Perfect balance
THE Mauser M18 is a high-quality yet affordable rifle that is an entirely different design to the world famous Model 1898. The first time I laid eyes on one, I was reminded of the Model 66, which was a spin-off from the Gehmann short-action that Mauser licensed in 1965. The 66 was the company’s first new design in over 60 years. The action is almost half as short as the standard M98 and was one of the first to have the bolt locking lugs seat into an extension of the barrel instead of the receiver. The Mauser 66 was a complex and expensive design with a telescoping bolt and switch-barrel capability, but it paved the way for alternative locking systems which were a departure from the traditional M98 system.
“Mauser had all the necessary ingredients to produce a high-quality economy-class rifle.”
The next innovative design from Mauser was the Thousand Series with three models, the 2000, 3000 and 4000, starting in 1968. Except for the short action of the 4000, the three models were similar — a simple, straightforward,
