Pricey Swedish mausers

Philthy1

Philthy1

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So Classic firearms just released 10 M96's listed between 900-1000 USD and sold them immediately. Just a heads up.....might wanna get your cheap Tradex Swedes while you can.
 
To be fair there hasn't really been a significant import of Swedish Mausers in a long time and the prices have been fairly consistent (just the general inflation that has been happening to firearms as a whole). I don't see your average Swedish Mausers reaching above 500$ for a while yet.
 
Maybe, but its my understanding that Classic and Tradex buy from the same source, that being the big auction over in Sweden. Am I correct on this? Seems like Classic would be a good barometer for whats about to happen here. Seems like their supply has dried up and they are selling a few of the "hold backs" for top dollar.

edit....I didn't realize their was a vid

https://youtu.be/AwHT74m_0os
 
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My first milsurp rifle was a M38 bought at LeBaron's in Toronto shortly after they opened (on Younge Street if I remember correctly). They were around 85 bucks at that time. Ammo was scarce other then some military surplus. I bought 60 Norma brass and started reloading. Still have most of it- reloaded more than 20 times.

Turkey shoots were very popular 35 years ago and that rifle brought home a lot of birds . I still have that rifle plus an identical brother. Best value out there (in my opinion) for a well made, accurate, light recoiling military "shooting" rifle. Being a reloader isn't mandatory BUT it is a big bonus for 6.5 x 55 shooters.

I'm surprised these rifles aren't valued at twice what they are selling for. Some I've seen for sale are only a 100 bucks more than a vg condition Carcano. Go figure!!
 
Philthy1 said:
Maybe, but its my understanding that Classic and Tradex buy from the same source, that being the big auction over in Sweden. Am I correct on this? Seems like Classic would be a good barometer for whats about to happen here. Seems like their supply has dried up and they are selling a few of the "hold backs" for top dollar.

edit....I didn't realize their was a vid

https://youtu.be/AwHT74m_0os
Click to expand...

Depends, I don't think anyone would bother to import them into Canada at that price just because no one would buy them for that cost (except rarer ones like that 1946). There are plenty available at the moment in the 300-450$ range and I don't see that changing at the moment. Demand is simply not enough outstrip the quantity currently in country. Until that happens prices will remain relatively stable (and that type of demand hasn't materialized for over 30 years).

Either a ton of people get interested in Swedish Mausers (like what just happened recently with the M39s), or something happens to reduce the amount currently in country because there hasn't really been a large import in a long time.
 
I agree, there's lots of Swedes in the country, there's always some for sale and the price has been very stable. Contrast that to the M39s where there weren't many around. And as much as the Swedes are great shooters, they didn't really set a lot of actual war history which to me anyways makes them less desirable as a collectible. I've owned a nice Husky M38 and an AG42B, sold them both for stuff I found more interesting because I already had lots of great shooters. Your mileage may vary. I can really only see getting excited over an SA marked example.
 
Yep, me too.
Paid extra for the M38 at Lever Arms and it was $59. I still have the rifle and it's been my favourite shooter. Got a deal on a 3 x 9 Leuopold and had a local gunsmith work the safety for the scope mounting.
I reload and find it loves the 129 or 140 grain, but the varmint bullets shot patterns like a 12 gauge. You don't think 140 grains is too much for a gopher, do you?
 
I believe that the low price on Mauser M96's & M38's is strictly the caliber. If you shoot anymore than a couple of boxes a year you have to become a reloader as the cost of factory ammo is getting prohibitive. If you reload look at the price for bullets (projectiles), they aren't cheap. Unless you shoot cast lead bullets, which are hard to find from a commercial caster. An internet search will probably find you about 3 commercial caster in the US and 1 in Canada.

At these prices the guns are not being shot a lot unless you buy yourself a set of casting moulds in 6.5x55 which very few shooters in general want to get into.
 
I've reloaded for my 6.5 x 55 ever since I bought it back in the '80's. I still have a stash of Norma match bullets which I load for special occasions, but haven't found much problems getting 6.5mm projectiles in 140 grains. That's the sweet spot for my Mauser. 129 gr are OK, but the lighter ones go all over the place.
I'd consider getting a 6.5 made up in a Savage action rather than the 308, but who's got the money?? One day.......but for now the Swede with the Leupold suits me fine.
 
Tradex sells lots of 6.5x55 commercial ammo. I'm sitting on 500 rounds of Prvi 139gr FMJs and a few boxes of Premium Norma stuff. Not hard to find bullets at all. In fact, I was handling a box of Hornady brand bullets at SAIL last month. I figure I have enough brass to reload for the rest of my life.

FYI, Epp's carries Howa, Tikka, Sako, and Ruger #1-- all chambered ib 6.5x55.
 
Here in UK I paid over a thousand dollars [Can] for my 1898-dated three-digit serial CG m/96. In the same month as my purchase, another club member paid the equivalent of Can$1200 for one even nicer than mine.

In 2010.

If you can get one at the prices quoted - whether you actually 'need' one or not - I recommend that you leap at it.

tac
 
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