The Beautiful Swedes

No, not Princess Madeleine, although she is quite the visually appealing girl.  We’re speaking of guns here.   It has become obvious to me that the more expensive the gun the less shootable it is.  At least in my case.  I have a couple of rifles which, if I had spent the money on other things, would have purchased a couple of fine new motorcycles.  Given that perhaps 5 or 6 were made, total, over 100 years ago ammunition is “non-existent.”  I’m aware of exactly one cartridge for those still around - sectioned in the Frankford Arsenal collection. 

Sweden was blessed with peace, good iron, and quality workmanship.  When the world’s armies moved from the “Rolling Block era” to the “Mauser era” the Swedes followed along.  They adopted a Mauser but in the very pleasant 6.5mm caliber.

The Swedish model 1896 Mausers were made initially in Germany, using Swedish steel, but production of later ones was in Sweden.  Workmanship was first rate and rivals any rifles made anywhere.  In fact I strongly prefer these rifles over the M-1903 Springfields on across the board.  About the only “knock” on the 1896 Swedish Mausers were the length.  For shooting I consider that a plus.  For $200 the above Mauser made it’s way to my ownership some years ago. 

At some point the Mausers were inspected and bore condition was noted (the disk).  The adoption of spitzer rounds resulted in the original sights not being accurate so a yellow sticker with “hold over” values was affixed to the rifles; most are missing that now.  It’s in Swedish, I decoded it once upon a time, and is in Swedish measurements.  So Bjorks per bump instead of the usual Hogsheads per Hectare.  I don’t worry a lot about that as I’ve sighted it in at 200 yards and just mentally compensate for other distances.

The bolt is straight handled and that was likely a bummer in the jungle but the Swedes are somewhat lacking in jungle terrain so perhaps no matter.  The quality is astonishing.

The Swedes did notice that shorter rifles were in vogue so numbers of the ‘96 edition were shortened to the ‘96/38 format.  Those are easily identified by the receiver markings but the straight bolt is also a good identification point.  New rifles were also made and those were given bent bolts as made.  The top rifle is the ‘96 altered to ‘38 format whereas the lower was made that way.

After the rifles left service numbers were used in “shooting clubs” in Sweden and target sights were developed and installed.  The top rifle has one of those designs.  It’s complicated and probably still in Bjorks per bump or somesuch.  I don’t worry about it much as I don’t shoot these two very often as I prefer the longer ‘96.

Cartridges can still be found in the surplus market and, nicely, the Swedes never used corrosive primers that I’m aware of.  It’ll be a gloom day indeed when the ammunition dries up as these are very inexpensive rifles yet perhaps the nicest shooting guns there are.  At least in my opinion and, given the numbers of various guns I own and have shot, perhaps I have something of an educated opinion in that regard.