The Mauser 86SR is an upgraded Mauser SP66. It features a new bolt, and a different stock which is ventilated to help dissipate heat from the barrel. The 86SR also features a detachable box magazine, a useful feature for both Law Enforcement (Change from high penetration to low penetration rounds quickly) and military (Rapid reloads). The rifle is a little longer, and a little less weight then the SP66. But the accuracy is no less and it contains more modern day parts.
I have had that rifle and it is sadly overrated. At 450 – 550 yards, it has 1 meter
deviation to the left… and on 800 meters the radius of impact is around
20 centimeters under the best possible conditions… when again being able
to compensate the deviation of 1 meter going left… being 3 or more meters
on that huge distances. I have spent back in that times more than 9.000 DM
which were around 8.000 US $. At a competition the SR 86 made me look
so bad that I could not help myself anymore than to sell it. I had the right
ammo, handloads, tried new rifle scope… nothing worked on the gun.
Ammo I tried in 308 Winchester : Norma 168 Moly ; Lapua 155 grains ;
Federal Gold Medal 168 ; Lapua 175 grains ; Federal Gold Medal 175
grains, Sierra 190 grains… nothing worked well above 300 meters.
On 300 Meters it was perfectly but everything above one could forget.
The twist was 1:12 and all bullets I tried deviated too much. For such
a high price this is unacceptable. Today Mauser and Zeiss only live from
their past reputation. And I am not against those companies… in the
opposite. It´s sad that a rifle with that possibilities was ruined to through
low craftsmanship. Of course most shooters with such highly expensive
rifles won´t confirm any critics or bad function… but I do. I got a Savage
Law Enforcement rifle in 308 and had some minor problems but all were
solvable by a gunsmith. Now I won a 1.000 yards championship and made
the 1st place.
Where do you think the problem was. The barrel or just low craftsmanship? I wonder if the 300 Win Mag is any better
Honestly I believe the Mausers were sabotaged because such a low
craftmanship is not possible for educated gunsmiths. The Mauser86
got the attention of an U.S. navy seal who ultimately mocked my tries
to reach beyond 400 meters…. during he could make all shots to 900
yards easily with his desert tech rifle in 308 Win and Lapua Ammo.
Honestly… I would not buy the Mauser in 300 Win. Mag. either… what
happened in 308 was already expensive and humilliating enough.
Mauser sabotages their rifles ! ! ! I have no trust into them anymore
and never will again.
However, I got a Savage Elite Target in 308 Win. , brought it to the gunsmith
who did overwork it. The 2nd time at the competition the Navy Seal was worried
but I kept going just up to 1.000 yards this time, making the final score with 1 point more than him, hitting center with the Savage Elite. It was hell on earth during rain
was falling but the Sierra 190 SMKs didn´t let me down. After 8 hours and 90 shots, I could claim the title for myself. A Bundeswehr Veteran with his 8.000 € rifle from
Haenel in 308 made the third place. All people were shocked and horrified that
I took the 1st place with the cheapest Savage rifle. =D The US navy seal had a
red head out of anger and the Bundeswehr veteran was looking down as he
has fallen from a tree and a third place. I had a 1:10 inch twist 26 inch barrel.
The Navy Seal, 1:11 twist 26 inch barrel, the Bundeswehr ex-sniper had only
a 23.7 barrel with 1:12 twist.
I felt good at one point but bad at another… when the Mauser 86, an icon for
precision fails one…into what one can have confidence anymore in Germany ?
My recipe for the first place :
Savage Elite Precision in 308 Winchester,
overworked by a competent gunsmith (master).
0 MOA rail
IOR 4-28×50 with Spuhr Mount 0 MOA high version
Redding Ultramag Press
Redding Master Hunter 308 die set 28155
Lapua 308 brass
Sierra 190 SMK moly coated bullets
Vihtavuori N550 47.2 grains
CCI BR-2 primers
giving 800m/s being like a little 300 Win. Mag.
and of course Hornady ballistic compensation sheets
I made 0+ ; 5+ ; 10+ ; 15+ ; 20+ ; 25+ and 30+ degrees celsius
data sheets where point of impact was. It hit every time center.