The Modern Mauser Model ’98
THIS twenty-first century version of the M98 is more refined so that it is vastly superior even to the fine commercial actions and rifles that came out of Oberndorf am Neckar before World War II. The new M98 is a handsome classic rifle designed to appeal to aficionados of the marque. It is almost unheard of for a mechanism developed 122 years ago to still see widespread use. The M98 action, the perfected example of four previous models, the 93, 94, 95 and 96, is virtually unchanged since the end of the 19th century and is in great demand for building fine custom sporters and high-grade commercial rifles in the 21st century.
Many modern actions can trace their heritage to the basic Mauser system. Manufacturers like Winchester, Kimber, Dakota, Montana, just to mention a few, have incorporated some of the best Mauser 98 features into their own actions.
The hallmarks of the original M98 were its dual-opposed forward locking lugs; controlled-round feed, in which the cartridge feeds up out of the magazine held against the bolt face, where it is held in place by the extractor and "controlled" as it is fed into the chamber. Serious hunters prefer controlled-round feed actions to push-feed ones, where the cartridge is pushed instead of being carried into the chamber. Push feed actions dominate because they are cheaper to manufacture, but there are plenty of controlled-round feed action to choose from - including the Win.
