Does anyone have any first hand knowledge on the Mauser model 96 with the straight bolt .... I am trying to trade for one but just do not know alot about this model ...I know Mauser is a fine rifle but this is one of their newer produced rifles in a 30/06 ....

dd

I read a couple of good reviews back when they came out. Seems that Europeans aren't married to the idea that rifle technology stopped with the 108 year old Mauser '98. Mauser has been coming out with newer and different models since day one.
The straight pull 96 was reviewed and had good accuracy. The straight pull was said to be extremely fast for follow up shots. The main downside of the old straight pulls (like the Schmidt and Rubin) is that the action used to be less strong and that is why they fell by the wayside of history. As cartridges got more powerful and developed more pressure, the standard bolt action made more sense.
Evidently Mauser adressed this and the reviewer seemed to think that this was not an issue.
This rifle is no longer in production, I think. I think I remember them as closeouts listed by JG sales in shotgun news fro around 400 bucks dealer cost.This was about 3 or 4 years ago. Commercial Mausers are elegant and high quality german and Belgian made guns. All of the ones I have shot and inspected display the kind of manufacturing you have comne to expect from European arms.
That being said, I have never shot one, nor seen anyone at the range with one.

Thank you for the information and your time O.K.
I have a chance to trade out of a rifle I have to much in and can either trade for the Mauser or the Tikka model 65 in a 338 cal .. I do hunt Canada for their big whitetails and thought the Tikka might be a beeter trade for me .. I would have about 550.00 in it ..about the same in the Mauser ...

dd

I have a 96 mauser with a strait bolt. I think it is one of the most well made mausers. It is a sweedish model in 6.5 x 55. It is very smooth and very accurate. It is in military configuration and wouldn't change it for anything. An all matching numbers rifle in nice shape is fairly expensive for a old military riffle but they were very well made and well taken care of. you can find an unmatching numbers rifle with a few dings here an there for half the price as a nice collector rifle. Alot of people make these into sporters years ago and some people still do. Hope thiswas of some help.

I have a Schmidt Rubin (7.5x55 Swiss) with the straight pull back bolt. I inherited it from my grandpa, and haven't shot the gun very much (only have about 15rds of ammo), but the 5 times I shot it were at 100 yards shooting at 2 Liter pop bottles filled with water and I blew 'em up every shot. Thats my only experience with a straight pull action.

The 96 mauser is not a strait pull rifle. It is a regular bolt action. It does have a strait bolt but not a strait pull like a Schmidt Rubin or95 styer.The boltoperates just like other bolt actions. And does it quite well and very smooth.