Mauser M 98 - Variants

Variants

The Mauser M 98 Magnum is a currently (2009) produced magnum variant of the modern M 98 line intended for big-game safari hunting. This Magnum variant exploits the fact that throughout the design's history, standard and enlarged versions of the Mauser M 98 system have been produced for the civil market. John Rigby & Co. commissioned Mauser to develop the M 98 magnum action over a hundred years ago. It was designed to function with the large sized cartridges normally used to hunt Big Five game and other dangerous game species. For this specialized type of hunting, where absolute reliability of the rifle under adverse conditions is very important, the controlled-feed M 98 system remains the standard by which other action designs are judged. The trouble for a hunter or guide is that used M 98 Magnum rifles are hard to come by. Most owners consider these rifles to represent the peak in dangerous game rifles development, and seldom sell them.

The currently produced Mauser M 98 Magnum rifles are offered in chamberings ranging from .375 Holland & Holland with a 5+1 magazine capacity, .338 Lapua Magnum, .416 Rigby, .450 Dakota, .458 Lott with a 4+1 magazine capacity to .500 Jeffery with a 3+1 magazine capacity. For the .500 Jeffery chambering an optional large Rigby-style magazine cover that increases magazine capacity to 4+1 is available. Other calibers are available upon request.