Carl Gustav M96 Mauser question

growr · May 4, 2023

Many years ago I purchased a M96 Rifle 6.5x55 Swede made in 1915.

I am experimenting with 170 gr. cast bullets at 1394 fps, however the front sight is for 300 meters and is marked .5 which causes impact to be WAY to high.

The rear sight is as low as it gets.

I would like to know if any eagle eyed members could tell me what height would bring the impact down for 100 meters/ yards.....there is a 1.0 and 1.5 available .

Not sure if this is a metric designation, seems like a 1.5 should be taller.

I appreciate everyone's help!!

Randy

TJm15.38 · May 4, 2023

This is probably not much help, but I have a M96 1911 Swedish Mauser that shoots the 140 grain bullet, about 6" high at 100 meters. Yes; the lowest elevation available on the rear sight is 300 meters. For targets at 100 and 200 meters, I am literally guessing on an appropriate 6 o'clock hold. It's probably worse with the slower heavier bullet. With your heavier cast bullet, the point of impact must be even higher. So our options are to change to a higher front sight (to move the POI lower) or change out the rear sight to something more appropriate for shorter ranges. I have chosen to leave the rifle as is and use a 6 o'clock hold so I can keep the rifle original. I love the M96 for it's quality and old world craftsmanship. However, it is what it is with some sighting limitations for various shorter ranges. The attached article might help.

Carl Gustafs 1896 Swedish Mauser

jjrr · May 4, 2023

Brownells had a front sight that had a huge blade so you could shape it however you want and as tall as you need. Check if they still have it in the catalog if that would be something you could use, doesn’t answer your question but it’s an option. I sold my Swede and have had sellers remorse ever since..

DWalt · May 4, 2023

One trick is to use two targets, one above the other by an appropriate distance, then use the bottom target as the aiming point. At least you can fire clean groups that way. You probably don’t want to get into changing the original front sight. You might be able to fabricate a taller front sight out of sheet metal and attach it to the barrel with a small hose clamp. P.S., I also have a Swede M96 and a Swede AG42b.

growr · May 4, 2023

Apparently Brownell's sells a front sight that is 3.5 mm.....might have dress it down...no problem with that.

Randy

cgt4570 · May 4, 2023

DWalt said:
P.S., I also have a Swede M96 and a Swede AG42b.

I have an intact '94 Carbine and a decent sporterized one. Both are great shooters at 200 yards (longest I've shot them). The sporter will hold 1 MOA with its Lyman peep all day long.
I once owned a Ljungman for about 15 minutes.

I bought it for almost nothing while waiting for a gunshow to open, then sold it to a dealer on the first row for double my money. One of the dumbest things I've ever done. Double my money was much less than half of what they go for now.

They both prefer 160gr JRN like they were originally made for.

DWalt · May 4, 2023

Besides my AG42, I have seen only one other, which was around 30 years ago at a gun show in Dallas. Several years ago I saw a listing for one in GunBroker, I think it was listed at $1500. Mine has the original spares and tool kit plus bayonet. I also have the closely-related Egyptian Hakim in 8x57. Sort of junky but it shoots OK.

I remember reading that only a small number came into the US. More were exported into Canada. The person I bought mine from said that he got it in Canada.

David.Hylton · May 4, 2023

Dawson Precision has a sight calculator it can tell the the correct height.

Sight Calculator

6string · May 5, 2023

DWalt said:
Besides my AG42, I have seen only one other, which was around 30 years ago at a gun show in Dallas. Several years ago I saw a listing for one in GunBroker, I think it was listed at $1500. Mine has the original spares and tool kit plus bayonet. I also have the closely-related Egyptian Hakim in 8x57. Sort of junky but it shoots OK.

I remember reading that only a small number came into the US. More were exported into Canada. The person I bought mine from said that he got it in Canada.

