Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Mauser M-18

Any chance Mauser would chamber this everyman's rifle in the 9.3 x 62mm for the US market?

Seems to me this round offers advantages over a uploaded 30-06 or even the 300 Winchester magnum for elk or big bears.

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It’s a very popular caliber in Europe and its a standard caliber offering in Sauer & Blaser as well as the K98 Mauser. Maybe they are concerned more about the American market and how many units they could move here.

I know I'm in love with mine. I shot a spike with it while I still had my deer lease and he was to say the least DRT! I used the Speer Hot Core 270 grain Semi Spitzer. It wasn't like it was a long range shot but still, even 50 yards it flattened him. It had a 3/4" Hole going in and an almost 2" Hole coming out. Talk about a blood trail! Well, there wasn't any because he didn't go anywhere, but he bled all over himself. If he would have tried to run it would have looked like he painted a red path with a four inch brush. It's a fine cartridge that does everything that's asked of it. But like what was said about it in another thread, It didn't destroy much meat. That big bullet didn't come apart like a hand grenade but it knocked him off his feet like he got hit with a bowling ball.

Somebody noted a few weeks ago that fewer rifle companies selling in the U.S. are chambering the 9.3x62 these days.

This may be due to what I once noted about the .35 Whelen after Remington introduced it as a factory round: The first year they sold a bunch of rifles, but after that sales tapered off rapidly. Why? Because not that many North American hunters really need a cartridge of that power--and if they think they do, tend to buy a .300 magnum of some sort, or maybe a .338, something that shoots bullets faster and flatter. In fact, I can't find .35 Whelen ammunition on the Remington website--and only one rifle, the 750 Woodsmaster.

The 9.3x62 is a cartridge in the same class as the .35 Whelen, and generally requires handloading to turned it into a 300-400 yard round, which seems to be what most hunters these days want (if they don't want even more range).

The probable reason that both the .35 Whelen and 9.3x62 aren't selling like they used to is because just about everybody who really wants one, has one.

It's more expensive but I could go the Sauer & Sohn S100 Classic XT route for the 9.3 x 62.

That or get the Mauser M_18 in .300 Winchester magnum & run the Swift 200 A-frame, sounds like a real thumper bullet.

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My own M18 is a 7mm Remington Magnum, which shoots very well with a wide variety of bullets from 120-195 grains.

In my experience the 7mm RM is a fine cartridge for a variety of world-wide game, from 100-1500 pounds. But so are a bunch of others.

I’m eager to read the 7 mag article that coming up. It’s my favorite! I have several, like a nut, bought a 798 Mauser in 7 mag. I haven’t had time to mount scope on it yet. I can’t wait to see how it shoots.

Anyone have the Sauer & Sohn S100 Classic XT....

Reviews?

I reviewed one in American Rifleman a few years ago. You might be able to find it on the Internet. It worked well.

I have the 100xt in 7m08. Slick action, 3 lug bolt, crisp factory trigger easily adjustable, study rigid stock. Det. Box mag holds 5 rounds and cycles flawlessly. LOP is 14.5" which can cause issues for some.

The Sauer 100 and the Mauser M18 are made on the same campus in Isny, Bavaria. They share many features and some parts. The Sauer 100 will be a great shooter as well.

SCgamn1,

One way European hunting rifles usually differ from American rifles is a long length-of-pull. This isn't due to Europeans having longer arms, but to the fact that European hunters often have their stocks cut to the length that fits them best. The average LOP over there is probably around an inch longer than here, because Europeans have found that it's easier to shorten stocks than lengthen them.

I have the M18 and although I have a short LOP, this rifle doesn't seem to bother me. It's one accurate rifle for sure.

I have no issue with the LOP either and am a big fan of both the sauer 100 and the M18. The stocks are very different to me and ring ht may require more thought with the sauer rifle.