Mauser 96 6.5×55 Good Deals Still Can Be Found

merl67 · #1 06-06-2021, 05:36 PM

This popped up on our local buy, sell, trade gun site today $400 for a all matching except cleaning rod 1902 Carl Gustaf great overall condition with 2 and a half boxes of ammo and reloading dies might not be the deal of the century, but still quite good...

Pisgah · #2 06-06-2021, 05:44 PM

I'd say you did real well. Those are among the finest mass-produced rifles ever made.

ronnie gore · #3 06-06-2021, 05:46 PM

One of the most accurate rifles i have.

merl67 · #4 06-06-2021, 05:54 PM

I've had a number of Mausers through the years a small collection of all the major changes from the 71 up to the Yugo 48 series. The Swedes are among the most accurate of any I ever shot...

waffles · #5 06-06-2021, 06:34 PM

Cabelas had one for $250 over the winter in good shape. Thought eh I don't need another caliber, I'll leave it for someone else.

When I came to my senses the next day it was gone. Nice score.

Ruger 1,3 · #6 06-06-2021, 06:35 PM

Mine is an absolute tack driver!

merl67 · #7 06-06-2021, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by waffles

Cabelas had one for $250 over the winter in good shape. Thought eh I don't need another caliber, I'll leave it for someone else.

When I came to my senses the next day it was gone. Nice score.

I am amazed Cabelas had any gun at that price. Even a sporterised one would be worth that.

waffles · #8 06-06-2021, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by merl67

I am amazed Cabelas had any gun at that price. Even a sporterised one would be worth that.

Any cabelas I am at (don't go out of my way since the bass pro merger, but if I'm passing by one I'll stop) I check the used guns. Most of the time you're right, generally overpriced trash, but maybe one out of every three trips there's something bonkers low priced. It seems cabelas is entirely unable to actually price things correctly, it's definitely way off, but sometimes it's way off in your favor.

Hawkeye3844 · #9 06-07-2021, 01:46 AM

One can find deals every now and then if you look long enough.
I bought 2 M38 rifles on Gunbroker. First one in full military guise. Got it for $500. Then I found one that had been sporterized for $360!
Needless to say, the 6.5x55 is my favorite caliber. Then it’s the 7x57!
The M38 in military guise started off as an M96 Carl Gustaf long rifle. The date on the rifle is 1917.
The sporterized one is a Husqvarna.
Anyways, the Swedish Mausers are top of the line Mausers, and they can’t be beat!

Hawk

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

sheepdawg · #10 06-07-2021, 11:57 AM

This one will ring the birthday bell at 800 yards.

-m41b-jpg

rockquarry · #11 06-07-2021, 02:34 PM

Regarding Swedish Mausers and bore life...

I can't find my copy of the article at the moment and haven't read it in years, but there was a very interesting article in the AMERICAN RIFLEMAN (in the '70s, I think) about bore life in Swedish Mauser barrels.

This was written when the AR maintained a technical staff and articles of a technical and semi-technical nature were published regularly. I can't remember the author, but the article dealt with very extensive testing done by the Swedish military to determine realistic, accurate bore life of their rifles using the 6.5x55 cartridge. I seem to recall that at some stage, after firing several thousand rounds, accuracy actually improved. Evaluation showed some barrels were still doing well at close to fifteen thousand rounds. Granted, accepted military accuracy is not the same as benchrest accuracy, but it's amazing that any barrel would be capable of decent accuracy at fifteen thousand rounds.

I apologize for any memory errors in these generalized remarks, but I simply don't remember the details. Perhaps someone here is familiar with the article and/or has a copy of it. The results of testing are certainly a testimony to perhaps the barrel steel, quality of barrel work, and the 6.5x55 cartridge.

I'm not much of an admirer of military rifles and only have one now, but have had many come and go over the last several decades. Behind the '03 and '03-A3 Springfield designs, I'd have to put the Swedish Mausers in second place as far as military bolt-actions go. Indeed good rifles for what they are.

AJ · #12 06-07-2021, 05:26 PM

Very nice rifle, enjoy it. I had one like yours all matching except for the cleaning rod. A friend wanted it for his collection, so it is his now. I do not really miss it as I picked up a CG-63 in 6.5X55 MM. Attached is a target that I shot with my Swede. The receiver on mine started life as a Carl Gustav and is dated 1902.