Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Mauser 96 6.5x55

I picked up a 96 Carl Gustaffe mauser from a friend of mine. It's in a butler Creek tupperware stock and is drilled and tapped. It had a M8 X leup on it with a german #4
reticle. He wanted to keep the scope so it stayed with him. This scope was mounted in see thru rings as it would not clear the rear sight. The barrel is the original stepped down barrel in excellent shape. IT is a sub moa shooter with the Norma Se ammo and 140 grain Nosler partition bullets.
Here in lies the issue. Can I chuck it up in the lathe and just turn the original rear sight off the barrel? I figure it is soldered on but I could be wrong . I would be leary of heating it to get it off. This sight makes mounting a scope difficult because of a consistent cheek weld due to it being so high.
I actually like the rifle for what it is and it would make a nice foul weather rifle for the Mrs. if I can get the scope mounted down where it should be.
Anyone ever turned (machined) the rear sight off one of these things? If so were there any negative effects on the accuracy?

Lathe no problem, carbide tools same.

It wouldn't be stainless but nicely cerocoated or moly coated it would be fine for the amount it would get used. also keeping her pretty Brownings and Rugers out of crappy wx.

I’m wondering how kimber removed the sight on the 96s they sporterized. They had clean barrels with the steps turned out on them. It should make a great rifle for you.

The rear is soldered. I wouldn't hesitate to use heat to take it off. That's how gunsmiths have done it for decades, and that's how they were put on in the first place.

You won't screw up the barrel. Just take out the set screw and evenly heat the rear sight base until you can knock it loose.

Yep, solder temp won't effect the heat treat. I did mine years ago.Then cut the barrel down to the first step from the muzzle and put a target crown on it.I had Leupold 6X on it fo years that Leupold is replacing as soon as they come in.

Best bullet mine shoots is an Accubond, 129 gr with H3450 powder.That long bullet matches the twist better. It will also shoot Sierra GK ,140 gr

Bhueler Safety, Timney Trigger. Cocking conversion, Richards stock

I have done a lot of 96's and 38's, take out the set screw, take your trusty Dremel slit the sleeve at the 6 o'clock lengthwise, you don't have to grind clear through ...just until it turns blue, warm it up uniformly with a propane torch, slide it off with a welding glove or tap it lightly if necessary. Cleaning the solder off is least fun you will have.

MTNdan is correct. no problem.

I have done exactly as MTDan describes with no problems.

I've put together more than a dozen rifles on Swedish SR military Mausers and this is how I prefer to remove the rear sights when the original barrels were going to be retained. I wrapped the receiver ring with damp towels to keep them cooler, but don't know if it was necessary to do so.

BTDT. What these guys have said. My 38 does great.

Fetherweight65x55;
Morning sir, I hope that you're warm, well and dry if the weather in your part of the world is like ours is this morning.

As has been mentioned by other posters, a wee bit of heat will remove the rear sight. Then it's just a matter of cleaning the remaining solder from the barrel.

That's how I recall doing this one back in the early '80's when I built it for my late father. When our daughter inherited it, I installed a Dayton Traister cock on open kit with included their trigger.

It shoots amazingly well for what was an original military arm.



After watching how it worked for Dad years back and then for our daughter too, I decided to have a near new Swede barrel installed on my walking around rifle, which has a between the wars Mauser roll marked 98 action with no Nazi proofs. The smith who made up the adapter to install a 96 barrel onto a 98 removed the rear sight with a torch as well, judging by what I saw when I got it unblued from him.



This one shoots okay, but certainly no better than our daughter's.

We've found that the fast twist, deep groove Swede barrels give great results with mono-metal bullets. She's been using 130gr TSX and I've used 120gr TTSX and GMX, all with very acceptable results.

Hope that helped, good luck with the project and all the best.

Dwayne