I started with a Mauser 98 Parker Hale 1200 Delux in .30-06 as my first medium or larger calibre rifle.

Later ended up thinking about replacing it with a Winchester Featherweight Model 70 in .30-06. Not only did the Winchester Featherweight not shoot at all, 8 to 12 inch "groups", rebedded, new scope, new mounts nothing worked and they had that reputation. But one day I had a projectile get pulled out in the rifling and the powder get into the action. It took forever to get the last grain out so the action would function again ... After that no longer seated the projectiles for ultimate accuracy touching the lands and also decided only the Mauser M98 action was for me. Also had the action seize up on an unfired cartridge, unable to open the bolt or apply the safety. Put into the boot of the car, with a large block of railway sleeper wood in front of the muzzle in case of discharge and dropped off to a gunsmith to have it unseized and the action opened again. Sold the horrible thing off ...

Now I do have a (two) Mauser M03 as one of my new principle rifles ... and some Mannlicher/Steyrs etc, and Lee Enfields etc etc, but the Mauser 98 itself remains the ultimate for me.