Hi
Does anyone on here use the above for hunting ? Either standard or sporterised? The reason I ask I enjoyed using the 6.5x55mm as a round and sometimes see them for sale. I've read that they're not the strongest of the Mauser actions but I'm going to hand load and will use the loads listed as per the 93 and 96 recommendations. I enjoy military rifles and like the small ring Mauser action and welcome experience and advice.
See you through the smoke!
Reiver xxv
Not personally, but I have seen one in a dealer taken in for trade or more likely for the owner to get it off his ticket and get a variation or hand his FAC in. No money was given for it, it wasn't put on sale, and with a cheap / poor conversion as this was with a cheap plastic stock and other bits from a kit, you couldn't give it away and that was 15 years ago.
York Guns had a load of cheap and really nasty kits from the USA - I can't remember who made them - for sporterising most common surplus military rifles many, many years back. The results would be simply horrible in most cases.
As a home gunsmithing project by someone with the tools, expertise, and most of all time, a nice sporter can be made from these rifles. Usually though, attempts produce an unattractive, ungainly result that destroys the value of the original rifle which may be significant, and which makes a MUCH poorer sporting rifle than any modern commercial model. When sporterisation was a common American practice in the 50s through 70s, the Swedish M1894 cavalry carbine was a popular donor model for its short barrel and turned down bolt handle.
One bonus of such things is the "sporter" that results from such thing has limited appeal 2nd-hand - and can sometimes be a good donor rifle for conversion back to military spec.
The only problem can be when some eejit has also drilled & tapped a receiver for scope bases/rings & bent the bolt handle.
All but kills the collector value of a Swede that has so been misused, but does make for a few more haggling points in getting the rifle for less money.
Great guns & a great round.
The standard 6.5x55 is a very capable performer in the M96 receiver - no need to go to double base powders (which are the type that require stronger actions that the 96) to get a capable 1000m+ range gun
However I am not sure that sporterising one is what you were suggesting in the OP, at least I hope not. [Dromia]
True, I hadn't considered that possibility. None of the commonly available Swedes would appeal to me as a stalking rifle as issued with the possible exception of the m/38 short rifle. Even there, the standard sights would be a huge handicap on many backgrounds and in poorer light.
If using an as-issued historic military rifle for this purpose, I'd always take one with an aperture rearsight first and since the P'14 / M1917 and Ross MkIII are on the heavy / unhandy side that leaves the No.4 and 5 Enfields and 1903A3 Springfield. Certainly, many US magazine articles back in the heady days of cheap and plentiful surplus military rifles recommended the No.5 as a use in the woods without any alterations 'deerhunter'. Today, you'd be knocked down in the rush by collectors trying to persaude you to sell it if they discovered you had one such as your 'cheap and cheerful' or back-up deer rifle and didn't know its true value!
Rest assured Dromia I wouldn't carry out such an act of vandalism, though not as bad as deactivating ! I've seen a Stiga M96 that is in a sporter stock fitted with a brand new military barrel, it is in excellent order throughout and from a very well respected rifle smith. I'm just looking and acquiring the "knowledge" on Swedish Mausers, incidentally I've seen a beautiful BSA made Lee Enfield that was built as a commercial sporter then went to war and rebuilt again ! Decisions decisions, it's such a major pain in the backside with variations especially here in Scotland under the Scottish nazi party !
Thanks for the comments.
Reiver xxv
Had my M96 for a while now, but only cleared for target use. Have used downloaded for the indoor club range and normal strength for Bisley. Also put Norma target rounds through it, all with no ill effect.
Thinking about getting another and scoping it for use on my permission. Beautiful rifles.
reiver xxv wrote:I've seen a Stiga M96 that is in a sporter stock fitted with a brand new military barrel, it is in excellent order throughout and from a very well respected rifle smith.
Pity ya don't have regular trips to Sweden paid for by work...as I have a few sources of new woodwork over there.
IF you could get the sporter at a good price it'd make a great little project to put back into military trim.
Happy to give you access to a few reference books, plus sight of a plain M96 for inspiration....EVERYONE should have an M96
I have had a few Swedes over the years Iv never had much luck shooting them the sights are useless at short ranges. I had one with soderin sights a total pain in the butt. They went the journey. Personally I would not have one given Id rather have a .303 Enfield or P14 any day.
