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My M96 .257 Roberts is finished and shooting, pictures

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18 September 2007, 08:53
Snellstrom
My M96 .257 Roberts is finished and shooting, pictures





Husqvarna M96 action, Pac-Nor barrel ultra light contour 23" long, Gentry 3 position, cock on open feature, new bolt handle, Timney trigger, stock bottom metal, Leupold Compact 3-9 matte scope in Warne matte rings. Metal work by Kevin Weaver.
I hacked up the stock myself ( first reshaping attempt ).
The rifle is shooting 5 shot groups at exactly 1" extreme spread with Sierra 117 grain bullets and 41.5 grains of IMR-4350.
18 September 2007, 09:12
nordrseta
That's a very trim little sporter for your first project. You'll have a fine time afield with it.
18 September 2007, 17:10
TSJ
How do you like the cock on opening conversion? I prefer cock on open but have learned to put up with 96's because I didnt know much about the conversion. I love smallring mausers for the trim look they give!
Off topic, but is that table base from an old foot treddle sewing machine?
18 September 2007, 18:15
Duckbill
Nice little setup. You'll enjoy walking thru the woods with that little gem. Nice work.


Isaiah 41:10
18 September 2007, 18:33
Snellstrom
TSJ I too really like the trim feel and look of the 96's and have 2 of them both have been converted to cock on open and I like them even more now. The conversion I ordered from Dayton-Traister, they offer one with a trigger but I don't recommend it get the one without a trigger then get a Timney trigger. They come with good directions but I had my "smith" do it. The rifle pictured above is even slimmer and trimmer than the pictures let on it truly is a pleasure to handle. The stock was the original Husqvarna with the real blocky fore end. I trimmed about 2 to 3" off the end and slimmed it up with a rasp and shaped my own version of a "schnabel" on it, 2 months of finish sanding and applying coats of finish with some 400 grit in between and it was done. I hit the finish with a light steel wool to take some of the glare off for a slightly "satin" finish. I full length bedded the stock but the barrel is free floated from the chamber area on out.

Yes that is an old sewing machine foot treddle under the table and the top is a piece of a bowling alley lane, makes for an interesting breakfast table.
18 September 2007, 19:35
260remguy
The bolt shroud looks like it has a much larger gas shield than the usual Husqvarna built M96 or M38 action. Did the bolt shroud come as part of the Gentry safety or did Kevin Weaver make it?

Jeff
18 September 2007, 19:38
Snellstrom
That is a Gentry bolt shroud that comes with their safety, it is larger than the regular M38 but not by a lot, the pictures seem to make it look a lot bigger than it is.
18 September 2007, 21:37
GSP7
Is that a high left side action and started life as a civilian m46? What caliber and barrel did you take off it?

I stuck with the cock on closeing on mine.

I need to get some replacement fireing pins though . All 3 of my m96 Husqvarnas have bent fireing pins. Not much , but chuck them in a drill and they wooble. They must get bent at at the swedish armorys during assembly. Kinda strange. My Carl Gustaf pin is not bent though.
19 September 2007, 07:15
Snellstrom
GSP7 it started life as an 8x57 the guy who owned it before me pulled that barrel and put on an M38 6.5x55 barrel, I had that one pulled to put the .257 barrel on it.
Yes it is solid on the left side of the reciever, no thumb cut.
19 September 2007, 19:36
carpetman
I think the .257 Roberts was a dandy choice.
21 September 2007, 09:23
z1r
Nice job! I like it.




Aut vincere aut mori
23 September 2007, 19:16
stepchild 2
Real NICE!

Stepchild


NRA Life Member
23 September 2007, 19:18
stepchild 2
quote:
Originally posted by carpetman:
I think the .257 Roberts was a dandy choice.


Me too!

Stepchild


NRA Life Member
23 September 2007, 23:24
RonE
Looks like a great job. Have fun with it.


Don't ask me what happened, when I left Viet Nam, we were winning.
24 September 2007, 00:08
stepchild 2
This isn't meant to sound negative but as you have probably found out, the comb is too low for scope use. If it was mine i'd put a Boyd's laminate on it and be done with it.

