6.5x55 - Krag or Swedish Mauser

bluemike807

bluemike807

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Looking to get something in 6.5 as a hobby gun (and possibly yote sniping). Interested in either a Krag or a Swedish Mauser. Both have obvious advantages (I like the mechanism of the Krag's magazine) but the Mauser is... well, a Mauser.

Which would have better accuracy?

Also, I've noticed alot of the ones out there have been sporterized. How much of a drop in accuracy can be expected from these?
 
If you happen on an unbubbaed Krag, I would say get this one first because they are very much rarer than a Swede.
Then, after that, once the excitement resides a bit, I'd check to get a Swede Mauser just because they are interesting to own and shoot too.
PP.
 
I cannot comment on the Krag as I have never handled one. However I recently bought an unmolested 1941 Husqvarna M38 and was nothing less than astonished at the accuracy. (using handloads)
 
Swedish Mausers are in a class own their own, which in my experience prove to be the most accurate rifles in my battery of rifles. My M38 is the only rifle I own, that often will shoot tree bullet holes touching each other at 100 yards, with handloads. The workmanship if most Swedish Mausers is the the best I have seen in any Mausers.

This particular M38 has now been sporter stocket, micro bedded, and installed a Timney trigger and a scope.

I believe that I would have to spend a couple of grands, or more, to buy a rifle that shoot as accurate as this surplus, Swedish Mauser, which I picket up at Lever Arms for $ 49.- :)

My M38 has now accounted for a large number of deer, and I would be comfortable enough to use it on moose as well. Lately, I have used my extremely accurate M38 for shooting the deer's in the neck.
 
If you're only looking for a sporter, stay away from both. They have extremely long throats to accomodate 160grn bullets and a very fast 1-7 1/2 twist rate.

For coyotes, you will want to use lighter bullets, like the 95grn AMax. The chambers on the milsurps are generous as well, for obvious reasons. This won't be conducive for the accuracy required for consistent hits on a maximum, 6 inch body section of a coyote at 450 yards.

Save your money and buy a Tikka T3 or CZ550 in 6.5x55. It will be cheaper in the long run and you won't ruin a milsurp by adding a scope.

If you're satisfied with iron sights and heavy bullets, go for a milsurp. I don't think you will be very happy with the results.

If you're hand loading, you will have a lot of options. If you're using commercially produced cartridges, your options will be very limited,

As far as collectability goes the fellows above have given some good advice.
 
I load 100, 120, and 140 grain bullets for various types of hunting in both my M38 and my fathers' and we have excellent accuracy results. With 120 and 140's I also cut dime size 3 shot groups at 100 unless I don't do my part shooting. Virtually 1 ragged hole. I can't honestly recall how the 100's did, as I haven't used them since they lifted the bulet weight restrictions for coyotes here quite a few years ago. I do know that I demonstrated pop can smacking at 150 yards consistently to my father one time with them and it was no issue. I have the same results as Snowhunter, and I have picked the hair I want to hit on deer out to 150 yards though, with 120's and 140's and can drop a bullet pretty much exactly where I want it to go out to 250 yards as well. I can't say anything about 450 yard accuracy because I've never tried shooting that far with them, but out to 250 yards they exhibit no accuracy problems in either of our rifles. I have owned 7 M96 and M38's, 4 Krag Jorgensens and 3 AG42B's and haven't had a bad shooter yet. I also only neck resize for each individual rifle I currently have. They certainly do have generous chambers and I find the 3 Krag Jorgensens we shoot are even worse in that regard. I have only ever used 140 and 159's in the Krag. I guess, if I was shooting in wide open prairie land I'd maybe have to consider a different rifle but here in Nova Scotia where I live, I have yet to take a shot on any game out over 250 yards and that is certainly the exception. Most deer and yotes we shoot we bag are under 150. If you are going with a Milsurp shooter, I'd take the Swede over the Krag. I don't find the sights on the Krag as good and optics are certainly easier to install on a Swede. The Swede is also a stronger action. Like Bearhunter says, the Tikka and CZ are awesome choices as well and we all hate seeing Milsurps get Bubba'd. Any Dad and I shoot that are sportered and scoped, have been done by others. There's lots of sportered ones out there too. No accuracy drop at all with any properly shortened sporter that I've owned.
 
