Have owned a vz33 since 1963. I mowed lawns for ages to pay for it. My father said the grease on it was the original from the factory and looked like it was never issued or shot. I still have it and use it as a bush gun. I'm now 72. It is still as issued fully wooded.

My grampa used a VZ24 in Brazilian Constitutional revolution in 1932. It got lost in time, but warms my heart to see one, and someday i´ll own one.

There is nothing more classy than an old Mauser

The Arisaka (actually a Nambu) Type 38 in 6.5mm is probably the strongest Mauser action ever produced. They have been sporterized into many high-powered calibers with no hiccups at all. In 6.5mm, my Type 38 carbine hardly kicks at all.

When you started with the K98 in 5th place I was worried but after watching I have to say I agree with your choices especially the #1 pick

I met an very high end Custom Rifle Builder of extremely high performance rifles and he uses the Argentine Mausers and only the Argentine Mausers to make his specialty rifles out of. He says that the Argentinian Mausers were the best. I have also heard so many great things about the 6.5 Swede

as a Swede the Swedish Mauser warms my heart

Thank you, when I was 13-15 years old. We were shooting the M96 on Saturdays, some 50 years ago in Sweden. I remember staying in position and on aim when using the bolt action. Now for 50 years I have watched movies with soldiers, standing up and grabbing the bolt with full hand and pulling/pushing. I thought "well thats a Mauser, couldn't have that for us kids". Our instructors also didn't let us raise up to manage the M96. The instructors had been in the teams that, ended on second place in Great Olympics 1939-45, immigrants they were.

I have to agree with your choices. The Argentine 1909 is precious to my collection, but it is almost a tie between the Persian and Swedish Mauser for me. I have hunted with all of my Mauser variants and they are amazing.

The Argentine 1909 and Persian 98/29 are my votes for the best military Mausers ever built. The Mauser Model B Sporters built between WW1 and WW2 are excellent quality as well.

I very much love my 1921 Swedish Mauser M96. I’m now reloading 6.5x55. Great flat low recoil round. I’m very pleased by your remarks since I agree 100 %.

My Gewehr 98/WZ29 conversion is my favorite mauser. Best sights I've had on a milsurp and it has the smooth action of a Gewehr 98

I just love the Argentine 1909. Best Mauser in my opinion.

I've got an all #s matching 1900 Obie that's my pride and joy. Love it and agree, 6.5x55mm is my favorite rifle cartridge to shoot. Nail tacks all day.

Great video and great collection, thanks for sharing!

A bit disappointed that the 1909 DWM Argentino Model 98 is not on the list. A great stand alone rifle, but rather uncommon ammunition nowadays. However, most high-end gunsmiths in Germany prefer this action over any other when building exclusive custom Mausers.

I'll always be a Mauser fan. First rifle I got was a M48 when I was about 13 or 14. Just sold it last year and put the $$$ a 1918 Spandau that was later re worked for the Weimar Republic.

fricking love my Yugoslav M48

My personal favorite and nominee, the Mexican M1936 in 7mm Mauser. It has an extremely smooth action with a perfect trigger. Quality and finish are superb.

Thanks for the Video. My dad was B-25 mechanic in North Africa, Tunisia, Sicily, Italy, and India. They used Mausers as tent stakes and when they moved they left them because you could not pull them out. He did manage to send two back home that were marked BYF and BNZ. That was the Steyer plant and the Mauser plant on the Oberndorf River. He had custom rifles built after the war in 270 and 30-06. My nephew still hunts with the 270. He bought me a all original BNZ for 35 dollars when I was 16. You could get surplus ammo for pennies then. I used it for squirrels coyotes and deer. It is a wonder any of the neighbors had any livestock still alive the way those rounds would ricochet. I chopped it and welded a model 70 style bolt on in shop at school and had the local gunsmith drill and tap it for scope mounts. Got into gunsmithing in college and turned it into a 6mm-06. Made a 22-250 that I converted to single shot and added a third screw to on a Oberndorf aN. I still have a 7mm and a 6.5 that won't get chopped.

My Modelo 1891 7.65 Argentine Mauser from Loewe Berlin is an awesome rifle. I was glad you didn't leave it out.

I have to agree with your #1 pick. I was first introduced to the Swedish Mauser in the early 80's. There was a floor display in a gun store I frequented that had about 10 of them for $79.95. For that price, I figured what the heck. I chose the oldest one (1900) & was amazed at the smooth trigger pull, and the low recoil. Over the years I've picked up accessories for it (bayonet w/scabbard, original sling, stripper clips, oiler tubes, etc.). I know it's a couple of years late to comment, but thank you for sharing this video!

