Mauser 66

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History of Mauser Company

Back in 1811, Friedrich I of Wurttemberg launched an arms factory in Oberndorf, Germany. Employing 133 workers, the company officially started its business in the following year serving as the royal weapon forge. The initial moderate success of the company was refined in 1867 when Wilhelm and Paul Mauser came up with an innovative rotating bolt system used for breechloading rifles. Most of their rifles at the time were built around a 7.9x57J cartridge which eventually became known as the 8mm German cartridge.

Alongside the Model 93 release, the smaller, 7x57mm cartridge was introduced. The United States spotted the potential of German ingenuity; hence they incorporated many features of Mauser design into their 1903 Springfield and so did the United Kingdom with their SMLE rifle that was the standard of British infantry units up until the 1950s. Soon after, many countries around the world, such as Turkey, Brazil, South Africa, Iran, Sweden and even China had recognised the outstanding performance of Mauser 93 and began flooding the company with new orders.

Along with their rifle production success, Mauser also broke new ground in 1896 with the introduction of their autoloading C96 pistol that was produced up until 1936. In 1897 the Mauser family were given control over the factory and renamed it Waffenfabrik Mauser AG. Only a year later, one of the most recognisable Mauser rifles of all time was presented by the company – Mauser Gewehr 98. The rifle had been redesigned with some of the noticeable changes being better-ruptured case gas venting, a stronger receiver with a larger receiver ring and an extra third locking lug providing additional safety. In later years, numerous rifles were derived from the original Gewehr 98 design, a lot of them being manufactured by various German contractors.

In the first decades of the 20th century, Mauser introduced a myriad of hunting rifles such as Type A, Model B, Model K, Armee-Model C and Africa Model. Up until the 1960s, various other models were presented including M1916, Mauser 1925 Special range, Karabiner K98, Mauser KKW cadet rifle, Gewehr 41 etc. Alongside their rifle production, the company additionally focused on the production of hand and pocket pistols, with some of the most recognizable models being Mauser 1910, Mauser 1914, Model 1934, and Mauser HSc.

After World War II, when the company was seized by Allied forces and placed under French control, the factory was torn down, and its records were destroyed. The former Mauser engineers Edmund Heckler and Theodor Koch, together with their associate Aled Seidel founded Heckler and Koch arms firm in the following years, recovering some leftovers of Mauser company which remained in the arms of Allied forces until 1952 when it was again permitted to continue manufacturing firearms. In the second half of the 20th century, the company presented some new models such as Model 66, Model 77, Model 86SR, Mauser SP66, Models 94 and 96, Mauser SR 97, Mauser 90SA and Mauser 90DA.

The Rheinmetall Berlin AG bought the firearms division of the company in 1996 and renamed it to Mauser-Werke Oberndorf Waffensysteme GmbH. In 1999, part of the Mauser was sold to Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft company often referred to as SIG, which later became known as Mauser Jagdwaffen GmbH.

Today, the company is under the parentage of the Blaser Group, which also manufactures rifles under the J.P. Sauer & Sohn brand. Mauser has presented some new models in the last few years, such as Mauser M03, M12, and M18, attesting to the company’s rich and successful history once again.

Mauser 66 rifle review

Mauser 66 is a bolt action rifle produced from 1966 until 1971 and is one of the most innovative rifles of its time. Contrary to most conventional bolt-action rifles, it features a telescopic action that allows for the action length to be shorter and the bolt operation significantly smoother. Owing to this revolutionary design, the optic mounts are mounted on the barrel surface rather than on the receiver. The front mounting surface uses a 12mm dovetail and the rear one is drilled and tapped for scope mounts.

There are two locking lugs at the front of the bolt that lock up directly into the channels of the barrel assembly. The safety which is positioned at the rear right top of the receiver blocks the firing pin in addition to locking the bolt closed. M66 comes with a takedown option and an interchangeable barrel system that makes it possible for switching between different calibres on one rifle. However, for the calibres and barrels to be interchanged they must match the bolt-face dimensions - that is why there are four different calibre groups available for the rifle, depending on the bolt face diameter.

