I love mine which is an '06, but I have to disagree w/ Bill on speed. Mine is exceptionally accurate and extraordinarily fast. The first deer I shot with it was running dead after the first shot but I was able to put 2 more shots into it before it accepted reality and fell. I do agree with Bill on his assessment of the trigger, but mine is heavy it is also very crisp so the heaviness isn't a huge issue.

The rifle itself is rather lightweight, at least compared to other rifles I own, and while this results in greater felt recoil at the bench it is nice for carrying in the field.

The barrel contains recesses into which the bolt locks; unlike most turnbolts the locking lugs are not integral to the reciever. The reciever is colleted (sp?) around the barrel, and the stock has an aluminum bedding block into which the reciever fits as tight as a glove. The action has as much or more lug bearing surface area lock-up wise as/than any other rifle I'm familiar with.

Mine has never been finicky load-wise. Nearly everything I've put together will shoot into 1.5" at 100 yards, and I have multiple loads that are sub-MOA from 125 Speer TNTs to 180 gr Hornady Int/RNs. While I've become hooked on custom rifles, my Mauser 1996 Straight-Pull is one rifle I'll never get rid of and it has earned the title, "meat getter". It is the rifle against which my much higher priced custom rifles are judged.

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One thing I don't like about this rifle is the fact that you have to use an allen wrench to remove the bolt, and once removed the bolt can go into battery by mistake, a condition which requires a bench vice to rectify before replacing it into the action. For this reason I've always wondered whether it would be my first choice on a serious backcountry hunt or not...