Printable View
I think this post should get a lot of responses. I was looking through the 4th Edition of "Mauser-Military Rifles of the World" and was amazed at how many versions and how many countries the Germans built the Mausers for. If you had a choice, what would be your pick for the finest Mauser ever produced. Best as in large ring, stock material, caliber, lenght, etc. Just the all around best of all worlds!
the pre-war 98k is Deutsche manufacturing at it's finest
Best according to which characteristics? From Mauser/DWM only, or including FN, Carl Gustaf etc?
Here are my personal choices, of course strongly influenced by my own shape/size/arm length:
For quality of manufacture: Argentine M1909 and Brazilean M1908 - the top export models of their day.
For shooting comfort: Brazilean M1908
For potential accuracy: Swedish M1896
IMHO that generation of rifles showed an overall quality that was never reached again - 19th century craftsmanship and individual care combined with 20th century machining capabilities. During that period Mauser/DWM just about wrapped up the world market for rifles outside the "imperial" domains of France, Britain, Russia and the USA.
Patrick
M1909 Argentine manufactured by DWM.
whew-hooo! That's a tall order! "Best" according to what criteria? I think the 1891 Argies are beautiful examples of the gun makers art. In general, I'd say the So. American Mausers are best.
That's a tough one ... I guess for a rifle I was going to use I would go for a small-ring '98, preferably BRNO. With a short barrel and decent wood. For a military rifle, I guess the Swede, 1908 Brazil, 19109 Argentine (I've owned all of them, including multiple Swedes). For hunting elk and stuff, I would want 8X57 targets it wold be 6.5X55, deer and general shooting, probably 7X57. Too bad Mauser never offered a 6X57 (AKA 6mm Remington) or a .25 cal (AKA .257 Roberts). The Chinese Army did order up a bunch of '98s in a .270 cal. (6.8X57). So which was the best? Hard to tell ...
jn
That answer is easy!
The best "Mauser" in the world is the one you own that shoots good and you like it.
That rifle is different for about everyone.
Sarge
It,s my m96 swede dated 1900 german made , with 140gr hollow points smk,s ,I just find it so accurate , if I can see the target this will hit it. paper or critter. Amazing considering it,s a military rifle.
The one in your hand .....................
I have a Yugo M48 and a 24/47 and both are very accurate. I have 4 K98k's that have seen a lot of use and still give good accuracy. But the most accurate would be my M96 Swedes without a doubt and they do not punish your shoulder.:)
I might be just a TINY bit biased in this regard, but my vote would have to go to the Mauser rifles built for use up in the Baltic states before WW2, using the finest rifle cartridge of all time.
This is, of course, the .303 British.
There were not very many made and it seems that out Good Friends and Allies in Mother Russia got nearly all of them. Knowing their qualty, they have not yet seen fit to let us have any. After all, it's only 70 years now.....
.
I think the south american manufactured german mausers are tops of all the german made mausers.
The swede's have the best quality steels like the best in the world. I believe it was there furnances and they also developed the chrome moly steels too. The swedish oberndorf mausers were manufactured by the germans using the steel from sweden.
I like all of the mausers, heck all guns overall but the chilean 7mm mausers and the swede 6,5mm mausers are two of my favorites.
The so called / sleeper underdog is the yugo 98k 8mm mauser , it says "Model 98" on the left side rail. Its actually a german 98k with the markings ground off and the yugo crown put on it. Its a captured german 98k by the yugo's. You can get a real german 98k mauser at a yugo price. I find these to have the slickest bolts out of the 98 mausers.
With that said the fastest bolt action goes to the British enfield 303 its tops out of all the bolt actions.
Does a nice Mauser Sporter in 9.3X62 count?
kenK!
That is a nice rifle. Strong caliber, too.
jn
I have another that was a 9X57 that someone set back and rechambered to 358 Winchester. Was mad at myself for missing this when I bought it. Then I shot it. A keeper.
i have quite a few mausers both large ring and small, i truly love them all but i would have to give the nod to the '96 SWEDISH MAUSER in cal 6.5X55, the workmanship for a military grade rifle is superb in every way and the accuracy is over the top. just one beautiful made rifle!
I would say the best looking fit, finish and all around craftmanship is 1909 Argentine.
