CG63 in 7.62x51

diopter

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
82   0   0
Location
Montreal
Friend wants to sell an Carl Gustav CG63 in 7.62x51.
What would be a fair asking price for it these days?
Has AJParker 7.62 calibrated rear sight with adjustable iris.
Serial # has been MS Paint to obscure.






 
Needed some real creativity to mount that AJ Parker sight (made for a No. 4 Lee Enfield) onto a small ring mauser! Not sure from pictures what modifications done to that sight, but with the attaching screws included, as shown, that rear sight seems to go $250 to $350 by itself. Marks on receiver seem to show Crown over 68, with the additional rune, so appears to be a made up by Carl Gustaf in 1968, and proofed then. But would have been 6.5x55, I believe? Not so sure about the bolt - that has been "sported" - neither the straight CG bolt, nor the curved down Husqvarna bolt. As originally made, would have had Pramm, CG, Soderin, or a couple other versions of rear aperture sights - unusual off set screw mount pattern - 3.0mm or 3.5mm , I think, and, I discovered, that almost each maker had their own pattern for the mounting holes - often not interchangeable.
 
There was a run of these rifles made in 7.62x51, new rifles sold at retail. This isn't in the same category as the used 6.5x55 target rifles recently imported and being sold.
There were adapters made to use the PH/AJP sights on Mauser and other rifles.

The rifle would be a fine recreational shooter, but seriously obsolescent for TR competition. I think it was in the 90s that these appeared, and the thought was that they weren't competitive even then.

I think there was an AJP TZ in the EE last week for $175. These are excellent sights, but I don't know if many are being used in serious competition any more. Of more interest for nostalgia/vintage shooting.
 
It is a vintage TR is very nice condition. But, like the Sportcos, etc., the market may be a bit soft.
 
There was a run of these rifles made in 7.62x51, new rifles sold at retail. This isn't in the same category as the used 6.5x55 target rifles recently imported and being sold.
There were adapters made to use the PH/AJP sights on Mauser and other rifles.

The rifle would be a fine recreational shooter, but seriously obsolescent for TR competition. I think it was in the 90s that these appeared, and the thought was that they weren't competitive even then.

I think there was an AJP TZ in the EE last week for $175. These are excellent sights, but I don't know if many are being used in serious competition any more. Of more interest for nostalgia/vintage shooting.

I seen these same Swedish rifles in 7.62 with target sights before and it was infantry biathlon full bore rifles. The CG Mausers I personally seen had the coolest folding stock and a wooden pistol grip.
This was at base weapons lock up Currie Barracks 1985.
Also I found a 1970 Gun Digest article. The rifle as pictured here were said to be sold to the Canadian Army for competition.
 
Last edited:
There was a run of these rifles made in 7.62x51, new rifles sold at retail. This isn't in the same category as the used 6.5x55 target rifles recently imported and being sold.
There were adapters made to use the PH/AJP sights on Mauser and other rifles.

The rifle would be a fine recreational shooter, but seriously obsolescent for TR competition. I think it was in the 90s that these appeared, and the thought was that they weren't competitive even then.

I think there was an AJP TZ in the EE last week for $175. These are excellent sights, but I don't know if many are being used in serious competition any more. Of more interest for nostalgia/vintage shooting.

I'm sure the 147gr IVI they had to use was the reason for that. When I can, I'll check what the rifling twist is.
 
Found it in Crown Jewels book - p. 187-188. M/6 was a target rifle (CG63) made for Swedish military in 6.5x55; M/7 is identical except in 7.62 NATO. The folding stock rifle, with pistol grip is listed as CG 62 Biathlon rifle - won gold in 1960 Winter Olympics; also used by Japan, France, and Sweden teams in the 1964 Winter Olympics.
Page 192 to 194 is the CG63E rifle made for England - was available in either 6.5x55 or 7.62 NATO; came with the Parker Hale 5C or AJParker "Twin Zero" rear sight - appears to be similar to what the OP picture shows. The pictures shown in book show an adapter screwed onto the rifle rear bridge, then the rear sight attached to that adapter. Bolt handle has a "flattened" top edge and flat top bolt knob - both handle shank and bolt knob rounded on the underside.
 
