I've been thinking about buying a gun in 6.5x55 for reloading 140g. plus loads in a stronger action with more case capacity. Earlier this week I found a sporterized Swedish mauser with a clean bore (strong lans and groves), and tight action at a pawn shop. Is it worth the extra cost to buy a new rifle for reloading at higher pressures for this round? I wonder if an old mauser action can take decent pressure for what I intend to do? What would you all suggest the gun is worth if it has been sporterized. The shop is asking $300 which seems a bit high, but if I can talk them down I may have what I need to fill in the gap for heavier 6.5 bullets and longer ranges. Anyone have some advice here? I was thinking about buying a savage action and installing the barrel and stock myself, but this is a piece of history and a lot cheaper than that route.
When discussing legacy era Swedish Mausers, versus modern action 6.5x55, we call the latter the 6.5x55 SE or SKAN. The beauty is, you don't need to exceed pressure limitations of the old Mausers to get excellent results with the x55 Mauser.
There are plenty of very safe loads that will push a 140gr to 2770fps, which is more than plenty. Because of BC and sectional density, even a 2500fps load with a 140gr will do more than you will probably ever need it to.
Can you tell more about the configuration, condition, and optics yes/no of this rifle?
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The thing about sportized mausers is the quality of the work done, you will be hard pressed to find a base for a rifle than a good mauser action there are no bad swedish mauser years with inferior manufacturing like german examples so is just comes down to how well it was sporerized but 300 is not a bad price and since it's a pawn shop offer them $250
Punctuation is for the weak....
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I have an m/1938 Short Rifle that is one of the 55,080 m/1896 long rifles converted by Carl Gustafs Stads Gevärsfaktori in 1938-1940. I was working at a Surplus store in '95 and was able to "cherry pick" from the many we had. The action was originally made in 1916 as a model 96 and when I cleaned the cosmoline from the barrel it appeared to be unfired. I cut/crowned the barrel just behind the front sight, turned the bolt down and glass bedded it into a Ram-Line Syntech Stock, added a B-Square scope base that replaced the original battle sight and mounted a Burris Long Eye Relief 2x7 Scope. This gave me a "scout" style configuration allowing the use of stripper clips and at 2X gives quick target acquisition and at 7X allows for long shots with precision. The attached target shows a typical group with this rifle. This was at 200yds and the load details are printed on the target, the highest round was cold bore. This is not a hot load but has dropped many a pig in their tracks. It has also taken three does ( I only hunt for meat these days) two DRT and the other ran about 50yds. You can't go wrong with a Swedish Mauser.... I am among the many that consider them the best of the Mausers.
Snap up that mauser! Get it drilled and tapped. Put a sporting stock (Boyds) on it and maybe a new timney trigger. Bed it. You will end up with (probably) the best hunting rifle ever made. I have 2 of them. One made before 1900 and the other in 1916. Both shoot <1 inch. Factory ammo is easier to come by then Grendel ammo. Mine love 4350 and 120gr NBTs if you reload. Moose to coyotes, with a sweet spot for dear.
Looks like the top of the receiver behind the rear sight says... 1936 or 19-something-6? The guy showing me the rifle said something about the action being 1916, but who knows the third digit is obscured. I don't see any rust, just staining on the metal where it is in the white. It has a turned down bolt handle. The stock looks modernized, and a very good job with lacquer finish. It has been tapped for a scope, but it looks as if it will need a high scope mount to clear the bolt handle. IT does say Carl Gustafs on the receiver. The reason I didn't pick it up is that I spotted an M1 carbine for $450. I do not want a reproduction m1 since they don't shoot all that great anyways, and Universal is not supposed to swap with G.I. parts. My brother wants me to snap photos of the M1carbine and told me to hold off on the mauser. If this is an original G.I. m1 carbine, then I may pick it up. Otherwise I think that another 6.5 would be a warm welcome to the family. Thanks for your posts guys. One more thing, important or not. The medallion on the stock has a 1 in the smallest portion of the circle. That being said, the bore is shiny, not frosty, and the lans and groovs aren't "new" sharp, but strong. What do you think? Should I look more into the m1carbine, or pick up the Swedish Mauser? Thanks for your advice, I've learned to a lot on this forum!
Depends what you want to do.
As a hunting rifle, the 6.5 Swede is an awesome cartridge and the Swedish Mausers are exceptional rifles. Do as hm2 Clark suggested, you really won't regret it. If heavier game is the quarry, feed it a steady diet of 155gn Lapua Megas, or 160gn Woodleighs.
If you want a PoS plinker go the carbine. I had one back before the 1996 stealback and it was the one rifle I was happy to offload to the government. Completely reliable, totally worthless. Still, I got more from the government for it than it was worth on the open market. Giving up my H&R Garand was a little harder.
The M1 Carbine is more of a plinker in my mind as well. Sure it will kill, but it has very limited value as anything else.
What shop has the Swedish Mauser? Post the info up, and it will be gone.
Both guns are at a pawn shop about 2 miles from where I live. I am not a fan of the m1 carbine (except as a collector of historic arms maybe), but I am a fan of Mauser rifle. I guess that they won't be getting any cheaper "even sporterized versions". I'll post some pictures when I get it. Maybe tomorrow if it is still there. Money is tight, but I can always donate plasma if I need to. 