I bid on a Persian mauser a little over a year ago. I lost the auction. The gun was basically unissued, and absolutely beautiful! I think it sold for around $1500.

0:50 Holy Cow Mike, you sound completely different as a Kraut lol

I picked up a 1919 Swedish Mauser m96 because I love the 6.5x55 swiss and the mauser action. I also have a 1940 Kar98K in 8x57 but like the Swedish rifle more. I have 3 Swedish riles now, they are very well made rilfes.

I think the Yugo m24, I think that’s the model? Maybe 48? Anyway should’ve been in the honorable mention, but I do agree with the top 5. Good stuff.

I was actually pumped when we were down to #2 because unless you were totally brain dead meant the only possible candidate for the top spot was both of our favorites The M96 Swedish.I opened my full service gun shop in 2010 and a friend that worked with me for the last several years in a machine shop, introduced me to this beloved rifle. He had 5 in 5 different variations of site configurations, like the swedish peep site and corn hole combination the swedish diopter sight the standard military leaf and impressively an original m/41 sniper with the boltless and quick detach scope mount. After getting a quick tour of his collection I dove into all those crazy mysterious markings on receivers barrels and the cartouche marks on the stocks....As I started learning the symbols relevance I quickly realized by looking at each rifles markings we had a mostly full history on that weapons length of service...By then I became obsessed everytime I found a surplus store it was like a new trasure hunt to find the ultimate gem...a hidden m/41 sniper. By far the best fitted most accurate, tight grouping shooter of the entire m96 family and in my opinion paired with the 6.5x55 cartridge I'm confidenr in say most accurate of all military mausers of that era...Anyway my little full time full service gun shop is still banging out hardcore long distance bolt guns and complete custom 1911's that easily rival high end 1911s like Night hawk customs, Wilson Combat and Ed Brown to name a few. I feel extremely blessed to get to do something I love as my main income source and haven't felt like I've worked a day these past ten years! Happy to serve these united states with Flat Creek Customs Weaponry. If you haven't all ready I would love to see a top ten semi auto military weapons of a time both pistols and rifles alike!! Keep'Em Comin' Thanks!!

Great choice! Thanks for posting.

Thanks for your post. I have the Mauser K98k, the Persian Mauser and the M96 Swedish Mauser. The K98K was my first military surplus rifle.

The Argentine 1909 98 Mauser is a favorite of gunsmiths to sporterize. My favorite is the BRNO Persian 98/29. Best rendition military Mauser of all time.

I cannot agree more with your No 1 pick. I own a lot of Milsurp rifles, and My Swedish Mauser is absolutely my favorite rifle. It is an absolute work of art.

Always loved the looks of the classic mauser rifles. Finally got one yesterday with little knowledge of what it actually was. Turns out I got the Persian one :D

Thanks for the review, very interesting. Recently I purchased a group of guns in a bundle deal. Among them was a Persian 98/29 in really good condition, also with that was a Swedish a Carl Gustafs Stads Mauser along with a Husquavarna M38! The others were a Stayer Chilean model 1912, a Schimidt Riuben K31, and a 1946 Mosin Nagant M44 in really excellent condition! The rifles were purchased for an average of less than 270! Have not taken them out to the range yet but can't wait to go!

1895 Chilean mauser is a good rifle i agree picked up one a while back that was converted too use 7.62 nato. absolutely a blast to shoot not numbers matching unfortunately but looks absolutely gorgeous after thoroughly cleaning but not enough to ruin the patina

Yugo M48 best budget Mauser! Most are in lightly used condition too

Great video! I was kinda figuring the Swedish 1896 Mauser would take first place and deservedly so!

Great pronunciation. And many k98 are still used for hunting today.

Any large ring, standard length action Mauser is good to go in my book. They're strong, durable and there are enough spare parts to basically build one to your specifications if need be. I have two KAR98Ks of my own and my brother has the Spanish made copy of my rifles. We can share ammo and parts if need be.

I can't argue with you. I love my Swedes. 1896 and 1938. Both have outstanding craftsmanship.

You have a beautiful collection my friend

Cool, I dropped into a local gunshop a year ago and they had a 1907 swedish m96 mauser w/bayonet and sling at a pretty good price and I brought it. The little disk on the stock is perfect, bolt and barrel are all mint and it even has 14 neat notchs on the stock which is different. 3 month lockdown in my city of melbourne was good for saving for more guns!

