M96 worth?

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huntingfish

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Hi! I've been lending my swedish mauser to a friend for moose season and he inquired how much Id sell it to him for and I truly dont have an idea. Good friend of mine, I want a fair price.

Its a swedish mauser m96 with side safety. Has bases and rings and a nikon prostaff 3-9x40mm. Has a timney trigger that works beautifully and a limbsaver buttpad grind to fit. Also had a bedding job done by myself (acraglass kit if I remember correctly).

After I finished some wood working classes...I did install an african black wood tip on it. Not that it adds to the value hehe.

Is 650$ a fair price?

Cheers,
David

Edit: chambered in 30-06
 
It might be relevant to know who re-did that rifle to accept 30-06 - normally requires some material removed from behind lower locking lug of a Swede M96 6.5x55 receiver, magazine box extended, feed ramp re-contoured. Was for sure done commercially by companies like STIGA and others - and then were "proof tested" as per CIP or similar - to ensure the receiver and lock-up stayed strong enough to withstand a lifetime of factory 30-06.

It would also go to price how that bolt shroud was altered or not - a Swede M96 has the "over the top" three position Mauser safety that will not work well with scopes, and had a "thumb piece" extension on the rear of the firing pin - was firing pin shortened from the rear? Was the shroud merely "plugged" or was a commercial shroud installed? You say it has bases - so was the rear base altered or was the "stripper clip" ridge ground off the receiver? Was front base rear hole drilled and tapped into recoil lug support or into the cavity ahead of that recoil seat? Since it has a Timney with a side safety, someone was in there - so all goes to what is a "fair" price - who did that work, and when??

A crusty old bugger like me would not be interested, at any price, if that was a "home done" conversion, without proof testing marks. To be a 30-06, I presume was at minimum re-barreled from M96 6.5 mm to .30 caliber - or was the military barrel bored out and re-rifled? For sure, it was a not uncommon thing to re-barrel and re-chamber those Swede M96 style receivers to 308 Win - which has a higher pressure rating than 30-06 - but is actually a shorter round than the 6.5x55, so the receiver did not need anything cut away.
 
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Ah see. I knew I forgot some details. This is a rifle that I got from tradeex in 2008 or so. It was already a 30-06. I did not have it modified to 30-06 after I purchased it. I have no illusions in thinking any collector would want this m96. This is a hunting rifle period. It has been carried though hell and back to try to tag a moose! Always cared for though. Blueing is decent as is the wood.

David
 
I think you assumed the timney was a side-safety...or did I write this?(on my phone and cant see orignal post while typing). The timney trigger has no safety and relies on the original non-side-safety (not sure how these are called...is that what you refered to as shroud safety?). It clears the installed scope without any extensions. Barely...but it clears it.

David
 
huntingfish said:
I think you assumed the timney was a side-safety...or did I write this?(on my phone and cant see orignal post while typing). The timney trigger has no safety and relies on the original non-side-safety (not sure how these are called...is that what you refered to as shroud safety?). It clears the installed scope without any extensions. Barely...but it clears it.

David
Click to expand...

I had a military M96 that I installed a Timney trigger with a side safety. The featherweight deluxe is the model with the side safety.
 
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huntingfish said:
I think you assumed the timney was a side-safety...or did I write this?(on my phone and cant see orignal post while typing). The timney trigger has no safety and relies on the original non-side-safety (not sure how these are called...is that what you refered to as shroud safety?). It clears the installed scope without any extensions. Barely...but it clears it.

David
Click to expand...

The original safety on a Swede M96 will be a three position affair on the bolt shroud - when the lever is fully to right side (horizontal) the bolt will be locked shut and the safety is "On". Middle position has the lever straight up - this is when usually makes contact with a scope - bolt handle is unlocked, but safety is still "On". Third position is when lever is fully to the left side - (horizontal) - the bolt is unlocked and the Safety is "off" - rifle is ready to fire. Was at least one Mauser variant made for one country that the safety lever worked opposite way, but I think I described the Swede M96 version accurately.

Was several after market "scope friendly" up /down two position levers available for use with scope - usually abandons the middle function of the original safety - for either right side or on left side - they used the original military shroud. I have installed a Gentry and a Dakota brand horizontal swinging, three position, safety on Mauser 98 - I presume, but do not know, if they were also made for the Swede M96 - they have the lever on right side - I suspect, but do not know, that similar are available for the left side. I prefer those types on the bolt shroud, as they act directly on the cocking piece / firing pin - do NOT rely on the trigger sear to hold the cocking piece back - most of the after market triggers with integral safety only work to block that sear, sometimes via blocking the trigger from moving - is still just the sear engagement on the cocking piece holding it back - which was often honed down to get a better trigger "pull".
 
