Swedish M96 Long Rifle came home today

[bruce drake]

All Matching Carl Gustaf M96 made in 1906 came home with me today. I went into my Local Gun Shop to look at the perennial rack queen 8x57 Hakim that he has with full intentions to buy it today. But then I saw this rifle sitting on the rack.

As I left the shop, I told the owner to keep the Hakim on the shelf but the next time I come in, don't let me look at anything else in the place!

[prsman23]

Love these rifles. Have two. Great shooters. Took my ljungman out for the first time a few weeks ago. Really liking it!! You should get the hakim as well!

[bruce drake]

Took me a while to save the money up for the Hakim and then I used it for the Swede.

[Char-Gar]

Back in the mid-80s, these things were pouring into this country at $75.00 to $85.00 a pop. I bought two and still have one.

[ColdBlueSteel]

Absolutely love these rifles. I did a Bubba job on my first one. It turned out nice, but I value the one I kept original much more.

[bruce drake]

Yes, this one was significantly higher in price than $75.

[Char-Gar]

Yes, this one was significantly higher in price than $75.

Yes, I would suppose so. One good thing about being a geezer is you get to buy guns "back in the day" where they were cheap. You can have the consolation that twenty years from now, what you paid will seem dirt cheap.

In the late 80's and early 90's we all have these and on the old Shooters.com board we did allot of cast bullet work with these rifles. The fast rifling twist can prove to be quite a challenge. We considered getting one to shoot cast well was the post-graduate level of cast bullet shooting. Some of that old data and information my still be on castpics.net.

These rifles are some of the most accurate military rifles around. I still have a good supply of Norma 160 grain factory ammo and mine will do MOA with this stuff. Cast bullets can do well, but proper fit is an absolute necessary and much about 1,600 fps accuracy gets very difficult, if not impossible, to find.

From time to time, some yea-hoo shows up on this board claiming he is getting great 2,200 fps accuracy cast bullet accuracy out of his Swede. Frankly, I don't believe such reports, no matter how much they claim it is true. There is lots of wishful thinking and BS published here from time to time.

You have a fine rifle, and much better than a Hakim, at least in my opinion. If you get that Hakim be very careful as a "Hakim thumb" is much worse than a "Garand thumb", almost an amputation. You absolutely, 100% do not want to have that bolt slam shut with your thumb in the way. I have had a Garand thumb and that was plenty bad.

[TenTea]

When the Swedish rifles were available cheaply and in quantity, so was the Swedish surplus ammo in the green battle packs.

The ammo seemed to be hotter than other commercial fodder on the market, but was supremely accurate on target, with great groups possible at 200 yards and beyond.

We always thought their bayonets were real nice too.

162671

162672

[Adam Helmer]

Very good find, a real Keeper! I have several M1896s, M-38s and a 96/38 and shoot all of them. I have a pair of Hakims as well and both Hakims and Swedes take the same bayonet.

Adam

[aspangler]

I have a 1913 Chales Gust. that will shout MOA with cast. I use the Lyman 140 gr gc'ed over 16 gr of 2400. Approx. 1550-1600 fps. Haven't chrono'ed it yet but that should be a close estimate. Mine shoots the PPU factory 139 gr. stuff to MOA but the sights have to be set lower than for the cast loads. Enjoy that Swede. Looks like a good one.

[bruce drake]

6.5 Grendel, 260 Rem, 6.5x50, 6.5 Creedmoor and now 6.5x55...I'm starting to develop an affinity for this caliber of bullet...

I've got a 140gr and 100gr bullet mold to experiment with. I just need the time on the calendar to get to the range again. I bought 2 boxes (40 count) of the S&B 130gr jacketed cartridges to have the new brass for when I can get to the range to test fire it.

Bruce

[leebuilder]

Nice rifle. I have several too. They don't like cast but I am still trying.
They shoot j-thingys very well.
Be well

[jhaston]

Those are nice rifles, I have one I picked up at a garage sale 6 or 7 years ago for $95, shoots great with almost no recoil, I also have a 6.5 Carcano & two 6.5 Japs so I guess I'm a 6.5 fan too.

