I picked this up for $270 at a gun show today. Custom stocked and all screws are timed. Cock on opening converted. Steel butt plate and grip cap. The soderin sight will be removed and sold. The action will be drilled, tapped and scoped. I may have it checkered. Looking forward to white tail deer hunting this fall. I love the caliber.

Looks like your off to a very good start!

Beautiful rifle! Sounds like a huge bargain.

Very nice + a bargain at that price. Good job on the Neidner buttplate fitting.

One of my favorite calibers as well. Very nice example.
And wow, you have gun shows?

WOW - so much to talk about in one single post.

Off the bat - what a beautiful rifle! Simple and unadorned, but just beautiful, especially the stock, and I don't know why I'm so drawn to that. There's no fancy figure to speak of, but the colour and grain, coupled with the clean and classic lines, are simply perfect. I'd love one like it on one of my own. As for the rest, it doesn't hurt that it's in my hands-down, favourite caliber. My first centerfire was an original 6.5X55, and it's been my go-to ever since. If there's one negative for me, it's that some vandal converted it to cock-on-opening, a pathetic solution to a non-existent problem.

As for the Soderin, I can understand why you would let it go; it's not really suited to this style of rifle. It will be a fine catch for someone who's restoring a more original Swedish, and the good price you'll get for it will turn your fire-sale purchase price into a borderline criminal act! I just hope you replace it with a nice, classic-style scope, something period-looking if not period correct, and not some big, matte-finished, google-eye coffee can full of electronics and plastic parts. I notice your home décor is in very much keeping with this rifle, by the way. The scope should be the same.

An outstanding purchase indeed. I envy you, sir!

And, oh yes, to echo Bill: You have gun shows? Pretty hard to do here, with group limits and distancing restrictions.

quote:

Originally posted by cdsx:
If there's one negative for me, it's that some vandal converted it to cock-on-opening, a pathetic solution to a non-existent problem.

It is a nonexistent problem. But it was done very very well. It feels like a m98... and it is fast, so they must have put a speed kit in it.

quote:

Originally posted by cdsx:
I just hope you replace it with a nice, classic-style scope, something period-looking if not period correct, and not some big, matte-finished, google-eye coffee can full of electronics and plastic parts.

I have a nice little zeiss 4x32 fixed, or a 1-4 Tradewinds, made in germany 26mm tube scope, or a compact 3-9x40 Meopta, or a 4-12x40 Meopta.

Re: my décor... we were missionaries in Africa for a few years. Our living room has a bunch of stuff from there.

Aaron

a town about 30 miles away, Hutchinson, KS had a show with 150 tables. We thought it was a waste of time. My son picked up an AK for $730 and the going rate on gun broker is $1800... and I found this swede from the same dealer.

Sounds like you've got it all in hand. And I hope you kept that dealer's business card!

quote:

Originally posted by cdsx:
Sounds like you've got it all in hand. And I hope you kept that dealer's business card!

I've known him for 30 years. He is an expert for sure... but he missed the value of these two.

Nice gun, I would have grabbed it at that price, and probably would leave the receiver sight on. I have one on a model 96, otherwise full military. I have a Husqvarna 46 that has similar lines, but an single leaf rear sight much like an express sight, nice wood similar in grain and color to that, but full factory, and it is still cock on closing which I have grown to like. Downside is that it is not 6.5x55 but is a 9.3x57. I do have a M38, dated 1900 by Mauser Obendorf with a two digit serial number, all numbered parts matching.