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Quote: The other day, I had the opportunity to handle a Mauser M03 for the first time. My impression based on this (granted limited) experience does not match the description above. On the contrary, I found the cocking/decocking system of the Mauser quite easy to operate. As b.martins points out, a manual cocking rifle can be expected to take a bit more effort to put into the "ready to fire" position, than operating the safety on a rifle where the cocking of the mainspring is done at bolt opening or closing. The M03 is no exception. But I did not find it at all hard, uncomfortable or in any way associated with pain to opererate the cocking lever. To open the bolt on an uncocked rifle, the cocking lever must be pressed slightly to the left (opposite cocking direction - we are talking a right-hand action here). This is easily achieved with one hand. The thumb operates the cocking lever (minor push, no force required), while the index and middle fingers operate the bolt. Because the bolt operates without cocking the mainspring, this was easy to do, I would even use the word "elegant" to describe the operation. Yes, it is different to that of a cock-on-opening bolt, which is best operated by the palm of the shooter's hand. So this is different, but with a bit of training should be easy to get used to. To cock the rifle, the cocking lever must be moved to the right - best achieved by the thumb of the shooters right hand. I found the force necessary to do this in line with my expectations of what would be needed to cock a mainspring. Since I had no way of measuring the force required for this operation, let me just say, that it is my subjective impression that the M03 can be cocked with somewhat less effort than the Blaser R93. Granted the movement required is different for the two rifles, and thus hard to compare unless an objective measurement of force is made. Nevertheless, I think the Blaser is a pretty good basis for comparison, as quite a few people have experience with that rifle. It is my impression, that if you can learn to cock an R93, then it should be no problem to cock an M03. Certainly on the rifle I handled, the cocking operation was reasonably smooth, with the obvious expectation of some resistance, since a spring must be cocked. I would expect that (like the R93) the M03 is best cocked before moved to the shoulder, at least that is the easiest way to cock the Blaser. Uncocking the rifle was easy to achieve, and I believe with a bit of training can be done almost without sound. One places the right thumb against the cocking lever (in its right-most, cocked position), in such a way that the tip of the thumb can also operate the little actuator below the cocking lever. This is easily done by simply stretching the thumb a bit further forward than the position used to cock the rifle. Due to the light pressure applied to the cocking lever, the thumb will catch this when released by the actuator. Now the cocking lever is under thumb control and can safely and quietly be returned to its safe (uncocked position). The trick is to be on the cocking lever when pressing the actuator, that way not leaving the cocking lever any possibility to slap back (spring release) to its safe position. This is akin to how the older Blaser K77 should be decocked, but easier, less spring pressure. All in all, I found the M03 a joy to handle, and view it as a viable alternative to other cocking actions like the R93, should the solutions in that rifle not be to your liking. In the M03 (unlike in the Blaser) you get all steel construction, removable (staggered) magazine, set trigger. But you still maintain the manual cocking and take-down system of the Blaser. The Blaser IMO wins on length and not having a set trigger (which is my personal preference) and faster follow-up shot (should that be important to you). All in all a nice rifle, if I wanted another hunting rifle, the M03 would be a viable alternative to me. - mike | ||
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Mike, The M 03 I tried seemed to me as having a much stiffer cocking device than any of my Blasers. I may accept that not being used to it can be part of the problem but I don�t believe that cocking that rifle can ever be as easy as cocking a Blaser R93. On the Blaser the cocking action is done in a forward motion thus allowing for the use of all the fingers as a support to the force to be applied by the thumb. On the M03 you have almost no support, from your fingers, for the force to be applied by the thumb. Should the lever work in the opposite direction (cocking from right to left) and then it would be much easier to operate!. B.Martins | |||
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The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Hunting European Big Game Hunting Re: Take-down rifle - Mauser 03
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