I have a Serbian reworked "preduzece 44". That´s in fact an ex-czech VZ24 which got a new barrel and in my case a new upper handguard. I donned it an EAW scopemount, similar in construction to that
small base sliding types used by the germans, and a 4x33 Leupold scope. It makes sub MOA groups at 100m range.
The swedish mausers are deemed to be very precise as well as argentine and brazilian mausers, but their cartridges have more precision potential than the 8mm.
Let me put it this way, in germany where I´m living (officially) competition shooters are using Enfields or swiss rifles because of their better stocks, people who can afford use Springfields. Shooters using
mausers, shoot swedish types.
Almost no 8mm to be encountered !
czech brno 308 isreali rechambered for .30'06. its all about business
Whenever this subject comes up, three Mausers seem to eventually float to the top:
'09 Argentine Mauser
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...rgy40121-1.jpg
M96 Swedish
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...sert0101-1.jpg
98/29 Persian Mauser
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...sian0061-1.jpg
All fine Mausers, to be sure. But sometimes I wonder if the fact that these are more commonly found in great condition today doesn't confuse the questions as to whether these were the best in their day
Was an 09 Argentine really better than an 08 Brazilian?
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...EW98007a-1.jpg
Or a 1912 Steyr built Chileno?
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...19120011-1.jpg
Or even an M95 Chileno?
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...chileno1-1.jpg
"What Is The Best Mauser Rifle Bar None?"
Are there "bad" ones?
"Best Mauser Rifle, Bar None" title would have to go to the rifle which displays the best of EVERYTHING.
Nobody has considered sights.
When you consider sights also, the only Mauser military rifle worth considering is the P-14/M-1917.
It is a true Mauser action in every way, fitted with a far more convenient safety. It is "short rifle" length and it has the best sights of ALMOST anything put into mass production before the Garand. I say "almost" because te ROSS had an excellent, fully-adjustable aperture sight, although it was exposed and relatively fragile.
But the M-1917 and its P-'14 parent were the best Mausers ever produced in quantity..... and there were near 4,000,000 of them made.
.
What Is The Best Mauser Rifle Bar None?
An easy question to answer - hands down it is the German standard military rifle of WW1, the Gewehr98. None better.
And what, pray, are your arguments in support of this contentious proposition?:confused:Quote:
Originally Posted by gew8805
Quality is very high in most of them and they were used by 54 different nations officially. And of the 54 nations many had different models and variations, a collectors dream if there ever was one. Personally I like the 1908 Brazilian and the pre ww2 German k98k's best but that certainly doesn't mean they are better just more interesting to me. The American gun writer most well known in the 20's and 30's , Townsend Whelan, of .35 Whelan fame called the Mauser," Just another damned squarehead gun.". Even though all of his favourite American bolts were direct Mauser rip-offs. Obviously an unbalanced individual.
I would pick the 1935 Chilean Carbine.
Out of the ones I have, VZ-24, Yugo M48 & M48B, Turk M38, M1917, FR 8. I would choose the FR 8, short, compact and packs a punch, plus it's one of the oddest looking Mausers, in my book. Sighting system, the M1917.
The first year production DWM 1895 (spring 1897) Chilean Long Rifle.
I'm no expert and have far less experiance than many of you folks but, My choice is the Yugo M48's. I own a 1914 Eddystone, K98, Chilian 1895, and several others. My M48A and M48BO Syerian contract shoot better than the rest. The intermeadate action may be stiffer and could be the reason? I don't know, this is only my opinon. What you shoot best is your fav. and the rite choice for you.
Ralph
Hey, does that M48 Syrian have a crest on the receiver? I've got an M48 that has the Iraqi Hashemite crest on it that is a great shooter. I wouldn't call it the "best Mauser ever", but it is certainly a good one.Quote:
Originally Posted by rdm1962
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...qimauser-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...mauser21-1.jpg
Hey Calfed
Not trying to highjack but yes it does. Just got it a few week agoe and it is my new fav.
Ralph
First time on this forum. I am considering a mauser and this thread is helpful. I collect, you might say missfit military arms,and set my sights low. You know only somewhat collectible but shooters and at the lower cheaper end. On that note and to tweek the ? what is the best shooter with lowest collectible price that still looks good to very good (you know like a CMP mixmaster)as the mauser yugo 24/47 grabbed my interest.
Any opinion on this question. I really would like to know
I'm still waiting for all those great opinions on what my first mauser should be in the let's say under 500 US dollars.
