6.5 x 55 Sweede: Sell or sporterize.

S

Sic Kid

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Bills Puddle, BC
First off I have made posted in the Milburn section of the page in an attempt to find out more about this gun.

I recently acquired a Carl Gustaff m96? Rifle in 6.5 x 55 Sweede. I'm into this thing for next to nothing because of how the deals worked out. If it's worth a few Brown bills than away it will go, but part of me has this thought of having the barrel cut and re crowned to 22", pillar bedding it in a more modern stock of sorts and making myself a nice little deer rifle. Has anyone else done this? Anyone have input or opinions? If I could figure out the picture posting thing I'd post some pics. How about mauser actions in general?

Shoot straight,
Kid
 
Full military or is the stock cut?
Those have been butchered in every conceivable way.
If it's original sell/trade for the rifle you want. Please don't butcher.
My .02
 
shop it around... get a price here.... put it on the EE...... then get the same from tradex with the work already done way cheaper..... then enjoy many ounces of rye... lol
 
Post pics here (or the milsurp subforum) and the gurus can tell you if it's original. Seriously, though, Tradex has M96 sporters for way kess than $300 that are way better candidates for a build.
 
If I could figure out how to post pics I would. I had another cgner message me after looking at some pics I emailed him and told me because it is sanded it's no longer a collectible. So until I get a couple more opinions either verifying that is true or what, then it shall remain as it is. I don't need the cartridge that bad. But I'm craving some forty creek something fierce now.
 
I thought of doing that for years, bought one (a '38) at gun show, then sold it when I realized I could get a sporter for cheaper than all the money for gunsmithing it and parts.

Still have a '96 I like as is.
 
I sporterized a swede about 25 years ago. It started off as a full military version and you would never recognize it today. Shilen barrel (in 6.5X55), timney trigger, #### on open and speed lock conversion, sporterized bold handle, after market safety, bell and Carlson stock, re-shaped receiver and then all deep blued. Sam Adams in Nova Scotia did the work and he did a fantastic job. I honestly don't remember what the total bill was as I did it all over a few years but I'm pretty sure if someone offered me $1200 for it today that I'd be loosing on the deal. The rifle remains a "sporterized" swede and is not worth anywhere near what I paid to have it done. I realize that now but at the time is was a fun project and I have no regrets. Oh, and I paid $39.99 for the original rifle from tradex which I believe was international arms at that time.

Some of the advice you've received here is sound, sell it as is and buy a sporterized one from tradex or put the money towards a factory rifle.

Cheers.
 
From my experience you could buy a true sporting 6.5x55 for the cost or less of converting a surplus rifle and you wouldn't have the issues of higher scope mounting, finding nice stocks that fit properly, waiting for months if not more for gunsmith work, getting safeties to work properly etc. I've had 2 done, one on a bubba,d rifle and the other on a complete sporterized 25 year old bag of parts sans stock. If it's a project you enjoy and can do most of the work, go for it but in the end you have a $300.00 military conversion.






 
I've done one that I got on a trade it was military except for the fact that who ever owned it before drill and tapped it. I decided the collector value was gone because of that so I did what the poster above did but I did mine myself. Boyds un-finnshed stock in pepper, bold trigger with side safety, Cut barrel to 26 inches and did the crown job myself. That was the most accurate rifle I have ever owned. I sold it for close to 600 dollars.

I wish I never sold it. the 6.5x55 is in my opinion the ultimate caliber. Does not kick shoots straight and all the swedes are deadly accurate the steel they used was top notch.

When I bought the stock from boyds it was 65 dollars american now its 99 dollars. I also picked it up at the border and didn't pay shipping just maybe 20 cash in gas money. I glass and pillar bedded the rifle myself as well.
 
Well Noone seems into buying mine, if I have still have it by the end of the month it's getting sporterized. Haven't even had a half decent offer on it. Oh well. New whitetail rifle here I come!
 
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