I have a m96 6.5 swede, can this be re-chambered to something different or is the mauser 96 action no good. Is it worth tinkering with or best left alone. I'm just wondering if it is worth holding on to as a future project base or palming off??

Regards PC

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What you should do with that is immediately pack it up and send it to me.

The Swedish 6.5x55 is about the sweetest, best made milsurp rifle around. It is a superb deer/antelope machine. If it is in decent condition, you, sir, have a gem.

As someone here points out, the purpose of a rifle is to please its owner. So that is an issue between you and the rifle.

My advice is to generally leave it as it is, and just enjoy shooting it. It is worth having the trigger slicked up, and I put an aperture sight on the rear to help my old eyes. Also, they are sighted for a slower round, so you have to get a slightly taller front sight. With iron sights, mine does 1 4/3" groups at 100 yards.

What you should do? First choice is to palm it off on me. Second choice is to buy ammo and shoot it. Your decision.

A 6.5-.284 reamer will clean out all vestages of the previous chamber, but you'd probably have trouble with the extractor gripping the rebated extraction groove.

The throat looks to show slight erosion does that mean it needs a new barrel?, I still have been hitting ferals with it. Maybe I could just rebarrel it and put an after market synthetic on it to lighten it a little?? would that be worth doing?. I do like the calibre and have a gap to fill in my collection b/w 22/250 and my 30/30.

You folks have convinced me to keep it now I just want some opinions on how to improve on it.

Regards PC
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[This message has been edited by PC (edited 01-13-2002).]

Throat erosion doesn't mean anything as long as the rifle is still shooting. Had a screamer once that had a badly eroded throat but was still holding groups. Didn't change barrels until the groups loosened up. Glad I didn't.

If the throat gets too badly eroded, you can always re-ream the chamber, and set the barrel back a bit.

Like you, my 6.5x55 nicely fills the gap between a small caliber, .223, and a bigger gun, 30-06.

Among the 6.5 many virtues: very mild recoil.

I don't think that changing stocks is going to do much for weight, since most of the weight is in the iron... might gain a little. With iron sights it weighs about as much as my lighter rifles that have scopes. I did replace the rear sight with a Mojo aperture sight, which I like.

The brass disk on the stock will give you an idea the condition of the barrel. There will be a 1, 2, and 3 in one sector. The highest number that is stamped indicates the condition of the barrel, last trip the the aresenal. Unstamped means a new barrel, 1 excellent, 2 OK, 3 training use only. (Many 3 barrels are still very good--Swedes had very high standards on this.) The bigger set of numbers gives the throad diameter. You'll have something like 6.47 8 9 0 6.51 2 3 4. This is the throad diameter, in mm. The number marked is the throat. Just behind the trigger guard, there will usually be one or more Swedish crown cartouches stamped on the stock. Each time the rifle went through the aresenal, it was stamped again.

I did the following to my 6.5x55 swede: Cut & crown barrel to 22", drill and tap for scope mount, new low position saftey, bend bolt down for scope use, new synthetic stock. I mounted the scope and glass bedded the action myself; the rest I think cost a little less than $200 to be done by a gunsmith. I now have a rifle that will shoot sub 1" groups at 100 yards. Good luck.

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If your dog thinks that you are the greatest, don't go seeking a second opinion!

If you like the 6.5 bore diameter but want more velocity you might do well to consider having it rechambered to the 6.5x57 Mauser. This is a very simple conversion & it would also clean up that worn throat.

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NRA Life member

[This message has been edited by Bear Claw (edited 01-13-2002).]

DENTON! Here in Sweden EVERY gunshop has at least 10 M96 rifles just laying around.
Maybe one should start doing some business and sell those rifles to the US as you seem to like the oldies...
The M96 is also available in the old german cal. 9,3x57. No one builds rifles for the caliber anymore but Norma still make ammo for it.
Regards M�ns

PC,
Where are you in Aust? I'm in Sydney, if you don't want the rifle I do. I already have a 6.5 and am looking for another "back-up". If you decide you don't want it. (you don't!), drop me an e-mail k_houseman@hotmail.com I'd be happy to work out a price with you for it.

Bear Claw,

What, velocity-wise, will a 6.5x57 do that a 6.5x55 won't?? Internal case capacity has to be darned near identical.

BigIron

Monz...

Let's figure out how to get those old guns sent over here!!

I have some reasonably expensive rifles, but the old Swede is a delight to shoot. The fit and finish is as good as it gets, and the old 29" barrel may be a little heavy, but it does give me 2800 fps at 140 grains. I really enjoy it... don't if I could express exactly why, but it is my favorite. They go for $150-250 over here. If I see a really clean one at a gun show, it will probably come home with me. Does that make any sense? Not really. What would I do with another one? I don't know. I just enjoy shooting it.

