Not many years ago two partners of an important German manufacturing company became enthusiastic about the gun sector with specific reference to long rifled barrels and, in a short time, they gathered three signatures in Isny in the Allgäu region, and what signatures. Lücke & Ortmayer the names of the industrial enthusiasts to whom we owe the grouping with the new star represented by Blaser and the historic JP Sauer & Sohn, founded in Suhl in 1751, and the Mauser which since 1872 has produced unthinkable numbers of military and sporting weapons . Focusing on rifles, we will observe how the two long-standing brands are entrusted with at least three well-differentiated models to meet the different needs of a clientele that is increasingly attentive to details, yields and prices. Mauser has been offering its Model18 in various configurations for about a year and from the Italian distributor we are testing the rifle that can be seen in the images accompanying this passage.
First impressions
We are in the New Armory of the Center of Alexandria which kindly lends itself to delivering and delivering the new rifle. Once the weapon has been removed from its packaging, the gray synthetic stock and the semi-matt burnishing of the mechanical parts can be seen and, before continuing with the examination, we believe it is right and appropriate to underline that the price to the public is just over € 900,00, but that in the end you can also go down to the armory below this threshold. For a product Made in Germany it seems to us a thrust of those that leave their mark even if in the mind the woodworm that says "who knows how it will go" has already taken a position and is worming which is a pleasure. Examining brands that have the value of a coinage in a precious metal beaten on a product that seems poor to us creates some mental imbalance: ultimately one is there ready to raise the eyebrow, turn up the nose politely, tighten the lips manifesting a silent denial towards such a solution. Then, frankly, that cartouche that luckily no one has had the audacity to tamper with, begins to speak, calming the soul: first of all we notice the shapes of the stock obtained by molding two mirror-like synthetic shells and we appreciate those dihedrals connecting the frame , the pistol grip and the forend under the barrel, similar to those observed in the Mod. M12. Overall, the very straight stock, with a high comb, a thick back, a gun with a strong arch and protruding guard declares its adhesion to the North American market and, frankly, no exceptions can be raised: functionality above all, with good posture for shooting in support and eye aligned with the telescope eyepiece. The grip fields have a printed knurling on which the hand stands firm even when wet. Two pegs embedded in the synthetic material allow quick attachment of the strap while the soft rubber buttplate, which absorbs the recoil energy considerably, is mounted by means of two interlocking side buttons that allow its extraction: in the internal part an elastic clamp holds something useful like, for example, one of those braided brushes that the States They are called snakes, snakes, useful and functional for an intervention in the field.
Mechanics
There are three prominent parameters for a rifled shotgun to be proposed today: price, size, weight. It goes without saying that accuracy must be within a MOA, perhaps even below, at least up to 300 meters. Mauser manages to deliver in standard calibers a 2,9 kg rifle with a length of 106 cm and a 56 cm barrel, which goes up to 3,0 kg with 112 cm and a 62 cm barrel in the magnums. The construction of the all-steel castle and the hot joining of the barrel with an induction system that does not mess up the molecular structure of the two parts at stake: in addition, an electronic device controls the coaxiality, precisely determining the head space to add an additional piece of intrinsic precision to that provided by the cold-hammered barrel. The castle has a traditional shape with a round front ring, rounded sides, flattened cap between the two apexes, large ejection window, two-diameter rear bridge with rear extension and angled contrast point in the handlebar passage slot to ensure extraction primary; arm which, when closing, is positioned in the lateral opening seen nominally as a third respect closure.
The three front tenons are obtained within the larger section of the shutter cylinder together with the lowering of the face in which the cartridge bottom is positioned: the extraction is entrusted to a sturdy prismatic nail with orthogonal movement within the recess made in the flap placed at hours 10 for the observer: a wire spring makes a turn around the cylinder, then an angle of 90 ° to pass under the flap by inserting itself into the hole in the nail, keeping it registered. It is also an excellent system in military automatic weapons. The expulsion of the cartridge case is ensured by two elastic pawls guaranteeing a safe projection and modulated force. The shutter release via a rocker switch located on the left side of the castle is appreciable. The handlebar correctly recalls the style of the House, starting from the historic K98 to get to the latest creations: tapered round arm, bent after insertion into the support tube in turn keyed on the cylinder, spherical synthetic knuckle, opening angle of only 60 °. The design of the apical cap sees a fire shield and the rear hole from which the shank of the firing pin protrudes with armed mechanics.
