Need date of Manufacture for a Mauser Model 66

[Richard995]

I just picked up a gun from my father-in-law.  It is a

Mauser-Werke A.G. Oberndorf a.N. Model 66

Serial number G 158XX

 

I have looked and the only information I can find is about WWII Mausers. 

 

Anyone have a web site or information.

Edited February 3, 2014 by Richard995

[No_0ne]

Try the folks here http://forums.gunboards.com/forumdisplay.php?5-The-Military-Mauser-Forum

If they can't help you, they can point you in the right direction for answers.

 

BTW, from what I can find, the model 66 was developed in 1965 and sold for several years afterword.

Edited February 6, 2014 by No_0ne

[Richard995]

Thanks for the link.  Like most sites they are collectors of the WWII Mausers.  I have been able to download the owners manual.  I can not find the date of manufacture.  The rifle is a great addition to my collection.  For the price I couldn't pass it up.  The rifle is in great condition. 

[Jonnin]

gunboards has experts on just about every gun made before 1980 (within reason, when you start talking  backyard gunsmiths of the 1630s you are just outta luck) and can probably answer questions about a lot of recent items as well.   I got a ton of help there for my (pre WWI) mauser.   They do have a lot of WWII chatter --- because that is the era that the bulk of inexpensive milsurp items were made, but if you ask and are patient, someone there WILL know.  

 

Wiki says:

 

1960s

A rifle design by Walter Gehmann was purchased, and went into production in 1965 as the model 66. Some self-loading pistols were also offered, such as the Mauser HSc. 

  varients:

 

    Model 66
    Model 66 S
    Model 66 P

 

so, ironically, the 66 was made around '66.

IIRC mauser was disbanded after the war and these later offerings were not really mauser.  The real mauser engineers and designers formed H&K which exists to this day.  Not sure who bought the name to make guns in the 60s, but it was no longer the same entity that made the war rifles.

Edited February 6, 2014 by Jonnin