An interesting Rifle

buffdog

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While I am not in favor of converting an existing Military or Historical rifle into a Sporter or "Tactical" rifle, there are many rifles that have been converted by someone else. These range from "Basement Bubba," to well and tastefully done examples with fine workmanship by Gunsmiths or individuals who care. There are also Factory Conversions such as those done by Parker Hale and others.

While buying a Swedish m/96 FSR rifle a short time ago, another interesting rifle caught my eye, so I ordered it too as the price was reasonable.

When you look at a rifle, it is possible to make an educated guess as to the purpose intended for the rifle's use. The sights and shape of the stock made for standing shooting, suggested to me a rifle made up with a specific purpose, that of target shooting and the target being the "Running Deer" event.

The rifle is a Swiss 1911 straight pull rifle (faster operation - Remember the Russians using the Ross actions at the Oympics for the Running Deer event.) However, it had been rebarreled with a Swedish M/96 rifle barrel in 6.5x55 Calibre. (Lighter recoil means faster recovery.) The muzzle brake would have aided in keeping the barrel down after firing and thus help recovery for a second shot.

The rear sight is a German Walther diopter sight and by itself is probably worth what I paid for the rifle. The front sight is interchangeable, with a spring loaded plunger locking it in place, and the trigger has been made adjustable for weight of pull (fantastic trigger pull,) with the magazine modified to feed the 6.5x55 cartridge. A hole was drilled in the trigger guard and floorplate to insert an Allen wrench for adjustment.

The ring on the back of the firing pin that aids in putting the safety on and off has been cut off, possibly to make a faster lock time with the lighter firing pin. On a dedicated target rifle, used by only one experienced shooter, this modification is feasible.

The stock is purposely made for this rifle, and is fitted so that the barrel is free floating. It is checkered, and not a reworked military stock but done by someone who knew what they were doing----a good gunsmith and/or stockmaker. Someone has added several thicknesses of leather to the butt stock and what looks like a piece of cork to the pistol grip.













 
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"...the purpose..." Um, target shooting. European militaries were big on target shooting as a training aid and recreation.
 
Oh, my!

Somebody has spent a great deal of time and half a ton of money to build his idea of the best darned offhand Match rifle he could.

Running Deer or Running Boar competition, definitely: something where you would need a fast second shot at times.

The combination of a fast and tricked-out Schmidt action with a barrel handling the superbly accurate and highly-developed Swedish/Norwegian cartridge indicates, to me, a rifle designed for the equivalent of one of our Unlimited classes, but for national and/or international competitions. The Brake also adds interest; something seen only rarely until recently. Olympics, perhaps?

Stockmaker really knew his stuff, too. I would think a rifle with this kind of quality should be signed somewhere. Something to look for.

No matter what, you will HAVE to post a Range Report when you try this one out.
 
That was on the tradeex site correct?

I am awaiting delivery as well of what I think is another cheap treasure.
 
Along the same lines, have a look at the K31 target shooting conversions offered by Larry Racine at w ww.lprgunsmith.com. Larry has been doing these for US NM shooting for quite some time.
Larry reworks the shank of the original barrel, fitting a new barrel to the stump. The breeching of a K31 is sufficiently complex that it is easier to do this than to machine the new barrel to be installed directly in the receiver.
 
Well, friend BUFFDOG has been here and we have slopped enough Coffee that I very nearly had to open another jar.

As per usual, he was casting Pearls before the Swine, the Swine in this case being mine humble self, the Pearl being that wonderful Schmidt. Fortunately, the Swine was able to catch the Pearl as it was being cast, thus preventing it from striking the floor, which would have been a disaster to compare with the Halifax Explosion. This afforded said Swine an excellent opportunity for a close inspection of the Pearl.

The Barrel is Swedish and is the full 29-inch length. The Action is an all-numbers-matching Schmidt in the 450### range. Quality of workmanship is overall of the highest order.

The photos do not show to their best advantage the extra-fine checkering of the wood on all surfaces where it may be grasped. Unlike most rifles, the forestock is not rounded, being rather swelled outward from upper edge to a point about halfway down, then tapering inward again to a curved bottom. In all, the silhouette is rather like that of an old-time battleship with a fair bit of tumblehome: VERY easy to hold.

The Walther sight sets upon a base affording THREE different positions. The front sight has replaceable elements with a unique quick-change feature.

The Muzzle-brake appears designed for a 7mm bore but the slots are NOT equally spaced about the entire assembly, but rather ANGLED so as to provide an anti-torque tightening moment of force each time the rifle is fired.

