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Swedish Mauser 96, taller front sights.....

robsgunsrobsguns Member Posts: 4,581 ✭✭
edited July 2002 in General Discussion
Ok, I told GHD via email what I'd done with the old 96 yesterday, now I'll share a little info. with some of you who own one.
I've been wanting to shoot my Swede while hunting. The problem is the rear sights are graduated from 300 yds. to impossible ranges. What this means is that if you dont think about it, and go to the trouble to do something about it, you cant use it for hunting very effectively, without shooting about 6" high at 100 yds. Well I finally had an effective bit of intelligent thought about it several weeks back, how about putting in a taller sight, to make it shoot lower? DUH.... Then to find one.... Finally found one in the Brownell's catalog. Put it on, and finally got around to shooting it yesterday. Filed and shot, filed and shot, beautiful, just perfect. I have a real darn nice shooter now, and I already made a hunting stock for it, so its going to see some use finally. For those of you letting the old Swede sit around because it shoots way too high, get the tall front sight post specifically made for the Swede. from Brownell's, and get it to where it belongs, you wont regret it for a minute. Now I gotta see what happens when I bump that rear sight up to the 400, and 500 yd. ranges???
On a side note about this caliber and gun: I had said in a previous post just a little while back that I needed to know what weight bullet anyone would suggest for the Swede. Well my previous experience with the 140gr. bullet from Remington not shooting worth a crap was just the Remington. I shot both the 120 and 140 gr. bullets yesterday, the 120 was a Nosler Ballistic Tip handload, the 140gr. was actually a 144gr. PMC target load. They both shot to the exact same point of impact, and grouped very well. The thought that my gun didnt like 140 gr. bullets was completely wrong, thanks be to the barrel Gods.

SSgt Ryan E. Roberts, USMC
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Comments

  • allen griggsallen griggs Member Posts: 35,706 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The standard Swede military load was 139 grains, so they usually do best with a 139 or 140. By the way, what kind of groups did you get? I got a higher front sight from Samco a few weeks ago but I havn't installed it yet. I am reading reports of these rifles performing very well on whitetails. I read of a guy in Australia or New Zealand where they are over run with an imported red deer, I think it is the size of a whitetail. This guy is a professional hunter. He shoots about 300 of these deer a year. Sort of like when you see a "Terminex" guy here in America. He uses the Swede and he claims terriffic results.

    "Not as deep as a well, or as wide as a church door, but it is enough."
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  • robsgunsrobsguns Member Posts: 4,581 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    allen griggs,
    I did not have time to shoot groups by the time I was done getting everything where it belonged. I did shoot a final 5 shots, using the PMC 144gr. bullets, FMJ. One was pulled. The other 4 were fired with 2 of them lying 1/2" apart, and the remaining two 1 7/8" lower than those 2 and 7/8" apart from each other. These 5 shots were fired from a distance of 87 yds., with the barrel of the gun lying between the crotch of two trees, firing at an 8" bullzeye black in color. I couldnt really see the target with the width of the front sight being what it is. I'd say that this gun is capable of much greater accuracy from a proper rest. I'd really hate to be on the receiving end of this thing if the gun had a scope on it, and I was a prarie dog, or anything bigger for that matter. As far as penetration goes, well... Most of my shots were impacting the target in the same area after I got it shooting right, and I had the target tacked to a tree that was approx. 12-16" in diameter. One of my shots passed completely through the tree, and I was really surprised, wasnt expecting that, just happen to look at the back to see if maybe one of them did. There were probably 3 or 4 shots in that same spot of the tree. Most likely it was a shot from the 25 yd. distance I was using to begin with. Sorry I cant give you better figures, maybe next time.
    Oh yeah, that tree wasnt an oak or hardwood, it was just some junk softwood tree, not sure what kind, cows like the leaves though.

    SSgt Ryan E. Roberts, USMC



    Edited by - robsguns on 07/28/2002 15:29:39
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  • leeblackmanleeblackman Member Posts: 5,303 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Williams makes an aperature peep sight that replaces you rear sight. You might look into them.

    If I'm wrong please correct me, I won't be offended.

    The sound of a 12 gauge pump clears a house fatser than Rosie O eats a Big Mac !
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  • robsgunsrobsguns Member Posts: 4,581 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    leeblackman,
    Yes I saw this sight before ordering the new front sight. I thought it'd be a good idea, but I decided it just wouldnt look right on my gun, that and I dont like having high profile sights that could be knocked for a loop if I pull a idiot move and drop the gun or something like that. It would be nice for ease of windage adjustment though. My gun is all matching, I can easily replace the front sight balde again, but I'd be devastated if I lost the rear sight, better to leave it on so I dont lose it, as I am sometimes forgetful of where I've place things.

    SSgt Ryan E. Roberts, USMC
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  • allen griggsallen griggs Member Posts: 35,706 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    When my Model 96 got shipped to me I took it out of the box and went to my range in the woods back of the house with a box of Swedish milsurp ammo, which is non corrosive and regarded as highly accurate. With my first 3 shots with this rifle I made a 1-1/4" group at 100 yards. I put the gun back in the box and quit while I was ahead. Now, that group was 6" high and 3" to the right, but I was amazed. Most guys I read of who can't get under 2" with the Swede are disappointed, and with a scope, minute-of-angle is not uncommom. I love those rifles, they have beautiful lines. Mine was made in 1898 and has the original walnut stock and it looks great. It is amazing to have a rifle that old that is so good. Getting back to your reason for changing the sights, that you would have to compensate while hunting: good thinking. Early in my deer hunting career, I had to borrow a rifle. My roomate's brother had a Winchester .30-30, with iron sights. We went out to a field and I shot a 3 shot group from 30 yards. Yes, 30 yards, I was a rookie. It was a 1 inch group, but 3 inches high, 3 inches to the right. I figured, it doesn't matter on a short shot, on a long shot I must compensate. Later that same day I shot a spike in the lungs from 25 yards. I got the first kill of the year in our group, everyone was slapping me on the back. Well the next day I was on a logging road. Out stepped a magnificent 8 pointer, way down the road. He was 120 yards away. I had a standing still broadside shot. I fired and to my surprise he dropped like a rock. I was surprised, because I knew they usually ran on a lung shot. I could see blood high on his back. In a few seconds he jumped up and ran away. Never saw him again. I am a good shot, and I forgot to compensate, and I aimed for the middle of the lungs and I hit 12" high and 12" to the right which put the bullet just above the deer's stomach and just above the spine. That night, rather than slapping me on the back, the guys wanted to slap my face. After that, I made sure I had a rifle well sighted in, and I always practiced a lot at 100 yards.

    "Not as deep as a well, or as wide as a church door, but it is enough."

    Edited by - allen griggs on 07/28/2002 16:50:46
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  • robsgunsrobsguns Member Posts: 4,581 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    allen griggs,
    I almost forgot, this could be of great use to you. The measurement of my front sight from the top of the dovetail, you know where if the front sight wasnt installed you could lay a straight edge right across the top of the sight base?, to the top of the tallest part of the sight tip measures .247". Since all of the 96's should all be made the same, this should help you get an idea of where you need to be when you install your sight, provided you shoot with the front sight post positioned the way I do, filling the rear sight notch, and the rear sight set for 300yds. Hope this is useful for you to know.

    SSgt Ryan E. Roberts, USMC
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  • He DogHe Dog Member Posts: 51,593 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Allen Griggs, they use the 6.5 Swede cartridge for moos (moose) in Sweden, it will do a fine job on white-tails or mulies.

    A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand
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