New to me Swedish Mauser

[Led]

I picked up a 1920 Carl Gustave Swedish Mauser yesterday. Overall very good to maybe excellent condition depending on who's grading it. Bore is mirror bright. It came with 4 boxes of modern factory ammo and a nice hard shell case. Price out the door was $700. I've been wanting one for awhile but never found one that meet the price/condition requirements. I'm heading to the range later today and will take a few pics.

Does anyone have any pet loads for a sweed? I've got 80 rounds of factory ammo which will turn into enough brass to last the rest of my life.

Thanks,
Stephen

[txbirdman]

My truck gun is a Gustave carbine made in 1915. My load for a couple of decades is 39 grains of IMR 4064 and the Hornady 129 gr Interlock ( safe in my rifle may not be safe in yours). I clocked it on my lab radar at 2550 FPS from the 17.7” barrel just this week. It’s accounted for a bunch of white tails and coyotes with that load.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Great rifles! is yours a full length or short rifle? We'll be anticipating seeing your photos!

DG

273821

[Pressman]

1917 Carl Gustav, It's a fine shooter with PPU ammo.

273827

[higgins]

As one might expect, I've done well with 129 and 140 grain bullets. I was surprised how well my M96 shot light 85 grain bullets I had on hand. I used 4895 in below-maximum loads. If your rifle has the original sights it will probably shoot high (may shoot very high) even at 50 and 100 yds. so have enough paper above the target to catch high shots. I'm sure you will end up likeing the Swede. It's a pleasure to shoot and accurate.

[Texas by God]

A taller front sight is a must have item for hunting. My brother did very well on silhouettes with his stock Carl Gustav 29" m96 using IMR 4064 and 139 gr Hornady bullets. I cut my Orbendorf m96 down to 23" and sporterized it. Strangely enough, one of my best loads was a compressed load of H870( obsolete) with the classic Hornady 160 gr round nose. The Swedish Mauser is definitely top shelf. We paid $49.95 plus tax for ours in the 1980s.

Sent from my SM-A716U using Tapatalk

[Bad Ass Wallace]

Be aware that not all brass is to Swedish Specs. Norma CA have case head size 0.476" while most others Remington, Winchester, PMC use their standard brass 0.472" which in full power loads will cause head separation.

[Stewbaby]

As stated above, try to stay with European manufactured cases like PPU or Lapua for correct case head dimensions.

The Swedish Surplus m/41 ammo duplicating load is a 140 bthp with 44.5 gr of R22. It is lights out accurate and at the 2600 FPS of there surplus ammo. 140gr bthp and 38.5 of IMR4350 is a good 200 yd plinking load.

I’m just starting to cast for them and they are definitely finicky with cast given the fast barrel twist.

I’m addicted to them
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https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201224/7468e1721cb69843e3772c271fbd97b2.jpg

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Nice collection, Stewbaby!

DG

[cosmoline one]

I've always gotten great accuracy with 140gr SMK's + Imr 4895(37.5)When I started loading it wasn't considerred hot but now
Hodgdon says its close to max ,.. but then list a higher max with the 142gr bullet(doesn't make sense to me)

BULLET WEIGHT
140 GR. SPR SP
IMR IMR 4895 0.264" 3.030" 34.5 2,364 38,900 CUP 37.8 2,550 45,500 CUP


BULLET WEIGHT
142 GR. SIE HPBT
IMR IMR 4895 0.264" 3.050" 35.0 2,416 40,000 CUP 38.3 2,574 45,700 CUP

[Led]

Typically I forgot to take any photos. I had a friend with me and was playing with the chronograph. Overall, I think I'm in love with my swede. It took two shots to get the hold under for the 100 yard range. Once I had the hold under hitting what ever I wanted was trivial firing from sandbags. I put one box of Winchester and one box of S&B through the rifle. Thanks for the tip on US produced brass being a bit smaller than spec. I'm going to neck size only since this is the only 6.5x55 I have. The rifle is full length and is in original military configuration. It's without a doubt the highest quality military Mauser I've ever owned.

[Stewbaby]

Sight info (if you are about 9” high at 100yds, you probably have a ‘0’ marked front sight blade and probably need a ‘+1.5’)

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[Teddy (punchie)]

Interesting tread. Was trying to explain the brass to a guy he wouldn't listen.

What a fair price for these?

[Led]

Well, I paid $700 for my VG to EXC example in original condition. This came with 80 rounds of commercial ammo. They generally fetch $$$.

Later,
Stephen

[Stewbaby]

...What a fair price for these?

A typical m/96 or a m/38 converted from a m/96 (CG or OB manuf) had been $450 to 550. A typical Husqvarna m/38, 550 to 650. A typical m/94, $1,200, s m/94-14, $900A. A m/41B sniper, $2500 to $3000. Stock wood, unique year, SA marks, unit disc, etc can add value. Now a days, hard to say...it’s a sellers market for sure.

[Teddy (punchie)]

6.5 for sure is a good round. I think I'm going to like to shoot.

[mike4045]

They are ice to shoot, fairly mild for recoil and pretty darned accurate!