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bsears10 Wrote:My brother wants me to snap photos of the M1carbine and told me to hold off on the mauser. If this is an original G.I. m1 carbine, then I may pick it up.
What do you think? Should I look more into the m1carbine, or pick up the Swedish Mauser? That really depends upon what you want it for. In years long past, I had a reproduction M1 carbine. Don't recall which brand, except it wasn't a Universal. It was, however, totally reliable, and without a doubt the most enjoyable to shoot long gun I ever fired.
Circumstances caused me to sell it, but I always had a desire lurking in the back of mind to get another one. In late 2011, while looking for an AR15 to Grendelize, I happened upon a WWII G.I. carbine that appeared to be in very good condition, and immediately snapped it up.
Got it! Can't wait to shoot it! Bore looks amazing.[ATTACH=CONFIG]4096[/ATTACH]
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That looks like one of the Shorter M38 variants. I think you will be pleased.
It has been drilled for scope mounts, so I am going to look for appropriate rings and decide on a scope. I wonder if the accuracy would warrant a high powered scope with hand loads though? The cartridge is excellent and the gun itself seems to be in excellent shape as well.
96 mausers are high quality rifles. The vast majority shoot under 1 inch. You will need a good scope to get that kid of accuracy out of it. One of our goals with the Grendel has always been to get as close as we can to the 6.5x55 mauser performance in an AR platform. If accurate, consider getting a cock on opening conversion to the Swede.
Unfortunately I don't have a lot of money right now for a good scope, but I do intend on getting some reloading dies, and I'm considering necksizing dies/ unless that would cause a problem with feeding from the magazine. Back to the idea of a scope. When I scoped my Mosin Nagant with a scout scope and handloaded for it I was able to dramatically shrink the groups. If not for the lousy trigger I think I could do even better. Since the Mauser rifle is tapped for a scope I should be able to get a non- long eye relief scope and hopefully mount it just shy of clearing the bolt handle. Next If I could find an affordable cheek riser that works without modifying the stock, I would be set. Bradly makes one, but it is around $90.00. Anyways, I am just glad I could afford this rifle. $300 seems kind of steep, but it's worth it if this gun is a real shooter.
you can go to midway usa and find a cheekrest for $9. I think the first scope I put on my 96 mauser was a tasco or maybe a bushnell. They have such mild recoil that it lasted a couple of years. I never had any problem reloading the 96 mauser. 100% reliable feeding with 120-160gr bullets. (cheap lee die set). those rifles are head and sholders above the Mosin Nagant.
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I use Wilson Neck Size and Seating Dies for the 6.5x55. I do have a bump die to use when the cases stretch too much but I am on the 6th loading for my brass and haven't had to use it yet. I have found no need to hot rod it as I have a 260 Rem and a 6.5x284 for longer shots. I have attached the target from my first load test and as luck would have it I stopped looking after seeing the results.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]4106[/ATTACH]
Great grouping wheelguner. I have Lee full length sizing dies that I have moved out to neck size for my 7.62x54R, but haven't had time to do any load tests. I have a Lee breech lock challenger press and it looks like the Wilson Neck Size dies need an Arbor press. The Lee dies are cheaper than most, but I want accuracy for single stage loading. Any suggestions? I would assume that with the twist rate of the Swedish Mausers it would be wise to stick to bullets of a heavier grain weight as well..... on a side note, I would like to free float the barrel, but I don't want to modify the rifle permanently. One other problem I have found is that the barrel isn't free floated. Here is my delima. I do not like to permanently alter collectable guns. I think it is a shame to start cutting on something of historical value. Sort of a moronic thing to say considering someone has already sporterized this gun, but I don't want to do any more unless it doesn't involve cutting or milling etc. I like the stock, but it shure would be nice if it were free floated and bedded properly. I have a silly question for you Hm2 clark. The previously owner already drilled and tapped the receiver for a scope. How can I tell what mount and threading will work for the gun? I need to figure out what they drilled it for, and how high I need to mount the scope for clearance of the bolt handle. Lower is better, but see through scope mounts would be an option for using the open sights for close range. So much to ponder lol!
The mounting of a scope base on your Mauser should be strait forward. Go to a supply house (like midway) look up scope bases for a 96 Mauser (also known as a small ring mauser) The bases are standard and all should fit. Price being an issue, the Weaver ones work. As for ring height, that depends on the scope front bell size. If it is 40 (as in 3x9 by 40) or less then medium rings should work well// // And my Mausers shoot 120gr NBTs very well.// // If the Mauser has a sporterised stock and is already drilled and taped I dont think it has any collection value.
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bsears10,
hm2 clark is correct, any collectors value went out the door whem your stock was cut. The upside is you can measure the diameter of your barrel in front of the rear sight and pick up a piece of round wood dowel close to it and wrap that with some coarse sand paper to open the barrel channel in the stock, bed the action and work up a load and have fun out shooting many modern high dollar rifles. I have attached a link to Midway for a trigger that I have installed on 6 Swedes with great results.... and at $60 it's a real bargan. There are many how too articles on glass bedding (Google is our friend) and Brownell's and Midway both have videos on bedding. The load listed on the two targets shoots well in most of my friends guns as well as mine. It is one grain below max in the Accurate Manual I just checked, but use at your own risk yada, yada. It has shown no signs of excessive pressure in rifle that I have witnessed using it.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/786938/...ening-blue
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