Other details
The removable synthetic magazine is incredibly robust, it contains five cartridges in standard calibers, 4 in magnums, arranged in two rows to exploit the width of the barrel without letting the bottom protrude from the lower profile; the release takes place with a small key recessed. It is very convenient to insert cartridges only with vertical pressure, even with the magazine in place. The guard with an oval and wide profile to be able to act even with gloves is obtained directly from the stock mold. The direct trigger with wide section adjustable trigger provided on five tests to the Lyman an average of 1.113 g with peaks of 1.168 and 1.076 g (+ or - 4,9 and 3,3%) with total absence of spinning, uncertainties, collapse retrospect and similar negativities: excellent performance as it came from the factory. Even on the safety, he did not skimp on providing a three-position system, with a lever located behind the bolt handlebar, easy to reach with the shotgun in the tappet and silent; in the intermediate position it is therefore possible to extract the non-fired cartridge in complete tranquility.
The shooting test
Absent the metal sights on the rifle a valuable Minox optic is mounted, this too a historic German brand that has entered the L. & O stable. of 5-3 × 15, more than adequate for most hunting situations. The Carrù polygon welcomes us with the usual courtesy of the owner Giorgio Rosso and, on the line at 56 m, we position the front support and the rear bearing: we detect a certain subtlety and a marked lower roundness of the rod that create the only minimum difficulty in keeping the firearm in axis and steady. The first shots are dedicated to the centering of the optics and we notice how the corrective shots, precise and perceptible, stabilize perfectly on the second shot. Moving on to the shot patterns, we give precedence to Federal cartridges with the 100 gr Power Shok® bullet, a traditional hunting bullet from the US manufacturer, of the Soft Point type that on other occasions and also with other calibers we have had the opportunity to successfully experiment on the game. The pattern is perfectly matched to expectations with 150 mm in diameter, around ¾ of MOA. We then move on to the Fiocchi Exacta cartridges equipped with the 22 g Sierra Match King bullet: the first series of three shots is already good, but we realize that we have not been sufficiently meticulous in the aiming and sprinting; we get to work again and the result is three shots in 168mm, with the first two in a single hole. The magnificent product of the Casa di Lecco allows these satisfactions.
To conclude
Let's review the features of this rifle with our eyes and mind, we weigh it, appreciating its lightness and balance, the style in the salient features of the mechanics and the technical solutions applied, the finishes that we no longer dare to define poor, preferring to define them as austere. . Shoulder, cheekbone, eye, fingers (those of the left hand that pinch the rabbit ears and the index finger of the right for the shot) bring us back to the favorable sensations perceived in the shooting test. Let's re-observe the shot patterns on which we ideally superimpose the amount in euros required for the purchase and above all we put that Mauser cartouche: ultimately the raw surface brushing of the barrel that at first glance had bothered us goes far back in the evaluation scale. . For those who are starting the fascinating adventure of hunting ball and want to contain expenses while maintaining optimal yields, here they find a valid solution to the problem.
Data Sheet
Manufacturer: Mauser Jagdwaffen GmbH - Ziegelstadel 1, D-88316 Isny im Allgäu
[email protected] - www.mauser.com
Distributor: L. & O. Hunting Group - Verona
Model: M18
Type: rifle barrel
operation: sliding rotating shutter with ordinary repetition
Closure: three lowered front flaps - mortise in the breech of the barrel
Percussion: firing pin with coaxial spring inside the shutter activated by the safety system
Extractor: claw with orthogonal movement and flush register spring
Ejector: two spring buttons at the top of the shutter
canna: steel with 4 right-hand grooves, 1:12 "pitch (for cal. .308 Win.) obtained by hammering length 560 mm for standard calibers and 620 mm for magnums
Shoot: direct with single adjustable trigger calibrated to 1.113 g (check of the specimen by our hands)
Safety: lever with three positions on the right side of the castle 1) locks firing pin, handlebar, trigger - 2) the same with freedom to maneuver the handlebar - 3) releases everything and allows you to fire. Release of the shutter at the end of the stroke with side rocker button
loader: extractable two-wire package in polymer with 5 + 1 standard caliber cartridges - 4 + 1 magnum calibers
Look: absent - predisposition for attachment of the optic with 4 threaded holes on the castle and specific rings with quick release bases
Stocking: one-piece in molded polymer with knurled grip points - removable shock-absorbing pad with internal pliers for cleaning material
CALIBRO: .308 Win. (alternatively: .243 Win. 6,5 Creedmoor - .270 Win. - .30-06 Sprg. - 7 Rem. Mag. .300 Win. Mag.)
Materials: forged and milled steel for yoke and bolt - carbon steel barrel
Length: 106 cm with 560 mm barrel - 112 cm 620 mm barrel
Weight :: approx. 2.900 g without mounts and optics (standard calibers) - 3.000 g (magnum calibers)
Finishes: semi-matt protective bluing
Price: € 900,00 information