Varberger and Lakelander rifles
- Thread starter Rob
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Throttle_monkey1
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Picked one up in 6.5x55 a few weeks ago. It's a lakelander 375. Internal magazine and 9 lug bolt, sorta similar to a weatherby mark V. Got it for a great price and it is a quality rifle. Replaced the extractor and trigger guard. Put a scope on it and will be doing load development today. All I need is iron sights and to chop 3/4" off the stock to shorten the length of pull. It is a very nice shooting rifle. Mine is made in Sweden.
I read your posting on Gunboards. I'm interested in more...more production history and more facts. I'd mostly like to hear about actual experience with the firearms. As well as all the variations among the different models. Plus possible values of the various versions. That sort of information.
Let's see if this works.
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Throttle_monkey1
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
For sure, talk about a political/business nightmare. The rifles are pretty sweet though. Tradex has a lakelander 375 and a varberger full stock both in 6.5x55. I was going to buy them but they've both had their barrels hacked down to 18"
Throttle_monkey1
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
If any of you do buy one, there's a guy named Per-Olof Stenmark way up in Skellefteå, northern Sweden who bought up all the Varberger spare parts and has pretty much everything if you need parts.
His website is www.kolvmakeri.se
His website is www.kolvmakeri.se
Well, while we know the whole story behind the company, we don't know very well the finnish-made Lakelander (TAP 375) models, and prices are all over the place, depending on trim and caliber.
There are catalogs for the Kongsberg-made Lakelanders and the Varbergers are easier to trace, but "easier" is relative, as even in Scandinavia, there are little written infos readily available.
The article "Den tragiska Varbergersagan" is a very good source of what happened.
Both Lakelanders were available in the following trims and calibers;
"Hunting"
22-250 Rem, 243 Win, 6.5X55, .270 Win, 7X64 Brenneke, .308 Win, 30-06 Sprgd, and 9.3X62
Barrel legnght, 580 mm (22.83") outside diameter at muzzle; 16mm (0.630")
7mm RM and .300 WM
Barrel lenght; 660mm (25.98") outside diameter at muzzle; 16mm (0.630")
338 WM and .358 NM
Barrel lenght; 660mm (25.98") outside diameter at muzzle; 17.5mm (0.689")
Average Weight; 3.4 kg / 3.5 kg for Magnum
Sporter;
6.5X55 and .308 Win
Barrel lenght (Target / Varmint); 570mm (22.44") outside diameter at muzzle; 17.5mm (0.689")
6.5X55
Barrel lenght (Target / Varmint); 660mm (25.98") outside diameter at muzzle; 19mm (0.748")
.308 Win
Barrel lenght (Target / Varmint); 570mm (22.44") outside diameter at muzzle; 19mm (0.748")
average weight; 3.8 to 4.3 kg, depending on style
Battue / Affut
7X64 Brenneke and 9.3X62
Barrel lenght; 550mm (21.65") outside diameter at muzzle; 16mm (0.630")
.300 WM
Barrel lenght; 550mm (21.65") outside diameter at muzzle; 17mm (0.669")
Carbine
6.5X55, .308 Win and 9.3X62
Barrel lenght; 457mm (17.99") outside diameter at muzzle; 17mm (0.669")
Weight; 3.0 kg
But I do have a "Battue" style TAP-375 rifle in 9.3X62 Standard with a 570mm barrel with muzzle diameter of 18.5mm (0.728") weighting 3.5 kg (+/- 8 lbs)...
The stocks were avaialable in several trims and styles, means "Standard", "Special", "Lyx" etc....
The Varberger follow similar model lines, but they also made Benchrest actions (w/ 6 lugs).
The fullstock rifles at Trade Ex seem legit to me....
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I have a very nice 6.5x55mm Swedish made Varberger with a medium weight 24.5" barrel. These are a very strong action and well made, accurate rifles that can easily and safely handle a 6.5x55mm load of a 140gr. bullet at up to 2900 fps with their multiple lug, strong bolt design.
From my experience they are very good hunting and shooting rifles, just as good as a Tikka or Sako rifle in the same calibre. I seldom see them for sale except for the ones brought into Canada by Trade-Ex, as most who buy them tend to want to hang onto them.
From my experience they are very good hunting and shooting rifles, just as good as a Tikka or Sako rifle in the same calibre. I seldom see them for sale except for the ones brought into Canada by Trade-Ex, as most who buy them tend to want to hang onto them.
Back more than a decade ago I had couple of NIB Lakelanders (can't recall the calibers) that I picked up at an auction. I sold them before I had a chance to shoot them,but I was impressed with the design and build quality of those rifles. I wouldn't mind owning one in a fullstock but they do seem heavy for a carbine. The Varberger fullstock at Tradeex weighs 8 pounds and that is stripped with not even any iron sights. A scope and rings would quickly bring that up to over 9 pounds. Just like the Sako fullstock carbines that seemed to get heavier every year after about the mid-60's. I don't care for heavy bulky hunting carbines. That seems to defeat their purpose.
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