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 ?

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[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

[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.

[Harlan (Deceased)]

I thought it was just me, but my 8mm was so unpleasant to shoot I only took it to the range twice. My 03-A3's seem pleasant in comparison. Both types are very accurate though.