Husqvarna......would you?

Dorian Gray

Dorian Gray

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Gentlemen:

Who here owns a husqvarna rifle? I've been looking into them. Mainly on Tradeexs' website and they seem pretty nice. I'm a fan of the 98 action but the 96 seems like a good choice too. So please, would you guys tell me about what you've got, in what caliber and if you'd recomend them. I hunt mainly moose and bear but i would also like to hunt deer sometime in the near future so i'm looking for something in an all purpose type of rifle. I'm leaning more towards the 8x57 but i like the 6.5x55's too. Let me know what you think.
 
Do a search and you'll find buckets of info. I myself, think the 1640 actioned rifles are one of the best guns around for the $. 30-06, 6.5x55, whatever floats your boat. But for 500$, you just can't beat the workmanship and quality that you get.
 
I own a husqvarna 1600 in 6.5x55. I also own an old mauser in 8x57. I've taken game with the 8mm without an issue or any fuss, and yet to take game with the 6.5, but after owning the husqvarna in 6.5 the 8x57 stays in the safe. Personaly my feeling is there's no need for anything bigger in ontario, and the 6.5 is flatter shooting, less recoil, while maintaining great penetration and killing ability.
 
do you guys think the 6.5x55 with a 140 grain bullet is enough to kill a moose with? i know it's really hard to get a adult moose license so i'd probably be mostly calf hunting but it still seems rather small. i live around timmins and we have alot of thick bush around here so most of my shots would probably be in the 200 yard range.
 
Well this is where it gets kinda murky, the 6.5x55 is famous in Scan. countries as a moose cartridge, I'm wondering though, if most of it's best work on large game is not with the 156gr. bullet over there. The long bullet is known as a good penetrator but this bullet is less and less common, at least over here. You mention the 140 gr. bullet and I'm thinking that the old 156 or 160gr. would be superior for moose at fairly close range.
 
6.5x55 with good bullets is enough for moose. But ammo is not real common, there's not much choice in bullet weights from factory ammo, and it's expensive if you don't reload. A 30-06 would be a better choice for some people just for that reason.

I have 3 Husky rifles based on the 98 action: 8x57, 30-06, and 9.3x62
3 Husky rifles based on the 96 action: 9.3x57 (2) and 6.5x55

Obviously I like the Husqvarna rifles. :) But be aware that quite a few of the Husqvarnas based on the '96 and '98 actions are not scope-ready. They will need to be drilled and tapped, safeties and bolts modified for scope use, at a cost of $200 or more. Just be aware of this and check the decriptions closely.

The 1600 series rifles are scope ready. I think a 1640 Husky in 30-06 would be about as close to a perfect moose rifle as one would ever need.
 
I dont expect it'd make a huge difference, although I'll admit if I were lucky enough to draw an adult moose tag in sudbury-tims area I'd spend the $45 and pick up a box of 155gr lapua ammo just for the insurance.
 
The only rifle that will kill a Moose is chambered in the 375 H&H Magnum. King of all rifles. :)
 
Dorian Gray said:
do you guys think the 6.5x55 with a 140 grain bullet is enough to kill a moose with? i know it's really hard to get a adult moose license so i'd probably be mostly calf hunting but it still seems rather small. i live around timmins and we have alot of thick bush around here so most of my shots would probably be in the 200 yard range.
Click to expand...

I know a 6.5x55 with a 140 grain barnes will kill a moose, check out this thread http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=290738
 
I have a Husqvarna manufactured Swedish Mauser M38 in 6.5x55.
It operates flawlessly , has great fit/finish , and its easily the most accurate rifle I have ever shot.
If you use premium bullets it's fine for moose sized game,at moderate distances, if you do your part.
HTH
Eric
 
If you ever wanted to try reloading, here's your chance. The Hornady 160RN is easy to find, a set of dies and inexpensive press and your good to go. You could even just get a Lee Loader in 6.5x55...a Lee scale, box of bullets, pound of powder and primers. You'd probably get out of the store at around 150$, that would give you something to tinker with for a while until that adult moose tag comes in. That bullet flies good from every Swede I've owned...keeping your shots to a decent distance and that 160 will auger through anything you hit properly with it. My .02$, remember this is the internet...I might not know anything:D
 
I'm pretty happy with my 1600 action Husqvarna in .308. These are much nicer rifles than most run of the mill current production rifles.

DSC00036.JPG
 
I have one, a 30-06 Husqvarna feather weight I inherited from my Dad. He used it very successfuly on Deer and Moose in the B.C. interior for a number of years. It has a Redfield wide angle on it, using Weaver pivot mounts. I used it a few years ago on my 1st Mule Deer with our Daughter in Alberta and the plan, down the road, is to pass it on to the next generation right handed shooter, our Granddaughter.

Husqvarna30-06.jpg


I'm in the process of changing over to Barnes TTSX bullets in three rifles/calibers, this being one. It's taken a while but I've now got a decent load using the 130gr TTSX as/the bottem target below.

TTSXloadtestresults-1.jpg
 
I have a Husquvarna 270 on a '98 action. Kills deer and moose fine. I use my 300 WM on bears, but wouldn't hesitate to use the 270 either.

I was lucky though. It was a gift from a fellow who inherited it but had no FAC at the time.

Mine is a little more um.. well-loved than the one above.
 
MD said:
I have a Husquvarna 270 on a '98 action. Kills deer and moose fine. I use my 300 WM on bears, but wouldn't hesitate to use the 270 either.

I was lucky though. It was a gift from a fellow who inherited it but had no FAC at the time.

Mine is a little more um.. well-loved than the one above.
Click to expand...

Sounds nice.
Pics?
 
I've got a M98 Husky in 9.3 x 62. It was drilled and tapped for a side mount scope (promptly removed). I installed a NECG Masterpiece banded front sight, built a rear sight for the existing dovetail. I restocked the rifle with a Wood Plus stock and Pachmeyr medium pad (orange) from Brownells and installed a Bold trigger (I'm not a 2-stage fan). The floorplate and trigger guard were slimmed, contoured and profiled to give them a more graceful look. The metal was stripped and polished and then the entire barrelled action and bottom metal was cold blued (I may get brave and rust blue it some day). All this made for an extremely enjoyable project with my Dad.

But how does it shoot? Well, I had problems gettign over 2000 FPS with the 286 TSX. My belief is that the bullet is too long for the case and protrudes too deeply (tried using a full book load of IMR4350 and couldn't get the bulelt to seat to the proper depth). I then switched over to some 286 Norma RNs that Why Not? (Ted) gave me. A couple of grains over max (to account for the slightly oversize chamber) and I'm getting 2350 FPS and shooting 3 shots into a hair over an inch at 100 yards with open sights.

Achtüng Mooses!
 
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