The bolt release button is placed at the right upper side of the receiver and releases the telescopic assembly together with the bolt when pushed. Depending on the variant, numerous trigger options are available. Mauser 66 S can either be equipped with a single-stage adjustable, double-set or a two-stage hair-trigger whereas the Mauser 66 SM features a set trigger system that is activated by a push of a button positioned on the rear end of the receiver. When the trigger is set it is ready to fire at the lightest possible pull weight and when it is not it works like a conventional single-stage trigger. In addition, Mauser 66 has the pre-installed target sights with the rear one being adjustable for windage and elevation.

Possible barrel lengths for Mauser 66 are 530 mm (21-inch), 600 mm (23.6-inch) and 650 mm (25.6-inch).

Mauser 66

Figure 1: Mauser 66, chambered for .30-06 Spr. (Source: https://www.gunsinternational.com/guns-for-sale-online/rifles/mauser-rifles---sporter-post-war/mauser---66----30-06-cal-.cfm?gun_id=101040956#lg-1)

Mauser 66 calibers

There are four different calibre groups available for Mauser 66, depending on the bolt face diameter:

Group 1: Bolt face diameter 12.2mm

5.6x57
.243 Win.
6.5x57
.270 Win.
7x64 Brenneke
.308 Win.
.30-06 Spr.
9.3x62

Group 2: Bolt face diameter 12.65mm

9.3x64 Brenneke

Group 3: Bolt face diameter 13.1mm

6.5x68
8x68S

Group 4: Bolt face diameter 13.58mm

7mm Rem. Mag.
.300 Win. Mag.
.375 H&H Mag.
.458 Win. Mag.

Mauser 66 models

The rifle is available in two variations:

Mauser 66 S
Mauser 66 SM

Mauser 66 comes with a unique mounting surface. Optic mounts are mounted on the barrel rather than on the receiver with the front mounting surface using a 12mm dovetail and the rear one being drilled and tapped for scope mounts.

Mauser 66

Figure 2: The receiver of Mauser 66, chambered for .30-06 Spr. (Source: https://www.gunsinternational.com/guns-for-sale-online/rifles/mauser-rifles-sporter-post-war/mauser-66.cfm?gun_id=101603038#lg-3)

Scope mounts interchangeable with Mauser 66

Rifles that have one-piece mounts interchangeable with Mauser 66

For one-piece mounts to fit on a rifle, mounting surfaces on these rifles must match in every dimension.

The rear mounting surface on Mauser 66 is higher than the front one, making for the negative height difference (BHU) of -3.8 mm.

Rifles that have two-piece mounts interchangeable with Mauser 66

For two-piece mounts to fit on a rifle, mounting surfaces must match in all dimensions except the B distance. B distance can vary because two-piece mounts can be installed and adjusted closer or further apart.

Unfortunately, we currently lack information regarding interchangeable mounts for the Mauser 66 rifle. Should you have any additional information regarding possible mount matches, please contact us. We would gladly accept your help and expand our database accordingly.

Best scope mounts for Mauser 66

Fixed scope mounts for Mauser 66:

This fixed mount manufactured by the German company MAK is made of steel and a suitable solution for Mauser 66. It comes with a thirty-year warranty.

Detachable repeatable mounts for Mauser 66:

Detachable swing mounts make attaching and detaching your preferred optic an easy task. This pivot mount made by the German company MAK is repeatable and comes with a thirty-year warranty, making it a suitable choice for Mauser 66.

Help Us Build Our Riflescope Mounts Database

If you happen to own this or any other rifle, we would appreciate it if you could help us expand our database by sending us some photos of the rifle receiver (the bare mounting surface of the rifle without the mounts installed). For your help, our company offers a fair return in terms of practical rewards.

Please send us an email for more information. You can contact us here: info@optics-trade.eu

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Mauser 66

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History of Mauser Company