[Spector]

I told my buddies grandson that I am going to let him take his pick from some rifles I have. I have 3 remain Swede 96's and 2 remaining K'31's if his mom and dad ok it. My buddy told me his daughter and ex-son-in-law gave it their blessing and that the boy will be taking one of the Swedes. I laughed and said he has his choice of K'31's also and my buddy grinned and said ''no, he'll take a Swede''. I'm going to throw in 100 new Lapua 6.5x55 cases..............Mike

[Kevinakaq]

Congrats. I picked one up a year ago and have yet to shoot it. I did have a m96-38 for a while a few years back but it couldn't quench my thirst for long barreled M96. I remember eyeing them at 'Roses' in Sommerset, KY with my father back in the early nineties and always regretted not picking one up for 99.00. Instead I bought an Lee Enfield for 59.00 with my hard earned tobacco cutting money. They also had M1 carbines for 229.00 (hits head against wall).

A great purchase of a classic rifle. Well done!

[leadman]

I picked up a 96 made in 1900 at a lgs for $300 a couple of months ago. Stock and part of the metal had been sanded but all that has been taken care of.
Tried some S&B jacketed in it but I have problems seeing the sights now. Bought a Sun Optics Scout scope mount for it but it is not very solid. May have to get an S&K for it.
I do have several 6.5mm molds so have to get busy loading these also.

[tward]

Great looking rifle, I sold my all matching swede but sporterized a part gun with a new barrel. I noticed the stock disc is unmarked on your rifle any reason for this? I've only seen them marked. Tim

[bruce drake]

I have no idea why the stock disk isn't marked. the bore and crown are almost perfect.

[Kevinakaq]

I have no idea why the stock disk isn't marked. the bore and crown are almost perfect.

I believe this is a replacement disc since it is unmarked. Someone with more experience please chime in.

[Dutchman]

Nice piece of French walnut ya got there, Citizen Bruce.

I sold a bag full of new unmarked discs for $20 each circa 1999. Not unusual to see a rifle
with a new unmarked disc. You can't take it to mean much in 2016.

I'll be curious to see what kind of shooting you can do with the 100 gr cast. The best boolit
I've shot is Lyman 266673. Lyman 266469 is ok but I haven't matched what 266673 has
done as yet, though I do have a vintage like-new Ideal 266469 that drops at .268" but I've
not shot any yet. They might do better than .266".

Some Swedish porn for you... this first one from 1903 musketry school:

http://media.fotki.com/1_p,swbgfkqdbtftsggxwfqbfsgtwfb,vi/srbftbdkrxsdttwtgsf/2/28344/5902270/l_19031_tif8215542206258649814-vi.jpg

1902:

http://media.fotki.com/1_p,swbgfkqtstsgdgwxwfqbfsgtwfb,vi/stkgrdksfxbqsrggswk/2/28344/5902270/l_19027_tif2723849057089408466-vi.jpg

1909:
http://media.fotki.com/1_p,swbgfkwrrskbbgsxwfqbfsgtwfb,vi/rsrwsbtwsxbsdffqgqs/2/28344/5902270/l_19095_tif7488637813406940944-vi.jpg

[Dutchman]

Might as well show some more....

http://media.fotki.com/1_p,sfbtwgrbtwkbgdsxwfqbfsgtwfb,vi/wdswbtdsfxrfdwdrsgb/4/28344/9597910/007x-vi.jpg

http://media.fotki.com/1_p,sfbtwgttqgdfgrsxwfqbfsgtwfb,vi/ttsrkfrwkxwttsttqfs/4/28344/9597910/003x-vi.jpg

http://media.fotki.com/1_p,sfbtwgtdddswkgrxwfqbfsgtwfb,vi/twfsfrrgbxwstbrdkqb/4/28344/9597910/004x-vi.jpg

http://media.fotki.com/1_p,sfbtwgtksswsgqsxwfqbfsgtwfb,vi/sddddqdqtxbstdstbstxrqkrftsgq/4/28344/9597910/005xa-vi.jpg

[Dutchman]

http://media.fotki.com/1_p,rsqttkwsftdwstrxwfqbfsgtwfb,vi/tqfqtwrdqxktqtggsb/4/28344/9597910/photo1-vi.jpg

[gandydancer]

Back in the mid 80's I picked up my 1st Swede a 96 for $85.00 bucks & fell in love with the caliber & the rifles and have owned many over the years just about all the models except the semi auto and a ton of surplus ammo battle packs & 170 round cardboard box's. sold just about all the battle packs last year kept one. still have a bunch of the 170 rds in the cardboard Box's. and the only swede I have left is a custom international stocked model 94 carbine made sometime in the early 1950's that's a real sweet heart. GD

"note" the 94 carbine was not made in the 1950's The rework was done in the 1950's. the rifle was made much earlier then that.

