SWEDISH MAUSER M96



My Swedish Mauser Model 1896 was made at the Garl Gustafs Stads Gevarsfaktori in 1905 (yes, it's over 100 years old).

I handload my own ammunition for this one and can achieve less than 1.5" groups at 100 yards with iron sights. I use S&B cases, Speer .264" 120 grain Spitz-SP, CCI 200 Large Rifle primers, 38.5 grs. IMR4895 powder, COL 3.0". Here's some data on the rifle.

"The Model 1896 rifle remained the primary Swedish service rifle until 1938, when the Model 38 was adopted. The basic 1896 action soldiered into the 1950's, when it was finally replaced by a self-loader. The m/96 became one of the most desirable surplus rifles. Valued by shooters because it simply shot better, on average, than anything else and by collectors because of its exquisite quality and workmanship. The m/96 is probably the finest of all the early Mausers.

Sweden remained neutral in both the First and Second World Wars ("Neutrality through strength" was one Swedish motto). This means that there were no "wartime production" short cuts taken with Swedish Mausers, unlike the military rifles of almost all major combatants in the great world conflicts. There are no inferior Swedish m/96 rifles. The fit and finish of the m/96 is often superior to that of new commercial rifles costing far more.

The action is typical of early Mauser designs, with two front locking lugs, a 90 degree bolt lift, a full length extractor for controlled feed (this requires that cartridges be fed into the chamber from the magazine), and a fixed ejector. The Model 96 cocks on closing and the bolt handle does not serve as an auxiliary locking lug. The bolt handle protrudes straight out from the right side of the action. The bolt knob is smooth and round and easy to grasp. The one-piece striker (firing pin) protrudes from the rear of the bolt when cocked, and can be lowered by hand if the user has a strong thumb or fingers.

The three-position safety is located at the rear of the bolt, concentric with the striker, and rotates through approximately 180 degrees. Fully counter-clockwise (as seen from the shooter's position) is "fire," fully clockwise is "safe" and locks the bolt closed, and the intermediate straight-up position is "safe" but the bolt can be opened. This allows the magazine to be emptied by operating the bolt with the rifle still on "safe." This intermediate position also allows the bolt to be disassembled when it is removed from the rifle. The bolt release is a machined steel lever located at the left rear of the receiver that is pulled outward to release the bolt.

All parts are carefully machined from steel. All key parts bear matching serial numbers, from the buttplate to the forward barrel band. There is even a steel cleaning rod supplied with the rifle. This protrudes from the front of the front receiver ring, which also incorporates the bayonet lug, and it can be removed for use by unscrewing.

The magazine follower is machined steel. After the last round fired and ejected, the follower locks the bolt open for rapid reloading (this was accomplished by means of stripper clips in military service). The magazine box is made of steel, as is the floorplate. The floorplate itself is not hinged, but is quick detachable for unloading by means of a recessed button at its rear. Use a ballpoint pen or the tip of a bullet to release the magazine floorplate. The roomy trigger guard is also machined from steel.

The trigger is a typical two-stage military type. After the initial slack is taken-up (the first stage), the sear is cleanly released with about 4.75 pounds of pressure (the second stage). This is a heavy rifle (approximately 9 pounds on my bathroom scale), so the 4.75 pound trigger pull is proportionately lighter than it sounds.

Unlike many classic military rifles, and almost all modern military rifles, the m/96 stock was clearly designed with an eye for line as well as function. Its overall appearance is slender and well formed, accentuated by its 29" barrel. It wears a straight-hand wood stock with a tapered 3/4 length forearm, oval in cross section, that is secured by a barrel band at the front. There is also a thin 14" handguard that runs from the front receiver ring about half way to the muzzle, also secured by a barrel band. Steel sling swivels are standard. Various woods were used, but the stock on my m/96 is straight grain walnut of an attractive color. The buttplate is steel.

The m/96 was supplied with a ladder-type open rear sight, mounted on the barrel in front of the action, where open rear sights are usually found. But this example is unusual that there are three stepped positions for ranges of 300, 400, and 500 meters with the ladder folded down (what the Swedish Army probably thought of as the "battle sight" position), and elevation stops for 600 to 2000 meters (!) when the ladder is raised. Windage adjustments were accomplished by sliding the front sight in its dovetail. This was done by Swedish armorers, not regular soldiers.

The m/96 is a very accurate service rifle. This was proven during the early years of the 20th Century, when the various powers held international service rifle matches. The host country provided the rifles and ammunition used in these matches to all of the teams so that all competitors used the host nations service rifle. In the entire history of this series of matches, the best scores across the board were not shot with the U.S. M-1903 Springfield, the British Lee-Enfield, or the vaunted German Model 98 Mauser, but with the Swedish m/96 and the Swiss Schmidt-Rubin rifles. These are the most accurate of the classic bolt action military rifles.

A 9 pound m/96 rifle shooting that factory load develops only about 10.6 ft. lbs. of recoil energy, making range sessions a real pleasure."

Swedish Mauser M96 1905