Mauser Recoil

[ROCK]

I have many different military rifles. The only ones that I find unpleasant to fire are the various military mausers. During recoil, the stocks rap me right under the cheekbone and after 9 or 10 rounds, I'm done shooting due to pain. Those stocks position the eye well with the sights and would make a great stock for a .22LR but are not good for anything with substantial recoil.

I have tried holding these rifles many different ways without any luck. Springfields, Garands, Enfields and Mosins are pain free for me.

Do you any of you guys have similar experiences ?

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[JimF in CT]

Yep . . . same here . . . .

ANY rifle, OFF A BENCH, will rap you more than if same rifle was used THE WAY IT WAS DESIGNED . . . that is, NOT off a bench!

The M'98 Mauser, w/ TURKISH ammo, beats me up real bad . . . from the bench! --Jim

[beachbumbob]

I agree with Jim about shooting off a bench. The most murdurous Mauser I've shot is a Spainish M43. Don't know why but it absolutely beats me up.

Bob

[Dave]

Everyone is built different. I am mystified tho, that anyone can shoot an '03 'pain free', unless it has the A1 stock. The S stock can be a real lip spilter, I've done it!

[Jim K]

The heavy ball service load was a 196gr bullet at 2500 fps; the 154gr light ball went out at 2900fps. You bet your sweet patootie they kick!

Jim

[Jim]

Everyone is built different. I am mystified tho, that anyone can shoot an '03 'pain free', unless it has the A1 stock. The S stock can be a real lip spilter, I've done it!

My dad was drafted in '43 (bad eyes, bad back, and he worked in a steel mill where they produced Sherman tank parts- yep! they were getting desperate)

Anyway he always tried to teach me to shoot with my right hand thumb lying along side the stock, and not over the wrist. At 6'2" dad was the tallest guy in his outfit and in training got the fattest lip. That's because the oh-3's stock was/is on the short side. Of course, at 5'8" I don't have a problem.

I recall insisting on wrapping my thumb over the wrist and the first time I shot dad's customized deer rifle, a .270 that the stock had been made for my dad. He said "go ahead, you'll regret it." But knowing that the stock was made for him and my being shorter, (probably about 5'5" or 6" at that time) I was going to clear completely. I recall big grinning my pristine, unsplit lip at him after shooting. Gads! I was such a smart A. I truly deserve my #2 son who is as bad or worse than I ever was that way. (to #2 son I say- for all the good it does either of us.)


Concerning Mauser stocks, I find the Yugo model 1924 or 24/47 the most comfortable. (refurb sanding has considerably slimmed the stocks of many of these with original stocks.)

[dj*]

My 8mm. bruises my shoulder , my 7mm. slaps my cheek , but my 6.5 sweed is a peach to shoot.

[ROCK]

I have the same thing happen regardless of which Mauser I fire. My M96 Swedish is the least painful. My Chilean M95 is a little more painful. The various 8MM Mausers hit me the hardest. When I fire my Garand, Enfield, Mosin etc., I have no problem getting hit in the cheekbone, not even off a bench rest.

Mauser stocks somehow manage to hit me under the cheekbone in any shooting position and not just off the bench. The problem, I think is in the height and shape and the upward sloping angle of the comb. In a rifle with little or no recoil it is a great design. When I shoulder a Mauser rifle, my eye is aligned perfectly with the sights when my cheek is pressed against the stock tightly. If I try the same positioning with an Enfield or a Springfield, I am looking at the back of the cocking piece. I have to raise my head slightly to properly align the sights with those rifles.

I think I now know why the British Enfields have their distinctively low combs and the Russian Mosins have their rounded shape at the top front of the comb. They found that the high part at the top front of the comb would rap a shooter in the face with each shot and eventually cause a soldier to become uncomfortable with his rifle and thus be less effective.

[Patrick Chadwick]

... is from a Mauser T-rifle in 13mm. I have never managed to get my hooks on one of those, but I did talk to a gentleman who had. He described it as a unique experience - one shot and you'ld never want to do it again!

Otherwise, I agree 100 % with the previous posting. When I got a K98, I avoided the 8 mm and chose an FN-Israeli in .308 for that very reason. I know the battered cheekbone feeling all too well.

Patrick

[huffmanite]

I've no problem with most Mausers, but my 1891 Argentine 7.65 is a pain to shoot, as is my 1903 Springfield.