Three experiences I had with a no-name bolt action rifle during my early hunting years would have been the undoing of any professional hunter facing off against a Cape buffalo in dense African bushland: One time the bolt handle broke off, while another time the cartridge did not load and finally the magazine fell out after the shot on a driven hunt. What sounds like a cock-and-bull story told over drinks after a hunt is in fact the annoying result of poor design, incorrect material selection and cheap manufacturing. Unfortunately there are plenty of suppliers of bolt action rifles who have not mastered the combination of craftsmanship and high-tech. But, at any rate, it was these bad experiences that put me on the right path. And that is called “MAUSER 98”, and has been for 125 years now.
The secret Mauserformula
Bolt action, locking lugs, three-stage wing safety and a tubular magazine in the stock: Those are the elements of what is probably the most famous repeating firearm developed in the German Empire, named after its designer, company founder Paul Mauser, and the year of its introduction, 1898. While many non-hunters know it only as a military rifle, the 98 was an excellent hunting rifle system that was already offered in the year of its launch and appealed to conservative hunters. Repeating rifles were still considered unsuitable for hunting back then. Paul Mauser, however, knew what he owed the hunting community who accepted no compromises in terms of precision. The manufacturing tolerances of the hunting systems were therefore much lower than those of military systems, without compromising on the robustness of the material. What set the 98 hunting system apart visually was the shape of the bolt handle, which was curved downwards, but still met the military standards in as far as it would withstand a kick with the foot to release a jammed case if necessary.
The system with the raised square receiver bridge and receiver head, which allowed for attaching of a claw mount, made it possible to identify the hunting system at first glance. The variant which is today known as the double square bridge is the typical contour of the original and the trademark of modern Mauser rifles, like the MAUSER 12, which continues the tradition with an open top side and the two receiver bridges. The robust bolt handle was one outstanding feature, but it was the cartridge loading that gave the MAUSER 98 its legendary reputation for excellent reliability. The long, non-rotating extractor of the system 98 delivers in 10 out of 10 cases: It “grips” the cartridge already in the magazine and guides the case more strongly and reliably than any other system. This technology was the basis for the success on hunts in Africa. The bush environment requires absolute reliability, because hunter often put everything on the line there. Professional hunters all reported that dirt or higher gas pressure never caused a case to jam in the Mauser system. It was no surprise then that
the manufacturer Rigby contacted MAUSER soon after introduction of the system 98 to ask for an extended system 98 for big-game calibres. This resulted in the long Mauser system that could use Magnum calibres such as .375 H&H or .416 Rigby. Until 1912, MAUSER supplied the long system 98 unit exclusively to Rigby. It was not until after World War I that MAUSER started manufacturing its own rifles with the long Magnum system. The open top with the thumb hole was of utmost importance for big-game hunters as they rejected folding magazines as being too unreliable.
There is no risk of that on the new MAUSER 98 Magnum – designed as a classical, robust big-game rifle – because the locking lever integrated into the trigger guard has a powerful spring, which engages precisely in its counterpart on the cover. This turns the MAUSER 98 Magnum into the most reliable rifle for enthusiastic hunters – all over the world. The rifle features a high quality double square bridge system machined from a solid piece of material. In combination with the latest finishing technologies, the special steel used sets standards in terms of perfection.
Everything comes full circle with the MAUSER 98 anniversary rifle in a limited edition of 25. The outstanding craftsmanship of our forefathers combined with 21-century materials is a commitment to the origins and an expression of the intention to continue to success story of the world’s most reliable rifles. Of course high-quality case-hardened materials, English ornamentation and gold damascening have their price. And not everyone will be able to fulfil their desire to own a one-off like the MAUSER 98 anniversary rifle in the standard or Magnum version. But MAUSER would not stand for reliable hunting success if average earners or young hunters were left behind. The MAUSER 12, which in the Extreme ver sion is the perfect, ultra-robust all-rounder, and the MAUSER 18 series as the ideal bolt action rifle for everyone prove that affordable is not the same as cheap. They have the value of 125 years of experience and development inside them and, together with the system 98, they continue the success story of MAUSER. No compromises in terms of reliability, quality, precision and safety – that is the true Mauser formula that was, is and will remain to valid worldwide. This is the true legacy of Paul Mauser.
