Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing M96 Advice

Next project will be a Husqvarna sporter that I plan on re-barreling to 6.5X55(it was a 30-06). Any advice on primary do's and dont's of the M96 would be appreciated. My first experience with this light and trim action.

Thanks,

Jeff

The Husqvarna site, hem.bredband.net, reports that the rifles with 96 commercial actions, the 46 prior to 1944 and "a few" 640s made after 1944, were made in 6.5x55, 8x57JS, 9.3x57, and 9.3x62, but not in 30-06. That suggests to me that your rifle may have been previously rebarreled or it would be a rare post-'44 640. The M96 sporters that I have owned have all been classic 24" rifles that never stuck me as being either light or trim. The 456/HVA action that was introduced in the late 1950s and the Improved 9000 action from the 1970s were both lighter and trimer than any of the M96 actions.



Is your 96 actoin a military action Husqvarna or a commercial Husqvarna?



The upside to the Husqvarna M96 actions is that they are not all that old and appear to be well made, Swedish steel and craftsmanship you know.



The downside is that they have a long firing pin and a corresponding slower lock time. The also have 2 stage military style triggers and wing safeties, but Timney can solve ether the trigger along or the trigger and safety issue. If you go with a Timney that has a trigger safety, I'd also replace the bolt shroud with a sporter style from Brownells. They also don't have an auxillary locking lug and it is suggested that they don't handle escaping gas as well as the M98, in the event of a case rupture. Of course, when was the last time that you had a case rupture?



I have 3 custom rifles built on Husqvarna actions; a 6.5x55 on a military Husqvarna M96 and a matched pair built on 9000 actions, a 256 Newton and a 338-06.



Good luck and plan carefully. My M96 custom started off OK, but I kept adding to it and changing things until it became a money pit of the 1st order.



Jeff

AKJeff, I would assume that your action is a '98, being originally chambered in 30/06?
As was stated, a Bold or Timney would be an added touchthat I like to do, but I would stay away from the speed lock stuff, as this alteration tends to string shots on a target.
The Mausers have a short barrel shank, so bedding a few inches in front of the action really helps support the barrel threads.
Happy Mausering! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />
Catnthehat

Thanks Jeff & Cat,

The action is most definitely a 96, and not a 98. It's of the commercial variety, and already has a side safety and sporter type shroud. The .30-06 barrel is a light contour, and roughly 21". Stamped "Husqvarna Vapenfabriks AB. .30-06 US". From the looks of things, it been this way for a long time if it's a re-barrel. Appears to be very well made. If the barrel weren't so badly pitted, I would have tried to save the whole works. Will check out the web page. Thanks again guys!!

Jeff

What sort of markings are on the action?

Does the serial number on the barrel match the serial number on the action?

Does the stock look original? A 21" barrel suggests a mannlicher style stock, rather than the standard 24" barrel and either a "beaver tail" or "schnabel" style forearm.

Jeff

This sounds to me to be the small ring commercial action made by Husqvarna. The rifle usually came with a slim stock with schnabel forend. These actions are neither a 96 or a 98 but are a derivitive of the two with some features belonging to neither one.
So, what are some of the differences and similarities?
The receiver ring is similar to that of the 96. It is of small ring dimensions and threads. There is no "C" ring. The breech end of the barrel is flat. This is the '96 part.
The bolt has the safety lug as found on the '98. That about wraps it up for '98 features. The bolt also feature a solid left lug (no slot). the ejector slot is below the lug as on the M70. This ejector is part of the bolt stop. The bolt sleeve is the same as that found on later commercial FN actions.
The tang is wider than the military actions to provide a home for the side safety. This sliding safety blocks the trigger only. The trigger itself is a single stage '98 type.
These actions were used on rifles chambered in everything from the 22-250 to the 358 Norma magnum. They are a fine action and desirable in many respects.
The shortcomings are limited to the trigger and the somewhat fragile springs used for the bolt stop/ejector and safety. It is possible to adapt a Timney trigger for the 98 to this action and utilize the original safety but it is a bit involved and requires desire and/or money to accomplish!
Early versions of this action had a fairly nice trigger guard and floorplate made of steel and with hinged plate. The flat spring floorplate catch was less than ideal and had a tendency to break. Like many companies, Husqvarna discorvered cast aluminum later on and later guards were made of this material. To compensate for the lack of strength of this material (about like that of a good grade of cheddar cheese), Husqvarna used lots of it.
Stock splitting was common on these and a good glass bedding job is almost mandatory.
If I were to use one of these for myself I would reshape the tang to be the same as a 98 and eliminate the side safety. I would then install one of the 3 position safeties available for the '98 which should be adaptable to this action with little difficulty. I'd use a trigger from Timney or one of the other aftermarket '98 triggers. Then I would buy any spare bolt stop/ejector springs I found at any gunshow! GD

