Used European rifles

tacgnol89

tacgnol89

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Hi guys. I've been flirting with the idea of buying one of those used european rifles that they have at Trade Ex or Intersurplus. More specifically, an M98 based 30-06. They're so inexpensive, yet so elegant looking.

Do any of you guys have any experience with those? Are they worth the money? Anything specific I should watch out for?
 
tacgnol89 said:
Hi guys. I've been flirting with the idea of buying one of those used european rifles that they have at Trade Ex or Intersurplus. More specifically, an M98 based 30-06. They're so inexpensive, yet so elegant looking.

Do any of you guys have any experience with those? Are they worth the money? Anything specific I should watch out for?
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The answer to your question all depends on how well the last owner(s) treated it. For the most part, the rifles we seem to have here are from Sweden. Their gun laws have changed, and we are getting the extra ones that the shooters can't keep according to their licences. I have a a preference for the Swedish Mauser 96s versus the German Mauser 98s, if only because they are lighter weight and uniquely Scandinavian.

You'll find some have odd markings. I have seen a Vapen-Depoten-Falun M/96 in 30-06 (what they stamped as 7.62x63mm), and it is a nice full bore hunting rifle, quite capable of good results. The action was made by Husqavarna and the rifle built by Vapen-Depoten, which is out of business but was a big mail order outdoor goods supplier and retailer. Think is SIR in Winnipeg before it became a Cabellas, had a couple gunsmith guys in the back who kept making up rifles to meet market demand. Falun is a nice little town that has an annual festival that involves a very large replica of a goat, and the main sport is to try to burn it down BEFORE the official burning event.
 
What to look for? Missing pieces. Home workshop repairs. Broken or repaired stocks. Remember, these are final sale and you're buying someones' #3 or #4 rifle. I has probably sat in the cabinet for 3-4 decades.
 
maple_leaf_eh said:
What to look for? Missing pieces. Home workshop repairs. Broken or repaired stocks. Remember, these are final sale and you're buying someones' #3 or #4 rifle. I has probably sat in the cabinet for 3-4 decades.
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That's kinda what I'm worried about. I've only got pictures and the dealer's description to go off of.
 
The descriptions posted by Trade Ex are accurate and not "marketing hype" in my experience. Their firearms are fairly priced. If you are really concerned, it may be possible to give Anthony a call and confirm the answer to a couple more questions. He has always treated me fairly and with respect. And provided good timely service too!
 
I glass bedded the one my son bought. Metal and bore are great, Stock was a bit cracked at the top of the wrist behind the receiver and where the recoil lug was pounding inside the receiver cut out.
There wasn't a cross pin or any kind of reinforcement that you see on some Mausers for the recoil lug.
If you are comfortable repairing a wood stock or want to spend the bucks on an aftermarket stock these rifles are pretty hard to beat.
A modern built Mauser 98 would cost well over 1K.
 
The Husqvarna 1600's are VERY nice. If you can find one without a cracked wrist near the tang, and if you have it professionally glass bedded, you will have an heirloom quality hunting rifle that is both accurate and light weight without the use of plastics and pot metal. The triggers are also adjustable and pretty decent. Their commercial M98's are also nice (though mostly picked over), but they're a bit heavier. For under $600, you can't go wrong!
 
The 1600’s I have had were nice rifles. Accurate. The triggers weren’t adjustable and were too heavy for me. Triggertech should make a trigger for these.
 
Buckmastr said:
The 1600’s I have had were nice rifles. Accurate. The triggers weren’t adjustable and were too heavy for me. Triggertech should make a trigger for these.
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Huber triggers are nice and are made for these older Husqvarna's. Failing that, any decent 'smith can fix them up for you.
 
I agree with the Huber trigger, well worth it; ensure you order the correct model for the type of Mauser action.
I have had good luck with those rifles; for the money you can get wonderful quality and use.
If you want a scope on it, try and look for one with the hump ground down on the M98, and with good holes drilled or (usually) Weaver bases already on it -- I stay away from those that have bases welded on.

Check the bolt as well - straight bolts are not always suitable for a conventional scope mount, and even with a bent bolt, the scope may not be able to sit as low as you may like.
The Europeans generally use a more upright head position in their shooting; not a low cheek weld.
 
tacgnol89 said:
Hi guys. I've been flirting with the idea of buying one of those used european rifles that they have at Trade Ex or Intersurplus. More specifically, an M98 based 30-06. They're so inexpensive, yet so elegant looking.

Do any of you guys have any experience with those? Are they worth the money? Anything specific I should watch out for?
Click to expand...

"To watch out for" - that crack extending out from rear of the metal tang. It means the wrist is being split. Most common cause is that the recoil receiving area - ahead of the magazine, in the stock - has gone "punky" or soft - maybe soaked in oils - that shoulder that was meant to take the recoil, has been pushed back. That rear tang is roughly wedge shaped - so pushing entire receiver to rear under recoil applies outward force on that wrist area - splitting it. Less common, but also a "sign" - that rear tang should have .010" or more of "air" behind it - should not be in tight contact to the wood stock - that gap should have been established when rifle inletted the first time - if now closed, is a sign that the recoil shoulder is crushing or pushing back. Much of foregoing from Jerry Kuhnhausen "The Mauser Bolt Action - a Shop Manual".
 
You can also try tracking down a Parker Hale 98, they generally are in the same price range as the HVA 98's and don't need better triggers or any modifications.
 
I have purchased several rifles from Tradex in the past few years, some in Husqvarna's own 1600 action, and some with the commercial FN98 action.
I have 9.3 x62 in each action, a few 30'06s, and a BSA "stutzen" in 6.5x55 that I just couldn't resist.

Most recently I picked up an FN98 commercial in 8x57. The guns are often purchased as projects to keep me occupied through the dark days of winter. I am not a gunsmith or a craftsman by any means, but each rifle gets a fairly full breakdown, clean-up, and polish, most get a stock refinish along with any required repairs, and I am a fan of Brownells "oxpho blue" for any touch or re-blueing that needs to be done. The 8x57 was very reasonably priced ... did the clean-up/refinish, bought new Weaver bases, and a set of used quick release rings for it, added a used but clean and well functioning Bushnell scope, installed new QR type sling swivels and attached a new leather/canvas sling ... total cost about $500. At the range a couple days ago I settled on a load using 46gr of IMR 4064 pushing a 175gr Sierra Pro-hunter. Rifle looks great, functions well, and it will shoot a group of 3 into just over 1 inch. Actually, I bet it will do better, but not likely when it's in my hands.
Short answer ... Tradex sells good rifles at reasonable prices.
 
Can’t go wrong with any M98-based variant. All solid rifles. You might want to look for the improved version however, the Model 1900. The slickest bolt-action probably ever conceived. Strong and designed for modern cartridges. Sleek and snag-free design. Husqvarna’s are prized. Carl Gustaf’s are excellent and built on the same tooling. Antonio Zoli makes a present-day copy too.
 
Longwalker said:
The descriptions posted by Trade Ex are accurate and not "marketing hype" in my experience. Their firearms are fairly priced. If you are really concerned, it may be possible to give Anthony a call and confirm the answer to a couple more questions. He has always treated me fairly and with respect. And provided good timely service too!
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I agree! This is one of the reasons they have been in business so long.
 
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