Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Anyone collect/hunt/shoot the M96 6.5x55 swede?

Guys, I'm a rifle loony. What the heck is the draw to the m96 sweedish mauser? Something is telling me I need one and I don't know why. Can any of you shed some light on the subject. IE: Hunting stories, accuracy (factory irons or scope). I'd like to know more about them. Pics are always welcome. Thanks..

Swede Mausers are my favorite rifles. I killed my first deer with one that my uncle let me use and have been hooked on them ever since. The fit and finish on them is probably the best out of all the military Mauser rifles. If you are not really in to the mil-surp rifles and are coming from a hunting rifle background, then a nice M96 is a good place to start, since it will more than likely exhibit a level of accuracy similar to what a modern rifle will produce. The Swedes were meticulous in maintaining their rifles and most specimens are in very good condition. They even have a disc in the stock that shows bore condition (among other things) on a numerical scale. Most will shoot 2" or less with iron sights. I've seen one do a whole lot better than that with the original surplus ammunition.

So to sum it all up, the Swedish Mauser is probably the most accurate, well- made, and finely finished military bolt action rifle that there is. Even better than the Swiss K31. But if you are looking for a modern hunting rifle, you will probably be disappointed.

What he said. Sierra 140 gr BTSP is a deer killing machine. I can look thru the scope and pull the trigger and watch the deer take the bullet. UNREAL !!

The Swede can be made into a nice lean machine. My Swede based 7x57. Yes, I too am a loony...

If you get one, that question will answer itself....

Then you'll know why...

I've switched over to 140 grain bullets, since 160 grain RNs aren't as available anymore...

But since I use it with open sights, I use it an open sight load... 30 grains of Rl 7 behind a 160 gr RN or a 140 grain bullet...

simple 30/30 speed load with less recoil than a 30/30... and flatter shooting... an easily 200 yd performer...

anyone interested in a M38 swede in excellent plus condition shoot me a pm. been kicking around letting it move on.

EdM: that is nice!

This is a group fired at 100 yards from a bone stock 1915 Swede 6.5x55 with the issue open sights. Aiming point was a standard NRA 25 yard slow fire pistol target stapled below this paper. The Swedish sights are set to a minimum of 300 meters with their military ammo so with the issue sights it shot some 11 to 14 inches above POA at 100. I have since replaced the stock 0 sight with a +2 taller front and then adjusted POI back in with cards shimmed under the rear sight.

It's a 10 round group, I flubbed two of them from not being used to the very new to me two stage trigger, but those other 8 rounds went into .930". I have had a bunch of modern scoped factory rifles that won't shoot like this - maybe for three or five shots, but not for 10. Load is a Hornady 120 A-MAX and 40.0 IMR4895 in non-prepped Prvi (Serbian) cases. MV is around 2800 fps IIRC, not nearly what it can do with this bullet but I have no desire to push it.

Those Swedish Mausers are absolute jewels of old world craftmanship.

I had an M38 Husqvarna for a few years and distinctly remember my pre-teen son pounding a 6" spinner at 200 yards repeatedly, in front of a couple of 30ish fellows who were impressed by "that kid". One thing, I remember just the barreled action with triggerguard weighing 7lbs, so they are no lightweight. Given that, I'd grab another one!

Probably the most accurate military rifle made in that vintage.

I paid $69 for mine years ago and it was virtually new. Not a scratch on the rails or bolt. Doubt it ever had around in it.

I cut and crowned the barrel at the 1st step, put in a Timney trigger, Bhueler Safety and Laforge cocking conversion. Set it in a Richards stock and fitted it with a Leupold 6x scope. My go to pronghorn gun. You think 14o gr Sierras are accurate, try some 130 gr Accubonds with H4831 at about 2800fps. Those longer bullets match that twist rate a lot better.

I've had four, two 38s & two 96's. They won't do anything I don't believe my Model 70 30-06 can't do a little better but I just got a 96 Swede for all the reasons already stated here. IMO it's as much what they are as what they can do.

+2 on that rifle EdM.

I have several Swedish Mausers, but the only 1896 has been reconfigured as a target rifle via an add-on pistol grip, a Receiver sight, and a globe front sight.

