Slugged my Carl Gustav 6.5 X 55

[Jim]

I slugged the throat and barrel on my Carl Gustav 6.5 X 55 (http://fgsp.wordpress.com/2010/12/17/6-5-x-55-carl-gustav-swedish-mauser/). It's a 1916 with a 23.1" barrel. That's strange because the 96s were made up to '38 as I understand it and they had 29" barrels.
I'm not sure I know what I'm looking at in the first photo, an impression of the throat. The driving band diameters on the boolit go from .259 on the front band to .270 on the rear band. Obviously, it's tapered.
I did determine, however, that the groove diameter is .264 and the land diameter is .255.
I'm in the process of getting a .269 X 140 gr. Loverin design Lyman mold. The 6.5 Lee "Cruise Missile" mold I had was throwing them at .272.
I sure would like to get some feedback from some of the more experienced with these rifles.

[BD]

It sounds like you're in good shape. The diameter of the throat is important, most of mine have worked well with the boolits sized .267. I've had the best luck keeping the velocities under 1,800 fps, using Unique or WC 820. 34 grains or so of WC860 works about the same, but it's plenty dirty.

There's some that can make 'em go fast, and accurate. So far I haven't found a reason to go down that road. I'm more interested in Waksupi's secret method for getting the 6.5 x 55 to shoot around corners. I think it starts with the stock salvaged from an Asperly "Model A".
BD

[Mk42gunner]

Jim,

I haven't started casting for my 6.5 yet, but to shed a little light on your rifle's barrel: After the M38 was adopted a lot of M96's were converted. I would venture to say that after 1938 very few full length barrels were installed.

Robert

[Multigunner]

Jim,

I haven't started casting for my 6.5 yet, but to shed a little light on your rifle's barrel: After the M38 was adopted a lot of M96's were converted. I would venture to say that after 1938 very few full length barrels were installed.

Robert
As vehicle transportation became more common than marching many miles to a battle rifles with shorter barrels suplanted the old style long barreled infantry rifles.
I believe they continued to use long barreled rifles for sniping and as target rifles for many years.

During WW1 some German led companies of native troops were issued the 7mm Short rifles built on 93 or 95 mauser actions. The short rifle proved to be far more handy in the bush. The 174 grain roundose also seemed to work better as a bush bucker than the higher velocity 7.92 with 152 gr spitzer bullet.

[Jim]

Well, I've got a new mold coming, so we'll see what happens.

[Nose Dive]

Jim...interesting. I had my old Swede rebarrelled in 2000..a NEW Swede 29" barrell.. Think I got it from SAMCO at the time..don't remebmer.. But yours peeked my interest...am gonna slug mine just to see what a new one offers as I have not fired it yet. I know 10 years with out a round through it but, it is the truth. I got side tracked into an "MAGNUM FOR ALL" mind set for a while...Now 10 years older and 5 years smarter, I am back to my old Mausers... Still love them and gave all the MAGNUMS to my boys. I bought my Swede in '94 for $100 bucks and 1000 rounds of ammo for $100... I think I have shot about 4 boxes of the ammo.

Anyway...will slug it and post data.

Nose Dive.

Cheap, Fast, Good. Kindly pick two.

[scrapcan]

Jim,

There were a lot of aresenal reworks and they are sometimes referred to as 96/38 as you have labeled your rifle.

Go to Dutchman's website and you will learn more than one can easily diegest on swedish rifles.

http://dutchman.rebooty.com/

I will bet Dutch will be here soon, he lives and breathes swedish rifles.

also you might want to do a pound slug with a filled case. Use as pure of lead as you can find. That will tell you the length of the chamber also.

[Dutchman]

Jim,

I haven't started casting for my 6.5 yet, but to shed a little light on your rifle's barrel: After the M38 was adopted a lot of M96's were converted. I would venture to say that after 1938 very few full length barrels were installed.

The m/96 was used by Landstormen troops up into the 1980s. Landstormen are over age 30 kinda like reserve troops with previous active duty. I want to say 35,000 m/96 were converted to m/38 but I'm not sure that's the right number. Out of 515,000 that's not very many m/38 conversions. Husqvarna built a bunch of purpose-built m/38 as well.

