Swedish partisan rifle

[wannabe]

Anyone have any info n these? I found a rifle like the one described below but can't find much info other than this:

http://www.gotavapen.se/gota/artiklar/rifles_se/rifles_se.htm#partisan

During WW2 Husqvarna Vapenfabrik produced rifles which were intended to be used by a resistance movement in Sweden in case of occupation by the Nazis. This is not a Military rifle. The mechanism used was the old standard Mauser m/96 mechanism similar to fm/23-36 and the calibre was 7.9x58JS mm like the standard German Military ammunition. The m/96 mechanism is considered to be weak for the heavy German cartridge, because of only 2 locking lugs.

In order to strengthen and improve the receiver, it was produced without any groove for the thumb.

 

[Potashminer]

Your quote has some interesting pieces stated - "only two locking lugs" - that is what the M98 operates with - two locking lugs - that third one under the bolt never should be in contact with the receiver until / unless the two lugs or the receiver at the front have failed.

"in order to strengthen and improve the receiver" - could mean a couple things? Certainly makes the receiver "stiffer", but since bolt lugs at front of the bolt lock up the chamber, not sure if the resulting receiver is "stronger" - the side rails on a Mauser do not appear to handle any of the breech pressure? - Is likely something in how words are used or translated from Swedish?? Was in my mind that it was a cost saving measure? - no real need for it if not using chargers (stripper clips) - eliminating that cutout likely saved a couple of machining operations?

I believe initially that cut out was also there as part of the high pressure gas venting scheme - in the event of the very real possibility of a case failure in the days around 1900. It continued to be found on most all military M98 produced most anywhere?? Looking at rifles here, not just a whole lot of difference in gas handling scheme - M96 - still have that bolt stop more or less blocking the left raceway, but the gas needs somewhere to go??

Husqvarna for sure made 8x57 on the M96 style receivers - I think model 648? Maybe 647? I have one here - was a commercial product, with a solid left side wall - likely from 1950's or so - the Baribal guy would likely nail it down exactly.

 

[farshot]

I am surprised to see a turned down bolt handle in a "partisan", build them quickly sort of rifle. Perhaps there was functionally no difference in the manufacture of the straight bolt handle and the turned down handle.
The M96 action has been used for 8x57, 30-06, 9.3x62 and a host of others. They are very common post war refurbs.
I tend to agree that the stripper clip thumb notch may have been cost savings, or perhaps to make it "appear" as a civilian hunting rifle?
I do not know if the Swedes had the ability to own a rifle during the war. They were neutral were they not?

 

[HuskyDude]

When I get home I'll look in my book. See if there's anything in there.

 

[bearhunter]

I had a couple of those rifles.

They were both chambered in 8x57js and both were very accurate.

When a couple of pallets of those rifles first came into Canada, lots of people bought them up to put different barrels on them.

Many really liked that the ''thumb'' slot wasn't present and paid a premium for them, over the cost of a full milsurp M96, which ran around $25 in Exc condition at the time.

Sporting Husky actions were quite expensive at the time and these were the next best thing for a quarter of the price.

I've seen them converted to 308 Win, 243 Win, 7x57 and even 30-06 with a bit of work.

I liked both of the rifles I had and the ubiquitous but venerable 8x57js (323 bore) is a mighty cartridge in its own right. It will do anything a 308win/30-06 will do, with similar bullets.

I know of one chambered in 243Win that has at least 3500 rounds through it and will likely be rebarreled this winter.

As mentioned, the action is strong enough, and in the 98 the third, safety, lug shouldn't touch unless something goes seriously awry.

I've seen several Kaboomed M38 and 96 rifles, not one of them had a bolt failure. All of them blew the tops off the reciever ring or burst the barrel.

It's #### on closing which some people just can't get used to.

They're old school styled, with iron sights, so would have to be drilled and tapped to be able to mount a scope.

Both side mounts and top mounts are available

If you're not going to hand load, North American made ammo is right on minimum spec as far as pressures go.

If you handload, just about any load, under 50,000 psi should be safe

One thing to keep in mind, the Swede rifles were never built under stressful conditons, the steel was the best available for the job at the time. Swede ore contains manganese naturally and was considered to be the best in the world during that era.

