is this rifle used much on the continent?It is somewhat rare here in the U.S.,,it fits me to a "T",,swings and carries just right,,tho I wish it wasn't a .308,something smaller would allow me to use it on more.Any users of this rifle here?

They are nice rifles. I'd like to find one in good shape.

The Mauser 96 was not very successful. It was introduced after the Blaser R93 started to take over the Central European market "completely". But whether on it own merit, or in comparison with the R93, the Mauser M96 did not sell very well. It was phased out after a while.

http://www.mauserwaffen.de/index.php?id=164&L=1

Kind of rare I see one on the range.

- mike

I wondered what Swiss shooters might have to say.I conceed the Blaser is a more superior weapon,,but as it is aimed at at a different market,,it should be.I hate to say so,but when I first saw the m96,,I considered it too sophisticated for the majority of American shooters,,,you wouldn't imagine the number of questions about why a straight-pull design?,,hell,,I know people down here that think the .270 Win. is NEWS!!!!!!!!!.
I love the gun,,I just wish I could go into the Alps after chamois with it!!!

quote:

Originally posted by mho:
The Mauser 96 was not very successful. It was introduced after the Blaser R93 started to take over the Central European market "completely". But whether on it own merit, or in comparison with the R93, the Mauser M96 did not sell very well. It was phased out after a while.

http://www.mauserwaffen.de/index.php?id=164&L=1

Kind of rare I see one on the range.

- mike

Abandoned due to lack of sales or because Mauser Jagdwaffen GmbH changed hands and was relocated to Isny?

I own both a M96 in .270 (with the Alabama importers markings on the barrel as well as Made in Oberndorf!) and an R93. They aren't exactly two peas in a pod.

quote:

Originally posted by Gun_Barrel_Ecologist:
Abandoned due to lack of sales or because Mauser Jagdwaffen GmbH changed hands and was relocated to Isny?

I don't have the insight on that. If memory serves, though, the M96 was phased out before Blaser and Mauser came under the same ownership.

- mike

It's a nice rifle, I have owned a few Blaser R93s. The 96 is also a neat rifle. Though it isn't finished in the same quality as the R93.

I am a pretty big fan of the k95.

quote:

Originally posted by mho:

quote:

Originally posted by Gun_Barrel_Ecologist:
Abandoned due to lack of sales or because Mauser Jagdwaffen GmbH changed hands and was relocated to Isny?

I don't have the insight on that. If memory serves, though, the M96 was phased out before Blaser and Mauser came under the same ownership.

- mike

The M96 was tweaked into the M97 (mag fed to remove the staggered 5 round mag that galls on the 2nd round from the top unless you cycle it like your life depends on it) in 1997, the 98 centenary models became the heavily advertised flagships in 1998 and the company was sold (subdivided?) in 1999...

I bought mine new in 2000, a grey import into Australia from the states, and was still seeing them new with Sig Sauer markings until 2004

D99, the later M97 Luxus was a very nicely finished rifle in comparison to the plain jane M96. However the instruction manual of the M96 proclaims the key design brief of the M96 was to combine high capacity with light weight (under 2.7 kg)