I have not yet handled one of these. I have not seen one in a shop in my area, and I am leary of just ordering one from a gunshop 5 hours away in Germany.

Several German hunters I know claim this is the greatest rifle in the world, but I can't seem to find a lot about it in English.

If it was so great, why isn't it still made?

They seem to have low prices on egun.

Designed by former world champion Walther Gehmann, the Mauser 66 was too much in advance on its time and very expensive to boot. It wasn't a commercial succes. However, decades later, its ingenious barrel switching system inspired the Blaser 98.
Anecdotically, W.Gehmann also fathered the Anschütz 54 match action and many competition shooting accessories.

Great is a stretch. I would say very nice. I have the American calibers, 243,308 with iron sights,270,30/06.

The scope mounting is interesting. There's a guy that sells a slide on 1 piece (used to be steel) aluminum base that is very well made. I have also used a Weaver Mauser front base for the rear base and made a flat bottom for the front.

Mine will keep all the shots in an 1 1/2" box.

quote:

Originally posted by Big Wonderful Wyoming:


I have not yet handled one of these. I have not seen one in a shop in my area, and I am leary of just ordering one from a gunshop 5 hours away in Germany.

Several German hunters I know claim this is the greatest rifle in the world, but I can't seem to find a lot about it in English.

If it was so great, why isn't it still made?

The rifle was very expensive to produce and was at the same time competing with other manufactures in the same price catagory.

There is one however that will make you one:
https://www.sas-short-action-systems.de/die-meister/

quote:

Originally posted by Andre Mertens:


Designed by former world champion Walther Gehmann, the Mauser 66 was too much in advance on its time and very expensive to boot. It wasn't a commercial succes. However, decades later, its ingenious barrel switching system inspired the Blaser 98.
Anecdotically, W.Gehmann also fathered the Anschütz 54 match action and many competition shooting accessories.

Actually it was the old Mauser in Oberndorf who was the originator of what we know today as Anschutz Match 54 system.

I have Mauser 66 rifles in 270 and 30-06. They are fine rifles indeed.

Weaver and Ebay 1 piece.

I need to flip the rear base around.



and the 1 piece Chapman

quote:

Originally posted by Biebs:
I have Mauser 66 rifles in 270 and 30-06. They are fine rifles indeed.

I didn't know you had rifles that were not for sale?

quote:

I didn't know you had rifles that were not for sale?

You'd be surprised.

I just bought a 9,3x64 on the used market.

The 66 is a very good rifle! I have my since 2006. Hunted with that in B.C. Kanada, Botswana, Zim, Spain, Austria, and all over in Hungary. The 8x68 S calibre is perfect for long shots and big sized game.
The bolt action of the gun is working perfect and shortens the whole length! With magnum 66cm barrel is the whole rifle about 105 cm. Accuracy is without question!
Details and precision is find all over this rifle. So you can buy one and your grandson will still hunt with that.
I have only 2 thing i dont like:
- the capacity of the magazine is only 2 rounds in magnum calibre
- the safety works just in 2 positions. So if you want to unload the gun, you have to put it in fireing position.
But all in all its a great rifle!

There is a stack of them now that the new law on inheriting guns is out.

Have seen and handled a couple over the years. Short as the magazine is over the trigger. And very well made. The two I have looked at were right handed so not so good for a left handed shot.

My pics above having been taken as hostages by Photobucket's blackmail, I moved to Imgur. Here are replacement photos :

Andre, did they market the "Diplomat" version in Europe?

There are a ton of Diplomats on Egun and VDB at least a couple a month.

Especially since all their owners are starting to croak.

The M 66 and the later M 66S are produced in Standard and Magnum length. The Magnum (also a heavy "Safari"-Model) is designed for the belted mags inc. the .375 H&H and the 458WinMag, but also for the german non-belted mags like the 6,5x68, 7x66 v.H., 8x86S and the 9,3x64.
Because of nearly each "modern" german hunter needs a Blaser R 93 or R 8, the used M 66 are very cheap on the used market.

The last 2 posts sum up the situation pretty well.

Actually I do not think that the prices are low for the M66 on the used market. A lot of these rifles are from the 70s and have been heavily used and get much more than they cost once. It took me 3 years to find an exceptional one in "S" and 9,3x64 without shortened stock etc.

quote:

The last 2 posts sum up the situation pretty well.

