Mauser 66s Diplomat Value

[CH4]

Good evening folks
I’ve been offered what I believe to be a Mauser 66s Europa Diplomat in .243. I’ve found very little info online to determine a fair value. Although it’s strange looking, I am impressed with the craftsmanship and condition. Not sure what I’d do with it. I am sure it would be tough to flip. Any help on the approximate value would be greatly appreciated.

Hope everyone is well

 

[Absalom]

Pricing it for this country is very difficult because it is such a niche gun and not really made for the US market. The caliber is also not the most versatile. In Europe the .243 is great for roe deer, the most common game of the deer family (pictured in the engraving on the rifle‘s right side), but here our deer are much bigger and most hunters prefer a larger caliber.

Here is a link to current e-gun listings for this gun. It‘s in German, the prices are in Euro, so add about 20% for an idea of the dollar price. There aren’t a lot on offer, but this at least gives you an idea what they‘re asking over there.

eGun

 

[CH4]

Thank you!

 

[LVSteve]

Thing with niche guns is that they can make you rich one day, and be a pain to give away the next. It's not limited to foreign made guns, either. I helped somebody sell a .38 Special Target Python some years back. I was warned that it might struggle to make $500 on BrokeGunner, or it might go for a bunch more if a bidding war kicked up. The latter happened and the lady got nearly $1k out of it.

 

[Andyd]

While I cannot help you with the value, I am familiar with the rifle. Like the more famous Anschutz 54 match action, the Mauser 66 was also developed by the German top sports shooter and inventor Walther Gehmann. It is built on a very short action and is still well respected among hunters.

 

[s&wchad]

The Mauser 66 is a fabulous rifle and you should buy it if possible. The one you’re looking at is a 66S Diplomat grade with upgrades. Options were were available separately, much like options on a new car. Pricing can be difficult, but that gun should bring at lease $2500. They were very expensive when new and haven’t really appreciated or kept pace with inflation, which offers the buyer a lot of value for the money.

66’s typically have great triggers, give rifle performance out of a carbine length gun (telescoping bolt) and are extremely accurate. Another key feature is the interchangeable barrels. Open the bolt, remove two Allen screws and the barrel comes right out. Additional barrels will all headspace, provided the chambered cartridge shares the same bolt face. Guns chambered for .243 will accept 6.5x57, 7x64, .270 Win, .308 and ..30-06 barrels (probably more). Magnum barrels won’t fit. Extra original barrels are very hard to find and can bring $600. It took me more than a decade to find a .270 barrel for my 66S Diplomat grade .243 and I was thrilled to get it. I know a gunsmith who makes custom barrels for these, but I wanted an original Mauser barrel. What’s the point of having a gun with quick change barrels, if you only have one?!?

Here’s a similar gun to the one you’re looking at that went for $4600 five years ago. Keep in mind that the auction gun came with two extra barrels, three sets of Mauser QD scope bases, QD rings, a Pecar scope and all barrels have iron sights. The extra goodies are probably worth around $2000.

https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/65/3361/mauser-66rifle-243-win

Here’s a couple of photos of my gun. You’ll note mine have the same rail mount as the one you’re looking at. These rails bring about $150. Original Mauser QD pivot mounts bring close to $300 when you can find them and nicely made Russian copies of the QD mounts are available for about $250.

You can click on the photo to enlarge them.

I’m including some photos of the 1981 catalog and dealer price list. Note that the SL Diplomat in a standard caliber listed for $3500, with a dealer cost of $2625. The engraved telescoping bolt carrier for a standard caliber rifle was available separately at an MSRP of $749 (dealer cost $562). The engraved bolt knob and trigger guard were also extra!

The catalog is mostly eye candy, but it shows how far you could go with upgrades. Note that they also made a nice copy of the Colt Detective Special!

Four page centerfold of the Models 66 & 77!

The 66 Sniper rifle and the Colt clone!

 

[CH4]

Wow! thanks for such detailed information! I am assuming the rail won’t accept readily available rings like Talleys, Leupold or others that fit a picatinny rail? It also seems the scope would sit too high for proper cheek weld.

