I just bought my 1st Swedish Mauser. A 1916 CG M-96 in really nice shape. Can any of you suggest some load to use in it? I've order the dies and cases. Powder & bullets will depend on your recommendations.
New to this forum. Thanks for the help.

Mine likes Reloader 22, CCI 250 primers, and 140 to 160 grain bullets. Drop me an e-mail and I will send you some data.

here is some data:

Powder gr vel SD ES 4 shots 5 shots
RL22 47.5 2666 47 17 1.25 1.75
RL22 48.0 2708 42 17 1.75 3.5
H4831 46.0 2580 52 19 1.12 2.15
H4831 47.5 2662 18 6 1.7 2.9

100 yds with open sites, CG M96. rem CL 140gr bullets.

I think the RL22 is where to be also... You're getting good advice so far.

The Swedish military powder was called NC1220, and it was loaded in 46.3 grain charges behind 143 grain spitzer bullets in the M41 "prickskytte" ammo. (It is common misinformation that those were 139 grain loads--pull the bullets and you'll see that they were 143 grains, give or take a half grain--they were not very uniform in weight).

I checked the volume weights, appearance, and smell both burned and unburned of the NC1220 which I obtained from dismantled M41 milsurp ammo. All comparison tests between the NC1220 and RL22 were identical. NC1220 was made by Bofors in Sweden. RL22 is made by Bofors in Sweden.

I checked load data and noted that 46.3 grains of RL22 was a very safe load with Sierra's 142 grain Matchking, and I loaded some up and fired consecutive MOA groups at 300 yards.

Ask any good rifleman who has spent a fair amount of time with the M96 and he'll tell you that MOA groups are not a problem, and the rule rather than the exception--and yes, with the issue iron sights. Diopter target sights are better, but with adequate lighting conditions the military issue sights can yield good results. Use a 6 o'clock hold, with just a sliver of light between the target and the front sight blade. This is a repeatable sight picture. Hitting 20 ounce soda bottles at 300 yards is not that difficult with adequate light and a good prone or bench rest with front and rear bags.

Anyway, I fired two of the M41 rounds into a group of the 142 SMK/46.3 RL22 group at 300 yards, and they fell right into the group (the M41 Swede military round is very accurate). The entire group was around 4.5 x 5 inches...

If your Swede is unaltered, please keep it as is. Too many are being "bubba-dized" these days...

A couple of other good recipes... 37 grains of Varget with the 142 SMK. 39 grains of IMR 4895 behind a Hornady 140 grain Interlock (warm, approach with caution and keep your brass trimmed).

Dan

Here is one more recipe that I hesitated to share due to the pressure of the load... However, I found no pressure signs with my 1912 M96 using this recipe. It's a bit warm, but I have not chronographed this load yet. It is, by the way, a Ken Waters suggested "pet load."

45 grains H4350
140 grain bullet--in this case Hornady's 140 Interlock.



Take care, and good luck with your loads...

By the way, I didn't mean to insinuate that anyone who isn't getting MOA out of an M96 isn't a good rifleman... Some of the M96's may not do it (my 1918 tends to string vertically over MOA just a bit), and there can of course be many other reasons aside from the shooter for over MOA grouping...

Dan