Full 29" barrel were definitely being installed up to the 1980s.

Dutch

[Dutchman]

I slugged the throat and barrel on my Carl Gustav 6.5 X 55 (http://fgsp.wordpress.com/2010/12/17/6-5-x-55-carl-gustav-swedish-mauser/). It's a 1916 with a 23.1" barrel. That's strange because the 96s were made up to '38 as I understand it and they had 29" barrels.
I'm not sure I know what I'm looking at in the first photo, an impression of the throat. The driving band diameters on the boolit go from .259 on the front band to .270 on the rear band. Obviously, it's tapered.
I did determine, however, that the groove diameter is .264 and the land diameter is .255.
I'm in the process of getting a .269 X 140 gr. Loverin design Lyman mold. The 6.5 Lee "Cruise Missile" mold I had was throwing them at .272.
I sure would like to get some feedback from some of the more experienced with these rifles.

Lyman 266673 150 grains. Drops from mold at .266" body .255" nose. I put them through the Lyman 4500 sizer to crimp the gas check and lube with BAC (beeswax, allox, carnuba). 13.2 grains 2400, 5 shots @ 50 yards. This rifle does not have a new barrel. I've owned it since 1969 and just recently shot it for the first time with cast bullets. Btw it shoots this good with j-type, too.

http://images54.fotki.com/v202/photos/4/28344/8945429/020x-vi.jpg

Tasco 6-18x44

http://images54.fotki.com/v1616/photos/4/28344/8945429/DSCF1959p-vi.jpg

I kept trying to seat these out to touch the lands but they never did.

http://images28.fotki.com/v988/photos/2/28344/1676633/DSCF2109cb-vi.jpg

http://images53.fotki.com/v52/photos/2/28344/1676633/DSCF2107cb-vi.jpg

Safe to say I love 266673. [smilie=s:

http://images27.fotki.com/v989/photos/2/28344/1676633/DSCF2117cb-vi.jpg

[Dutchman]

My range rifle now is this 1905 Carl Gustaf m/96 with a like-new barrel that gauges .255" land diameter at the muzzle. It shoots real good.

http://images56.fotki.com/v1602/photos/2/28344/6806565/DSCF1784k-vi.jpg

1916 Gustaf m/96 with elm stock.
http://images53.fotki.com/v426/photos/2/28344/6806565/DSCF0867bd-vi.jpg

1900 Oberndorf FrankenSwede (built from parts)
http://images41.fotki.com/v195/photos/2/28344/6806565/DSCF1354yy-vi.jpg

1903 Gustaf m/96 with a really worn barrel.
http://images47.fotki.com/v1397/photos/2/28344/6806565/DSCF1381yy-vi.jpg

A very high end 1905 Carl Gustaf m/96.
http://images39.fotki.com/v1228/photos/2/28344/157842/rifle2-vi.jpg

".....he lives and breathes swedish rifles."

[smilie=s:

[Jim]

Thanks, Dutch! Nice info and nice pics!
I'm learnin'.

[seanhagerty]

rebarreling my swede? I like it!!

Although, I did shoot this at 100yds with Sierra 140 Gamekings....

http://www.fotolode.com/images/sabersix315/p1020181.jpg

Maybe I'll wait a while before rebarreling.

[Mk42gunner]

The m/96 was used by Landstormen troops up into the 1980s. Landstormen are over age 30 kinda like reserve troops with previous active duty. I want to say 35,000 m/96 were converted to m/38 but I'm not sure that's the right number. Out of 515,000 that's not very many m/38 conversions. Husqvarna built a bunch of purpose-built m/38 as well.

Full 29" barrel were definitely being installed up to the 1980s.

Dutch

Dutch, Like I said it was a guess. Both of the Model 38's I have had were converted, one was dated 1900 the other 1907.

I will be the first to admit that I don't know everything about these well made rifles, but every Swedish Mauser (either 96 or 38) that I can remember looking at had a very shootable barrel.

Robert