untraceable charlie

The bolt-action weapon, which reportedly belonged to Tyler's grandfather, was identified as a Mauser 98 model rifle Less than two weeks after Charlie Kirk was shot dead, fresh details have emerged about the rifle used by Tyler Robinson to kill the MAGA firebrand. ALSO READ: Truth about Tyler Robinson's father Matt Robinson donating $1.15 million reward money to Charlie Kirk's wife Erika née Frantzve The rifle, which reportedly belonged to Tyler's grandfather, was identified as a Mauser 98 model rifle. With a 30-06 calibre, the bolt-action rifle fires cartridges that are smaller that 8 mm. This is body cam footage of Tyler Robinson being pulled over in 2022.

Why is it important?To an investigator, I want to know what Robinson normally wore on a day to day basis. This shows me that his typical dress was jeans, a t-shirts, a ball cap, and sunglasses. - exactly… pic.twitter.com/UNNL8FleOP Fox News' Alexis McAdams joins 'Fox & Friends Weekend' to discuss the newest details surrounding the gun as officials continue to investigate Charlie Kirk's assassination. Authorities said the gun used in the killing of Charlie Kirk may be a decades-old, untraceable rifle. Prosecutors and officials identified the gun as a Mauser Model 98 .30-06 caliber bolt-action rifle, a type originally manufactured in Germany for military use during both World Wars.

It may predate U.S. laws enacted in 1968 following President John F. Kennedy’s assassination, which required firearms to carry serial numbers or other identifying marks — making it harder for law enforcement to trace. Authorities said the firearm belonged to the grandfather of Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old Utah man accused of assassinating Kirk. Police allege Robinson may have deliberately chosen the rifle because it was difficult to trace. Robinson himself appeared to echo that reasoning in a message to his roommate just hours after the assassination.

The gun Tyler Robinson allegedly used to assassinate Charlie Kirk was so old that it predated serial number mandates — making the weapon impossible to track. The Mauser model rifle, described in texts by Robinson as “grandpa’s rifle,” is a decades-old, German-made gun used in both world wars and on the market years before a law created after the assassination... Kennedy mandated weapons to be etched with unique, traceable numbers. There are believed to be millions of such weapons in homes throughout the country — raising concerns among federal authorities of the potential for other assassins to carry out similar attacks with their untraceable... “Short of the security afforded to the president, there’s no way to defend against the threat posed by this,” Scott Sweetow, a retired official with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, told... Robinson, 33, allegedly ditched the rifle wrapped in a towel in a wooded area near the Utah Valley University campus shortly after allegedly using it to kill Kirk as he spoke at an outdoor...

ABC, America, CIA, FBI, firearms, General Shooter, allegedly Tyler Robinson on rooftop jumping down to the ground The rifle allegedly found by the FBI stashed in nearby woods at Utah Valley University wrapped in a dark towel is a Mauser 98 action, chambered in 30-06 Springfield, an American military round developed... It appears to be in poor condition and has an unusual, perhaps rusty trigger guard. The forward dovetail telescopic sight mount has almost slipped off the receiver indicating the scope mounts are loose, making it impossible for an accurate shot even at close range. This round is quite capable of killing at more than 500 yards but the rifle above is in poor shape, and has a poorly fitted, apparent variable-powered telescopic sight which is mounted too far...

The authorities have not revealed how they believe Robinson’s grandfather obtained the gun or whether they were able to successfully trace it. An ATF spokesman declined to comment to NBC News. The gun is a bolt-action rifle, which requires users to manually reload between shots. A person must pull the bolt to the rear and then move it forward in order to move a new round into place and fire again. Following the wars in Europe, countless American GIs returned home with German-made Mausers. In subsequent years, Mauser rifles and other similar versions could be obtained simply by ordering them through the mail.

For decades, they have been favored by hunters who prize them for their durability, reliability and accuracy. With .30-06 rounds, they are ideal weapons to take down medium to large game like deer, elk and even bear. But it is exceedingly rare for them to be used in crimes, according to former ATF gun agents and federal reports. Most gun violence in America is carried out with pistols, and semiautomatic AR-15-style rifles have been used to commit some of the nation’s deadliest mass shootings. Whether you agree or disagree with our analysis, these conversations matter for democracy. We don't take money from political groups - even a $5 donation helps us keep it that way.

The available reporting paints a consistent but incomplete picture: the weapon that killed Charlie Kirk is reported as a decades‑old Mauser Model 98 bolt‑action rifle that likely predates U.S. serial‑number mandates, and authorities have not publicly confirmed whether it was obtained legally. Significant gaps remain about the rifle’s chain of custody, how or when the suspect’s grandfather acquired it, and whether law enforcement was able to trace or legally classify the transfer, leaving the legality unresolved... 1. How the weapon is being described — an old Mauser that resists tracing Reporting uniformly identifies the rifle as a vintage German Mauser Model 98 bolt‑action, notable for being old enough to predate U.S.

serial‑number requirements, which several outlets say makes it difficult or impossible to trace through typical law‑enforcement databases. The characterization of the gun as a pre‑serial relic appears in multiple accounts and is the central factual anchor for the untraceability claim [1] [3] [2]. This technical detail is key because it shifts the inquiry from “illegal purchase” to “historical provenance,” and it underpins why investigators reportedly face barriers in establishing an origin story for the rifle [1]. 2. The suspect’s family connection — a transfer from a grandfather raises more questions than answers The gun authorities say was used to assassinate Charlie Kirk was a Mauser 98, a common bolt-action rifle typically used for hunting.

The gun is a popular rifle used to hunt bigger game and has a markedly different design and function than the modern semiautomatic assault rifles that have made headlines in high-profile mass shootings. The hunting rifle, which had a heavier .30-06 caliber, dates back decades as German-made military surplus with millions produced and resold in the United States, experts told USA TODAY. Authorities say the shooter used a rifle with a mounted scope to strike Kirk in the neck. The shooter may have been less than 150 yards from Kirk, according to a USA TODAY analysis of satellite imagery. “It’s an easy shot for someone even with minimal training,” said Scott Sweetow, a firearms expert and a retired senior official in the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Mauser 98 doesn't require an expert to be accurate at that range, according to Brandon Webb, a former Navy SEALs head sniper instructor and editor at the military lifestyle outlet SOFREP.

(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) The Losee Center building near where conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was shot and killed during an event at Utah Valley University in Orem on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025. The man accused of killing conservative commentator Charlie Kirk got the gun authorities say he used in the fatal Utah Valley University shooting from his grandfather, according to charging documents filed Tuesday. The suspect also described the messages he allegedly engraved into bullet casings that authorities later recovered from the scene as “mostly a big meme.” Prosecutors held a news conference Tuesday after formally filing charges against Tyler James Robinson, 22, in connection with Kirk’s killing. Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray, who is leading the prosecution, said they intend to seek the death penalty.

According to a probable cause statement filed after Robinson was first arrested early Friday, the gun used in the shooting was a Mauser Model 98, .30-06 caliber bolt-action rifle with a mounted scope. The hunting-style rifle is able to hold five rounds.

Why Is Mauser 98 Rifle Used By Tyler Robinson Is Untraceable Charlie

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