I've also put together several rifles built on Swedish Mauser actions for a Norwegian bachelor farmer friend who is nuts for anything Norwegian or Swedish that has either a barrel or a blade.

Many years ago I bought this sporterized Swede for next to nothing off GB. I was very surprised when I got it how well the smith had cut it down. There were no add ons at the time I bought it, only a modified military rifle with all matching SNs. I have since added the side swing safety. BTW, it shoots itty bitty groups�..

I second that. It's a beauty!!

Thanks for the help guys.

my first CF rifle was a butchered Oberndorf M94. that was my only rifle for a lot of years. i'd dearly love a pristine Obie M94 but they are very hard to come by. I did find this M94/14 a few years back though.

I think the M94s are the best looking military rifle ever made

bsa1917hunter;
Our experience with 96 Swedes is based mostly on a single rifle that I picked up as a project rifle to make for my late father although I've played with a couple others over the years as well.

Dad had wanted to get back into hunting after moving here to BC, but his doctor advised him to find something with light recoil after he had a pace maker installed.

If memory serves I picked up a 1903 vintage 96 for somewhere around $60 landed here from Century Arms in Montreal and that included a $5 premium for "extra clean".

As they were just considered surplus rifles then, I didn't think twice about modifying it for him and though collectors might wince, it's been a pivotal piece of many family hunts.

I trimmed the barrel back to 20", epoxy bedded the barreled action into the stock, reshaped the stock a bit, checkered it and made up a new fore end cap for it. Initially I kept the trigger stock - with a lighter spring - and put a MkII safety on it as well as had a different bolt handle MIG welded on at a local shop.

Here's my late father on the day I gave it to him.


We hunted together for over 10 seasons with the Swede and used it on several local mulie and whitetail bucks over those years before his health gave out. One day he gave me the rifle saying it was his wish that one of the grandchildren might make some use of it.

As it turned out, our eldest daughter claimed it as hers when she started hunting.

When she was younger she struggled a bit with the cock on closing feature, so I picked up a Dayton Traister cock on open kit including their trigger and put it in.

She killed her first deer with it using 120gr Nosler Solid base bullets and from then on we ended up using 130gr TSX bullets.

With the Swede she's killed 7 whitetail and mulie bucks with one shot apiece - some of them a long walk from where she shot from.

First buck - seconds after her sister's first buck - my avatar photo and best day afield ever.


Farthest


It's plenty accurate too - she's pointing to the entry hole and yes that's exactly where she was aiming.


First whitetail buck


Biggest mulie so far.


Last season's mulie
[img:center]http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x83/BC30cal/Amy1424.jpg[/img]

Anyway bsa1917, that's about all we know about the Swede at our house. It doesn't kick all that much, does way, way more tissue damage than we'd expected and we've yet to catch a 130gr TSX.

Hopefully that was some use to you or someone else out there planning on playing with a 96.

Regards,
Dwayne

This one was a gift from my brother. It is in very good condition and shoots about 2 minutes or maybe a tad tighter at 100 for 5 shots with irons. Most of the Swede's are shooters. With the 29 inch barrel and lots of wood, she carries pretty heavy thought.

Thanks for all the help, pictures and stories. I looked at the rifle again today and it's an all # matching rifle (Carl Gustaf dated 1900). The disc says the bore is a "0" and it sure looks that way. It looks a lot like the shootist' rifle and has the dial type rear sight and the yellow sticker on the stock (like Toads). The owner says he'd take $350.00 for it. Seems like a good deal. What do you guys think?

If I was looking for one to shoot and not mess with, $350.00 appears to be a fair deal for a M96 with an dial adjustable rear sight. Don't think you will lose any money.



Sold off my all matching M96 CG collectables for 350.00-400.00 several years ago. Probably can buy them all back for about the same money if I shop smartly.

Only 6.5x55 left is a favorite. It is a M38 Husqvarna (top in pic) that I messed with when Sweeds could be bought out of a old wooden barrel in just about any LGS for 98 bucks. It is a 125.00 truck gun but it would take considerably more for it to change it's address.