Help identifying inherited rifles

gunz1776

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I`ve recently inherited a couple rifles and was hoping I could get a little help identifying them and maybe an approximate value.

1st gun: Husqvarna 6.5x55mm with custom stock, possibly a model 38
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2nd gun: Brno 7x57mm might be a model 21
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Any and all help would be very much appreciated, thanks.
 

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The Husqvarna is a very nicely styled sporting rifle made up on a M38 by someone who knew what he was doing. Looks as if the workmanship was very well done. I assume the the bore is excellent. To duplicate it would not be inexpensive. Having said that, what it is potentially worth and what it could be reasonably sold for could be two different things.
The Brno is a classic vintage sporting rifle in an outstanding caliber.
Round numbers? I could see an asking price of a thousand on each.
 
I will be no help about the 2nd gun, but is possible that your first gun might have started life as a Husqvarna made m38. There has been much altered on it since it left the factory as a military rifle - if it shoots decently, a rifle like that would appeal to people like me. I have a reference book - "The Crown Jewels" - by Dana Jones - is alleged to contain some errors, but is the main reference for Swede-made rifles that I have. If you PM to me the serial number, I can look that up and verify what it is and what year it was originally made as a m38 - to be aware, I can not tell difference between m94, m96 and m38 receivers without reference to the tables in that book - so far as I know, the receivers were made to be identical, except for markings. It was common on the various Swede rifles that I have and have handled that the serial number was preceded by the Inspector Initials - so the two tables - Inspectors and Serial Number - allow someone to establish what it was and when it was built. I think various serial numbers were used more than once - on various models - but the Inspector Initials will be different. Since that rifle has had so much work done to it - new front and rear sights, new stock, new safety, new bolt handle, and so on - perhaps the barrel has been shortened and re-crowned, the receiver has been drilled and tapped for scope base and receiver sight - is very possible that whomever did that work might have screwed on a m96 or even an m94 barrel to that m38 receiver.
 
The first three digits of the serial number appear to be 605###. Husqvarna made M38s, and some M96 long rifles for target use.
In addition to the custom work on the barreled action, the scope and mounts are quality. Its a fine rifle.
 
As per the table on page 148 of "The Crown Jewels" book, Serial Numbers from 600035 to 628717 were made as m38 at Husqvarna Vapenfabriks Aktiebolag in 1941. That appears to have been the first year of production, of those rifles, at that place. A total of 65,588 rifles, of that type, were made there, from 1941 to 1944, inclusive. In other places in the book, it says that original Husqvarna m38 production may have used straight handle bolts made at Carl Gustaf armoury, until the Husqvarna "curved down" handle bolts were approved for use. In the OP picture, that bolt handle is now neither type - has had a new handle installed or the original handle was cut, welded and ground or "forged" to be "scope friendly".

Is typical that a part made at the Carl Gustaf armoury will be stamped with a Swede crown that is "up/down" - oriented to be "straight", whereas an identical part made at the Husqvarna factory will have the same crown stamp, but "tilted" - it seems to vary, but, as much as 45 degrees from vertical, either way (to the left or to the right). Of the Swede made rifles that are here - is not real uncommon to find both markings in the same rifle - the parts are identical shape and size - but different makers. I have no way to know if the parts were substituted when in service in Swede military or by a subsequent civilian owner. Various "spare parts", originally from Swede military stores, used to be readily available in North America from places like TradeEx - including newly made, but never installed, pre-chambered barrels.
 
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I think the handle was replaced. Too long for a cut and weld or forged? It would be interesting to examine the piece. Quality work by whoever did it.
 
Two very pretty rifles.
The Brno is nice and in very similar condition to one I recently acquired for just shy of $1200.00.
This is just a ball park number ......
Enjoy them and take them out to dance once in awhile :)
Rob
 
The Brno Z (aka '21 H') appears to be a well loved and hunted rifle. Honest wear. It does appear to have some re-bluing touch-ups, particularly at the muzzle. The bolt, thankfully does not appear bent, but it does appear to be polished. Hard to tell in the blurry photos. If the bore is mint and the wood has not been refinished in any way, and subject to confirmation regarding bluing touch-ups and the bolt handle finish, it's a $1000 rifle.
 
