IN RECENT YEARS, many were converted to 7.62 NATO by Carl Gustafs and Norma for target shooting. Mauser produced 45,000 Swedish Mausers at their Oberndorf factory and the Swedes produced them under license at the Carl Gustafs and Husqvarna factories. The bolt handle sticks straight out on this model. The factory and date of manufacture are stamped on the receiver, along with the Swedish coat of arms. There is a cleaning rod under the barrel and the bayonet lug has a hole for attaching a monopod for more accurate shooting. Centuries of dealing with wolves and bears in the thick Swedish forests had taught the Swedes the importance of getting a weapon in action fast. The M96 Swedish Mauser’s safety withdraws the firing pin away from the primer when it is put in the vertical midway position so that a blow to the back of the cocking piece cannot fire a chambered cartridge, yet the safety can now be removed much faster. Ammunition quality worldwide did not reach today’s standards until the 1920s, so this feature saw considerable use. The Swedes obviously appreciated the idea of their nextdoor neighbor and incorporated it into their gun. Krag rifle and later the M1903 Springfield. The cocking piece first appeared on the Norwegian Krag rifle and was carried over to America on first the U.S. The change recognizable at a glance was the upturn with the grooves on top added to the cocking piece, enabling the striker to be safely lowered or hand-cocked to have another try at a misfire. Modern commercial versions of the M98 action typically omit this critical feature, putting their customers at increased risk. It is a vital safety feature and personally I don’t want a modern Mauser action that doesn’t have it. This thumb cutout is often mistakenly assumed to be there just to facilitate stripper clip loading. The M96 also has two holes on either side of the extractor collar to vent gas from a pierced primer or ruptured cartridge case and a thumb cutout to further direct the gas away from the shooter’s eyes. When the bolt is moved forward and locked, the rib rotates to its spot beneath the rear of the extractor.

The internal guide rib, which runs along the left locking lug raceway on the M93 series, was replaced with a 2½-inch long guide rib that is part of the bolt body and moves through a slot in the top of the bolt bridge.

M94 and M96 guns feature some significant advances over the M93 and M95 Mausers.

These super accurate rifles still see much target competition in Europe today. I was delighted when Hunter’s Lodge sent me a M1896 Swedish Mauser made by Carl Gustafs for review. Why to consider adding a military surplus M96 Swedish Mauser to your Collection.Īlways considered a jewel among the many fine Mauser rifles made, the Swedish M96 is a real treasure.

Husqvarna rifles fn bolt