Looking at an early Husky 640 rifle that the guy says is a Mauser 96 action not a 98. Is the 96 a good action?
Can I convert the bolt to cock on opening rather than cock on closing? If so where do I get the parts?
Thanks

The 96 action is indeed a very nice action. It is basically a small ring intermediate as far as size goes. It does not have the gas handling capabilities of the 98 but niether do a lot of modern commercial actions.

The cock on opening conversion is available from Brownells. I had a gunsmith install mine for me. But I dont mind the cock on opening either.

In my opinion it says a lot that the Swedes offered commercail 96's for a lot of years. They built 270, 30/06, 9.3x57, etc... on them.

I have 2 commercial models in 8x57 and 9.3x57, a military issue, and one that is in the process of becoming a sweet full stock in 6.5x55. Plus you will find that the 96 rifles tend to be very accurate, regardless of caliber.

I actually like the cock-on-close. I tend to move the rifle more off target by opening the bolt than I do shoving it dtraight forward to close it.

I am in love with the 96s, now I just need to find a good one for a custom rifle.

One of the overlooked advantages to cock-on-closing type actions is the ease of extraction that you don’t get with a cock-on-opening style where the effort has to compress the mainspring as well as extract the empty case.

I have two 1917 Enfields and have always liked the cock-on-closing feature. You really notice the difference when shooting rapid fire.

The cock on closing feature is entertaining and I understand that some of you support its advantages, but all my other bolt guns are cock on opening the bolt and so if I pick this one up I would want to change it so it is not an odball in my group of rifles. Any other source for the parts besides Brownells?

I think the cock on closing leaves the '96 with too much lock time. Dayton Traister in Wa. sells these or did sell them. That's where I got mine. Mark

I just finished doing one of these up for a client. We did a new bolt handle, Drill and tap for scope mounts, new barrel (6.5 x 55), two position safety mod and cock on open conversion. I was amazed at how smooth the thing worked when we got it done.

I read somewhere (on another talk board and I couldn't find it again) that you could use a bolt out of an intermediate 98 like an 03 Turk and grind the third safety lug off and use it in a 96 Swede. Of course you would have to re-qualify the barrel and headspace.

Now don't hold me to this, because, I haven't tried it myself, but, it does sound feasable.

You would have cock on open and better gas handling in the event of a ruptured case.

The only thing is you wouldn't have the inner "C" ring.

Maybe someone will try it and let us know if it works.

Rojelio

Hey Jim Kobe where did ya get the parts for that conversion on the customers rifle?
Thanks to everybody that responded.

quote:

Originally posted by Rojelio:
I read somewhere (on another talk board and I couldn't find it again) that you could use a bolt out of an intermediate 98 like an 03 Turk and grind the third safety lug off and use it in a 96 Swede.

I remember something like that THIS may be the thread.

I have had the Dayton Traister cock-on-open kit that are available from Brownells installed on both military and commercial Swedish small ring Mauser. There is some mill work required, so it isn't something that you can undo to return the rifle to its original configuration. I like the conversion and, at least for me, it makes the rifles more user friendly. I hardly ever used the commercial 8x57 before the conversion, but find myself taking it to the range on a regular basis.

Jeff

I get a chuckle out of the statement that the 96's have too much lock time. I suppose that is technically true but, it is not bourne out in practice as the swedes have a deserved reputation for being very accurate.

Let me say that the 98 is my favorite action but I have a few 94's & 96's and shooting them is no different that the 98's. Fire, open bolt, pull back, ram home, close. Repeat.

Yes Ray, thats where I read it at.

I'd like to try it out, it sounds interesting.

Rojelio

I had this done to mine, the receiver was already dnt. The work was done in 1992 and it works just fine.

swed bolt