German Made Swedish 96 Mauser

[David LaPell]

I was in the gun shop the other day selling one handgun I don't use or really need much and I was looking at an SKS. Turns out the SKS was spoken for so I made a deal where I walked out the door with a German made Swedish Mauser. For the first four years when the 1896 Swedish Mausers were made, they were made in Germany before the Swedes took over. The bore apparently wasn't great so someone cut down the barrel a couple inches and instead of putting on a correct Swede front sight, they used a 1917 Enfield front sight.

The rifling itself is great and the barrel was recrowned very nicely, but I have an idea of what I want to do, since the gun is a sporterized version the collector value isn't there anyway, but I have a gunsmith locally who specializes in military guns. We're going to do to the guns what the Swedes did anyway, cut it down a little more. We're going to cut the barrel down to 24.5 inches, I already found a correct front sight and then the wood forearm will be trimmed to match. What's left will be a close to correct Swede 96/38 and it will still be in that wonderful 6.5 x 55 round.





The Swedish '96/38 Gevar short rifle we hope to turn it into.

 

[Fishinfool]

Looks like it will make a fine shooter, and a period correct looking rifle.

Love the quality of those German / Swedish 96 Mausers. I remember back in the early 1980's, there was a gun shop / importer right next to the CT State Police facility in Meriden, CT. They had racks of Swedish Mausers, most in mint shape, with matching #'s in both long rifle and shorter (carbine?) configurations. Packed in grease, $65.00 each.

I toyed with the idea of buying a couple, but never did, as something else always seemed to catch my eye, and I regret it now. My rookie cop's salary only went so far, and I was on a semi-auto rifle kick at the time.

A buddy did buy one, and I was amazed at how accurate it was.

By the way - they had racks of unissued Norinco SKS's at the time too. Complete with all accessories, and bayonet. $65.00 as well. Did buy a couple of those, and still have one of them.

Larry

 

[ronnie gore]

rifle

that looks like a nice one. i have the full rifle made in 1902 and it is the most accurate rifle i own with my handloads. i think those are the finest of the mauser line.

 

[MCorps0311]

Awesome,thank for sharing.

 

[sheepdawg]

I think I have a problem with Swedish Mausers.



To be honest it isn't as bad as you think, two of these are German.

 

[AJ]

Looks like a M94 Carbine. What is the length of the barrel?

Have had a couple of 96's and a 94, but my favorite is a CG 63 that I now have.

 

[DWalt]

It looks like a M94 to me also. If it is, I implore you - DO NOT MESS WITH IT - EVER. Leave it alone. These are scarce guns, highly desirable.

 

[David LaPell]

It looks like a M94 to me also. If it is, I implore you - DO NOT MESS WITH IT - EVER. Leave it alone. These are scarce guns, highly desirable.

It's not a M94 carbine, they had a short barrel around 18 inches, the barrel is 26 inches and was cut down from 29 inches. The front sight is similar to the M94 until you look at it, it is off a !917 Enfield .30-06 rifle. If it was all original I wouldn't touch it.

 

[AJ]

It's not a M94 carbine, they had a short barrel around 18 inches, the barrel is 26 inches and was cut down from 29 inches. The front sight is similar to the M94 until you look at it, it is off a !917 Enfield .30-06 rifle. If it was all original I wouldn't touch it.

No, the 94's barrel is 17.1 inches. Glad it wasn't a putzed with 94. These are the best of all the Mauser's. Had a couple and have sold them. Now I have a CG 63 that was built on a 1902 manufactured 96 action.

 

[kenv1950]

Thanks to the OP I'll add this Mauser story. I knew nothing about Mausers, do to my ignorance I picked up this Mauser that I thought was a Frankenstein Mauser
Double square bridge Sporterized Mauser 1939 action 6.5X57
Built by Joh. Springer Co. of Vienna Austria. in 1950 special order for our GI's. Little did I know what it was. (99% condition)
I live 10 minutes from the family (name inscribed on the barrel)



Not the original scope but original mount

I contacted Springer Co. still in business after 180 years in business they kept most of their records but most of them were lost during WW2 these rifles were built by their gunsmiths. They sent me a letter on these GI rifles

 

[BigBill]

When Carl Gustafson couldn't keep up with the order of Swedish mausers the government needed they turned to Oberndorf in Germany to produce them. They sent the Swedish steels to Germany also.

 

[sheepdawg]

Pretty obvious differences in the rifle above and an m94. Here's a correct one that's actually in the great reference site. House of Karlina

House of Karlina,Gevär 1896,Swedish Mauser,m94 carbine,1894,1896,Luxembourg Model 1900 rifle

Notice the stock, bolt, grasping groove, front and rear sights, sling and overall length. Oberndorf, Mauser only turned out m96s in 1900 and the one in the OP is one of them that bubba got a hold of.

 

[CZU]

M94's

Here are a couple more, one with the bayonet lug and the other without.(M94/14 & M94)

Merry Christmas!!!

 

[Jingles]

The only Mauser I've got; it dates to early 1941.

 

[Texas Star]

CAUTION: to the man with the Austrian sporting rifle...the firm that made your rifle is famous and I'm sure it's of good quality. BUT it is chambered for 6.5X57mm, not the Swedish 6.5X55mm. You may already be aware of this, but I want others to know if they buy a similar rifle.


Can you even find 6.5X57mm ammo in the USA? I'm not sure if it's still loaded, even in Europe. It may be possible to make the cases from 7X57mm, but I'm not into handloading these days and can't say.