 

[s&wchad]

They accept standard Weaver, Warne Maxima or any other rings that fit a weaver or picatinny rail. I like the old B&L rings, because they’re compact, light and secure. The rifles have a pretty high comb and you can use low rings and get a good cheek weld with a scope that has up to a 40 or 42mm objective. You’d need to use higher rings if you wanted to mount a scope with a 50 or 56mm objective, but that’s kind a silly on these svelte little rifles.

I’ve got a Leupold M8 8X AO on the .243 barrel and an old style Leupold VX-III 1.75-6x40 on the .270 barrel. As you can see in the photos, the M8 just clears the barrel and the shorter VX-III just clears the base. Both offer proper eye relief and come up perfectly for me.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Don’t want to buy one, but would love to see one.
And they make a Mauser Revolver! Wow!
Surely you can come up with something more Upscale than a Weaver Base!
I just bought a Weaver Base, but it fits a $300 Savage Axis!
My Carl Gustav has Buehler base and rings.

 

[CH4]

They accept standard Weaver, Warne Maxima or any other rings that fit a weaver or picatinny rail. I like the old B&L rings, because they’re compact, light and secure. The rifles have a pretty high comb and you can use low rings and get a good cheek weld with a scope that has up to a 40 or 42mm objective. You’d need to use higher rings if you wanted to mount a scope with a 50 or 56mm objective, but that’s kind a silly on these svelte little rifles.

I’ve got a Leupold M8 8X AO on the .243 barrel and an old style Leupold VX-III 1.75-6x40 on the .270 barrel. As you can see in the photos, the M8 just clears the barrel and the shorter VX-III just clears the base. Both offer proper eye relief and come up perfectly for me.

Thank you!

 

[Absalom]

The Mauser 66 is a fabulous rifle and you should buy it if possible....

Great information. You’re obviously a fan.

I dug around in old German hunting magazine articles a bit. The .243 was indeed one of the most popular original calibers. When they started production in the mid-1960s, you could also get some calibers that probably sound a bit exotic to American ears: anyone familiar with 5,6×61 vom Hofe?

Production was expensive because of mostly machined parts; even most “standard” models were sold with some engraving. The M77 was a lot cheaper to produce, and many German hunting opinionaters seem to think Mauser lost it completely with the M96.

One thing you have to understand about German hunters is that many will invest in one good rifle or combo gun, and good optics, once they “have arrived” financially, and that will be it. That explains the prices and elaborate options. No running around to gun shows, buying and trading and trying something every so often. My dad bought a Blaser 7x65R/12 combination gun and used that for the last 40 years of his life, only occasionally borrowing something else if needed.

Here’s a picture I harvested from an article by a guy raving about his original 1960s M66 in .243. Note the double-set trigger.

 

[CH4]

FYI: The owner sold it to another party.
Thanks for the great info, I’ve learned a lot.

 

[Absalom]

FYI: The owner sold it to another party....

You wouldn’t by any chance be able to find out for what price it changed hands?

 

[CH4]

You wouldn’t by any chance be able to find out for what price it changed hands?

$1800, but it was to a close buddy of his who was present when he bought it.

 

[Andyd]

...
And they make a Mauser Revolver! Wow!
...

Mauser used to import a lot of guns and sold them under their brand name, among them a lot of FEG HP clones, some Voeres rimfires and some revolvers, too.

 

[Absalom]

Mauser used to import a lot of guns and sold them under their brand name, among them a lot of FEG HP clones, some Voeres rimfires and some revolvers, too.

A bit of checking reveals that this particular Mauser revolver, pictured in the 1981 catalog above, was manufactured by Renato Gamba in Gardone/Italy, but finished at Mauser and proofed in Ulm, so they could be sold as “Made in Germany”.

 

[CH4]

Update:

The deal fell through with his buddy and he offered it to me for $1500.
Should I snag it?

 

[6518John]

I would. That is a stunning rifle.

 

[weatherby]

Heck Yeah....

 

[murphydog]

If you like it and your budget allows, why not? You can even find ammo for it since it is not chambered in 5.6×61 vom Hofe.

5.6 X 61 VOM HOFE SUPER EXPRESS | Cartridgecollector.net