Any of them can be had for under $500.Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveN
I got several of those "no blue" Samco Persian Mausers for $200 each. With the stock cleanup and rebluing, I have a total of $350 into each.
From this..
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...SC012311-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...SC012291-1.jpg
To this..
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...sian0061-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...sian0091-1.jpg
09 Argentine's can be had for well under $500, with careful shopping. I got this for $290 plus a 15% buyer's premium...call it $335. All matching, including the cleaning rod.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...rgy40121-1.jpg
If you want a great shooting Mauser and don't mind a small ring, you might try a Swedish Mauser with diopter sights. I got both of these from Simpson's Ltd --one for $325 and the other for $375, less 10% because I bought both--call it $290 and $335.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...sert0101-1.jpg
Another excellent small ring Mauser that is commonly available for well under $500 is a Chileno M95 Mauser. All matching with a lightly buffed crest. I got it for $160.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...chileno1-1.jpg
Any of the "best" Mausers can be had for well under $500. The key is patience and vigilance
BTW..any of the rifles I mentioned have even cheaper counterparts...
If you don't want a Persian Mauser (BRNO 98/29), you can find a BRNO 98/22 for less than $200 usually. Maybe not finished as nicely as the Persian, but basically the same rifle and with a good bore, just as accurate.
An alternative to the 09 Argentine is an 08 Brazilian Mauser, also available for under $200. Usually not in nearly as good a condition as the 09 Argentines, but with a good bore, it should shoot about as well. It will be in 7 x 57 instead of 7.65 x 53.
Swedish Mausers can be had with out the diopter sights for under $300 if you shop carefully and are willing to accept less than completely matching serial numbers. With a good bore, it would still be an excellent shooter.
Im in oz however seeing US prices i'd say you could have any of the major selling mausers with the only variable being condition. One of the cheaper ones in australia is the Israeli 7.62 converted .Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveN
Its my most accurate every day shooter. Great rifle for the money.
Best rgds.
DaveN, if you take a look at my previous contribution
Most accurate Enfield models
it may help you to make up your mind
:wave:
I can see why it is your new fav--very nice looking. Had a chance to shot it yet?Quote:
Originally Posted by rdm1962
I haven't seen mention of the 7x57's made at FN for Venezuela. Not as many floating around as there used to be. And not for $500.00 or less, either. About as well made 98 as I've ever seen.
You mean, like this one?
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...e3a750_b-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...1ec4e7_b-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...5dd1cf_b-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...69a680_b-1.jpg
Yep, amoung the best built, and in a nice "short rifle" length with a rubust, and distinctive orangey coloured stock :)
Long time lurker, first time poster. I have always had a weakness for the early (pre-1914) South American Mausers.
It was at this time that the newly-unified Germany was flexing its military and technical muscles. The rifles they produced had a level of quality fit and finish (not no mention wood!) that today's custom builders would be hard put to match. These were literally the finest military rifles that it was possible to manufacture (with all apologies to the SMLE - arguably the BEST bolt-action battle rifle ever)
That said, it seems that the Argentino and Chileo Mausers, inasmuch that they were better maintained, exemplify the breed. The 1909 Argentino sets the standard, and with a strong '98-type action, seems to be the cream of the crop.
And, here's my latest '09, an engneer (or mountain) carbine:
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...11/10/09-1.jpg
Honestly, I really like the Kar98a rifles. Apart from their cosmetics, which I find wonderful, they are short, handy, and sturdy. The only downside is the small ring but with the right loads, It is a beast. I will also agree with earlier posts that for accuracy, a 6.5sweede is probably the way to go. For me though, I love my 98a. Although a Mukden mauser is pretty nice as well...
My Preference.
I think the Portuguese 1941 K98 is the best wartime manufactured Mauser.
Peace time.
The Brazilian 1908 & 1935
Venezuelan M24/30
Peruvian 1909
Swedish 1896
Argentine 1909
Military : Standard Modell Banner Mauser
Commercial : Original Oberndorf Sporting Mauser
The best Mauser is the one you own and shoot and enjoy.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Amsdorf
Amsdorf, I`ll second that.
my yugo 24/47 can put 5 shots in 2 inches. not a brand new remington 700 but if it was the only mauser i could have i would take my yugo
unbelievable wood! as good as it gets.
-W