Stepchild


NRA Life Member
24 September 2007, 00:58
rem721
snellstrom,

That rifle has business written all over it. It looks like its meant to be used and I bet it will be. Enjoy.

As to the comb, I bet if it were too low, it wouldn't still be wearing that stock. Not everyone has to have a high comb to use a scope. Were it mine I'd keep that stock over a Boyds any day.
24 September 2007, 03:19
stepchild 2
Like I said in my post: I'f it was mine.....
I've shot converted Mausers, Springfields and early 722 Remingtons and most got converted to a higher combed stock. You only crawl up the stock so many times before you cave in, at least that's how it went for me.

Stepchild


NRA Life Member
24 September 2007, 03:30
stepchild 2
quote:
Originally posted by rem721:
snellstrom,

That rifle has business written all over it. It looks like its meant to be used and I bet it will be. Enjoy.

As to the comb, I bet if it were too low, it wouldn't still be wearing that stock. Not everyone has to have a high comb to use a scope. Were it mine I'd keep that stock over a Boyds any day.



The man has already made a sporter out of it(any originality is already gone) and A nice one at that! All i'm trying to say is that most early rifles were made with iron sights and a comb height to match and now he's using a scope which is 2" above where the irons were, do I need to go on?

Stepchild


NRA Life Member
24 September 2007, 05:59
Snellstrom
Actually the stocks fit feels right for me, I see through the scope great. May not work for some but it is working great for me and I feel like the stock I shaped has more appeal than a presto sporter from Fajen or Boyds but thats my opinion yours may vary.
Thanks for all the comments guys.
24 September 2007, 17:55
Bud W
Very pretty, great caliber, particularly for a small-ring Mauser. Mine was a M93 with 24" Douglas barrel, Timney trigger, cock on open and Teak California Sporter stock. Best group was 3/4" with IMR4064 and 87gr Sierras. Big plus for cock on open is that it shortens striker fall.

Bud W
24 September 2007, 19:28
z1r
quote:
Originally posted by stepchild 2:
quote:
Originally posted by rem721:
snellstrom,

That rifle has business written all over it. It looks like its meant to be used and I bet it will be. Enjoy.

As to the comb, I bet if it were too low, it wouldn't still be wearing that stock. Not everyone has to have a high comb to use a scope. Were it mine I'd keep that stock over a Boyds any day.



The man has already made a sporter out of it(any originality is already gone) and A nice one at that! All i'm trying to say is that most early rifles were made with iron sights and a comb height to match and now he's using a scope which is 2" above where the irons were, do I need to go on?

Stepchild


Not trying to start a fight here but here's a pic of my .30-06 before I finished it. Iron sight come up to alignement instantly. And the scope is not an issue and I don't have to crawl up the stock either. I have a long neck and can use stocks like this and those on the Brno 21 without issue. Everyone is different. I Bought one sporter that the guy was using iron sights on and the comb was so high I couldn't use the sights at all but it was perfect for him. That's the beauty of custom rifles, you get exactly what you want.






Aut vincere aut mori
25 September 2007, 05:41
Snellstrom
Mike I love the cut of that stock on your '06.

A little update, last night I shot a 5 shot group at 100 yards that measured .6", I also shot a 1" 3 shot group at 200 yards and a 1.5" 3 shot group at 300 yards!
I am very happy with this rifle the more I shoot it the better it gets. The groups I mentioned were all shot with 117 gr. Sierra's, 41.5 grains of IMR-4350, CCI large rifle primers, new unfired WW brass that has been trimmed and sized.
Thanks for all the comments guys.
25 September 2007, 07:04
Jordan
Z1r:

Who did the stock work? I like the profile.


Jordan
25 September 2007, 07:13
z1r
Jordan,

Thanks, I did.

Dave, sorry, didn't mean to hijack your thread. I just wanted to point out that some of us can shoot with more drop than others.




Aut vincere aut mori