Please Help Identify This Rifle Part 1

[88 man]

Hi Everyone. I hope someone can help me out please ! Military rifles are way out of my comfort zone and I know nothing about them. Just never had interest in them and I ended up with a couple. I believe this rifle is a 6.5x55 but not sure. Could someone put some info here so I know what I have ?
Thanks !

 

[Irons78]

I’m no expert but the rear sight seems to point to a M96 long rifle conversion to M38 carbine length. The bent bolt, I don’t know for sure if converted m96s retained their straight bolt handles. Is the bolt handle matching the rest of the bolt parts? Are the parts matching, mismatched, any electro-penciling etc? The top hand guard and retaining ring seem to be missing.

Stock looks sanded and refinished. Do you have more pics of the rifle overall?

In any case, gorgeous rifles and usually excellent shooters. Great deer rifles.

 

[88 man]

Thanks Irons78 ! All part are matching including the bolt which is still a straight bolt handle not bend. No front handguard wood so it's been sporterized but the barrel is still full length.

 

[matthunt101]

Definitely a Swedish Mauser, I agree with irons on what model, without knowing the barrel length, it's hard to confirm. It should be in 6.5x55 unless someone has foolishly converted it to something else. Is the handguard just missing or has the fore-end been cut down as well? Hard to tell from the pics. Looks like a decent rifle and it should be pretty accurate.

 

[Potashminer]

Going from what I am reading in Crown Jewels book, looks like an early contract made in Oberndorf, Germany for Sweden - by Mauser company. In subsequent years, the Swede Carl Gustaf armoury got "licensed" to make them for Sweden - even Husqvarna made some m96, I think. Original would be in 6.5x55 Swede cartridge. Maybe up to you to verify what it is chambered in now??

The round plate on the right side of butt seems to attract excitement, but likely the last time a Swede military armourer placed marks on it, would have been prior to them being surplused by Sweden in 1950's (70 odd years ago?) - so whatever condition that armourer found then, might not mean much today.

The book says many m96 rifles (29" barrels) altered by CG Armoury to a m38 pattern (22" barrel?) - same bands, bolt - shortened barrel and stock, etc. - so there exist CG products referred to by some as m96-38 rifles. Initial Husqvarna production of the new Husqvarna m38 may have been using straight handle bolts from CG - later Husqvarna production of M38 used turned down bolts - similar to m94 from CG or like Husqvarna used on their commercial hunting rifles.

The rear sight that you show is not "original" as initially produced. A picture of identical is shown on page 212. There is a note at bottom of page 211 that the Swede military had an intention to replace all original sights on m96 with SM micrometer sight, but notes this was never carried out. From the pictures shown in the book, yours looks to be an early version of the Vastera micrometer rear sight. Because of the multiple "steps", your rear sight base appears to be from an m96, not from an m38.

 

[88 man]

What would anyone's thoughts be in what it's worth ? With not knowing military stuff I wouldn't know where to start for an asking price
Thanks !

 

[Potashminer]

What it is worth - so, consider there are likely thousands, perhaps 10's of thousands in Canada, now. Your example from the pictures shown in Post #1 and Post #3 show a milsurp Swede that has not yet been drilled and tapped for a scope, but has had someone's attention to make a "sporter". I think in the 1960's, such rifles would have been sold in Canada by Lever Arms, Army & Navy, perhaps S.I.R., for less than $50. You have not indicated whether it is m38 or m96, nor have you identified what cartridge it is chambered for - so, someone like me, with 6 or 8 similar on hand, might offer $300. Or, someone who really wants one, might pay $1,500. What it is worth, is mostly up to you and a potential buyer - what you know about it, versus what that buyer might know about it.

 

[88 man]

Thanks Potashminer ! It's definitely 6.5x55. I had my smith check it out. How can I tell of its a M38 or M96 as I don't know military ? I really appreciate your help !

 

[tiriaq]

M38 or M96?
The barrel length will tell the tale.
Obviously the rifle started out as a M96.
If the barrel is about 30" long it is a sported M96.
If the barrel is 24" long with a military front sight it is a sported M38. Many M96s were converted into M38 short rifles after 1938.

 

[88 man]

Thank you tiriaq ! It's def about a 30 inch barrel without measuring and it's not cut down so imo its a M96

 

[Meroh]

Missing hand guard. Stock has been refinished (these were very, very dark brown originally) rear sight is not original.

I recently traded for one with bluing and bright metal at about 90-95% same for all the wood. It is an Obendorf also build in 1900; this was the first contract before production was set-up in Sweden. Its bayonet lug is in tact, with cleaning rod and original tangent sights. The rifle I traded, I valued at about $550-600. I was able to buy a bayonet with scabbard after a long search; and found one at a local dealer. The bayonets seem to sell for about $200 or more on EBAY (I paid less).

Buddies girlfriend modeling the rifle:

Without seeing more of your rifle, I would put it at $200, maybe as high as 400.

 

[Hitzy]

Missing hand guard. Stock has been refinished (these were very, very dark brown originally) rear sight is not original.

I recently traded for one with bluing and bright metal at about 90-95% same for all the wood. It is an Obendorf also build in 1900; this was the first contract before production was set-up in Sweden. Its bayonet lug is in tact, with cleaning rod and original tangent sights. The rifle I traded, I valued at about $550-600. I was able to buy a bayonet with scabbard after a long search; and found one at a local dealer. The bayonets seem to sell for about $200 or more on EBAY (I paid less).

Buddies girlfriend modeling the rifle:

Without seeing more of your rifle, I would put it at $200, maybe as high as 400.

Swedes used at least 6 different kinds of wood on their mausers, they came in several colors, not just dark brown.
https://www.gunboards.com/threads/swedish-mauser-woods.1154009/
The rear Metallverken sight is a common type found on rifles used in club shoots, nothing spectacular, just allowed for finer elevation adjustment.