Scoping Swedish Mausers

The rifle being scoped here is a Model 96 bolt action Swedish Mauser. Swedish-made actions were proof tested with load pressures up to 66,000 PSI and provided with gas venting holes. This particular rifle was made by the Carl Gustaf firm in Sweden. The receiver is dated 1918 while some were made as late as the 1940s. The receiver inscription reads, "Carl Gustaf Stade- Gevarstaktori 1918". The specimen worked on here was found in most excellent condition with a bore that appeared unfired.

The old rifle just beckoned to be scoped, First, I totally accurized and sporterized the old gun. This included glass bedding the action with Brownells Steel Bed, shortening the forend and adding a laminated forend tip, finishing the well grained stock, installing a Timney trigger and cutting some 2 ½ inches off the barrel (including the front sight and existing threads), followed by re-crowning. The rifle was then ready for scoping.

Installing the Scope Sight With all the aforementioned work done on the old Mauser, it was time for scope mounting. I chose a Leupold mounting system with streamlined bases and one inch rings. The receiver was carefully aligned and stabilized in the milling/drilling vise to aid in true alignment of the screw holes.

While I could have used a Brownells 8-40 screw conversion for a somewhat stronger and easier installation, I stayed with the 6-48 base screws pro- The two 8-48 screw holes are drilled and tapped for a Leupold scope base. vided. The receiver is quite hard, so care must be taken when drilling and tapping the base screw holes. This is particularly true of tap holes that bottom out on the receiver rings. There is, however, ample screw thread depth on this well-made receiver.

The rear base required a bit of extra fitting at the raised front, which was

The Leupold base forms a near perfect fit on the front receiver ring of the Model 96 Swedish rifle. As a means of more solidly anchoring the adjustable ring side locks, a through bolt and new cap screws were substituted on the rear scope base. performed before final placing in position and screw hole marking. There must be no rocking of a scope base at any time. Following base installation, I placed the rings in position and tested them for true coaxial alignment with Brownells Sleeved Scope Alignment Rods.

This instrument quickly reveals any misalignment of the scope rings, and these rings checked out well. When you stop to think about it, it’s a pretty tall order for a scope base and ring manufacturer to produce a precision fit between parts for a rifle receiver made more than 90 years ago. But they do it and do it well. Testing Things Out On occasion, as we set out to prove our work, we may not always have a clear picture of what is being tested.

It may be the scope, its mounting system, the rifle’s barrel, or its load, or a number of other things, including the shooter. Obviating many of these things in advance is the key. I had selected a couple good scopes for testing the customized 6.5×55 Swedish Mauser chambering, including the new 6.5-20X Sightron scope with one-inch tube. I was immediately encouraged with the sub-minute-of-angle grouping with a few different bullets.

The mounting system showed the reticle adjustable to optical center, which in itself answers a lot of questions. Scopes The pointers show good ring alignment of the Leupold scope mounting system. The final proof of alignment is verified as one alignment rod slides into the opposite sleeve.

The instrument is designed to fit both one-inch and 30mm scope rings. 5-20X MOA2 Sightron scope mounted on the venerable Model 96 Swedish Mauser rifle. sometimes run out of adjustment as the reticle is moved for windage or elevation, resulting in using only the peripheral part of the lenses. Conclusion The bottom line shows us howa good scope mounting job can bring out the accuracy and shooting pleasure of even the oldest of rifles never designed to be scoped. AG