[7br]

Hey Bruce, what happened to the 7mm heretic?

[bruce drake]

I like that Citizen Bruce title! My rifle could have been in the 1909 photo! And the artwork is wonderful. I'm not sure I'd scrub out a rifle wearing a white shirt though...

The 7mm Heretic is still making M1 Garand owners nash their teeth at the rifle range...for one its in 7x57 and not .30 caliber and two its in a Pistol Grip stock as well ;)

But considering this Swede is now my fifth 6.5mm caliber (6.5Grendel, 6.5x50, 260 Remington, 6.5 Creedmoor and 6.5x55) that I shoot...I've got more 6.5 caliber rifles as I do .30 caliber rifles.

Bruce

[MikeInOr]

I love my Sweeds... including my AG42 Ljungman! My Hakim.. ehh.. it isn't near the riffle its older brother the Ljungman is. Something about the Sweedish steel seems superior.

[Andy]

Nice looking rifle, I am currently testing mine with subsonic loads and having good success so far. It has been very fun and is easy on the brass/wallet. Might be a fun way to get familiar with the rifle. I like the grain of the wood on yours.

[Friar_Tuck]

The Ljungman is a work of art!
Of course, so are the M96s!

[richhodg66]

[QUOTE=Kevinakaq;3567843]Congrats. I picked one up a year ago and have yet to shoot it. I did have a m96-38 for a while a few years back but it couldn't quench my thirst for long barreled M96. I remember eyeing them at 'Roses' in Sommerset, KY with my father back in the early nineties and always regretted not picking one up for 99.00. Instead I bought an Lee Enfield for 59.00 with my hard earned tobacco cutting money. They also had M1 carbines for 229.00 (hits head against wall).

We had a Roses store in my old hometown. They were common in the deep south. ABout 1991 or 92, I bought one of those SMLEs for %59.95, wish I'd bought several. I still have it and it's a decent shooter with cast.

I wonder if they still sell guns. When I was working TDY in Virginia a few years ago they still had the stores, I didn't get to check them out to see.

[Patrick56]

I believe this is a replacement disc since it is unmarked. Someone with more experience please chime in.
The stock disc is new or turned backside out. The original stock disc should contain data about the condition of the bore and diameter. It tells also what ammo it is zeroed with.

[NuJudge]

I have two of them that shoot the first three shots in a nice tight group, then later shots go out the bottom. There is some problem with bedding. If someone else has found a cure for the same problem, I would appreciate hearing what the cure is.

[pill bug]

Wow, I remember them well, in the mid-80's, rack upon rack of them at the gunshows and shops. Any date, stock wood, serial number, unique feature, threaded or unthreaded barrel, matched or unmatched, beat up or perfect. All the same price, $69.95!!

[flounderman]

I bought one once for 40.00 at a gun show. Could have had a cheap synthetic stock with it. They said it shot the first one, may the first 2 or 3, I don't remember. They said it wouldn't shoot after the first few anyway. I don't remember the things I did to it, but I let a friend buy it and it had a scope and synthetic stock and I hadn't noticed any problems, I shot handloads. I figured if it quit shooting after a shot or two, the barrel warmed up and expanded. I would look at the crown as that seems to be the problem with military rifles. Some of them were counterbored to cure a worn crown. Cutting an inch off, or 3 or 4 inches works wonders sometimes.

[Kevinakaq]

We had a Roses store in my old hometown. They were common in the deep south. ABout 1991 or 92, I bought one of those SMLEs for %59.95, wish I'd bought several. I still have it and it's a decent shooter with cast.

I wonder if they still sell guns. When I was working TDY in Virginia a few years ago they still had the stores, I didn't get to check them out to see.

They don't sell them anymore. Last time I was in KY visiting father I called and asked...not for some time apparently.

Still have mine as well, unfortunatly I sporterized it all those years ago. Still hunt with it though and it has taken quite a few deer over the years.

[leebuilder]

I have two of them that shoot the first three shots in a nice tight group, then later shots go out the bottom. There is some problem with bedding. If someone else has found a cure for the same problem, I would appreciate hearing what the cure is.
I think they all do that, maybe most of them. I have a M38 I cut down for a hunting rifle and it is bedded and barrel relieved and crowned. Same thing rip 5 rounds out of it as fast as I can the first three will all touch the next two are a crumb low and to the right, still outstanding accuracy for a hunting rifle. Swedes are the best milsurp shooter right off the rack
Be well