Mauser MO3 – Second Thoughts

The original Mauser company collapsed in the late 1990s, however it left a historical and technical legacy behind that will never be forgotten; one that spoke of old-style quality and reliability. The classic M98 big game rifle lived on manufactured by a few bespoke gunsmiths and that apparently was that! However in 2003 the Mauser M03 appeared.

NO RELATION

If you did not know your firearms history you’d be forgiven in thinking that this was a Mauser; well it was in name alone and had nothing to do with the original company. Plus it was a switch barrel/calibre design, which back then was reasonably rare and much over shadowed by Blaser’s switch-barrel R93. I tested an M03 about a year later and was not that impressed, sure it worked but I considered it overly complicated and expensive when compared to the standard fare of the day. However, I was younger with less knowledge of firearms back then, and I learned my trade over the intervening years and am still learning today and wrote off the M03 as an expensive European curiosity. In 2007 I received a call from Robert Sajitz of Mauser asking if I would like to test the new Extreme (synthetic-stocked) version. By this time I’d become familiar with the Blaser R93 and gained an appreciation of what a switch-barrel could offer!

The M03 rifle duly arrived with the requested 223 Rem and 30-06 barrels, fitting key, bolt heads and magazines along with two scope mounts; the rest is history!

LONG TERM

Having two different calibre options really opened my eyes to the multi-role ability of any system of this nature and the M03 was no exception! Plus as I had it for an extended period I could really test it to the limit and I took muntjac and fox with the 223 and larger deer with the 30-06 tubes. My first concern was return to zero, which is the primary consideration! Unlike the Blaser with its barrel-mounted scope, the M03 has a more conventional receiver build that the QD scope mount fits to, which must be removed every time you swap tubes!

The Mauser uses twin vertical studs to retain the barrel in the action, again like the R93. The scope mount locates by 3-lug rotors that engage with sockets in the top of the action and is locked by short levers. Return to zero did not appear to be a problem, but it’s still an act of faith for the serious rifle shooter. I first tested this in Bulgaria, as the rifle came in Mauser’s carry case that takes the action, barrel and scope stripped down. In 30-06 I had set it up to shoot 1” high @ 100 yards for a 175 yard zero. With no time to check zero I trusted to the rifle and the M03 did not let me down!

Part of the calibre change process is swapping the bolt head over if required; obviously 223 is much smaller than 30-06 however the latter will also handle any of the 308-based cartridges so money saved. Likewise magazines as the 30-06 clip can also take 6.5x55, 270 Win, 25-06 Rem etc. so when considering calibre’s component compatibility is worth a thought! For example if you want an effective combo for the UK then 22-250 Rem and 308 Win will allow the same bolt head and magazine!

LEARNING CURVE

My learning curve on the M03 was informative. The 30-06 barrel proved very fussy, I had gone for it as I wanted to shoot heavier bullets for boar and big deer, but it only liked 150-grains. The 223 tube had a 1-10” twist rate, which is a bit unusual for the UK, but it can handle light and medium/ heavy bullets up to 60-grains!

As such the rifle does not have a safety catch as you would find on a Remy 700, instead it has a de-cocker. This consists of a lateral lever at the rear of the bolt, it pushes left to right to cock (fire position) and is released by a button underneath where it flicks back to de-cock (safe). It’s slower to operate and breaks your firing hand position to a degree, but on the plus side; with one up the spout you can render the gun un-shootable, which is a boon for high seat work and crossing obstacles.

After about three months the bolt knob fell off, which was traced to some faulty welding. Inside two weeks Mauser sent me a new bolt also explaining the problem and eight years later it has never happened again!

