Mauser Model 66

About the Mauser Model 66

The Mauser Model 66 is a German bolt-action sporting rifle introduced in 1965 and designed by Walter Gehmann. Its defining feature is a telescopic (over-the-barrel) bolt action whose front-locking lugs engage directly into the barrel assembly, allowing the receiver to be roughly six to nine centimetres shorter than a conventional action while still feeding long cartridges such as the .30-06. The takedown design supports interchangeable barrels grouped by bolt-face diameter, letting an owner switch between standard, magnum and big-game calibers on a single rifle. It was offered with conventional, single-set and double-set trigger options and earned a reputation for vault-smooth bolt travel and bench-rest accuracy.

The telescopic action that defines the Model 66 was conceived by competition shooter and gunsmith Walter Gehmann; the same compact, accurate action later formed the basis of the Mauser SP66 police and military sniper rifle.

Mauser Model 66 specifications

Manufactured at Mauser's Oberndorf works. The military and police sniper derivative, the SP66, was developed from the Model 66 telescopic action and used by several German police and military units.