[DHDeal]

As stated above, try to stay with European manufactured cases like PPU or Lapua for correct case head dimensions.

The Swedish Surplus m/41 ammo duplicating load is a 140 bthp with 44.5 gr of R22. It is lights out accurate and at the 2600 FPS of there surplus ammo. 140gr bthp and 38.5 of IMR4350 is a good 200 yd plinking load.

I’m just starting to cast for them and they are definitely finicky with cast given the fast barrel twist.

I’m addicted to them
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201224/d1fc2ce9666997c50407813e9b0d82f1.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201224/7468e1721cb69843e3772c271fbd97b2.jpg

The one on the left is a.....well it might be a CG63 might it not? I've wanted one for years and have been so close to getting one too many times. What a rifle!

[Stewbaby]

The one on the left is a.....well it might be a CG63 might it not? I've wanted one for years and have been so close to getting one too many times. What a rifle!

Correct, it’s a CG-63. I’ve not tried cast in it yet but it’s lights out accurate with some 120 smk and R22. SimpsonLTD has some now for some decent prices if you’re wanting one.

[DHDeal]

I try extremely hard not to look at Simpson's! Yeah, I definitely knew what it was and was just joking.

Oh well, if I'm lucky Simpson's website won't load and I won't be able to find the CG's....

[Whole Bunches]

Re: casting for the Swedish

I use Lyman 266469, #2 alloy equivalent hardness, sized .266", 2.96" oal, CCI 200, mixed brass. Interesting (and convenient for me), my M96, 96/38, and 38 all like the same load of 15.5gr 2400. M38=1706fps, M96/38=1675fps, M96=1738fps. When I've tried to exceed 15.5gr 2400, those rifle's groups started opening up. In the 94/14, I had to use 17.0gr 2400 and got 1706fps with nice accuracy. Also with the 94/14 if I tried to go higher in charge weight, the groups opened up. In all rifles I started about 14gr 2400 and increased the charge weight with the rifles half grain at time. When the velocity got around 1700fps the accuracy was the best.

I've not tried other powders, as those velocities and accuracy suit my needs. No visible bore leading, in fact I've never cleaned the bores since starting to shoot cast. I keep the brass segregated for each rifle and use a Lee collet neck sizer. I inside chamfer the case mouth and found no need to bell the case mouth. Yes, a lot of lube grooves are exposed. I used to shoot the Hornady 160gr RN J bullets to approximate the early military loads, but stopped when I discovered casting for the Swedes. PPU brass seems to last and last with my mild reloads; no case failures. Other makes of brass (all previously used with my jacketed reloads) have had neck splits after a while.

~1700fps: Maybe it's the combination of the 2400's pressure, my cast hardness, and twist rate, but I know it works for me.

[WILCO]

Nice collection, Stewbaby!

DG

Truly!

[Stewbaby]

Re: casting for the Swedish

I use Lyman 266469...

Using a 266673 but I’ve been wanting a 266469 (everyone out currently). Thanks for the info.

I’ve seen similar powder weight/velocity/accuracy as you have using 4198 w/ the 266673 (haven’t tried in a m/94 though).

[Stewbaby]

Truly!

Thanks guys. I love the Swedes!

[Led]

Cast loads with 2400 for the Swede's? Now you have my attention. Time to order dies and boolits!

Thanks,
Stephen

[Whole Bunches]

Cast loads with 2400 for the Swede's? Now you have my attention. Time to order dies and boolits!

Thanks,
Stephen

No filler is used either. Cheap shooting.

[Maven]

Cast loads with 2400 for the Swede's? Now you have my attention. Time to order dies and boolits!

Thanks,
Stephen


PM sent re dies and jacketed bullets, Stephen.

[Budzilla 19]

1910 Carl Gustav? Swedish model 96, with 140 grain SMK’s, it will pile them up into a small group at 100 yds! And put down anything I have ever shot with it in one shot! Whitetail deer size, that is.
I love mine. 29” military barrel, free floated, glass bedded,Weatherby style stock, turned down bolt handle, d&t for scope mounts, military trigger, I learned how to shoot it. Just my opinion. Good luck.

[Streetwalker]

I have to second the use of Alliant 2400 in the Swedish Mauser as well. I have a Model 96 and a 96/38 that love 16 gr. of 2400 under either the Lyman 266673 or the 266469. I spark that load with a magnum primer after a lot of test loading comparing the results of standard primers versus magnum primers. I found that the loads with mag. primers consistently grouped better, especially in cold weather. The test groups were mostly 10 shots groups at 100 and 200 yards. Now that primers are so tough to find these days, I guess we have to use whatever we can get our hands on..whatever the brand.

[NorthMoccasin]

The NOE 268-134 (Lovern style) has been super in my M-96/38, M96 and M-96 sporter. Lots of powders seem to work well but I have settled on 16.5 H-4198. 2400, re7 and 5744 work well also in the 1400 to 1700fs range. The short ogive and many lube grooves allow seating out to fill the Swedes long throat. I size to .268 with a NOE push through die, after lubing in a LYMAN .269 H&I die. Some of the lyman bullets BENT after trying to size them in a .268 H&I die!