Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Kimber-modified Swedes -- Anyone know of one that blew up?

Every now and then someone posts a question about the Kimber-modified Swedish Mauser Model 96. All the questions I recall were about those in the original 6.5 x 55 chambering. But Kimber of Oregon also rebarreled these actions to high pressure cartridges. I have the literature from 1995 showing offerings in .22-250, .308, .243, and 7mm-08. I remember seeing some of these chamberings at gun shows in that era. I am just curious if anyone knows of a verifiable instance of one of these rifles not handling the pressure.

I thought those were Kimber of America. But no, I have not heard of any failing. I don't know if the rifles were the 96 models or the 36 models.

Thanks for catching my error -- it was indeed Kimber of America that "sporterized" these rifles. The literature I have says they were Model 96's.

I have heard of none with problems. Mine was a 6.5 and I should have kept it.

Mine was also a 6.5 that had no problems as of it's sale for some other project.

Used to see the 6.5 Kimbers everywhere, now hardly ever see
them. Saw one in 280 Rem a couple of years back, but it was
a Mauser M98.

I have seen a few pics of these taht had blown to bits - but from memory, it was handloaders doing silly things - which in any case would be a recipe for trouble.
Sticking to either factory loads or conservative handloads - you wouldnt have a problem.
Gus

Every now and then I see a Mauser 93 rebarreled to 22-250 or 243, give me a Swede action any day.

They were a mixture of both; I have 2 of these Kimbers. One was made in 1901 and the other in 1941. Both are in 6.5X55. The actions are strong, supposedly due the use of Swedish steel. NORMA uses the Swede action for their pressure guns for most cartridges, including 308 Winchester and 22-250.

When the Kimber of that era folded, they sold off large lots of Swede actions and barrels. One smith bought up a lot of them and for years after had 'custom' guns at gunshows and the inet for a song. Some were in calibers beyond the 96's scope. His work was uneven in quality and there were scads of complaints.

He wrecked a Swede of mine by trying to turn down the barrel and overheating it and tried to pawn off a junk used barrel as compensation. It is hard to blow up a Swede but IMO he could probably screw one up big enough to do the deed.

1B

Just to be clear, my original post is simply a matter of curiosity. I am not advocating pushing the Swedish action beyond the pressures it was originally designed for, nor am I looking for a rationale to do so. I own one of the Kimber 6.5 x 55's and am happy with it for what it is. My action was built in 1901. A 140 grain bullet at 2750 fps works fine for me. I doubt that I would be comfortable with, say, a 7mm-08 on that action.

As I said, I have the Kimber of America (not Oregon) literature offering these rifles in high pressure rounds, and I remember handling some that a dealer was offering at local gun shows at that time. I have no idea how many rifles were modified to these higher pressure rounds, but there must have been more than a few.

I just find it interesting that in all these years I have never seen a reference to any problems with the more modern cartridges on the Swedish action.

Not a blow up, but I saw a Swede converted to .264 Win Mag that was welded shut. The owner had fired it numerous times with out a problem and then started to " reload for accuracy ". There was .007-.009 setback in the lug recesses and the lugs on the bolt were compressed. We believe the guy underloaded and the result was a burn-over/flashback in the cartridge. Any way it was pretty impressive the way it handled it.

CLOSE - before plentiful 55 brass, I used a file trim die on some Hornady 270 and 2506 brass to make Swede.

Problem was I did not ream or turn necks, being young and dumb.

OD was .310 and spec was .297 max, essentially my loaded rounds were 'crimped' when chambered. I about welded the handle shut, DID have to beat on it to open it (no it did not break ). Not to mention the Swede case is a tad larger at the base. The case head cracked and the primer blew. The writing on the brass was 'stamped' onto the bolt face!

Upon inspection, the striker had blew back so hard on the cock on open action, it bottomed out, and cracked the threads COMPLETELY.

Scared me to think to shoot it, but I had a new bolt ordered and installed by a smith who checked/re-headspaced it.

Swede still to my understanding is very high quality. Not so much it's strength as its soft enough as to not be brittle and blow like certain P14 Enfields IIRC.

Yet, a '96 or '94 for that matter, LACK the saftey lug - at the rear of the bolt as a '98 has, so I would caution although it's history is great, it's track record is not 100%, perhaps 99+, but whenever shooting ANY rifle, esp. when making brass from another case, it's best to KNOW what you need to do to be safe, or not do.

IIRC the Swede's were 'Proof fired' with loads around 67K but not sure if that's PSI or CUP, but regardless, if you want to shoot max pressure loads - or more, I'd choose a more modern action just b/c.

I was lucky, nobody wants a firing pin assembly backing out of a bolt that had a round blow up - as it is likely going into/thru your skull.

I'd bet my incident above was running 65-75 or better on pressure....not good.

Be safe guys/gals. Warnings are in load manuals for older rifles for many reasons - all for safety.