It's quite politically incorrect, but on one trip to the range, the fellow shooting next to me was Japanese. He looked it over and said, "Varmint rifle, huh?" I guess I looked a little puzzled... then he grinned and said, "Yeah. Germans at 1200 yards."

PC,
The first thing I would do is have it checked over by a competent gunsmith for safety, and for his opinion on the rifle overall.

If he says it's cool, I'd try and shoot it at the range with a couple different type of factor ammo. Mine seems to shoot 1.5 - 2" groups with Rem, Win or Feds equally well.

If the gun shoots well, you have to decide what you want to do to sporterize it into a hunting arm IF YOU CHOOSE TO. Many here feel it should be left in military form - your choice.

With my M96, had the barrell cut and re-crowned from 29 to 24", had bolt bent so scope could be mounted, sporterized the stock, reblued, installed aftermarket safety,
had floorplate hinged. Now it is a nice little gun.

If you want more info, ask away.

Why Johnny Ringo, would you happen to be a fan of the movie Tombstone?

Johnny you get that many different opinions, I have really started to like the caliber and can't wait to put a couple of hundred rounds through it next trip to NSW in it's current configuration. I was thinking of adding a heavy barrel to it, but am I better off leaving it the way it is and doing a heavy barrel 6.5X55 on another action and what action would you suggest for that?? Ruger or Remington??/I really like this caliber. I have however just lay buyed a 602 action for a .585 project I wish to complete first, so I have a little while to sit on the 6.5 project.

My gundealer has given me the option for trading it on a sporterised synthetic one when it comes in to his shop.

Hunter downunder I am in Ballarat, and if I palm it you will be the first to know. All you mob are talking me into keeping it.

Regards PC

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Hunter Down-under

"I'm here Huckleberry"
"Why Johnyy Ring, you look like somebody just.......walked on yourrrr Grave."

Excellent movie!!

Hunter Down-under

"I'm here Huckleberry"
"Why Johny Ringo, you look like somebody just.......walked on yourrrr Grave."

Excellent movie!!

PC,
When you start talking about which actions to build on, etc - you are over my head.

I guess what you decide to do depends on your budget.
I can tell you this, the M96's have a rep as the FINEST mil rifle ever produced, and if you choose to do a simple sporterization as I did, and it shoots well, why go any further with it??

[This message has been edited by Johnny Ringo (edited 01-17-2002).]

If you should decide that you want to turn it into something else, Brownell's sells pre-fitted Shilen barrels short-chambered for cartridges at a suitable pressure level:

.250 Savage
6.5x55
7x57
.300 Savage
.35 Remington

Personally I wouldn't regard any of these as much of a step up, especially since you will still have to stick with SAAMI max. pressures.

John

PC,
My whole familly is from Ballarat. I have about 20 of them down there, all surname of Fry. I have other relos in Ararat.
My familly will down there on the 9th March for my cousins wedding, unfortunately, I can't go as a mate is getting married same day up here.

Great town your in there PC. I used to drink at the SOuthern cross on Bourke st and a few other pubs, I think the SC closed about 4 years ago though....

Johnny Ringo,
One of fav movies of all time.
Val Kilmer as Doc Holiday was awesome.
That movie has more one liners than any other show ever made.
"Thats latin dear, it would seem Mr Ringo is an educated man, now I really hate him"

Hunter Down Under, the S.Cross shut while I was still at Uni, it then was a pub called publicity that shut and became the saloon bar and then it was turned into a La Porchetta pizza/pasta franchise. Best under $10.00 feed in Ballarat. All my family are in Ararat (Carter), my Parents have a farm there although looking to move into Ararat in the next few years as their 60+. The best pubs to Drink at now are the George Hotel in Lydiard St and the Thirsty Dog over the road from it.

When in Ballarat we will go for a drink.

Regards PC

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THE cheapest thing you can do, is to send it to me for my daughters to use.

[/B][/QUOTE]

Hi,
When i was a young teenager i used to shoot the M96 6,5x55 a lot. At 200 meters it was possible to group five rounds salvoes in 4" with iron sights!
I seldom shoots as well with my Husqvarna 6,5x55 with scope today. how does it come? Well maybe because in those days you didn't know anything about scopes, it was just me, the M96 and the target..
I can strongly recommend anyone to buy a M96 in 6,5x55!

/Husky

Thanks for all your help folks but you have talked me into keeping it. Although it may get a ramline synthetic at some stage.

Regards PC

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PC,

Why not considering a 6.5X68. I know it is an obscure caliber in Australia, in US even in EU.

RWS made the brass
a 93gr bullet at 3625 fps
a 100gr bullet at 3242 fps
a 120gr bullet at 3182 fps

You will have a "magnum" caliber in 6.5 family caliber.
Very accurate caliber.

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BER007
Keep the faith in any circumstances
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BBER007@HOTMAIL.COM