As for rifling twist - the CG63E came as 305mm (12") for 7.62 NATO and 220mm (8.66") for 6.5x55 - page 194, "Crown Jewels"

It is my understanding that in the big Commonwealth shoots back then, modifications to acceptable rifles were fairly limited, and all shooters used the ammunition provided by the host nation. Several posters on this site were competitors (and winners!!) from those days and may be able to clarify. The history of the FSR shooting clubs in Sweden appears similar - all competitors used virtually identical rifles, very limited number of "accepted" sighting systems and all used the same ammo.

The write-up in Crown Jewels (p. 192) says the CG63E was "designed to fill the specific needs of British shooters and carefully adapted to British Commonwealth competition standards ... and officially approved by the British National Rifle Association."
 
Last edited:
I'm sure the 147gr IVI they had to use was the reason for that. When I can, I'll check what the rifling twist is.

When issue ball was supplied, it was used in all rifles by all competitors. There were methods used to enhance the performance of NATO ball. Rifling twist was only one factor. Bore dimensions and chambers were also tweaked. Once purpose built target rifles based on custom actions appeared, the popularity of rifles built around military actions started to fade.
 
I own a CG63E in 7.62x51, a very well built and accurate rifle. It also pairs nicely with the .22 version that seem to be very rare in Canada. It is a pity that the market on these and other similar vintage target rifles (e.g. Sportco) is soft. However I do think the $400 assessment rather low. There were not many 63E in 7.62 Nato and the TZ sites regularly go for an average of $250. Tradex has some nice rifles but all are in 6.5. Decent ones start at $495.

So I am thinking that $600 would be a better assessment of the value. Whether anyone would be willing to buy at that price is another matter.

P.S. anyone want to buy a South African Musgrave in 7.62?
 
From what Ganderite has stated, the problem with the 950T was that it has a standard .308 bore and chamber. This did not produce best performance with the issue ball. With modern .308 match ammunition, it would be just fine. 7.62 ball was at its best with a tight bore and a throat matched to the bullet.
I recall being at Connaught when the cadets were shooting British Radway Green target ammunition in their Sportcos. Cleaning (clearing) rods and rubber mallets were in evidence because of extraction difficulties.
 
I own a CG63E in 7.62x51, a very well built and accurate rifle. It also pairs nicely with the .22 version that seem to be very rare in Canada. It is a pity that the market on these and other similar vintage target rifles (e.g. Sportco) is soft. However I do think the $400 assessment rather low. There were not many 63E in 7.62 Nato and the TZ sites regularly go for an average of $250. Tradex has some nice rifles but all are in 6.5. Decent ones start at $495.

So I am thinking that $600 would be a better assessment of the value. Whether anyone would be willing to buy at that price is another matter.

P.S. anyone want to buy a South African Musgrave in 7.62?



It may be older tech, but the Musgrave action is a superior one. I built my last TR using a Musgrave action and a NZ Tru-Flight barrel. The action was one of the last ones when production ceased.
 
I can see on your last picture series that the bolt appears to be identical contour / shape shown on page 194 of Crown Jewels book for CG63E - neither straight like CG m96 nor bent over like Husqvarna m38. Top side of your bolt knob looks to be flat, which matches the pictures. Very nice to see the detail of how they made that adapter to fit that sight onto that rifle - I see the rifle still retains the charger support ridge on the rear bridge, so stripper clip feeding still possible with that rear sight.
 
I own a CG63E in 7.62x51, a very well built and accurate rifle. It also pairs nicely with the .22 version that seem to be very rare in Canada. ...

Page 195 and 196 in Crown Jewels describes the Korthallsgevar - it appears to have come in two versions - both single shot 22 LR. First version was a full-size CG63-22, identical to the full bore CG-63, including hand guard. The second version was the CG 63 Junior - shorter stock, no hand guard, specific version of GF diopter for this rifle - pictures show one with multiple flutes / grooves on the barrel just ahead of the receiver; another CG 63 Junior shown does not have those grooves.
 
Back
Top Bottom