TAKING STOCK

The M03 uses an internal steel chassis member, which is the strength of the rifle, this bolts into the stock and offers a rigid piece of furniture. The Extreme version I had proved tough and stable, which promoted accuracy. The ejection port is massive and offers fast top loading when required, this facility has been a boon especially for driven boar. Equally the 5-shot magazine is controlled by a forward-mounted button, which can be locked in position if required. The downside is that generally speaking the gun is at least 1lb heavier than other rifles in its class; plus the de-cocker seems to be a deciding factor for many potential owners too! Mauser tried to rectify this with the M03 Light, using an alloy action; part of the re-design required a new (coned) scope mount as the original (steel to steel) design did not work with the aluminium. From what I have gleaned the Light is still a work in progress as it shoots in some calibres but not in others. My gut feeling is that it’s a non-starter! Pity as it could make the rifle more popular given the weight reduction!

My testing finally concluded about six months later and left me with a growing admiration for the M03 Extreme. Obviously wooden stocks are an option but not for me and the sort of shooting I do; so much so I bought it!

CHANGES

Since then I have changed a few things around, the 30-06 barrel went to be replaced with what Mauser calls a ‘solid’ with a heavier, 17mm diameter. Chambered in 8.5x63mm REB and 21.5” long fitted with iron sights and a muzzle brake it’s my primary boar and large deer calibre firing 230-grain bullets that give 3000 ft/lbs + of energy. The irons have proved a boon, as if conditions dictate the scope can be removed and you can go irons. This happened in Hungary this year in a rain storm, the scopes outer lenses we so covered in water as to make it useless, but that big U-notch and brass-tipped blade still gave good visibility.

For UK species I now have a 6.5x55 Swedish tube firing 155-grain Lapua Mega, which is threaded for a moddy. The original 20” 223 barrel has been replaced by a longer 23” unit again with a moderator, I tend to use 55-grain BSTs through it for fox and muntjac as it gives me more velocity/ energy and bit more range. The biggest change has been the new PH stock, identical in build to the original Extreme with its inset, rubber gripping panels it is in a sand colour, which looks good. However, it has the height and lateral adjustable comb/cheek piece, which is great. For driven it stay down but with the other calibres it allows me to tailor my head position.

Scope-wise I originally had a Swarovski Z6i 2-12x56 in a European rail mount for the 30-06 option. Great optic as it allowed me to dial down for free standing work and up for longer range accuracy. However, and I never found out which item was at fault, the scope always sat crooked in the base, not a lot but noticeable. In the end I replaced it with what turned out to be probably the best all-rounder for my needs a 30mm-tubed Z6i 1.7-10x42. Since then I have got another (again round bodied) Z6i Mk II 2.5-15x56 with BDC turret, which I use for the 223 though I have plans for it as a long ranger in something like 300 Win Mag. Purely for boar the only non-green glass I have is a Zeiss Duralyt 1.2-5x36 I (illuminated) which is a super little compact.

MAUSER MYSTIQUE

This may sound daft, and yes I know it’s not a Mauser in the strictest sense of the word, but whoever designed the M03 got it dead right. It has the feel, looks and quality about it we associate with this still iconic brand name! They even use the world-recognised banner-type logo along with a crest motif that gives it a bit of extra curb appeal. There’s little doubt that switch barrel rifles are expensive and out of the reach of many shooters, many feeling - and rightly so - that the cost of a barrel/calibre conversion alone would be the price of a conventional turn-bolt system which shoots just as we’ll. I would have to agree, though would say don’t knock it until you have tried it! Yes the outlay is considerable, but you have a familiar chassis that can be easily changed to suit all your shooting needs, instead of a cabinet full of individual rifles.

Last year I bought my first Blaser straight-pull, an R8 Professional Success, and I love it and it could well take over the majority of my UK deer shooting work. Though the M03 will always be my primary switch-barrel as it has proved itself over my years of ownership and I also consider it the tougher piece. I was trying to explain this to Alexandra Bauer the PR lady from Blaser who also deals with UK Blaser and Mauser importers Blaser Sporting Ltd, headed up by Robert Sajitz. She I know would prefer me to go all-Blaser and I explained it as like having a wife and a mistress, each gives you something the other cannot and as long as you keep them apart you can lead a harmonious double existence!