I've read that these Swedish rifles are the best made Mausers, but have owned a M-95 made for Chile, like the Boer Mausers used in South Africa in the 1899-1902 war there against Britain.


Mine was apparently unissued and looked new. It was a very finely made rifle, as far as I can see on par with the M-96 Swede. And I prefer the 7mm cartridge. (But also think very highly of the 6.5X55.)


My rifle was made by Ludwig Lowe in Berlin and was of superb quality. Mauser made later ones.


Many of the rifles made by Mauser, Brno, and FN for South American contracts are also of very fine quality. The M-1909 Argentine is often used as the action for very expensive custom rifles. Of course, the caliber is usually changed from the 7.65mm original. And the actions are re-heat treated, to better handle modern pressures.


David-


I think your rifle looks pretty good now. Have you shot it? It'll cost money to modify, and I know that your funds are often short. Can the gunsmith polish the bolt to remove those little pits?


Remember to use ammo that doesn't exceed about 45,000 pounds of pressure, in those old rifles. But I think I read that Swedes have routinely used modern ammo in them. PM Q-Ball and see what he knows. He can ask other Swedes if he doesn't have the answer.

 

[moosedog]

Swedish Mausers are some of the finest rifles ever made and a pleasure to shoot and reload for.

 

[kenv1950]

CAUTION: to the man with the Austrian sporting rifle...the firm that made your rifle is famous and I'm sure it's of good quality. BUT it is chambered for 6.5X57mm, not the Swedish 6.555mm. You may already be aware of this, but I want others to know if they buy a similar rifle.


Can you even find 6.5X57mm ammo in the USA? I'm not sure if it's still loaded, even in Europe. It may be possible to make the cases from 7X57mm, but I'm not into handloading these days and can't say.


I've read that these Swedish rifles are the best made Mausers, but have owned a M-95 made for Chile, like the Boer Mausers used in South Africa in the 1899-1902 war there against Britain.


Mine was apparently unissued and looked new. I was a very finely made rifle, as far as I can see on par with the M-96 Swede. And I prefer the 7mm cartridge.


My rifle was made by Ludwig Lowe in Berlin and was of superb quality. Mauser made later ones.


Many of the rifles made by Mauser, Brno, and FN for South American contracts are also of very fine quality. The M-1909 Argentine is often used as the action for very expensive custom rifles. Of course, the caliber is usually changed from the 7.65mm original. And the actions are re-heat treated, to better handle modern pressures.

Yes 6.5X57 is available in a commercial cartridge but the ones I bought 15 out of the 20 had to be resized (MADE IN SERBIA). , but I use 7MM neck down to 6.5X 57 I have a set of 6.5X57 dies .
Its an extremely nice shooting rifle.very accurate .

 

[sheepdawg]

CAUTION: to the man with the Austrian sporting rifle...the firm that made your rifle is famous and I'm sure it's of good quality. BUT it is chambered for 6.5X57mm, not the Swedish 6.5X55mm. You may already be aware of this, but I want others to know if they buy a similar rifle.


Can you even find 6.5X57mm ammo in the USA? I'm not sure if it's still loaded, even in Europe. It may be possible to make the cases from 7X57mm, but I'm not into handloading these days and can't say.


I've read that these Swedish rifles are the best made Mausers, but have owned a M-95 made for Chile, like the Boer Mausers used in South Africa in the 1899-1902 war there against Britain.


Mine was apparently unissued and looked new. It was a very finely made rifle, as far as I can see on par with the M-96 Swede. And I prefer the 7mm cartridge. (But also think very highly of the 6.5X55.)


My rifle was made by Ludwig Lowe in Berlin and was of superb quality. Mauser made later ones.


Many of the rifles made by Mauser, Brno, and FN for South American contracts are also of very fine quality. The M-1909 Argentine is often used as the action for very expensive custom rifles. Of course, the caliber is usually changed from the 7.65mm original. And the actions are re-heat treated, to better handle modern pressures.


David-


I think your rifle looks pretty good now. Have you shot it? It'll cost money to modify, and I know that your funds are often short. Can the gunsmith polish the bolt to remove those little pits?


Remember to use ammo that doesn't exceed about 45,000 pounds of pressure, in those old rifles. But I think I read that Swedes have routinely used modern ammo in them. PM Q-Ball and see what he knows. He can ask other Swedes if he doesn't have the answer.

The Swedes use modern ammo loaded to Swedish Mauser standards not to exceed 45.000 lbs. of pressure. Of the stuff available here in the states 139 gr. PPU SP is the favored. I'd stay clear of all the other Remchester store bought loads. It is pretty well known that when reloading for a Swede the minimum recommended load is the place to start. They work well with most powders that are on the slow side. My pet loads are a 140 grain Nosler Custom Comp with 43.8 grs. of IMR 7828ssc. and the same 140 pill on 44.5 grs. of Reloader 22. I neck size only using PPU brass and a Winchester long rifle primer. I've rung the 707 yard birthday bell in competition a few times using those loads and my Swedish M/41b sniper rifle.

 

[Bullet Bob]

Here's my 1921 model 96, a very fine rifle:

I liked it so much, I later bought a model 1938 short rifle, which I've never shot

Somewhere around here I have a bayonet for the 96; affixed to it's long barrel, it would be a formidable "keep the heck away from me" tool.

 

[palmetto99]

I have a Swedish made M96. 1908 stamp. I was a wall decoration for almost a decade before I shot it. Great shooter and a load of fun.