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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 M96 is a bolt-action rifle manufactured from 1896 up until the late 1920s in Germany and Sweden. After adopting the M94 carbine, the M96 was introduced as the long version rifle that was configured for infantry use. The production started in Germany and continued in the Carl Gustaf factory in Sweden.
The rifle shares most of the features with its predecessor M94 Carbine; however, there are some minor differences in design such as the finger grooves on the sides of the forearm for better grip and an added cleaning rod under the front end of the barrel next to the bayonet lug. The sling swivels are placed at the bottom of the stock and forearm in a more traditional style compared to the M94. The sights are factory-installed with the rear one being taller due to the increased length of the rifle.
Mauser M96 features a large straight bolt handle, otherwise, the bolt system and the receiver layout are identical to the ones used on M94. There is a steel floor plate on the bottom of the forearm and a cut out on the left side of the receiver which makes it easier to put cartridges in the internal five-round magazine using stripper clips. The cock-on-closing action mechanism is the same as that on the M94. This allows for the firing pin spring not to be tensioned when opening the bolt. The rifle only cocks when the bolt is pushed into the closed position. Two forward locking lugs lock up safely into the action's housing. Positioned at the rear top end of the receiver, there is a standard Mauser-type safety lever with its centre position functioning as a disassembly lever.
The possible barrel length for Mauser M96 is 737 mm (29-inch).
Figure 1: Mauser M96, chambered for 6.5x55 SE (Source: https://greatnorthgunco.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/IMG_7506.jpg)
Mauser M96 can be chambered for the following calibres:
Mauser M96 receivers come without holes therefore they must be manually drilled by a gunsmith.
Figure 2: The receiver of Mauser M96, chambered for 6.5x55 SE (Source: https://www.libertytreecollectors.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=6042)
A: /
B: /
C: /
BHU: 2.4 mm
Ø: /
R1: R16,5
R2: R14/30°
All the rifles listed in the category below have two-piece mounts interchangeable with Mauser M96. 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:
Mauser M94
Mauser M38
Mauser M41
All the rifles listed in the category below have one-piece mounts interchangeable with Mauser M96. 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 M96 are:
*As the M96 comes without holes on the receiver, the interchangeability conditions depend on the overall length and shape of the receiver.
The holes on the receiver of Mauser M96 must be manually drilled. This Picatinny rail made by the German company EAW can be of great help in determining the drilling position on the receiver. It is made of high-quality steel and comes with a thirty-year warranty.
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.
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