Falun converted Swedish Mauser.

[Pukka Bundook]

Morning all,
Just a pic or 2 of my old hunting rifle.
6.5 x 55 Swedish M 96 Carl Gustaf rifle, converted at the Falun factory in Sweden.
Likely converted between the Wars.
Apparently, you could send your old military rifle to falun, and for certain fixed prices, they would convert it into a sporting rifle.
This one has had the original stock altered and a pistol grip spliced in, with Pre-War Mauser type stock architecture.
Safety and bolt handle altered for scope use, etc.
It shoots like a champ!
It likes any bullet weight except the little 85 grain Sierras, as they sometimes turn to mist in flight!
Favourite is the Hornady 140 ELD if I got that name right!...

, or Sierra 140 gr BT, or the Speer 120 gr. It also shoots like a lazer with Norma bullets either soft or solids in 140 gr.

Last two pics show spliced in pistol grip, and two shots at 200 yds when sighting in with 120 grain Speers.

Best,
Rich,

 

[tac]

Class act, Sir!

 

[The Robin]

Superb

 

[Beaver]

Very nice

 

[Flip]

That's lovely

 

[terry1001]

That's a very good job indeed especially when you see what the majority of conversions look like. Some years ago I bought and sold many military 1896 Mauser rifles and also used to buy the military surplus ammo, much of which was old. Every one shot well and I think they may well be the best of the military rifles of that era and I'm surprised that the calibre isn't even more popular than it is. I'm sure you'll get a lot of enjoyment from it.

 

[tac]

That's a very good job indeed especially when you see what the majority of conversions look like. Some years ago I bought and sold many military 1896 Mauser rifles and also used to buy the military surplus ammo, much of which was old. Every one shot well and I think they may well be the best of the military rifles of that era and I'm surprised that the calibre isn't even more popular than it is. I'm sure you'll get a lot of enjoyment from it.

Here's my 1898 m/96 CG, arsenalled at Goteborg in 1938 and then put away and forgotten. The rear sight is a 1930's aftermarket item from Germany, marked 'Wehrmann' - a popular home improvement for any Mauser that simply goes on to the top of a takedown latch. See pic -

It sure as heck DO shoot! Two groups of five @100m, home loads, o'course.....,

 

[Pukka Bundook]

Yes, more or less any M 96 or 96/38 seems to shoot better than most of us can hold, Tac!

I have both, and just gave a very nice M96 C-G made in 1899, to my daughter for her Birthday.
My own is a 1900 Oberndorf, but shoots as well as the others.
I've hunted moose with these open sighted rifles and they are all you need.

I too think they are the best made rifles of the era, and doubt you can get better these days anywhere apart from possibly a top end custom shop.
Calibre wise they are plainly one of the very best!
We shoot (as some of you already know) our version of the Simo Hayha sniper course with various Finn models of the Mosin Nagant, but this year, we may shoot it with the M 96 Swede, as a good few thousand were issued to Finnish troops in the Winter War.

(open sights and ranges from 175 metres for an 8" balloon, to 500 plus metres on a Finnish Civil Guard target, (50 Cm both ways)
3 shots allowed per target, and scored 3, 2 or 1, (or 0!) LOL)

All best,
Rich.

 

[rkr]

My grandpa wasn't too keen on Swedish Mausers. He said the bolt handles tended to snap off in -40C weather during winter war - they were machined too thin. I'm not exactly sure if he used one in Summa or if it was just hearsay.

 

[Pukka Bundook]

This is the first I have heard abouf that, RkR, but worth asking around!
Mine never fell off at 40 below, but I dont shoot when that cold any more!
It Is a longer bolt handle than the Mosin Nagant, but would say about the same thickness where it joins the bolt body.

All the best!
R.

 

[rkr]

This is the first I have heard abouf that, RkR, but worth asking around!
Mine never fell off at 40 below, but I dont shoot when that cold any more!
It Is a longer bolt handle than the Mosin Nagant, but would say about the same thickness where it joins the bolt body.

All the best!
R.

