I need help identifying a husqvarna mauser

V

vinnyb20598

New member
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hey, I got this husqvarna Mauser a while back, and I have no clue what the model is and I cant seem to find anything online. Does anyone have any idea how to identify one?

I would post pictures but apparently I am unable to do so.. so the only marking I can find on the left side of the receiver is a 6 digit number, then the inspection officer stamp (in my case its K.B.) then the serial number. After the serial there seems to be II marked on there as well but its not the same type of engraving as any other markings or stamps.. there is also two stamped crowns on the knob of the bolt handle.

The stock is sporterized but it does have the thumb groove and feeding lips for the stripper clips. Another thing I found odd is that the front post also seems different.. there is no rear sight on it as when I got the rifle, there were already scope base mount on it.

I know it may be difficult without pictures, but if anyone could help I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks
 
vinnyb20598 said:
.... so the only marking I can find on the left side of the receiver is a 6 digit number, then the inspection officer stamp (in my case its K.B.) then the serial number. ....
....
I know it may be difficult without pictures, but if anyone could help I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks
Click to expand...

From Crown Jewels book by Dana Jones. "K.B." was Konrad Berglund - "Besiktningsofficer" at CG arsenal from Apr. 1, 1902 until Sep 31, 1905. (p. 150) During most of those years, both M94 and M96 being made at that arsenal. 6 digit serial number started on M96 in 1902, during K.B. time (p. 147). 6 digit serial number starts on M94 in 1918, long after K.B.'s time (p. 146). So yours was a Model of 1896 - "Carl Gustaf Stads Gevarsfaktori" - long barrel, full stock - bolt handle would have been straight. You describe it as being "sporterized", so no telling what it is today - could be different chambering, bolt changed, stock carved, etc. Original 1896 was chambered in 6.5x55.

So not a "Husqvarna" mauser - was made at Carl Gustaf arsenal, not the Husqvarna factory.

Should be lettering on top of the receiver front ring, including the date that the receiver was made. May have all been ground off / polished off to mount scope bases...
 
Last edited:
A "bent" (as in curved down like a K98k mauser) Swede bolt handle could be M38 or from an M94. I read in the 1950's that Sweden surplused thousands of M94 after they ceased with the cavalry - I presume spare parts went also. I have a STIGA brand mauser - so built from a former Swede military mauser - that has a bent (curved down) bolt handle, so that one is actually likely from an M94 carbine - that is, the receiver and the bolt. Neither work very well for scope clearance unless you use very high scope mount rings. Many people cut off and re-welded "scope friendly" bolt handles on Swede and other Mauser bolt bodies - I had bought a few from TradeEx, back in the day.
 
Swedish ordnance engineers came up with a cost effective alternative and in 1937 they adopted the M38 Swedish Mauser. The M38 was constructed by reconfiguring existing M96 long rifles. The barrel was shortened and the front sight base moved back to suit. The stock was also shortened and the front band spring and barrel band were accordingly moved back. The straight bolt handle was retained. Between 1938 and 1940, 55,080 M96 rifles were converted at the Carl Gustafs Stads Gevarsfaktori, and under contract at Husqvarna Vapensfabriks AB.

By the end of 1940, the Second World War was raging across Europe. The Swedish government needed all available arms in the field in order to maintain her neutrality, by force of arms if necessary. The Carl Gustafs Stads Gevarsfaktori in Eskilstuna was busy manufacturing machine guns and other weapons and so, in 1941, Husqvarna Vapensfabriks AB was given the contract to construct newly made M38 rifles instead of converting further M96 long rifles. The very first Husqvarna made M38 rifles had straight bolts, but the factory was already tooled up to make bent bolt bodies for their sporting rifles. Husqvarna asked for, and was given permission, to alter the specification and produce the vast bulk of their M38 rifles with bent bolt handles. By the end of production in 1944, Husqvarna had manufactured 65,588 new M38 rifles.

