Mauser M03

The switch barrel Mauser M03 hit the market in 2003. Mauser asked me in 2007 if I would like to test one and I said yes; but wanted two different calibre/barrel set ups, two scope mounts and no time limits. They obliged with 223 Rem and 30-06 tubes and about six months later I was convinced and still have it today, though calibre choice has changed. Without wanting to appear immodest I was told that my championing of the M03 did a lot for sales in the early days. But in the face of Blaser’s R93 and improved R8, the M03 fell by the wayside more than a little! Today they still sell and there is a following but it’s small compared to other makes!

Playing Favourites

Another nail in the M03’s coffin was doubtless the Mauser M12, which offered a more traditional and perhaps more importantly, fixed barrel layout and last month I had the pleasure of testing the latest version; the Impact and it’s a gem! About two years ago I bought a Blaser R8 Professional Success in 270 Win, as that to me is the ultimate straight-pull. So I had the best two switch barrel systems on the market. But with the M12 offering a cheaper and more conventional alternative and the Blaser R93 and R8; being by far the UK’s favourite switch barrels, where does that leave the M03?

Compared to the Blaser, the M03 appears more conventional, as it’s a turn-bolt action with a standard, detachable magazine. However, this is only skin deep, as it also features a lateral de-cocker at the rear of the bolt, along with a dedicated QD scope mounting system. Of course it’s a switch barrel, with the tube being retained by twin vertical studs at 6 o’clock on the re-enforce, with captive nuts in the underside of the forend. Doubtless inspired by the Blaser, which is similar.

 

Extreme

You get a choice of furniture with walnut (all grades), laminate - both GRS Sport Varmint adjustable and a home-rolled thumbhole and synthetic. Called the Extreme, this is the most practical choice for a real hunting rifle! The standard version is grey with black rubber griping panels; there is also the PH, which is sand/green and the Target, with its adjustable comb. I swapped my standard stock for a PH with the Target comb and find it suits all my shooting styles.

Scope and moderator choice aside, the most obvious aspect of the M03 is its weight, as it’s a good 1lb heavier than most other hunting rifles. The reason being the all-steel action, which includes a barrel support section in the forend!

 

Marmite Features

Like any mechanism, the M03 offers a number of Marmite (love or hate it) features, most prominent of which is the de-cocker! There’s no applied safety like the M12, instead a transverse lever sits at the rear of the bolt shroud and pushes left to right to put the rifle into fire/cocked mode and reverses to de-cock. This is accomplished by pressing a small tag underneath the lever, which lets it flick (with some speed) to the left, so mind your thumb!

Operation is easy enough, though you do break your firing hand grip a little, but it’s certainly requires less effort and repositioning than my R8’s vertically sliding de-cocker. Things to note; with the lever to the left the bolt will not operate, however, pushing it forward a tad allows you to cycle the action, but not cock it. It also doubles as the method of unlocking the bolt head.

Barrel removal is easy – open the bolt and unscrew the twin captive nuts in the forend and lift the tube off. One problem here, the scope has to be removed first; hence the QD mount! With 8-years + of M03 ownership I have never had any issues with return to zero when swapping barrels and scopes.

 

Feed and…

The feed system is simple and 100% reliable, with a big and strong, steel, 5-round (standard calibres) box magazine and an ambidextrous ejection/loading port big enough to fall into! The release button is at the front and can be rotated to lock the mag in place if you prefer. When I’m boar shooting I always carry loose ammo and a spare mag too, as there have been times when I’ve run out and it’s quicker to drop a round into the port or top-load a couple for that final shot than swap the clip!

Equally practical is the calibre change. The bolt consists of a big and long body with a large handle that drops straight down. To this, Mauser offers a series of bolt heads to accommodate the desired case head. All you do is hold the body in your right hand and with the de-cocking lever to the left press down on it and hold it, then at the same time pull down the bolt head and it’s off; simples! It’s both slicker and simpler than the Blaser system.

The scope mount engages and locks by three-legged sockets in the front and rear receiver bridges, with corresponding rotors in the base of the mount. These are retained by small, push-forward catches on the left of the mount. To fit, roll the front of the catches to the right, which disengages the locking bars, then pull them backwards and lift it off. When back on and seated, push the catches forward and the rods will spring back and lock.

 

Technical Stuff

The M03’s trigger is a single set unit, and breaks at a pleasing 3lbs (standard weight), when cocked you just press the blade forward to set it lighter (around 1 lb). I never use it for hunting, as it’s too light for hectic situations, if you know what I mean! But it’s great for zeroing to get best accuracy potential. Currently I’m running three barrels on my rifle; 6.5 Swedish (moderated with a MaccTecc/Barton Gun works muzzle-mounted can) for most general deer work, 8.5x63mm boar (un-moderated with muzzle brake and iron sights) and large game and a 223 tube for small deer and foxes etc, with a Macc Tecc reflex up front.

There are a number of barrel options from 18 to 24” in standard, match fluted and solid with choices on threading, iron sights and muzzle brakes. Barrel material and quality is excellent as all are made on Sauer’s machine who are part of the Mauser/Blaser group and now all based at Isny in the South of Germany. There are three options on scope mounting too – 1” or 30mm rings, European rail and a Picatinny base. Scope-wise I’m running two Swarovski’s – a 1.7-10x42 Z6i (Mk1) on the 6.5 and their 2.5-15x56 Z6i (MkII) on the 223. The pig gun has a Zeiss 1.2-5x36 Duralyt illuminated, which is an ideal short/mid range optic.

 

Shootability

Accuracy is down to the shooter and the ammo you feed the rifle, but get that right and you’re in the zone. My 8.5x63 tube holds an inch at 100m, with my 185-grain Barnes TSX reload, which is good enough for ‘pig busting’! The 6.5 shoots near ¼” with my 140-grain Hornady A-MAX reload and more surprising Hornady’s 140-grain soft tip too; hard to believe from a standard weight barrel. The 223 with either my 60-grain SP reload or good quality, 55-grain ballistic tip is a true ½” gun.

The M03 action is smooth and fast as that big, straight handle gives you a lot to get hold of. I was in Hungary boar shooting and a pod of about eight pigs burst out of the woods. I had a full mag and one up the pipe and rattled them off as smooth and slick as you like, so much so that a shooter in the next seat thought I had a Blaser, such was my rate of fire. Yeah my R8 is quick but in the field not any quicker than the M03!

The M03 is a long action receiver only, but calibre choice runs from 222 Rem to 458 Lott, with cartridge overall length (COL) taken up by magazine fillers. There are all sorts of cosmetic options and up to grade-6 timber. All of which ups the price on what is an expensive rifle already. And there’s the rub, as on one hand you have a shooting system on one familiar chassis and all you need to do is buy extra barrels/bolt heads as required. On the other, even a standard barrel will cost the same as a budget US sporter complete, and scope mounts are the thick end of £400! But the same can be said of all other European switch barrels, so you are in a very specific ballpark!

PRICE:
M03 Extreme standard £2,780
Scope mounts 30mm £354

CONTACT:
Blaser Sporting Ltd, 0207 6222116, www.mauser.de
MaccTecc moderators – Edgar Brothers Ltd