My guess would be stiff action due to storage grease and perhaps issues in heat treatment of the bolt, what my grandpa told me years ago was about the actual knob of the bolt snapping off. I was once handed a chinese made AK47 copy straight from armory and we went shooting it at -35C, it worked for 2 shots and then jammed as the storage grease froze. Anyway, the story about Swedish Mausers was at least a story circulating among troops - likely based on one or more true incidents. Grandpa brought home a Bayonet that was German WW1 surplus (Ersatz bayonet), do you have any ideas if that one would fit a Swedish Mauser?

Those stories circulating among troops actually had quite an impact, Italian Terni rifles had really bad reputation even if they worked OK and troops typically just threw them away when they got their hands on captured Mosin Nagants.

 

[Pukka Bundook]

RKR,

Re bolts, I will ask on a Swedish Military forum I am a member of, but find it hard to believe at face value.
I say this , because Sweden was always extremely careful on heat treatment, and many of the older M 96 actions inc. bolts, have been re-barreled five or six times and are still thoroughly in spec.
I will get back to you with whatever I find, and thank you for bringing this to light!

All the best,
Richard.

 

[tac]

'it worked for 2 shots and then jammed as the storage grease froze.' I was taught to remove all the storage grease and replace it with the contents of an ordinary pencil sharpener 'peelings' holder - mostly carbon/graphite. Because most pencils are made from cedar wood it also smells good.

'Se toimi 2 laukausta ja juuttui sitten, kun säilytysrasva jäätyi.' Minut opetettiin poistamaan kaikki säilytysrasva ja korvaamaan se tavallisen lyijykynänteroittimen 'kuorimien' sisällöllä - enimmäkseen hiili/grafiitti. Koska useimmat kynät on valmistettu setripuusta, ne myös tuoksuvat hyvältä.

 

[Pukka Bundook]

Tac,
Over here its the same.
Keep parts free of grease in winter, and even oil in Cold weather.
Graphite powder is ok of course.
Cosmoline will go solid on its own , never mind in extreme cold!

 

[rkr]

'it worked for 2 shots and then jammed as the storage grease froze.' I was taught to remove all the storage grease and replace it with the contents of an ordinary pencil sharpener 'peelings' holder - mostly carbon/graphite. Because most pencils are made from cedar wood it also smells good.

Yes, remove the grease and use oil very lightly or not at all. I recall stories about butter being used sparingly when gun oil was not available. In case of those Swedish Mausers it is likely that they were not degreased as distributed, rather cold weather maintenance was up to individual soldier who probably didn't have the needed equipment. In the case I was referring to we were just handed guns from armory and off to range we went, at least third of the guns in our recon company jammed there - chinese guns straight out of box.

 

[Pukka Bundook]

They would jam without being stripped of the packing grease, RKR.
Its not even safe to fire them like that, as often the bores are also coated. Or even full.
Best,
R.

 

[rkr]

They would jam without being stripped of the packing grease, RKR.
Its not even safe to fire them like that, as often the bores are also coated. Or even full.
Best,
R.

Well they came with cleaning rods attached so barrel cleaning was done as routine. Wiping off storage grease from all parts was probably not part of the routine and may have been missed in same cases. Anyway, just telling you the story I heard when grandpa was still with us.

Here's some details about the use of Swedish Mausers in Finland: https://www.jaegerplatoon.net/RIFLES6.htm

 

[Pukka Bundook]

Thank you for adding the link RKR,
It was well written!
It doesnt mention it, but M96 rifles used by Finnish Army, often had the Boxed SA ownership stamp applied to the action.
To me, the whole Winter War/ continuation War is a very interesting time in history.
Particularly as we can often learn the history of a specific arm:
If Civil Guard, the name of the guardsman, the rifle condition on inspection over the years. Where the unit was deployed and when, and if the guardsman was killed or wounded in action or the arm transferred.
This type of history is not available from any other country. Most fascinating!

My own M91/24 M-N has Some history recorded, but not as much as some!

Thanks again rkr
Richard.