Like all military pieces, some Swedes saw a lot more use and abuse than others by GI Sven. Armorers tested and junked the worst of the lot when they got the chance. But the odd bad one is probably subject to failure too.

1B

The author of one of my gunsmithing books writes:



By this I've always assumed he was referring to the gas handling capabilities but his comment has kept me from working with any of the "prior to 1898" Mausers

Opinions on this subject vary enormously and I suspect there's some truth to all of them but the above comment from the author of my book has stayed with me for many years.

V-dog, no doubt.

My .02 -

Swedes are well made out of good metallurgy, but - if you are going to run modern max loads, there is more safety margin in newer actions.

I had a near...'mishap' and was lucky...

White Labs tested 93 Mausers, they were as strong as any
action. The lack of a "SAftey" lug is usually cited as
a lack as an issue. Having said that you are using a device
that is over 100 years old, respect it's age.

Keep your pressures moderate and don't worry.

Run high pressures and thank God for every round that you survive without mishap.

Yep, Kimber of America. Started out with model 96s and that was the only thing used through at least March? 1995. I've seen how later they used 98s and as others have said 3X? (36 or 38s) too. I had nothing to do with the decision making but was active at the company at that time, mid '94 - spring '95. Speaking of that era.... I came back to work with K of A working in the woodshop, then in Clackamas, after a couple (few) years since Kimber of Oregon. Anyways, K of A was trying to get going again and working right beside early Warne (scope mounts) and running out of room so they began to set back up in a building in Colton that had been previously used in the height of Kimber of Oregon 1989-1991ish (with the military target 22 contract, 89BGR as well as model 82 and 84 variants). This building had been used as the stock shop, bolts, final assembly (where Dan Cooper worked) and shooting as well as a few other things but none of the tooling remained... I'd worked in the stock shop there. Anyways, as ol' Jack Warne was the more mechanical of the Warnes he was leading the set-up (expansion) of the factory and had me go to work as the 'handyman'. He and I built the work benches, bluing tanks (he TIG? welded them himself), etc and I installed all the components, fixtures, compressors, sand blasting cabinets, mills, grinders, polishers etc out there. A few remnants remain like a roof vent system I put in etc... Anyways Jack was a real good guy IMO to work with. He was on the Leupold Board of Directors for years... We built all we could from scratch as cheap as possible like using water heater elements, specially suited for hard water areas, in the bluing tanks and I wired way more than we ought have but did at least get an electrician to tap into the 480. He called the pasture a paddock, I had no idea what he was talking about. Another time I asked if the power was out on a lighting circuit and he said not to worry, it was off, but still might feel it tickle me a little. Stuck with me to this day, he said, "in maintenance, don't do anything today you can do tomorrow." At least one of the guys from Kimber of Oregon days is still working at Warne in Tualatin and the guy that canned me from Kimber of America (most rightfully so) is still a manager there. Had been laid off a few times and fired at least once from Kimber of Oregon and always rehired, but with this new guy, it was final so off to college I went, to get smart. I was heading the woodshop by then, finishing and finish sanding, just a few sporters per day as I recall.... The Swede "sporterizing" operation was rather crude and dirty, a lot of work for the guys and gals involved... I couldn't stand the sight of the RamLine black plastic stock after handling all the thousands of nice Claro and French walnut stocks over the years... They were just starting to mess with the 1911s then and Daewoo semi-autos too. When I (we'd) got the place ready to get rolling on the Swedes I was given a whopper of a raise, from $7 to $10 per hour and handed a dandy, albeit reject because of a reverse receiver scroll, Model 82 Classic that was good for .12" ten shot groups in the tunnel (with another at the trigger, not me). Seems that was near Christmas time '94. One more tidbit and I'll shut up. We got those Swedes in by the cargo container full, stacks upon stacks upon stacks and had the opportunity to hand select and buy on payroll deduction at $56! I only got one, an unissued 1906 Carl Gustavstad, but like the 82 Classic and my long hair, it's nothing but a memory... OT

Thanks for the cool info OT

Sporterized my M93 in 1968-69 made a large hole in what little money I made as a young teenager. Despite what others thought and think I've never regretted it. That old 7x57 and IMR 4350 with old NPT 140 gr bullets killed my 1st whitetail, a 3x3 buck. I shot it alot with 139 gr Hornady's teaching me alot about the value of bullets made in Nebraska.A long the way I learn the value of the 1 st shot being the most important one and it was one of the core material items in my life that taught me about working for everything I have.I have many other rifles now and all are better quality of finer work but none as influential on my life as that one.Thanks Hawkins for reminding me of my roots, think I'll dig it out of the gun box and shoot some whitetails does with it in the next few weeks. Magnum Man

Do you mean 38 model? I don't believe the Swede's had a 36. The 38 and 96 use the same action, the 38 being the shorter barrel length of the two.

Guy go by the name of Tom Kivelhan by chance? Sounds exactly like his MO and track record.......

I've read that NORMA uses M96 actions for its pressure guns in 308 Winchester class ammunition manufacture.