Modern collectors often refer to the early pattern converted M96 rifles as the M96/38. The Swedish military, however, made no such distinction. All M38 patterns were referred to simply as M38, regardless of manufacture or type of bolt body.
 
Good catch, MD. I never thought of possibility that the OP rifle could have been a so-called M96/38, before it was "sporterized" but, from the information that he gave, that receiver most likely started out as a M96, not likely a M94 or a "newly made" M38. As per your information, it would have had a straight handle bolt originally, but could have easily been swapped out for a bent down style, at almost any time.
 
I don't believe that it was bent professionally as there is a small crack on the bolt handle knob I assuming was done when it was bent.
 
thanks for the info! so I forgot to mention but the chambering is in fact 6.5x55. The bolt handle was bent later on as it seemed to have left a small fracture on the handle itself. Also, unfortunately the lettering/stamping on the top of the receiver was grinded off or polished off at some point in the rifles life...
 
Here's some pics of vinnyb Mauser.

Going by the serial # I got mid 1938.

L6OC5Ff.jpg


o1PyK7d.jpg


nbCWiCd.jpg


1RGWRz6.jpg


JNp3wSH.jpg


VaZV64W.jpg
 
Last edited:
Didn't the Mauser that were assembled by Husqvarna have the tilted Crown?

Like this.

bJEIsGi.jpg

(edit: This is one of my Ljungman AG-42.)
 
Last edited:
Okay - from pictures - that is not a "bent down" M94 or M38 bolt - that is a cut off and re-welded "scope friendly" handle - much too sharp edged to be by the Swede military. Very similar to ones that I bought from TradeEx. To help you on the ID - CG parts have the Swede crown "up and down" - ie, straight. Husqvarna made parts had same crown, but tilted - sort of 45 degrees - one of the ways to tell the difference. Your rifle stock sure looks like a model or version sold by Husqvarna as a sporter rifle, but the receiver number and stampings say it used to be a Swede military rifle - so maybe both - started with military, then made into a sporter by Husqvarna.
 
HuskyDude said:
Didn't the Mauser that were assembled by Husqvarna have the tilted Crown?
Click to expand...


So, I thought. Until you get into some M38 - made by Husqvarna but using CG parts - so there are Husqvarna made rifles with straight crowns on some parts. But generally I think you are correct - a Husqvarna made part has a "tilted" crown... But for sure I have a Husqvarna stamped receiver M38 with a "straight crown" rear sight - thought it was "wrong" until I found the S.S. inspection stamp, and another "tilted crown" on the same part. S.S. was Sten Stenmo and was the Besiktningofficer at both C.G. and Husqvarna - he was the last Inspection Officer. Crown Jewels book also shows picture of his predecessor stamp "G.B". - Carl Gustaf K:son Bjorkenstam- on a straight crown rear sight M38 re-build done at the Husqvarna plant ( p. 153)
 
Last edited:
HuskyDude said:
Here's some pics of vinnyb Mauser.

....

Going by the serial # I got mid 1938. ...
Click to expand...

That is interesting. So far as I know, the serial number after the Inspector Initials was the original one. So this one has two serial numbers. The original one, if six digits - starts with 120###. Again, from that Crown Jewels book, that receiver, inspected by "K.B." was made at CG arsenal in 1902. (p. 147) I do not know where the second serial number shown comes from - the six digits ahead on the inspector initials. Would be helpful if someone knows what that is from??
 
Last edited:
I do not know enough about the history of the Husqvarna production. For certain, before they got the WWII era contract for the M38 rifles for military, they were making hunting rifles. It would not surprise me that they used surplus military receivers from Carl Gustaf Armoury, before they started making their own? Just a guess. I do not recognize that right side safety as a Husqvarna thing, but have bought at least one of those trigger units through CGN some years ago - was told by seller that it was made in Sweden - an "after market" piece, I presumed. So, between the safety that it has and the "scope friendly" bolt handle modification, someone has been working on it - I do not think either of those features came from the Husqvarna factory.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom