New Swedish M96

[Highpower]

I feel your pain. I have a very nice M96 that is matching except for the bolt (which matches itself) and the buttplate. It also has a "1" bore and is drilled and tapped for the Swedish target sight.

[Calfed]

Calfed,

The Swedes I've owned all had 100% matching numbers. The floor plate is something they definitely would have kept with it's original rifle, ditto the bolt release. Something happened. At the same time it looks like a rifle that never saw service. I've seen that finish on the stock before, most recently on my mint Ljungman that I sold like a fool.

Parts may have been robbed from your rifle and sent to field units ... and then when the '96es were finally sold off, your partial gun got whatever was available.

BTW, the Swedes were death on Norwegian resistance fighters. Even after the war, my grandmother was briefly a POW in a border incident. She told the story funny, but it was live ammo.

jn

Jon, thanks for the feedback

Most of my Swedish Mausers are matching also. This one, while not matching, is in great shape and I believe it will be a good shooter.

I found an arsenal stamp on the underside of the stock, behind the trigger guard indicating that it underwent repair/rebuild at at the Tygstation (Army Armory workshop) in Östersund.



A number of posters on other sites have suggested that it may have received a new stock and other parts at the repair facility.

I'm planning on shooting in a vintage military silhouette match this weekend and may use this rifle. I took it to the range yesterday along with a few other rifles and tried a few rounds of different types of ammo. The group wasn't bad, especially considering that I was shooting 2 rounds each of three different types of ammo.

[Calfed]

I know this doesn't prove much, but here is the target I shot with the M96 yesterday. two rounds each of Fiocci, Hornady and Prvi match ammo @ 100 yards. Main thing for me was to find out if the windage was on and to fire the thing and make sure it hit paper.



Considering that it was three different brands and bullet weights, I was surprised that the group was as good as it was.

I'll see what I have left over after the match tomorrow and try for a real group.

[Calfed]

I feel your pain. I have a very nice M96 that is matching except for the bolt (which matches itself) and the buttplate. It also has a "1" bore and is drilled and tapped for the Swedish target sight.

Nice looking M96, HP. How does it shoot?

[jon_norstog]

I know this doesn't prove much, but here is the target I shot with the M96 yesterday. two rounds each of Fiocci, Hornady and Prvi match ammo @ 100 yards........

Calfed,

That's a pretty typical group for a Swede. Every one I ever had strung shots vertically. But once the barrel heats up, then you start getting these one-ragged-hole groups. Too bad that kind of shooting burns up a barrel.

The basic rifle is more accurate than almost any modern sporting rifle you can buy, out of the box. I think the military stock and hardware are what cause vertical stringing as the barrel heats up. I've tried everything!

Good luck!

jn

[Highpower]

I don't know yet. I've only had it for a few days and so far, no time to go to the range. However, if it shoots as good as the one I let get away, It should be a tack driver.

Mine has the arsenal rework also.

[Calfed]

A couple of posters on other boards have advised that a crown stamp on the stock, behind the trigger guard indicates that the rifle has received arsenal work. It is possible that the non-matching parts parts were installed in Sweden at the military arsenal.



Hard to get my cheap camera to show how nice the bore is.



Went to the range last week and shot some new Swiss rifles and this Swede.

I only had a few minutes to kill, so was only able to shoot a few groups with each rifle. The Fiocci 142 gr rounds were kind of mediocre @ 100 yards



The Prvi 120 grain match @ 100 yards was better.



I still haven't handloaded any 6.5 x 55 rounds yet. That is next on my reloading list. I'll also try a group with the Hornady match.

[Len]

Swiss rifles shoot too well and ought to be illegal in CMP competition for MILITARY rifles.... They never saw combat!

lol--so too then the Swede Mauser

Swede Mausers were sent to Finland for the Winter & Continuation Wars so I guess they'd qualify.

[Calfed]

Well, I'm not aware of any "combat" requirement for military rifles to be used in CMP military matches and there is no doubt that the Swiss rifles were military rifles. I think Griff tipped his hand with

Swiss rifles shoot too well ...!

[NuJudge]

Swiss rifles shoot too well and ought to be illegal in CMP competition for MILITARY rifles.... They never saw combat!

Actually, Swedish volunteers fought with m96 rifles against the Russians in the Winter War. The Swedes also gave some to the Finns. Later, the Swedes bought some of them back. Look for a "SA" in a box on the receiver.