Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Mausers and Military Rifles 6.5x55 Sweede Carbine 1942

I just inherited a M38, 6.5x55 sweede carbine in excellent condition, 1942, with Huskavarna action. Any idea how I can find out what the value would be as I need to sell it.

thanks in advance

Keith

All matching numbers?

Matching numbers helps and the brass disc on the stock that documents the barrel bore size and wear also helps.
Just do a search on a model 38 for sale and see some comparables. I'm guessing $550-$600
They're a personal favorite of mine but I'm sorry you had to lose someone to get it...

Pretty nifty piece of ordnance. Post some pics if you can. Give us a little more to go on.

Can any of you deplorables interpret the numbers on a Swede stock disc? I never took the time to learn.

Yes, but remember, the represent the bore condition the last time the went through the arsenal/armorers. That was more than 50 years ago. I have come across many that have bore discs indicating excellent condition. Well, that may have been but certainly didn't reflect the current status.

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[img]https://i1160.photobucket.com/albums/q489/ackleyman/Swede%20Carbine/IMGP0173.jpg[/img][/URL]

I bought a book on these, and around 38,000 were made. The "Short Rifle" were used mainly by Police. Heat treat is much better on these than '96's.

I have no idea what these are worth.

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Very interesting reading, thought you may enjoy this. I shoot benchrest competition, this is not my cup of tea.

Stock disc indicates a 6.51mm bore and condition 3, condition 1 being the best.

Keith: thats a very thorough pic and printed treatise. Thanks Mel.
L

FYI, the flash hider isn't original. It's an aftermarket part (I have one) that fits the barrel threads used for the "blank" firing device. The Swedes' "blanks" had a wooden bullet that the muzzle device kind of shredded.

So, experts, what is this rifle worth?

Whatever the market will bear. From $400 to $600 depending on who is looking and the market in your area. The rifle will fetch less than an example with a stock disc with a bore condition of 1. At the LGS there is a fine example of an M38 with an excellent bore. It is offered at $550 and has sat for months. In your area, things might be different and it would fly off the shelf at that price.

I was hoping that the carbine and Husquavarna action which is much stronger would fetch close to $600.

Ain't nothin' sexier in firearms than a Swede. They just look so cool! I can't believe you're gonna sell that baby.

It has got to go....not my cup of tea.

The one I bought back in the mid-1980's through a Shotgun News importer sold by the truckload for $150.00 or so. Sadly, it got sporterized or I could have made a tidy profit at today's prices. It's still stashed away out in the gun shop somewhere. So are about a dozen of the 30 Turk Mausers I bought about the same time for $29.95 each.
Jerry

I bought a dozen with cracked stocks for about $59 each from Sarco (if my memory serves me right) in the early 90's. The stocks were not cracked bad enough that they could not be shot. They are beautiful guns with an amazing finish on them. I have traded most of the Swedes away, I did sporterize one that had no disc and mis-matched numbers and it took quite a few deer when I was hunting in Michigan's UP.

I owned and shot a bunch of M38 Short Rifles and M96 Infantry rifles, as well as a couple M94 Carbines back in the 70's-90's and thoroughly loved them all. Then I discovered a Winchester M70 Featherweight 6.5x55 and later still a Ruger #1A 6.5x55 and I never looked back. If another milsurp came my way I would probably snag it for old time's sake (especially if it were a 94 Carbine), but for now I'm happy.

I had a Gustaf's M-38 with a #1 bore, think I bought it for $125 from Century many years ago in "select" condition. It was.. Very nice and accurate rifle. Only issue was the stock sights were about 6" high at 100 yards in the lowest position. Sorry I traded it off now, matching good condition in original configuration is getting hard to find. I would guess $500-$600, but very local market dependent.

The 1940's vintage Husqvarna built M-1938 Swedish military SR Mausers are my favorite pre-1898 style Mausers to build on, as I think that they are the best ever made in terms of quality materials, skilled workmanship, and end user care/maintenance.

I have one of the Swedish Marksman's Rifle, what they call a "Frivilligia Skytterorelsen", that I haven't shot in over 20 years and several sporterized Sweds. My Norwegian bachelor farmer friend has had me put together several rifles for him on M-1938 Husqvarna actions that are chambered for high pressure cartridge like the 22-250, 6mm REM, 257 Roberts, 260, etc.

Late to this party. That is not a carbine, but a M38 short rifle. Some were made in that configuration by Husqvarna and some were made by cutting the standard M96 down to that configuration. I don't think M38 is the proper name, but that is what they seem to be called, at least here in the us.

A true carbine is much shorter still, the forearm comes all the way to the end of the barrel, and the front sight there has protective wings on each side. It's been a while since I bought a Swede, your best bet might be to look on Gunbroker or Gunsamerica auction sites. I do know a true carbine would be worth far more than what you have shown.

You might look here, https://forums.gunboards.com/forumdisplay.php?49-Swedish-Military-Firearms-Forum , a forum dedicated to only Swedish military arms.

Stronger than what. I do suspect that metallurgy had improved and gotten better since about 1898 when the Swedes started making that series of rifles. Having said that, the M 96., M38 actions ARE NOT the strongest made. They lack the third locking lug of the later Mauser 98 action, and the receiver rings are smaller, Considering that they are not suitable for higher pressure cartridges that can be used in later Mauser actions, use surplus 6.5x55 ammo or cartridges loaded to similar pressures. I have a Husqvarna sporter made on the identical action in an obscure caliber, 9.3x57 . It throws a big heavy bullet at relatively slow velocities, but then chamber pressures are low by modern standards making it safe.