The fully-adjustable Trigger is almost incredibly positive: lightweight and very CRISP with absolutely ZERO creep and a minimum of lash.

Whoever built this rifle was a Master of the highest order. A subsequent owner has defaced his work with additions (which can be removed) to increase the length of Pull and to accommodate the Grip for a larger hand. As built, however, I would think this rifle fitted the original owner, a fellow of fairly slight build with a thin, oval face, like a perfect glove.

It has been a distinct Privilege for this particular Swine to have been afforded the opportunity to examine a Pearl of this quality.

And yet there still are people out there who think that military rifles are junk! THIS ONE can hold its own with anything ever built, anywhere.

Thanks, Buffdog.
 
Cool target conversion for sure!

I always find myself wondering who invested the money, or time into these.
A passionate individual for sure.
 
Let us know when you get a chance to put some reloads downrange.
Swiss and Swedes had many exchange programs just after WWII. One could do an apprenticeship in either country.
Known many Swiss who have fond memories of Sweden, and her people, er women mostly... and beer.

Our Swiss Club Schutzenmeister liked his stay in Sweden so much he had a 1906 CG aswell

Buffdog, smellie, any problems with shortened safety?

Here are some K31 match rifles.
http://theswissriflesdotcommessageboard.yuku.com/topic/10250/Hmmerli-K31-Free-Rifle
 
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I did not pull the Bolt down myself, so do not know what is inside it; I would suspect a stronger Mainspring.

Lock-time is extremely fast as compared to my 3 old 89s.

Buffdog has had a Wizard working overtime and has turned up a (very) few bags of genuine GP 90/23 slugs, the 190-grain RN types with the slightly-swelled base, much like the older Norwegian 6.5mm RNFMJ bullets for the Krags. (Thanks, Wizard John at Wolverine!)

He has had time only to fire a few rounds (working MUCH overtime due to the flooding in this district) but reports EXCELLENT accuracy.

From what I have seen and what he has experienced, I would say that the only issue with the bobbed cocking-piece is the absence of a Safety.

Hope this helps.
 
As SMELLIE mentioned, we have been quite busy here over the past week, and today was the first chance I got to do anything. As I had received this rifle. along with a M/96 Mauser FSR rifle on Monday, I have not really had a chance to do much with it. When I went to Town this morning and to visit SMELLIE afterwards, I grabbed five rounds of 6.5x55 ammo loaded with a target load of powder and 142 grain Sierra Match Kings. I also took along a Swiss IG-11 rifle that had a "no gunsmithing" scope mount on it, and ten rounds of 7.5x55 ammo loaded with a target accuracy load of IMR-4064 and the 190 grain GP 11/23 bullets. The mount was a Birthday present from DIOPTER, and I wanted to zero the scope for this bullet as I have about 700 of them, and had given another 200 to SMELLIE, who, with his typical generosity, dispensed 50 to a coouple of milsurp GunNutz who visited him on the weekend.

I checked the zero at 100 yards of the Swiss IG-11 and it was very close to my 169 grain load. There was a green patch of grass about 12 inches in diameter on the 300 yard backstop, and the remaining 6 rounds I had went well into it with no misses. What did surprise me was that the Sporterized Schmidt Rubin put the 6.5x55 bullets into the same target, using the open diopter sight, with no sight adjustment. Of course, this was off the bench, but it does show the potential of these rifles.

As to the safety, I think there is not a chance of using it and making it viable to use as a safety in it's present state. Certainly another firing pin could be substituted, BUT, I grew up on Ranges and with Riflemen who knew what they were doing. These people KNEW EXACTLY where their rifle muzzle was pointed, and while the appearance of a non-operating safety today would bring horrors to many modern shooters, those "old farts" took it with a calm manner. In fact, many of the old target shooters disabled their safeties as they did not want to have the possibility of a safety being in the ON position during a timed fire event and would cost them points. The second reason was that mass of metal removed from the firing pin would speed up the lock time and allow more accurate shooting.

Later on, I will take some paper targets to the range, and do a bit more shooting when I can do justice to both these rifles.
 
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I once sold a rifle to slug without a safety. I didn't even notice the damned thing was missing cause I never use it. Oddly enough, I have never had a ND. Nice rifle!
 
Agree, loss of safety on a range gun not a concern.
Ease of stripping down the bolt is.
I suggest using a plastic chopstick to push against safety sear from the under side of the bolt
and push it to the left to unlock the bolt for dissassembly.
 
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Cutting the end of the chopstick at an angle to force the sear to the left helps.

No need to do this on any swiss rifle which has the ring to hold onto.
 
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