Mod. 66 EUROPA .308W

MAUSER ORIGINAL OBERNDORF

Rifles

Category : C

Caliber : .308 Winchester

 

This MAUSER 66 EUROPA rifle, first model, second variation, has been manufactured at Oberndorf factory and proofed in July 1968.

This 66, chambered for the then rare .308 Winchester, features the distinctive elements of the first series of these rifles, including milled bolt sliding bridge, breech recoil lug, a short sighting rib, machined steel sliding rear sight, knurled banded ramp front sight, and the absence of a separate bolt stop on the action rear right side.

The 24" forged barrel, chambered for .308 Winchester, is rifled with a 10" twist.

The Walter Gehmann patented telescopic action features a German double trigger set at 10oz. on the hair trigger and a suitable for driven hunts 7lb. let off for the front trigger.

The gray continental walnut (Juglans Regia) stock is the classic EUROPA from the late 1960s, with a slight Monte Carlo comb, an angular Austrian cheekpiece, and a rounded forend, which, like the grip, is tipped with precious wood, the contrast of which is highlighted by white spacers.

The stock is 15" long, measured from the first trigger to the center of the 7/8" MERSHON C° White Line butt pad whose face is leather-covered.

The low bolt handle allows for easy operation with the superb ZEISS Diavari D scope fitted in the perfectly executed Suhler claw mount.

This optic, which, like the MAUSER 66, is almost half a century old, seems to be a brand new in box scope as is so pristine its condition.

At the time the Diavari D 1.5-6x36 was considered one of the pinnacles of hunting optics, and its qualities remain remarkable.

This particular one is the 70° rail version equipped with the famous Variant No. 1 reticle.

Without the scope, the rifle weighs 7lb. 5oz., and 8lb. 9oz. with the Zeiss scope mounted and while using a 24" long barrel that 66 EUROPA is only 41" long!

 

This MAUSER 66 EUROPA is noteworthy not only for its .308 Winchester chambering but also for the quality of its construction and features.

It is a rifle from another era, a testament to the expertise of the Oberndorf firm before the Mauser name became merely a marketing label within an industrial group.