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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 M18 is a push feed bolt-action rifle introduced in 2018 and still in production today. It features a bolt with three locking lugs locking safely into the barrel extension and a straight bolt handle. Placed on the bolt face are dual ejection rods allowing for a consistent ejection of empty shells. The receiver of M18 which is drilled and tapped for scope mounts accepts Remington 700 long-action bases as both rifles use identical mounting surfaces.
The synthetic stock is made of a durable, high-quality polymer. A silent, three-position safety lever is placed at the right end of the receiver with the rearmost position blocking the trigger and the bolt and the middle position allowing the bolt to be moved around for safe loading of the weapon. On the left rear side of the receiver, there is a pull lever that releases the bolt.
The pull weight of the direct trigger is pre-set at 1815 g and can be adjusted to as light as 907 g allowing for a crisp pull. Another interesting feature is a butt plate which can be removed requiring no tools, namely by pressing two polymer knobs on the sides of the buttstock allowing the user to gain access to a hollow storage compartment. Mauser M18 comes with a detachable five-round polymer magazine holding up to five cartridges and a hammer-forged barrel.
Possible barrel lengths for Mauser M18 are 510 mm (20-inch), 560 mm (22-inch) and 620 mm (24.4-inch).
Figure 1: Mauser M18, chambered for .30-06 Spr. (Source: https://enoughgun.com/forum/download/file.php?id=10871&sid=639293fda8047ec16b2661f5d470b16a)
Mauser M18 can be chambered for the following calibres:
.223 Rem.
6XC
.243 Win.
6.5mm Creedmoor
6.5 PRC
6.5x55 SE
.270 Win.
7mm Rem. Mag.
.308 Win.
.30-06 Spr.
.300 Win. Mag.
8x57 JS
8.5x55 Blaser
9.3x62
The rifle is available in the following variants:
Mauser M18 Standard
Mauser M18 Feldjagd
Mauser M18 Waldjagd
Mauser M18 Stainless
Mauser M18 Chassis
All Mauser M18 receivers are based on Remington 700 LA shape and come with four holes for mounting purposes, two on the front and two on the rear mounting surface.
Figure 2: The receiver of Mauser M18, chambered for .30-06 Spr.
A: 21.9 mm
B: 113.9 mm
C: 15.3 mm
BHU: 2.9 mm
Ø: 6-48
R1: R51
R2: R17
All the rifles listed in the category below have two-piece mounts interchangeable with Mauser M18. 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:
Bergara B14 SA
Bergara Premier rifles – SA
Bergara B14 LA
Bergara Premier rifle s – LA
Remington 78 LA
Remington 700 LA
Remington 700 SA
Remington 722
Remington 40x SA
Remington 721
Remington 725
Remington 40x LA
Mauser M12 (2019-onward)
Mauser M94
Mauser 1996 (Serial number < 12000)
Haenel Jager 10
Sauer 100
Sauer 101
Howa 1500 LA
Howa 1500 SA
Howa 1500 mini
Remington 40-XB
All the rifles listed in the category below have one-piece mounts interchangeable with Mauser M18. For one-piece mounts to fit on a rifle, mounting surfaces on these rifles must match in every dimension. Rifles that share the same dimensions and mounting surface with Mauser M18 are:
Bergara Premier rifles – LA
If you are planning on using one scope on the same rifle, this two-piece steel mounting solution manufactured by the German company MAK is one of the most suitable choices for your Mauser M18. The mount is durable and can stand up to the most powerful cartridges.
Along with their practicality, detachable mounts also allow for dependable repeatability and recoil resistance. If you are in search of such a mounting solution, we recommend this Rusan swing mount. It is made of high-quality steel and comes with a 10-year warranty.
Along with being rigid and recoil resistant, Picatinny rails are renowned for the number of mounting options they offer. This steel Picatinny produced by the Croatian company Rusan comes with a ten-year warranty and will fit perfectly on the mounting surface of your Mauser M18.
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: [email protected]