Nailed it with the Swede. I can't speak for the others, as I only own a 1902 CG Swede, but based on your video and am interested in the South American contract Mausers now. Great video, thanks for the info :)

My second rifle ever was the M95 Chilean. Man, what a rifle. Mine had a pristine bore (after spending a week getting the cosmolene out, lol). Absolutely the most accurate rifle I have ever owned. Love that two stage trigger, and the 7x57 is sooo underrated in performance. Makes a distinct sound, too. Soft shooter, easy to shoot. Mine was a little rough in terms of the stock, but the action is awesome. A little too much for a whitetail deer, I discovered the hard way, but I will never sell it. Great prepper rifle, too, in my opinion. I have the full size, my brother had the carbine.

In the 40’s and 50’s these rifles were available from Bannerman’s for a song, most everything mentioned. I purchased a short Mexican for $8.00, made a 300 Savage with it.

I use a DWM "Brazil" Mauser (Mod. 1908) as a hunting rifle. Agree, the Swedish ones are great.

I pretty much agree with all your choices and was holding my breath to see if the Swedish 96 was going to make the cut! And it did number one! I have one and of all my 5 Mausers I own, It is the Best in my opinion of all! Enjoyed your video, take care!

Well I love the Swedish ones myself both the M96 and the carbine 6.5x55 is a awesome round.

In 1973 I bought a brand new unused Brazilian contract rifle with test target dated August 13, 1913. It's a 29 inch barrel straight handle bolt made at Oberndorf. All matching numbers including matching number Solingen bayonet. Best yet it's a 7 mm Mauser. Beat that boys and girls!!!!!

Mauser brought the bolt-action rifle to the apex of its technological development. I would add the Springfield 1903 but the Springfield is based on the Mauser bolt action and stripper clips. The U.S. Government had to pay royalties to Germany before WW1 and after the war, including the amount that was due to Mauser during the Great War but not paid. Oddly, Mauser refused to countenance adding a magazine like the British SMLE or Lee Enfield Mark 4. This would have given the K98 a ten-round capacity. But evidently the German Army in both World Wars did not see the need for a ten-round capacity. I'm sure had the Germany Army demanded a box magazine for ten rounds, Mauser would have accommodated the request.

I have a obendorf made swedish M96 and I absolutely love it. Modern stock with scope and handloaded rounds. Hitting targets 500yds plus.

The K96 was actually my first milsurp in my small collection. After seeing Hickok and IV8888 do vids on them I was too curious to not get one. Fortunately I found one at a pawn shop that didn’t know what they had and stole it for $375. The navigation disc shows it to be top grade and shoots as good as its marked to be. Aside from maybe the K-31 it’s definitely one of my all time fav rifles. Good seeing you on here! Found your channel from The Reloading Podcast, looking forward to more milsurp content wherever I can find it!

Good list.

Long time viewer of the channel, fellow Wisconsonite, and a new Patreon. I have to say I agree with number one. More based on the caliber, I have other 6.5mm surplus rifles and they are more fun to shoot than the large caliber 8mm. At least in bolt action form. I know where one of these is for sale, and I don't have room in the safe! That open spot is being saved for a US contract Enfield. Do I wait? Both? Damn KZfaq videos showing me cool old rifles I just have to own! If I ever get to that side of the state I'll stop in.

I don’t have the Mauser knowledge of probably most of you guys but I know some. The Swedish was my honest guess for #1, I must say your Persian example is really top notch! Might be best example I’ve ever seen. You have an amazing collection regardless.

Pretty cool! I like ALL of the Mausers.

Glad to see the 7mm in there at #3 great rifle.

I collect the South American Mausers. I love the Country Crest's on them. I also have the Persian 98-29 and the Swedish Model 96 long rifle along with one of their carbines. Amazingly smooth actions.

Completely agree with the Swedish Mauser. I've got the Sweed M38 and it's one of the sweetest rifles I've ever shot

I own a original 1895 mauser i love it. Even after 120+ years it works great

First gun I ever bought was a 1916 Spanish Mauser artillery carbine in 7x57, got it at a gun show for $200, completely clapped out, not a single matching part, broken safety, no finish on either the wood or the metal, and it’s still one of my favorite rifles to shoot

Surprisingly, since I’ve never been a huge Mauser fan, (except for the M96, love that one.) I have at least one of all your top five...