From what I can tell by the pictures the Husqvarna looks very much like the one that I had made up sometime in the 1980’s when the great flood of M96’s and M38’s came into Canada. They were very inexpensive and many (most) of them had perfect bores and appeared as unissued, marvellous shooters. The M96’s were either Husqvarna or Carl Gustaf marked, all straight holt handle, the M38’s had straight or turned down bolt handles. I bought two M96’s and two straight bolt M38’s, all Husqvarnas. I shot one M96 in local military rifle competitions for a year, then moved both of them along a couple of years later. One M38 was done up for my son a few years later by our local gunsmith (Peter Appleby) as an apprentice project with a striking maple stock. The other was to be my dream gun…….
Earl Younie, well known and respected master gunsmith of Chilliwack was my choice for the metalwork. Specs as I remember……..
Cut & crown the barrel ( maybe 18.5”?)
Turn the barrel steps off, drawfile, smooth & polish the barrel, removing all marks
Remove the old bolt handle, install new one
Drill & tap for receiver sight & scope bases
Install front ramp & sight which had been removed from my Husqvarna M4000 .270
Install Timney trigger
Install Beuhler low swing safety
Install floorplate release
Reprofile and narrow the trigger guard
Modify magazine follower to allow closing when empty
Polish the bolt, raceways and magazine follower
All the metal received careful polishing and a careful rust blue. There may be other details but these are what I remember.
The woodwork was done by a very talented but forgotten amateur local Smithers stockmaker using a fine strong piece of BC walnut grown on the old pioneer Edenbank farm at Sardis, sourced through Earl Younie. He did an excellent job but he didn’t checker and so that finishing touch was never completed. The complete project, while beautifully done, took over two years from start to finish and unfortunately by that time my enthusiasm had cooled, my interests changed and I sold the rifle within a year of completion without blooding it.
This could be the same rifle.
 
Not a reflection of its current value; but I imagine it would cost a lot of cash to have a Swedish Mauser customized like that today.
 
I would like to thank everyone for their help with these rifles. Some very interesting in depth information.

These have been sitting in the gun safe for over a decade, it`s nice to finally find out more about them.
 
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As per the table on page 148 of "The Crown Jewels" book, Serial Numbers from 600035 to 628717 were made as m38 at Husqvarna Vapenfabriks Aktiebolag in 1941. That appears to have been the first year of production, of those rifles, at that place. A total of 65,588 rifles, of that type, were made there, from 1941 to 1944, inclusive. In other places in the book, it says that original Husqvarna m38 production may have used straight handle bolts made at Carl Gustaf armoury, until the Husqvarna "curved down" handle bolts were approved for use. In the OP picture, that bolt handle is now neither type - has had a new handle installed or the original handle was cut, welded and ground or "forged" to be "scope friendly".

Is typical that a part made at the Carl Gustaf armoury will be stamped with a Swede crown that is "up/down" - oriented to be "straight", whereas an identical part made at the Husqvarna factory will have the same crown stamp, but "tilted" - it seems to vary, but, as much as 45 degrees from vertical, either way (to the left or to the right). Of the Swede made rifles that are here - is not real uncommon to find both markings in the same rifle - the parts are identical shape and size - but different makers. I have no way to know if the parts were substituted when in service in Swede military or by a subsequent civilian owner. Various "spare parts", originally from Swede military stores, used to be readily available in North America from places like TradeEx - including newly made, but never installed, pre-chambered barrels.

Tradex is where I got the new replacement barrel for my M-38. I had it installed by Jason Spencer at Gunco in Ottawa.
 
Bore seems good and to me it there doesn`t appear to be any blueing touch ups. I don`t think the stock has been refinished, some dings, dents and one chip. Some more closup photos.
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Tradex is where I got the new replacement barrel for my M-38. I had it installed by Jason Spencer at Gunco in Ottawa.

I dithered around and did not order one for m38 while they were in stock, but I did get one for m94 - much shorter. I did screw it into a Swede receiver and bought a very rusted out m94 original barrel and salvaged the sights - which are different (especially the rear one) than on the m96 or the later m38. Is a "project" more or less under way - I did get a reproduction m94 stock from Alberta with reproduction m94 hand guard - and am awaiting arrival of a correct "lower band" and long spring for m94 - then to assemble that thing - will be a "wanna be" m94-14 - with the accessory piece for attaching a bayonet - which I have on hand.
 
Bore seems good and to me it there doesn`t appear to be any blueing touch ups. I don`t think the stock has been refinished, some dings, dents and one chip.
The metal appears smoothed/rounded around the front sight, and is a very even gray near the muzzle and front sight, and overall it has a very even looking metal finish. Definitely a refinish of some sort. It's a quality shooter worth more if kept in your locker than on the open market.
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