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Mauser 96 Swede, Progressive Barrels?

ern98
I'm trying to figure out why a sporterized Mauser 96, 6.5x55 swede, won't group better then about 4". The bedding is good, so is the crown. The bore is mint, everything should be in order. A local gunsmith, who has progessive barrels on the brain, has tried to convince me that the Swedes had progessive barrels on their 96 Mausers and that by cutting the 29" barrel down to 21" the final twist rate was cut off. Has anyone ever heard tell of progessive twist barrel on those old military 96 Swedish Mausers? This is a Husky.
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5 comments

Date Votes
  • rufe-snow
    I'm not aware if progressive rifleing was used on the Swedish Mausers? There are a bunch Mil-Surp Boards on the net devoted to them. Here is a link, I'm sure if you pose your question on them, you'll find some very knowledgeable folks who will be able to answer it.

    http://www.rebooty.com/~dutchman/links.html


    Your post puzzled me in that you identified your sporterized 96 as a "Husky". I believe that all the receivers marked Husqvarna were made up as Model 1938 Short Rifles, with 24" barrels. I'm not aware as how this could have a negative effect on accuracy, unless somebody screwed up the crown when the barrel was cut down, or it wasn't bedded right when the stock was sportized?

    luger_4.jpg
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  • ern98
    It may have been a 24", I wasn't privy to it being sporterized. It is 21" now. I know a fair amount about the M98s, but with the 96s I'm at a loss for the particulars on what it was before hand, I was guessing at the 29" length. All we've tried thru it so far are a couple of different off the shelf 140g bullet loadings. It may just not like the 140s. Thanks for the link, I'll check it out.
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  • Kdub
    I've had about a half dozen Swedes of the 94, 96 and 38 persuasion. To a rifle, they all preferred the 120 and 130 grain bullets to the 140's and 150's. Nosler Ballistic Tips are deadly, as well as the Hornady FBSP's (129 gr).

    As for the "progressive" rifling in the Swedes - think that is wistful thinking! My rifles had the short carbine barrel (mod 94) and the long 29" bbl (Mod 96) along with the 24" (Mod 38). All shot the same, even when sporterized to shorter lengths.

    Keep off the Ridgeline
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  • TWalker
    I agree with the posts saying that Swedes did not have progressive rifling. To my knowledge only the Italian Carcanos had that type in their long rifles. Checking your crown carefully and trying different loads is good advice. Good luck.

    "Let him step to the music he hears, however measured or far away." Thoreau
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  • MIKE WISKEY
    ypu, I agree with the above. I've worked with swedes since the mid 1960's. Probably have over 100 of them in one form or other (currently have about 6) and have never seen a 'progesive rifled' one. also never had one that shot that bad ever with a worn bore. The Husky actions are the cream of the crop.
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