Early Mauser rifles

[Ovenpaa]

Is anyone here shooting a Mauser rifle model earlier than the G98, I was thinking specifically of the M1871 however I am curious about any of the older models. If so what is it and what is it chambered in?

[dromia]

Not a big Mauser fan as I find the actions clunky however the Mauser brothers were a couple of firearms geniuses to whom we all owe a lot for our modern firearms. Their commercial need to produce an action that could be used to chamber a wide variety of cartridges and pressures made the action that is now world famous and perhaps the most produced and copied bolt action in existence.

Early Mausers currently in my collection are an M1871 .43", an OVD G93 in 7 x 57 and an Obendorf G96 Swede 6.5x55, obviously I have a nice G98 necessary to contrast and compare with my SMLEs.

[Ovenpaa]

I agree the Mauser type action is probably the most copied rifle action of latter years however I do wonder when (Or if) the ubiquitous Remington 700 type 2 lug bolt will overtake the number of Mauser type actions produced.

I recently read about the Uruguayan 6.5mm Mauser 1871/9 conversion which set me thinking about Mausers again and specifically those chambered in 6,5-7,0mm such as the M1893, the problem as ever is coming across them here in the UK

[FredB]

I have a near mint 71/84 Mauser. My only bolt action rifle. Very clunky, but incredibly smooth and made to standards which far outstrip any modern military rifle.
Cases are available from Bertram (Kranks) and both a suitable bullet and the dies are made by Lee. Accurate, trouble free and a pleasure to shoot.
Fred

[targetman]

I agree with Fred....I have a .43 Mauser 71/84, superb rifle, smooth in action and surprisingly accurate and very easy to load for.

I also had a 7.92mm G88 "Commission" rifle, basically a Mauser. Apart from the difficulty of sourcing suitable bullets it was a most interesting rifle from that period, very well made and smooth in use.

[froggy]

I have a Mauser "Standard Modell" in the original 8x57 made in the 30's. I dont really shoot it, but it's seriously drop-dead gorgeous

[WelshShooter]

[Laurie]

The (originally) Belgian M1889 and later improved Spanish 1893 designs were sold in huge numbers around the world until the '98 was introduced. Turkey, many South American countries and the (Boer) South African republics amongst others bought minor variations on these rifles and their cavalry etc carbine models.

Most, but not all stuck to the original models' calibres, ie 7.65X53 for the earlier model, 7X57 for the later one (which is generically known as M1895 in its export versions). When these countries bought later '98 action models from the Germans and Austrians (Steyr), they often stuck with their earlier cartridge choice - 7X57 the norm in South America with some 7.65 users, although Turkey and most European buyers moved over to 7.92X57.

[froggy]

Sorry Welshshooter, this one is not in the UK cabinet. Next trip I'll take a pic. I only bought it because I thought the Mauser logo was looking rather splendid

[saddler]

THE early pre-98 model to me is the Swedish M96.
Lovely rifles...and in a very lovely cartridge too - the 6.5x55 = adopted in 1894 & still a very capable performer on both target & game.