Quality will be excellent inside and out.

 

[Lee Enfield]

Anyone have any info n these? I found a rifle like the one described below but can't find much info other than this:

http://www.gotavapen.se/gota/artiklar/rifles_se/rifles_se.htm#partisan
...snip ...

In order to strengthen and improve the receiver, it was produced without any groove for the thumb.

I've seen several of these rifles.

I understand that the action was developed as a target rifle with less flex.

I personally believe that the reason(s) they were used was so that people could differentiate that it took different ammo just by looking, rather than because it was stronger. And because they had a surplus of "odd ball" actions already manufactured.

Plenty of M.94 and M.96 actions were converted to 8mm/.30-06/9.3 everything to believe that they were suspect in any way.

 

[R711]

Any Swedish rifle chambered in the 8mm mg round was supposed to be for troops attached to the mg, provided a commonality of ammo. The troops complained bitterly about this as compared to the 6.5 round it was a bear to shoot

 

[saskbooknut]

Husqvarna built sporting rifles on M94 type actions from 1927. These rifles were chambered in 9.3x62, amongst others.
Building a sporting rifle in 8x57 was no big stretch, in my view.
The "so called" Partisan rifle is just another sporting rifle to my eyes.
Certainly, the action without thumb cut is attractive.
Husqvarna actions were suitable to their purpose.
They didn't have the safety features of a Model 98 action. Having served for generations without question of their functionality, suggesting that they are weak is nonsense.
They might not provide the protection of a model 98 to fools and abusers, but they were and are good rifles.

 

[bearhunter]

Any Swedish rifle chambered in the 8mm mg round was supposed to be for troops attached to the mg, provided a commonality of ammo. The troops complained bitterly about this as compared to the 6.5 round it was a bear to shoot

You're confusing these with the K98s that were converted to take the 8x63mm round.

The Swedes even fitted them with muzzle brakes to try to control the felt recoil.

I looked for one of those for years as I had appx 5k 8x63 rounds in big wooden crates on cloth belts/100 per paper box.

I eventually made up a rifle, using a sported 98 action, junker surplus stock with a homemade brake.

The factory 220 grain bullets at 2500fps were stout to shoot, about the same as a 30-06 with 220 grain bullets at similar velocities.

Definitely much more felt recoil than an M96 or 38 6.5x55 with 140-160 grain bullets.

 

[bearhunter]

Husqvarna built sporting rifles on M94 type actions from 1927. These rifles were chambered in 9.3x62, amongst others.
Building a sporting rifle in 8x57 was no big stretch, in my view.
The "so called" Partisan rifle is just another sporting rifle to my eyes.
Certainly, the action without thumb cut is attractive.
Husqvarna actions were suitable to their purpose.
They didn't have the safety features of a Model 98 action. Having served for generations without question of their functionality, suggesting that they are weak is nonsense.
They might not provide the protection of a model 98 to fools and abusers, but they were and are good rifles.

I have an M96 action that now sports a take off 6mm Rem chambered varmint barrel.

I load it to factory specs bullets, from 75 grain to 100 grain bullets. The 100 grain bullets are about the longest it will stabilize at 3000fps and right around 50K CUP with IMR7828 over CCI250 primers.

The Remington take off barrel has a slow twist rate, which was the bane of the 6mmRem and led to its near demise.

 

[Rugdoc]

Any Swedish rifle chambered in the 8mm mg round was supposed to be for troops attached to the mg, provided a commonality of ammo. The troops complained bitterly about this as compared to the 6.5 round it was a bear to shoot

What you write makes me think the "Partisan rifle" story is just that.

 

[Lee Enfield]

Any Swedish rifle chambered in the 8mm mg round was supposed to be for troops attached to the mg, provided a commonality of ammo. The troops complained bitterly about this as compared to the 6.5 round it was a bear to shoot

that's a whole different cartridge - 8x63 (used for m.1917 Browning MGs as a dual purpose heavy machinegun cartridge), and the rifles were k.98k purchased from Germany.

the cartridge was used as an early anti aircraft and anti-tank cartridge.

What you write makes me think the "Partisan rifle" story is just that.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8×63mm_patron_m/32