What rifle model was reported in the Charlie Kirk shooting and who identified it?
Executive summary
Multiple news outlets and law-enforcement filings reported that the rifle recovered in connection with Charlie Kirk’s September 10, 2025, killing was a bolt‑action Mauser rifle — specifically identified in some reports and filings as a Mauser Model 98 in .30‑06 caliber — and prosecutors and police documents have been cited as the sources for that identification [1] [2] [3]. Reuters, The New York Times (via law‑enforcement officials), local reporting and probable‑cause documents each contributed to the public account of the weapon [1] [3] [2].
1. What reporters say the rifle was — older Mauser, Model 98, .30‑06
Initial national reporting said investigators found “a bolt‑action rifle believed to have been used” in the killing; three unnamed law‑enforcement officials told the New York Times the recovered gun was an older‑model Mauser (reported by Reuters) [1]. Local reporting and the probable‑cause affidavit cited in coverage explicitly described the weapon as a Mauser Model 98, chambered in .30‑06, with a scope mounted on top [2]. Multiple other outlets repeated that description, calling it a high‑powered bolt‑action rifle consistent with those technical details [4] [5] [6].
2. Who identified the rifle — investigators, prosecutors and law‑enforcement sources
The identification came through a mix of law‑enforcement statements and court documents. Reuters reported the Mauser identification was provided to the New York Times by three law‑enforcement officials speaking anonymously [1]. Utah law‑enforcement materials — including the probable‑cause affidavit referenced by local outlets — state the rifle was determined to be a Mauser Model 98 .30‑06, and prosecutors have advanced that description in charging materials and public statements cited by local reporting [2]. Reuters also noted investigators said the rifle was being analyzed at an FBI lab, indicating federal forensic involvement in confirming details [1].
3. How consistent are the accounts across outlets?
Accounts are consistent on two core points: the weapon was a bolt‑action rifle recovered near the scene, and reporting has repeatedly associated it with the Mauser design and .30‑06 caliber [3] [4] [5]. The level of specificity varies: some outlets cited anonymous law‑enforcement sources [1], others referenced the probable‑cause affidavit or statements from prosecutors and local police [2]. No provided source shows a published, signed forensic lab report in the public record here; instead, journalists cite investigators and court filings [1] [2].
4. What the Mauser Model 98 description implies — context and common uses
Reporting framed the Mauser as a vintage, bolt‑action military‑style rifle often used by marksmen and hunters rather than as a modern semi‑automatic “assault” weapon — journalists described it as “high‑powered” and “bolt‑action,” and experts noted such rifles are common for hunting and target shooting [1] [4] [5]. Coverage also noted the rifle’s age and design, with some outlets saying the gun dated back decades and was a type not commonly seen in recent mass‑shooting incidents dominated by semi‑automatic pistols or AR‑style platforms [7].
5. Gaps, caveats and competing viewpoints
Available sources do not publish a standalone, signed FBI lab result in the material provided here; Reuters says the weapon was being analyzed at an FBI laboratory, and local prosecutors cited a Mauser Model 98 in filings [1] [2]. Because some outlets relied on anonymous law‑enforcement sources, there is an implicit limitation: the public narrative rests on investigator statements and a probable‑cause affidavit rather than a single publicly posted forensic certificate in these documents [1] [2]. Different outlets emphasize different angles — forensic identification, the rifle’s vintage character, or expert commentary on how such a rifle could be concealed or disassembled — but all repeat the core identification [8] [6].
6. Why the precise identification matters politically and legally
Naming the rifle model feeds both legal processes and political debate: prosecutors’ descriptions support charging decisions and factual claims in court filings [2], while media emphasis on a Mauser bolt‑action shapes public discussion about motive, premeditation and the type of threat posed [9] [4]. Some commentators and fact‑checkers have highlighted how quickly misinformation spreads after the killing; establishing the weapon’s make and model through official records helps counter speculation, but that work depends on formal forensic disclosure that is not fully visible in the set of sources provided here [10].
7. Bottom line
Multiple reputable reports and a probable‑cause affidavit identify the recovered weapon as a Mauser bolt‑action rifle — with several accounts specifying a Mauser Model 98 in .30‑06 — and that identification was provided by law‑enforcement sources and prosecutors [1] [2] [3]. If you need the single primary document (forensic lab report or signed investigative statement), available sources do not mention a publicly released lab certificate in the materials provided here; reporters rely on investigator statements and court filings for the weapon description [1] [2].