Le Baron Sporting Goods in Canada was a GREAT source for milsurps in the 1980s. They had three retail locations, I think, in Canada, plus a mail order business. I lived minutes away from one of them. I remember they always had Egyptian Hakims in stock. Also, plenty of Carl Gustav Swedes, both carbines and (very) long rifles. Plus, much, much more: Mexican and Chilean Mausers, Lee-Enfields, etc. All very cheap and appealing back then! The whole market in Canada began to dry up when the milsurp laws imposed under GCA-68 were overturned in the mid 1980s.

The "shoots high with cast bullets" phenomenon was commonly known. An "over the counter" extra high front sight wasn't an option then.
It is now.
Go for it!

ReloadforFun · May 5, 2023

The needed sight change can be calculated with te sight radius, range to target and the amount of adjustment needed (POI change).

bob1956 · May 5, 2023

I have a AG42b and a 96 sweede. They both are amazing guns. I thought about selling the AG42b a couple years ago. They bring stupid money now. Glad I held on to it. Its shoots great no recoil and super accuracy! I found my 96 about 2” high at 100 yards. I can live with that.

USBP SW · May 6, 2023

I own the 1896, 94, 38 & ag42b, all shoot frighteningly accurate. I changed to a very tall front sight on the 96 Mauser and adjusted the rear sight to shoot to center using a six o'clock hold on the local range target. The ag42b is a joy to shoot but I reload and I have trouble collecting my empties in the next county.

Kinman · May 18, 2023

Mine did not shoot cast bullets well enough or my patience ran out whatever. I decided to turn it into a scout rifle and installed one of those ultra slick rear sight replacement scope mounts, installed a long eye relief Burris on it and happily shoot tight groups with the old school "sniper bullets" I scored years ago, they were called Prickskytte bullets. Try as I have I cannot reload a more accurate bullet. I love the Swede because I can shoot anything I can see all day long in a t-shirt, excellent cartridge, terrific rifle...

DWalt · May 18, 2023

Long ago, I fired bench rest with a custom HB Mauser in 6.5 At that time, 6.5x55 brass was difficult to come by, mainly the only source was Norma, and they were expensive. I formed hundreds of 6.5 cases from .30-‘06 brass Even though the base diameter of the ‘06 case was slightly smaller, they worked very well. I once bought some 6.5 brass from Herter’s (remember them?), very poor quality, could be reloaded only a couple of times. I found several hundred rounds of 6.5 Danish military ammo, it was OK, but it was Berdan primed. I still have a few rounds of that stuff.

nedlate · May 18, 2023

I bought a 96 Swede from a friend and he had some plinker loads worked up with a 120g cast bullet that shot to POA at 100 yards. Of course I didn't get the load data darn it!

Anyways you could experiment with light loads that are a pleasure to shoot to get the rifle to shoot lower.

Ed

WR Moore · May 18, 2023

Most all the military bolt guns had a basic battlefield zero to provide a "good enough for combat" trajectory out to 300+ yards. If your sight has a graduated adjustment for yards/meters, those should be pretty close for the military spec ammunition.

No clue of the top of my head what the 6.5x55 mm military load was back then. 160 gr Rn @ XXXX?

stu1ritter · May 19, 2023

The military 6.5x55 was loaded with 139 grain bullet which gave one of the highest sectional densities at the time. I had a 6.5x55 when in high school in the 50's.

Stu

DWalt · May 19, 2023

The pre-WWII 6.5x55 military ball loads used an approximately 160 grain RN bullet, thereafter changed to a 139-140 grain spitzer bullet. Used by Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. I’d have to dig it out, but somewhere I have a box of Danish military ammo dating from the early 1950s, and it has the long RN bullet, probably with a CN jacket. I remember reading something about the Danes using the RN loads in older Krag rifles, and spitzer loads in later Mauser action rifles.

Back when I was using a custom 6.5x55 Mauser-action bench rest rifle, I was getting tighter groups with 130 grain RN bullets than with any others, and those were what I used in competition. I do not remember my best load, but I do remember that IMR 4064 was the best performing powder, at least among those five or so I tested.

AJ · May 19, 2023

This is a group that I fired in my CG-63. I tried different bullseyes until I found one that gave me a good sight picture.

Carl Gustav M96 Mauser question

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