bought a 1974 vintage in 458 Mag some time ago.Action is something I have never seen before all engraved reminds me of a bull pup.

anyone have one?

I used one on several hunts in the former Yugoslavia. It was chambered for 8x68S. They are very compact, due to the design of the action. They also have a switch barrel capability, although finding barrels will be tough. Scope mounting can also be a PITA. All in all I like them.

The Model 66 Mauser was a German attempt to solve a non-existent problem. In the US market, it had about the same success as a pregnant pole vaulter in the Olympics.

TT

cool thanks guys

I think that may be a bit harsh. It is similar in principle to the Blaser is it not? The design allows you to have a full length barrel and a long action while keeping the overall length down. Not to mention the switch barrel ability, which may or may not matter to some.

Your comment is like me saying the .300 WSM is an attempt to solve a non-existent problem....wait, nevermind!

The action was originally designed by a champion target shooter and owner of a couple of highend gun stores in Baden-Wurttemburg, the S.E. area of what is now Germany, and the region of "Der Schwartzwalde" or "Black Forest". His name was Walther Gehmann and he was a mechanical genius as well as the rifles were built to a VERY fine standard of fit and finish.

I have had a number of friends who have owned them, these are advanced gun nuts, who also had things like Rigby, Holland and other "name" British guns and rifles and fine European arms as well. Some, especially one from my home town, of these guys were/are, again, VERY accomplished hunters with multiple wild sheep, Grizzlies and other BC and "Territories" big game to their credit, hunted and killed without a "guide", of course, as they are residents here.

I have sorta wanted one for years, almost bought a very choice example in 7x64B a few years ago and, IF, I were to find one like it, with barrels in that superb round and, perhaps, the now populare 9,3x62Bock, wellllllll, I WOULD have to have it!

My only concern is the typically tight fitting of contemporary Euro. sporting rifles as BC hunting is pretty rough and tumble and crap tends to get into your rifle's action, which is why I prefer and use Mausers for 99% of any rifle stuff I ever do.

So, these ARE fine rifles, much superior to the usual crap from RemWinSavRug, that one sees everywhere and they also shoot very well, IME.

I have a model 66 in 7x64B.
Shot many a roe deer with it, and quite a few american animals.
It's a great rifle, but, alas, no extra barrels.

6x scope in claw mounts.

I see them for sale on Guns International and Gun Broker from time to time. I shoot a Blaser R-93 myself. Mauser Model 12 the new one has perked my interest some what. To many good rifles to little time left and to little money!

I like that.

Kutenay - I know a fellow that has a new one in 7x64 in the Luxe version. It also has a contemporary scope - Zeiss or S&B if memory serves me correctly. He would part with it but....let me see how to put it...you wouldn't be getting any killer deal!

He has a second unfired 660, but I can't remember the details.
He also has the very last Mannlicher-Schoenauer ever made, a M-72 with lots of deep relief engraving. It is chambered in 7mm RM and is, again, unfired. He said it was on the cover of some magazine back in the day but I have never been able to track it down.

That is just the tip of the iceberg...the man is a hoarder!

Not for me, I still have two rifle projects being completed by the smiths I prefer in BC and have multiple custom or modded rifles in every chambering that really interests me. I even have Brno 21 and ZG action to build on, so,am very likely going to continue to consolidate my collection as I have two safes and they are not quite large enough to hold all the guns I still have.

Guns of that type are easy to find at good prices, if you know where to look and if I "had" to have one, I would by end of this summer. I prefer the custom Brno 21 rifles in .280Rem. in that type of cartridge, but, have "sorta" wanted one of these as described. No biggie, I currently own 31 highend bolt big game rifles,plus some other rifles, I think I can "get by".

I also like the M-72, a favourite of an old friend of mine, now passed and a guy who owned a collection of guns that was simply stunning. This included about 20 "name" British ss rifles, double rifles, an H&H "Modele Royale" in .375 H&H Flanged and on and on and on. I just turned one down last year as I am only keeping rifles that have synthetic stocks and Mod 70 safeties plus one full custom sts Mod. 7-7/08 that Mitch built and I scored last Christmas.

This, little gem, weighs six lbs. scoped and is going to be my "old pharts"backpacking rifle, it is over a half pound lighter than my Edge-stocked Classic sts Mod. 70 short action .308Win. slabbed, customed, by Martinis and my "last year's" U/L rifle at 6-10, all up.

Yup, after 49 years of gun buying, I finally can say, I have enough.......

Sniff, damn Kute...that was beautiful!

Is this the same thing?

butchlambert1 - that looks like a Mauser 2000 to me.

In my humble opinion, Mauser development ended in 1898, with only incremental improvements since.

I've read some accounts about the Blaser in Africa. Some think it's too finely fitted for that type service, reporting malfunctions.

How closely kin is the Blaser to the Mauser 660 regarding design? They do look alike to some degree.

And how robust is the 660 in dusty, nasty conditions?

DF

THAT, is the REAL issue with many if not most contemporary Euro. rifle designs and also with most of the recent American designs, including various "A Bolts", "X Bolts" and the super-accurate custom actions, Borden, etc.

I have owned a LOT of rifles and carried them EVERY day in the BC and Alberta wilderness for months on end. I very soon found that there IS a benefit to CRF, to Mauser 98 design and fitting parameters and that some cartridges in these just worked, all the time, every time.

I would really LIKE a 660, if I were going to buy any more rifles, bolt actions,anyway, BUT, I would STILL pack my tested P-64 Mod. 70s, FN CRF rifles, HVAs, Brnos and so on. I honestly consider one of the older, but, very sound FN-based .30-06 rifles from "J.C. Higgens" or "Monkey-Wards" to be a FAR better all-around choice for most serious big game hunting and bear issues than ANY of the later designs and these seem to shoot as well as I can hold, anyway!

I shot it yesterday.It sucked.Thinkin that one is staying in the safe.

Why did it suck? Was it the recoil? If that is the case keep your eyes open on the various firearms sale sites for extra barrels.

Yes recoil. Rifle shot great handles not bad.Just not digging those 500gr slugs.

In addition to th extra barrel in a different chambering you could always do some "mild" loads with 400 or 450gr bullets.

Mike, I had a 1964 vintage Browning Safari and it was becoming a custom "G-buster", but, I had NINE other custom projects with Martini's and other smiths at the time-year and a half ago-so, sold it, dies, brass, etc.

I did and do have a WHACK of highend lighter .458" bullets, as I also had two custom lever .45-70s, now also sold and since I am selling more guns I never use and have lost interest in, I will sell these as well. I have Alaskan Bullet Works 400gr. Kodiak Bonded Bullets and Swift A-Frames in two sizes, 400 and 450 and also a lot of AA-2230, the best powder for the .458WM.

I would give you a very decent deal on ALL of this and you can then have a lifetime's supply of bullets and also lighter recoil, with plenty of "thunp" for anything here in B.C.

I shot my Browning from the bench with a 2.5Leupy and 400s, it was about like my .375s and it makes a BIG hole, no problem with "kick". 500 grs. are MUCH worse and I am not "recoil shy", but, won't shoot them from the bench, now.