Mauser O3-Change barrels, calibers & Bolt heads

[lgm270]

Amazing Mauser 03--interchangable barrels and bolt heads. You can convert a .308 to a .223 in minutes.  What a concept. Why has this rifle not been more widely discussed?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOd8sbuty5A
http://www.mauserwaffen.de/M-03-Basic.142.0.html?&L=1

http://gunmart.net/gun_review/mauser_m_03_extreme_part_III/

http://gunmart.net/gun_review/mauser_m_03_barrels/

[fl.hillbilly]

My guess is that there seems to be only one distributor for this rifle in the u.s. and the price . I wouldn't think to  many hunters will shell out 2 grand for  a hunting rifle . just my 2 cents

[lgm270]

I think you're right.

[Brithunter]

I believe it also feels like a club and  as it has to be cocked for each shot, stupid safety idea required it seems for the German hunting market  , and add the fact that it's not actually a Mauser at all you have a receipe for a flop. I have their fancy advertising leaflet somewhere here as I expressed and interst in acquiring one butt hat was before I saw them in the flesh so to speak and OK they look fairly good but are heavy and to my mind clunky.

I believe that the team behind this also introduced the Mauser M96 Slide Bolt which at least had Obendorf on it unlike this badge engineered M03 

[alsaqr]

Yep, this is a very fine rifle.  It is a triumph of German engineering and workmanship.  It is also very expensive.  It costs about $2,000 for the basic rifle.  Each change of caliber using a different sized bolt head costs another $900. 

Price Comparison

The M 03 is not a cheap rifle at £1300+ , plus you have to add to this at least one scope mount – two is better and though the carry case is not mandatory if you hunt overseas I would recommend it. This initial outlay might seem a lot when compared to the average of £600-700 you would pay for a US make, but often as not you are going to get it re-stocked or bedded for best performance, which will add £400-600 to the cost.

A full calibre change barrel, bolt head and magazine for the M 03 costs £580, which is about the price of a cheaper gun.

[drdougrx]

I hate to say it...but...that's why many folks use Encores.....

[mcwoodduck]

Blazer has a similar rifle design only the scope/ Optics stay with the barrel and it is a strait pull bolt that can go from 223 to 375H&H.

The Sig bolt action rifle is/ was similar for a lot less money that went from 308 Family to the Win belted mags (7mm Mag, 300 Win and I think they were working on 338 Win Mag)  with a barrel, mag and bolt face change.  The down side to it was the scope stayed with the gun.

But with all of the barrel swap bolt action rifles you have a long action or magnum action.  The Blazer is able to take mag shells and as you see in the Mauser 03 the magazine is a lot longer than either case and the idea of a short rifle is to have a short light action to go with it.  Why not have a 30-06 if you need to work the bolt all the way back to 30-06 lenghts.
For the same 2 grand + you could get a CZ 527, Rem 700, Ruger 77 in .223 rifle and two short action American bolts (Ruger, Remington, Savage) and then set up one as a short open woods rifle, one as a open plains big game rifle and set up the CZ for varmints to medium game if we want to stay in just two calibers of 223 and 308.  We could add a larger round like 300 Win (MAG or Short) 338 Win or other large game rifle.
Giving you a three gun battery to cover any and all hunting as well as secondary rifles to take someone else with you or have a spare if you break something.

I really like the Blazer rifle and all the gadgets that go with it, but as you add more componets and complexity you add to the Mr. Murphy factor and if I was able to hunt every weekend it would not be a problem.  But I get limited time to hunt and I do nto want to be out in the middle of somewhere to find I have the rifle set up for 223 in the bolt and mag but have the 308 barrel on it  .  Same reason I have tape on my rifle cases with the model and Caliber of the rifle (I have the same cases for all of my rifles) and grab the rifle I do not have ammo for.

[lgm270]

I think I won't buy one after all.  Too heavy.