As I read your post, the small ring Mauser style action that you are describing sounds like the late 1950s to early 1970s vintage Model 456, more commonly known as the "HVA" action. The Husqvarna commercial bolt actions used for CF rifles that I have seen and which are illustrated on the Husqvarna site are the 96 (Husqvarna Model 46 and "some" 640s), 98 (Husqvarna Model 640), HVA (Husqvarna Model 456), and 9000. Authors Frank DeHaas and Stuart Otteson wrote informative chapters on the HVA and 9000 actions in their books about bolt action rifles.

Jeff

I'm on limited web time due to work location. Will get back with you guys in a week or so. Thank you VERY much for the info!!!

Jeff

Jeff & Cat,

Here's a quick update of some markings for you to ponder.

As before, barrel is marked on top ahead of rear sight dovetail " Husqvarna Vapenfabrik AB. 30-06 US"

Receiver has the Carl Gustav seal on top of front ring.

Both receiver(on the flat behind the recoil lug) and the barrel(on the bottom over the chamber) bear the same proof mark consisting of "CG"( the C being backward) and beneath that the word "Nitro".

The serial numbers on the barrel and receiver DO NOT match.

The stock sure looks factory, but I can't recall any markings. Forearm and grip are checkered, and it has a raised comb, and has a cheekpeice.

Trigger is a single stage, and has a sporter type safety.

Floorplate is styled ala Argentine Mauser, and looks like it may be aluminum?

Really appreciate you guys' input!

Thanks,

Jeff

If you've checked out the Husqvarna site and confirmed that it is a 46, or a rare 96 based 640, then it must be a modified 46/640.

If you could attach pictures, I'd like to see it.

I haven't asked, but I assume that, being a 96, it cocks on closing rather than on openning.

Jeff

Jeff,

I haven't been to the web site. I tried the one listed in your post, and got nothing. Could you double check the URL?

I'll be glad to email you some pictures(or post them, if I can figure out how to do so?), but it will have to wait a week, until I have a chance to do so.

This action cocks on opening.

Thanks again,

Jeff

Thanks, Greydog!!

Jeff

If you do a web search on "husqvarna firearms", you'll find a site with that url. It comes up for me, but it is in a language that I don't understand; Danish, Norwegian, or Swedish I guess.

As you provide more details, it is sounding more and more like an HVA action, rather than a 96/46/640 Husqvarna action. That site has good information and plenty of pictures that may help correctly identify your action.

Jeff

Jeff,

Once again, thanks for the info. I'll have to wait a while, and search for that site. I'm currently having sofware "issues" and my search function doesn't work.

Jeff

Hey guys,

The easiest and most foolproof way to tell which action this rifle uses is the serial number. I can tell you anything you need to know from that.

Slight correction Jeff. The HVA action is officially "1640" in Sweden. The model 456 is actually the fullstock (mannlicher) carbine with the straight comb. The model 458 is the fullstock with Monte Carlo comb. Both of these are US model designations. The factory model names were 1600 H and 1600 H, MC respectively.

SBHVA et al,

Thanks! Just got off the web page Jeff suggested(I finally got my head out of my butt!), and from the looks of things my rifle is a later Model 1600, which is a lightweight version of the 1640. It said later rifles had an aluminum bottom, which mine has. Schnabel forearm, 20.5" barrel, and caliber, all fit the bill.

SBHVA,

I'll get you the s/n in a week or so. Thanks.

Jeff