6.5x55mm

I've never owned a Krag. But I would if a nice full wood un-bubba'd one came along. That said, I've had & currently have some versions of the 1896 Swede Mauser.... Orbendorf, Carl Gustaf & Husqvarna makers of each. All full woods, no sporter of them at this time. The are what they are, accurate, reliable for mil-surps.

If you are looking for a 6.5x55mm as a sporter for hunting, after having gone the sporter Swede route a couple times, knowing what I know now, I'd get a current factory sporter in the ctg. I have a Tikka 695 stainless synthetic in it and there is just no comparision to any Swede 96/38 sporter I've had. I've also had a Ruger 77 MkII and Rem 700 Classic in 6.5x55mm, same thing.

Top: Sporter 96/38; Bottom: M38 full wood.

2006-02-11_141430_Swede11.jpg


2006-02-11_141454_Swede12.jpg


vs

Tikka 695 stainless:

2004-12-29_214252_2TikkaSS.jpg


2005-01-01_152017_2TikkaCU.jpg


My .02

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NAA.
 
I am looking for a very short "super short carbine length" Swede Mauser. Of the length of the No.5 Mk.I Jungle Carbine Lee Enfield or Type 38 Japanese Cav. Carbine. Barrel length around 18.5 - 20 in. Suggestions?
 
6,5 Swede isn't specially adapted to very short tubes. It thrives on medium or long ones because it needs slower powders to get speed with heavier bullets. Don't go under 20".
A .308 Winchester would be better suited for that kind of short rifle IMHO.
PP.
 
*nods* I prefer to steer clear of the .308 as my interest is purely Milsurp rifles of the WWII/Early Cold War/WWI era. Thanks for letting me know though. I despise "long" rifles, accurate as they may be, I'm short and need a carbine.
 
There was a batch of Cavalry Carbines turned out in, I think, 1940 for the Svedish Royal Bodyguard Regiment. They had a 17-inch tube and were sighted for the Skr Patr M/39. Talk about RARE! LOTSA bucks. I only know of 1 to make it here and I don't own it.

Fellow we shoot with doesn't have a lot of bucks: took him 2 years to save up for a 96 Mauser. he wins a LOT of prizes with the old thing.
I have a pair of 1899 Model 96s, one Oberndorf, one Carl Gustaf. Barrel on the Oberndorf is getting more than a bit worn but it still will make an inch (iron sights) at 100; the Swede is better, but the bore is really nice.

Only Krags I have seen have been chopped. You might find an unchopped Krag if you know someone in Newfoundland. The Norwegians were using them for sealing until a few years ago, and it is just amazing how many of them "went over the side" in a voyage. These were arsenal rebuilds. My (cut) Krag has a terrible bore, shoots minute of barn or a little better. Also lotsa Norma/Oslo ammo out there, comes in 50-round boxes marked "Spesielt fabrikert for Selfangst". Stuff is Berdan-primed but also is a good, stiff 156-grain SP loading. Cases can be altered to Boxer if you have the tools.
 
Currently there are a bunch of swede sporters on the ee; you should pick up one of those. I believe one is a carbine. I shoot 4 rifles in the caliber and love it.

My swede fires very well, as do my Krag and Baikal combo. No complaints with the accuracy of any of them (the baikal starts to wander with multiple shots though). All the information on the internet says krags need less pressure, so I have worked up some small game rounds, and some minimum loads for hunting big game, but do not wish to push it.

If you do not reload, and do not want to experiment lots with different loads, stay away from the krag. Lots of fine Mausers about, that can still be inexpensive as sporters...
 
The only 94's I've seen here have been screwed over by BUBBA.As issued are tough to find................Harold
 
I got 1912 and 1895 Krag Carbines. Need work to restore. My 96 Mauser is common here as you know. The Swede mausers are inheritly more accurate.....However allegedly the longest iron sight 1 shot aimed kill in WWII was by a Norwegian, victim a Wehrmacht soldier. Rifle I beleive a Krag at about 900M.
 
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