Mauser M97

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About the Mauser

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 M97 Rifle Review

Mauser M97 is a straight-pull rifle introduced by Mauser in 1997. The straight pull design allows for the low scope mounting and quick follow up shots combined with the high shooting accuracy. The rifle shares many features with the M1996 despite some minor differences in design. Both rifles use a front locking system with sixteen locking lugs that lock up safely into the barrel. As the rifle was a successor of the M1996, the production of both models stopped around the same time the Roessler bought the Mauser license and started producing the rebranded version of the same weapon, which is still manufactured today – Roessler Titan 16.

Contrary to M1996 which uses tang style three position safety, Mauser M97 uses a cocking slide mechanism positioned at the rear end of the receiver which releases the firing spring when un-cocked. The rifle is only available with a removable, single row magazine, holding up to five cartridges, whereas M1996 offers both - single and double row magazines. The shape of the stock is slightly different as well as the upper part of the buttstock is somewhat curved on the M97 model.

The bolt handle on M97 is positioned at the front of the bolt allowing for the user’s shoulder to push the rifle forward when reaching for the grip. The receiver is drilled and tapped for scope mounts and a single-stage trigger is pre-set and sealed at the factory for optimal performance. The magazine is held in by two releases positioned on the right and left sides of the magazine frame.

The possible barrel lengths for Mauser M97 are 560 mm (22-inch) and 610 mm (24-inch).

Mauser M97

Figure 1: Mauser M97 (Source: http://bazar.hunting-shop.cz/detailni_foto.php?id_inzeratu=408838&id_obrazku=0)

Mauser M97 can be chambered for the following calibres:

.243 Win.
.25-06 Rem.
6.5x55 SE
.270 Win.
7mm Rem. Mag.
7x64
.300 Win. Mag.
.308 Win.
.30-06 Spr.
9.3x62

All Mauser M97 receivers come with five holes for mounting purposes, two at the front and three at the rear mounting surface.

Mauser M97

Unfortunately, we were unable to find a picture of the Mauser M97 bare mounting surface (without mounts installed). The receiver shown in the picture above is that of a Roessler Titan 16, as the rifles are essentially the same, with the difference in B distance which is shorter on M97. Should you happen to own a Mauser M97 and would be willing to send us some photos of the mounting surface without mounts, please contact us. We kindly thank you for your help.

A: 22 mm

B: 129.3 mm

C: 15.35 mm

C1: 15.35 mm

BHU: 2 mm

Ø: 6-48

R1: R51

R2: R17

Which Rifles Have Interchangeable Mounts

Two-piece mounts

All the rifles listed in the category below have two-piece mounts interchangeable with Mauser M97. To meet interchangeability conditions, two-piece mounts 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. Rifles that meet such criteria are:

Roessler Titan 16
Mauser M1996
Mauser M1996 (SN higher than 12000)

One-piece mounts

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

Unfortunately, we currently lack information regarding one-piece interchangeable mounts for the Mauser M97 Standard 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.

Our Recommendations for Mounts

Detachable Repeatable Mounts

We recommend this two-piece pivot mount made by the Croatian company Rusan. It is made of high-quality steel and comes with a ten-year warranty.

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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