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huntingfish said:
Ah see. I knew I forgot some details. This is a rifle that I got from tradeex in 2008 or so. It was already a 30-06. I did not have it modified to 30-06 after I purchased it. I have no illusions in thinking any collector would want this m96. This is a hunting rifle period. It has been carried though hell and back to try to tag a moose! Always cared for though. Blueing is decent as is the wood.

David
Click to expand...


Might be just words - but with due respect - I know of no M96 that was originally made in 30-06. So it can not be both things at the same time. It might have once been an M96, or M94 or M38, (without reference books, Swede Inspector's initials and serial numbers, not sure that I could tell the difference, if I only had a receiver in my hand) that has been converted to 30-06. Maybe will depend on your buyer - how much they know or do not know - but pretty much up to you as seller to be able to satisfy a buyer's questions? Sweden appears to have sold off, as surplus, a number of military bolt action rifles since 1950's - bought up by many people and many companies - no doubt about any conversion that could be imagined was tried. But there was a standardized M96 configuration made mostly by Carl Gustaf Amoury (around 500,000 of them) in Sweden (around 40,000 made at Oberndorf, in Germany, and then about 18,000 by Husqvarna, also in Sweden) but that standard was chambered in 6.5x55 cartridge.
 
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So...despite all the talk about caliber and what not...only 1 person has actually come forward with a dollar amount. I'd be curious to hear what the others say this is worth.

David
 
Hitzy said:
I wouldn't pay $650 for any 96 sporter.
$400 would be on the high end for this one with scope.
Click to expand...

I agree, give or take 400-450$ in my books. One can buy the 98 action for 350-400 which is more desirable. In saying that, to the right buyer like your friend who really wants it, might get you 500-600$.
 
400$ to 450$ is about right. Tradex flooded the market with these cheap sporters over the last few years. You can have a look at the inventory at Intersurplus to get an idea of market value for similar rifles.
 
I agree that $400 would be tops for a proof-marked M96 sporter in very good condition, maybe $450 for an excellent example. Most of the M96 sporters they brought over were going for $250-$350 depending on condition.
 
huntingfish said:
Hi! I've been lending my swedish mauser to a friend for moose season and he inquired how much Id sell it to him for and I truly dont have an idea. Good friend of mine, I want a fair price.

Its a swedish mauser m96 with side safety. Has bases and rings and a nikon prostaff 3-9x40mm. Has a timney trigger that works beautifully and a limbsaver buttpad grind to fit. Also had a bedding job done by myself (acraglass kit if I remember correctly).

After I finished some wood working classes...I did install an african black wood tip on it. Not that it adds to the value hehe.

Is 650$ a fair price?

Cheers,
David

Edit: chambered in 30-06
Click to expand...

Go to Intersurplus and find something equal, then factor in some of the extras you have.

$650 seems high. I bought a beautifully refurbished HVA 1600 w/ a hogue stock in .30-06 for $400 not long ago. So I would say $400 - $550 range is fine.

Big issue is there seems to be not much love for Mauser long actions these days and there is a glut of real nice Mauser rifles in .30-06. They are a real bargain out there.
 
Might want to realise internet prices are always low. Me, in the spirit of fairness...meet in the middle.
550....525 $
He has handled it....he likes it...it is a a good gun in his and your eyes Everyone here will tell you "I wouldn't pay that!"...we are a bunch of crusty old buggers who have moths fly out when we crack the wallet.
The prices we are throwing down have an unknown quality... because it is unknown.
You are dealing with a known unit.... read the advice posted, check it out for Red Flags... if he is happy...done deal.
Someone will be outraged and will retort...OK.
Crack on
 
Rwilco said:
Go to Intersurplus and find something equal, then factor in some of the extras you have.

$650 seems high. I bought a beautifully refurbished HVA 1600 w/ a hogue stock in .30-06 for $400 not long ago. So I would say $400 - $550 range is fine.

Big issue is there seems to be not much love for Mauser long actions these days and there is a glut of real nice Mauser rifles in .30-06. They are a real bargain out there.
Click to expand...

Military Mausers come in a few receiver lengths, 96&M48 are kind of an intermediate length receiver that has been commercialized into long action cartridges with some success.
98's are geared towards long action cartridges and way more suitable, and are way more acceptable.
Swedes commercially made 96's into everything popular from 30'06/270/9.3x62 etc.
The original design has a notch on the trigger bar that locks the bolt closed when the trigger is pulled, this had to do with the #### on closing design, and was dropped on the 98 with #### on opening design.
I'm not crazy on aftermarket triggers in 96's for this reason, and would rather work over an original trigger then drop a Timney or other single stage trigger in these things.
HVA 1600's are way better actions then any 96, and are plentiful in 30'06 for under $500.
96 in 30'06 is probably the least desirable firearm I could think about buying.
 
There isn't much out there these days in the way of a decent rifle under 400 . so if the wood is good , and the bore is okay , I would say about 450 for the rifle , and another 75 for scope and rings for a total of 525.....but of course there is the friend , and going to a good home , discount as well .
 
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