I will argue vigorously over choices 2 through 5, mainly over the order. However, I'll stand with you through whatever comes on your first choice! I have two M38 Swedes plus a modern CZ550 in 6.5x55. No ther caliber that I have (I've reloaded .25ACP through .458 WinMag) is as easy to load for, as pleasant on the shoulder to shoot, as inherently accurate due to the long, skinny, wind-bucking bullets, or as deeply penetrating. The open sights on my M38 Swedes is easy even for Geezer Eyes to see, and the groups I get are just dumbfounding, makes me proud that my family are Swedish immigrants. GREAT video, thank you!

I totally agree with your "1" pick, just a fantastic rifle.

The FN 98 made in Herstal Belgium in 30-06Sprg is my favorite.

Ah yes! I have all 5! I totally agree on the order you have.

Fun fact: 8mm Mauser was not actually designed by Paul Mauser. It was developed by the same commission that developed the Gewer 1888, of which Paul Mauser was not included. He developed the 7.65x53 cartridge and the 7x57, so it is correct to call those, Mauser cartridges, but not the 8x57.

Had m96 when I was in the swedish army in the mid 70th, still have one shortend for hunting. Best!

Great video thanks. Yes this is truly a great riffle, not just because i am swedish or happend to own one..some of us like me still uses these in custom variants like with a saur barrell and a slightly modded bolt for target competitions, and they work great with the exellent 6,5x55 flatshooting cartridge

My Swedish mauser is my favorite. My 1st mil surp rifle I ever got, 1990's $189.00.

Khaint video veere thanks

I just restored a Turkish Mauser. Was impressed by the quality. And it shoots very well. More blued parts than other variants. Does not effect the quality.

I love my Swede Mauser mines a 1915 Carl gustav

Export Mausers generally have the highest standard of fit finish and select wood. Simple marketing. These were commercial sales on which the Mauser brand was built. As for rifles for the German government contracts? Well that market was already in the bag.

I 100% agree! Compared to other great Mauser's it is right on par, but then you add on top of that the fantastic trigger, low recoil, absolute superior metal used to construct it, on top of a game changer 6.5 by 55 round. All for ,often times , less than $500.00. Man...why did I even post this! LOL

Dear Mike, completely enjoyed the video. Agree absolutely on the pure shootability of the M-96! I might have tried to squeeze a 1924 FN 30-06 into your list. Other wise, spot on!---Ted Pf.

Mike , hi from Oz, I think I have a contender for your top 5. About 40 years ago a bloke came to my farm and offered this one for sale, and I didn’t have to think for long. It is an FN (Belgium) made 30-06 carbine, all matching serial no’s. , inc. the wood, action smooth as silk, bore like a mirror, ( it still had factory grease in the action. An unusual thing about it is that the barrel and action has a finish I had never seen before, it LOOKED like a coat of grey paint but I found it to be an extremely durable finish. I really only wanted it for a handy knock-about rifle for my ute but when I put it on a rest and grouped it at around 1 and a 1/2 inches at 100 yds. I started to have other ideas. It’s origins were a mystery to me until a gunsmith eventually informed me that they were made for the American Naval reserve , post WW2. (maybe that explains the grey finish ,salt resistant?) Seeing pretty clearly that this was a quality piece I decided that I would customise it for my needs as a hunting rifle, so I installed a Shilen trigger, had the bolt bent, (copied Winchester Mod. 70) so I could fit a low-mounted Pecar 4x scope and glass bedded the action. I also fitted a raised stock comb,(a la Weatheby style), plus Pachmeyer recoil pad. Sweet to shoot with mild recoil, (mainly due I believe to snug fit of cheek to stock). I’ve only really used one load in it and that is 59 grains of Win. 760 behind a 150 grain Hornsby spire point, which has never let me down. Back in the day there was a firearms importer named Mal Fuller who was always bringing in foreign military weapons and selling them nation-wide here. They might be around for about a year and then something else would come up, that is how I believe this rifle came to Australia ; I feel very fortunate to have just lucked on to this one. Cheers , David.

I have the Chilean 1895/ Loewe. I don't know a lot about military weapons, but I've shot this one a few times. Most enjoyable! The bolt "handle"(sorry if that's the wrong terminology) on mine curves down instead of being straight out, and has a different number than the other metal parts. Was the curved "handle" ever standard or could mine be a later replacement?

Hey bud, what are you using as wall hangers?

I just bought my 1st Mauser... Israeli Model 30 made by FN, which from my understanding was built to match the K98K. Made around 1950 and then barreled for 7.62 NATO in the late 50s. Started off looking at the WW2 German used rifles and when I saw this one in 7.62 NATO I had to have it. Even have an Israeli bayonet for her.

I absolutely love my 1906 M96 swede looks like it was made 20 years ago also had a 1899 Obendorf swede that I unfortunately sold to get another rifle.

Agree. Got #4 and #1, a 1905 with a pristine bore

I love 8mm Mausers, but I can't argue with any of your picks, particularly #1, which gave I an example of in my safe. It's truly a gem, as you say.

The old Argentine Mauser set me up for a lifetime of buying Mauser Good video

I actually passed up a Persian Mauser for a rebarreled Yugo M48, but in my defense if you get a good straight shooting FN pattern Yugo they are stout little wood and iron rifles and the particular Persian I found's bore looked like it was put up after dumping a spam can of Turkish 8mm and being cleaned with seawater...

Even as a lefty I enjoy shooting mausers. Got a Turkish mauser not to long ago and it shoots just fine. Also my Spanish mauser shoots spot on as well

Was luckybto find one in an aussie gun show. Amazing.

Definitely agree with your #1. The Sweds are something special.

My favorite firearm out of my collection is probably my M1895 Lowe Mauser. That rifle is my baby!

I've got a 1918 M94 Swed. I personally like the bent bolt on mine but it is an awesome rifle. Unfortunately neat me the ammo is a little hard to find . I have local shops that get itt for me.

My Kaiser Modelo Argentino 1891 Manufactura Loewe Berlin to me is the best and most fun to shoot . My friend has 7 different Mausers and he also agrees with me about the 1891 being the most fun to shoot , he's been trying to buy mine for about 6 years now . It has all matching numbers .

Great video! also the Argentine 1909 is a much better mauser than the 1891 model What do you think about the Mauser Vergueiro Mod 1904 from Portugal? does it even count as a Mauser to you?

I LOVE the Swedish Mauser rifles and carbines, I own one of each model with the exception of the M41B sniper, still looking to own one but they're hard to find with original Ajax scopes at a price I can afford. The only rifles I have that shoots as accurate are my Swiss K31's. I also own one of each of the others you mention as well and many other vintage military rifles and carbines but if I could only keep one, it would be my 1918 dated M1896 Carl Gustafs! Okay or just maybe one of my M1938 "short rifles" from Husqvarna.

6.5x55 is ballistically identical to 6.5 Creedmoor according to Hodgdon data. I reload for both and concur.

1895 was my first rifle it was a Turkish capture and remembered to 8mm still hunt with it today fully sorterised but in a reversibly way

The M96 was very common in Australia in the late 1980s, to mid 1990s, my brother has one that was in mint condition straight out of military storage that was unfortunately sporterised as 'thats the thing you do with them' I've just picked up another 96 for a price i could not ignore, action unfortunately drilled and barrel shortened with badly modified timber. Have ordered a Brownells sport style stock. Won't be a military survivor but hopefully be a fun range rifle and pig hunter. Ammunition is easy to find here even in the smallest gun shop due to how many were imported.

I picked up a Swede back in the 90s that was "sporterized by Kimber" which basically they put it in a black plastic stock.

Improvement? Imagine if in late 1943 the German Army hedged their bets and introduced a KAR98 with: 1) Chambered for the Kurz 7.92 x 33mm intermediate power cartridge. 2) Added a removable box magazine holding ten rounds. 3) Shortened the barrel from 24 inches to 20 inches. 4) Simplified the rifle sights to 500 meters. 5) Continue to use the standard, 7-inch K98 bayonet. Might even consider shortening the bayonet to six inches. Other manufacturing simplifications could have been considered as well. Germany would have had an excellent, convenient and easier to mass-produce carbine with an effective range out to 500 meters or so. Understand the German experts knew that most combat shooting was taking place under 200-250 meters anyway.

Ditto on the Swede as #1. The 6.5 Swede cartridge is tops. The 95 Chilean was my first Mauser. My best condition is a Persian, new with matching bayonet & test target. Those were the days my friend.

Just took out my 1944 CG63 first 6.5x55 14 rounds down range 5 for velocity so I can match the approx load. 4 for zero'ing 5 for grouping. then loaded up 4 more started shooting at 500m . ding ding ding ding. HOLEY crap . Awesome stuff . I am waiting for a 6.5 Grendel Ruger Predator to arrive. the predator will be my hunting rifle , but this will be my RANGE GUN

Love the top pick! I have a 1917 version in excellent condition. Also have your number 5, a 1940 Steyr. Was expecting to see a Yugo in there or at least get an honorable mention, so I'm a bit sad that it didn't.