Mauser M18

Mauser launched their M18, last year and it was a total contradiction to the rest of their fleet. The M98 stands as the, classic big game rifle and their MO3 an elegant, yet practical switch barrel system that incorporates both modern innovation with semi-traditional styling, that in my opinion compliments this famous name. Both expensive but quality firearms, however, they surprised us back in 2012 with the introduction of the M12.

The thinking for this was spot on. First it was a fixed barrel system, but in a more classic styling in a choice of wood or synthetic (Extreme) furniture. The feel was a mix of MO3 with M 98, it had a standard safety catch and fed from a 5-round magazine and proved to be an excellent design at a very pleasing price point. They later launched the Impact version with a medium, fluted barrel, which if anything proved even more popular in the UK.

Budget, cheap or just practical?

But the introduction of the M18 in 2018 was a bit of a shocker, as it was an undeniably cheaper design than its siblings, at an advertised €895 or £766.97 British. There has been an increase in this sort of type of hunting rifle over the years, with most of the major players; Remington, Ruger, Sako, Tikka, Savage, Winchester and Browning etc. all offering something. In 2019 the M18 seems to be selling around the £750 mark give or take a tenner. Blaser Sporting Ltd (now Blaser Group) also offered a package deal with a Barton Gunworks reflex moderator and a Minox scope. Having used the M18 for around a year now, I thought I’d give it another test to see how I feel now.

The base design cheery picks from the M12 with its polymer, 5-round detachable box magazine and the twin, sprung plunger ejectors in the face of the 3-lug bolt, that offers a 60⁰ lift angle. The safety is a three position, roller type rear right of the action forward to FIRE (red dot), middle SAFE with bolt operation (first white dot) and SAFE bolt locked second white dot). Much like a Remy 700 it’s well positioned and easy to use with little disturbance to the firing hand.

Steel

The receiver is steel, and the barrel screwed into it as opposed to the shrink fit system of the M12. It’s long action only, which makes sense on production economy and magazines use filler blocks at the rear to adjust for cartridge overall length requirements. The bolt handle with synthetic ball end drops down vertically in classic Mauser style, a bit ugly is the bolt shroud but it shows a cocked action indictor pin. The top of the action is drilled and tapped for bases and here you have the choice of standard Weaver-types, or in this case their HexaLock QD system. Mine came fitted with the latter and it seemed to me on a rifle like this a bit of a waste of time and money, as it’s not the sort of gun you’re going to be forever swapping glass on!

On that point it came fitted with a Minox 3-15x56 ZX5 scope in 30mm rings, all in all, a decent bit of hunting glass. As standard the muzzle comes threaded 15x1mm and the importers supplied a Barton Gunworks reflex moderator too, which for a compact design tamed the 308 Winchester chambering nicely. Both these items were included in the package deal, if that’s your thing, but I wondered at the time, how many would bother, as together they cost more than the rifle. Me, I’d opt for the standard bases and source the can and optic myself.

A level of sophistication

Pleasingly the trigger shows a wide, curved blade and is externally adjusted by an Allen key through the blade. From the box it was a little heavy, but it easily wound down for a crisp and short, 3lb break. The trigger guard is large enough for a gloved finger, which I always appreciate on a hunting rifle! The stock is black polymer with rubber inlays under the forend and around the pistol grip to improve hold, and though basic shows a medium height comb and well-shaped, hand-filling pistol grip. At the rear is a thick rubber recoil pad that brings the length of pull (LOP) to 14”, a tad short for me but good enough, and doubtless workable across a wider range of shooters dimensions.

Unusually the butt pad can be removed by pressing the twin catches either side and when off reveals a small storage compartment, which is just about big enough for a pull through. The inside is filled with foam, so none of that annoying hollow sound. The round-nosed forend is a tad on the short side, but there’s enough to get hold of and it offers a light, free-float to the barrel. It’s also quite rigid, which is down to the internal strengthening webs, so shooting off a bipod is not an issue and Mauser fit QD sling studs in the usual places. The magazine is polymer with a release catch at the front and it holds 5-rounds in standard calibres and four in Magnums.

Internally the recoil lug is positioned in the stock and engages with a slot in the underside of the receiver, not my favourite design but it works! Also, a bit different are the action bolts, which are integral to the receiver and are secured by cap nuts from the underside.

Calibre choice

In 2018 in the UK the M18 was only available in 243/308 Win and 30-06, good enough and in truth sensible choices for our needs. Though Mauser’s website also shows .270 Win, 7mm Rem Mag and .300 Win Mag. The standard barrel length is stated at 22” well 21.5” as measured from the bolt face. My gut feeling is that that might be a tad short for the 06 and 270, as they do better with more tube. However, in the two Magnums they sensibly opted for a 24” pipe.

The whole feeling of the M18 is of simple practicality, even when fitted up with scope and moddy it’s not heavy and handles well. I don’t, however, buy into the minimal butt storage compartment, as there’s very little actual space. It doesn’t have the fine lines and options of the M03 or M12, but there’s a pleasing utility about it and as I discovered it’s a rifle that will take the knocks and get the job done regardless.

2018

My tester was in 308 Win and last year I uses six different loadings; Hornady 178-grain Precision Hunter, Norma 170-grain TipStrike, RWS 165-grain HIT/green, Geco 170-grain SP, Browning’s 155-grain BXR and BXC 168-grain. In 2019 I added the RWS Twin Core (TC), 165-grain round.

As always rifles react differently to various ammunition types, as can be seen (M18 performance) the Twin Core load showed the slowest speed and therefore energy, yet it shot into ¾” at 100m, which is good enough. However, this same ammo through a 22” Merkel Helix was generating 2557 fps/2414 ft/lbs. In use recoil control was not bad for a 308, with feed and function being 100%, like all Mausers I’ve used. Its twin plunger ejection system powers those empties out slow or fast and is to be appreciated! Even though this rifle shows a slightly more closed in action than either the M03 or M12, there was still plenty of room to literally throw in another round through the ejection port in a hurry if you needed to and know it would feed reliably.

I’ve let others shoot this rifle and opinions are mixed, the general view is that visually it’s a bit bland and in a gunshop would not stand out of the rack and attract your attention. Some were also surprised that it was made by Mauser, but all agreed it was reliable and shootable, which for many is all that’s required. And if it can nail ¾” at 100m with the right ammo and generate 2500 ft/lbs then it’s eminently capable of doing the job. I’m not really interested in the Magnum options and would go with 308 Winchester as that would make a good general use, any deer rifle at a reasonable price point for those looking for a reliable tool and not a fashion statement. Blaser Group who distribute Mauser products quote an SRP of £805, but as I said before, ball park looks to be around £750 give or take a tenner. There’s still an M18 package that includes Hexalock mounts, MINOX ZX5i 2-10x50 scope, Barton moderator, and Mauser- branded slip. Individually it would cost £2,232, but all together you pay £1,950; not bad!