Yes, those of us old enough to appreciate the fine firearms available during our hunting and shooting careers are becoming the minority. I think that's also why you see double rifles waning in value. The newer shooters who are replacing us in the market have different interests. They didn't grow up with Mausers , pre-64 Winchesters, or watching Tarzan and the other shows about Africa that mesmerized us. For many new shooters today, if it's not a handgun, an AR, or some other Tacti-Cool firearm, they're not interested. Times they are a changing! :-)

quote:

Originally posted by Biebs:

quote:

The last 2 posts sum up the situation pretty well.

Yes, those of us old enough to appreciate the fine firearms available during our hunting and shooting careers are becoming the minority. I think that's also why you see doubles rifles waning in value. The newer shooters who are replacing us in the market have different interests. They didn't grow up with Mausers , pre-64 Winchesters, or watching Tarzan and the other shows about Africa that mesmerized us. For many new shooters today, if it's not a handgun, an AR, or some other Tacti-Cool firearm, they're not interested. Times they are a changing! :-)

Just buy a blaser r-8.

Mike

quote:

ust buy a blaser r-8.

To me, that's the obvious solution! :-)

I am looking for a 9,3x64, 458, 375 and 8x68S in good shape before we leave. If I end up with a 7x66 and 6,5x68, or 5,6x57 I'll be happy. Plenty of 7x64 rifles around.

If you are looking for a 9,3x64 or 8x68S, look for a Magnum-System, because the normal System is quite short for this cartridges (max. cartridge-length is in the normal System 86mm)and you get one round more in the Magazine.

Good to know.

Do you know if someone has written a book about the Mauser 66?

My google searches have not turned up much.

If you look for a Magnum (or a Safari)M 66, look at the stock-walls at the reciever - the Wood at this walls is very thin and sometimes broken!

If you get a M 66"S", you never find a standard System in 9,3x64 or 8x68S - at this time, the Magnum-calibers are only produced in the Magnum-System.

quote:

Originally posted by richj:
http://www.mauser.com/fileadmi...anuals/Modell_66.pdf

Thanks!

I have an old Handloader or Gun Digest with an article about a group of hunters from the States on safari in Africa using a range of rifles and calibers for taking plains game and the odd buffalo. They tabulated all of the animals killed with range, cartridge, effect of the shot or shots and also recovered bullets where they could.

They had a couple of M66 Mausers in 8x68 if I recall correctly and both failed after some hard use of slamming the bolts back and forth when reloading. There was some thin metal part in the action or on the bolt which ended up being battered enough to prevent the actions from working. They managed to do some field repairs to get the Mausers operating again.

They reported this to Mauser on their return and I think commented in the article that they assumed Mauser would resolve this issue.

Possibly worth checking for if an early year M66.

I ordered a book off of Amazon.de. We will see how it goes.

I like that guy, he is a wealth of knowledge.

Ive owned 2 mod.66s in my lifetime, one a .375 H&H and another custom rifle with two barrels..

My take on the 66 is its butt ugly, however its the shortest action made for big game rifles that Ive used, its slicker than poop thru a goose on feed and function, and its way ahead of its time..I'll give it a 99 on a scale of 1 to 100, Its only failing is its boxie and ugly, but it feels good, points good, and is as short in length as some single shots, it has a cornucopia of barrels to use with one receiver and they swap out in seconds...I much prefer the mod 66 to the Blaser in every respect, just speaking for myself..

I probably won't ever own another 66 as Im a 98 fan, but the 66 is one hell of nice rifle with a lot going for it short of looks and that just a personal opinion on my part..

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:


My take on the 66 is its butt ugly

Exactly why it was never popular in the US.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!

PS: Ray, do you own a mirror? :-)

IMHO the 66 is an ugly-fugly german abomination, just like all the Blasers/Strassers...whatever..

If you INSIST on something different than a timeproven M98 etc.in a bolt rifle...go for a Mannlicher-Schønauer..

And contrary to popular belief...I do have a mirror...don't know about Ray..

Now you can hit me...

I do have a mirror, I was plumb purty, so beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I gotta admit the last time I looked in mirror,Id been drank'en.

http://www.germanhuntingguns.c...f-the-german-kaiser/

It looks like Gehmann honored ome of these rifles and brought parts of its design into the m66

Have seen a few of them quite handy and nice rifles thdy are. Blaser copied a lot from them ,

The Germanic countries have always pushed the engineering envelope when it comes to firearms. Instead of adding barrels to create repeating rifles, they developed the magazine rifle. They saw past the need for steel in non-critical handgun components and designed the Glock. The Mauser 66, Sauer and Blaser rifles introduced shortened receivers, interchangeable calibers/barrels, and new safety design. Sometimes thinking "outside the box" is hard to accept to those of traditional tastes, but it's hard to argue with progress.