I bought one a few years back when they were doing the sporterizing. Finally got arond to using it, tried to clean the bore and it won't clean up. This was the only model where they used the original barrels and I was wodering if anyone else had this problem. I'm wondering if they just slapped them together at Kimber without looking down the bores. I must have already tried over 100 patched with JB paste, used the electrode foul out twice, Sweets, everyting and it still won't come clean.

Thanks, Rob

Mine came with a pretty clean bore and I have had no problems with the rifle. Over the years I've used a number of bore products. Of late I prefer to use Wipe Out on really fouled bores. Follow Mr. Pauls directions for Wipe Out. It should clean up nicely. Best-o-Luck

I bought one from a member here and the jury is still out. The bore looks very good. It is soaking in wipe out as I write this. POI is shifting so a bedding job and replacement trigger are going to happen. It will also require a different bolt handle though. That stub is just bad news. Overall though it is a good looking rifle. If it doesn't want to shoot It is going to get a new tube in 300 Savage.

Swedish Mausers should be left alone. Every one I've seen "Bubbadized" won't do this:



Believe it or not, this group was shot with a bone stock M96 Swedish Mauser from 300 yards out. Shooting position was prone (on a large flat rock) from sandbags, front and rear. Aiming point was a 12" black target circle, and POI was 14" above this circle for this load. The photo is of the group on the target board above the black target circle.

An aside regarding JB bore paste: It will always turn the patch black, even when the bore is perfectly clean. What you may be seeing is the black oxidation from the steel...

Normally, Swedish Mausers have impeccable bores, much better than are found on most factory rifles...

Dan

Thanks to all, especially Dan. I have wondered if JB paste did what you described.

I used Wipeout and it took care of the copperfouling, but that bore still looks mighty rough, sort of grayish, not shiny at all.

Rob

IMHO the problem with barrel fouling in some surplus swedes may be due to the fact that a lot of steel jacketed surplus ammo was available cheap shortly after the majority of the swedes were imported. Thus you can have layers of steel jacket fouling over copper jacket fouling leading to a lot of scubbing to get back to the barrel steel. I use a combination of a homemade reverse electrolisis rig and the JB/Sweets routine.I've owned four Swedes, and still have two. Never met one that couldn't be made to shoot.

Incidently Dan, the best group of my life was shot with the 22 incher which I "bubba'd" myself. Cut to 22" and recrowned, (it had cleaning rod damage at the muzzle and a cracked stock when I bought it), epoxy bedded into a crappy ramline stock, rear sight milled flat for a bit of weaver rail and a Leupold scout scope added. Three shot group of .289" at 100 yds. The load was 49 grains of WC852s under a 120 gr. Ballistic tip, Lapua brass, federal 210 m primer. Shot off a sandbag on the hood of my truck. This rifle lives in my truck. BD

BD,

I don't blame you for bringing that rifle back into service from an unserviceable condition. I wouldn't mind finding an already sporterized Swede for my own purposes...

The value of the Swedish Mausers is beginning to escalate these days, and I wouldn't want to change an "as issued" rifle, but as for one in the condition you described yours to be in (before sporterizing), I agree that might be the best way to go.

The 6.5 x 55 is one of the world's greatest cartridges.

Dan

green, I'm a big fan of the swedes. I've owned 4 and still have two. My other swede is a M96 "as issued" except for an Elit appeture rear sight and globe front. I keep a NO-GO guage for the 6.5x55 in my briefcase as I'm always on the lookout for another one. BD

BD, they do have a addicting charm, don't they?

Dan