A Dolled Up Swede

JayPee · February 16, 2015, 04:41 PM

Way back in days of old, us olguys had a ball converting stock military rifles into really attractive and functional sporters. I got the bug back in the 1960’s and stayed at it until arthritis compromised my ability to do the fine detail work in around 1996. One of my fondest projects was to buy and convert eight M1896 Swedish Mausers into guns like the ones I’m about to show you. A friend got me into a wholesale house where I bought the rifles in excellent condition for $65 each, and we went from there. No tears please.

I worked up three patterns for the conversions I wanted to do. One involved using a semi-inletted custom stock, while the other two retained the military stocks, albeit in a considerably modified state. Using one pattern, I refashioned the nose cap and cut the rifle down into a really spiffy Mannlicher style carbine. Unfortunately I have no photos of this version. The other, which you see in these photos, was made into more of a scout rifle. I’ll get into the mods I made to this model after these photos.

Here are the factory stock 1905 Carl Gustav rifle and the little scout rifle I turned it into, also a 1905 Carl Gustav. This conversion was a college graduation gift for my oldest friend’s son in 1988, and it has taken a gazillion feral hogs and deer by this date.

This photo gives you a better idea of the total proportions of the rifle. I’m six feet tall and weigh 190 pounds. This rifle went to a friend in Spokane in 1990 and, at last report, had knocked down a number of White tails in Washington and Idaho.

Here’s a view of the conversion by itself.

In order to work up this conversion, I had to:

1. Cut and recrown the barrel to 23”.
2. Remove the rear sight and its sleeve.
3. Notch out the rear retaining band of the front handguard to accept a Weaver front scope base.
4. Cut off the factory bolt handle and Tig Weld a custom bolt handle from Brownells onto the bolt.
5. Cut off the squarish, knurled top of the rear of the cocking piece and reshape the piece’s rear.
6. Install and hand fit a Buehler low scope safety conversion.
7. Install a Timney Sportsman adjustable trigger.
8. Discard the original factory butt plate and install a wood piece to fill the now-empty mortise on the top of the butt. After that, I sawed and sanded the butt flat and installed a Pachmayr rifle recoil pad.
9. The forestock was cut back to a point just in front of the front barrel band and rounded. This was done in order to retain the factory sling swivel, which was held in place by a mortised spring just behind the band.
10. Reblue the rifle with a dark black/blue process.
11. Refinish the stock.
12. Dress up the round mortise on the right side of the buttstock. On this rifle I had a small brass plate made and inletted it into the stock after having the recipient’s name, college, and year of graduation engraved into it. On others I was able to inlet semi-rare silver dollars into the mortise. There was no way to hide it, you just had to cover it up with something attractive.
13. Reshape the trigger guard.
14. Install aftermarket floorplate release.
15. Reshape the rear of the magazine spring to allow the bolt to close when the rifle was empty.
16 Drill and tap the receiver for scope bases.

As I said, I had a ball doing these, and completed all eight conversions between 1988 and 1996. It was an exhausting but immensely rewarding project. I built four of these conversions according to this pattern. On a couple of them made in this pattern, I used a hardwood dowel to plug and conceal the cleaning rod hole that was exposed when I cut the forend of the stock back. But the hole really wasn’t that noticeable so I left it up to the new owner as to whether I plugged it or not. Like I said, it was an eight year long ball. Best wishes.

JayPee

6.5swedeforelk · February 17, 2015, 03:33 PM

Very nicely done JayPee.

That's a great looking hunting carbine.

Would have liked to see your Mannlicher-type conversion.

FITASC · February 17, 2015, 04:38 PM

I sold off my 1907 Carl Gustav. It had been sporterized from, I believe, a carbine as the barrel was about 17". Had the gunsmith redo the bolt and he installed a new safety to clear the scope. Mine wore a compact US-Burris 4X. I had bought mine at a gun show in the early 80s for $55 (just the rifle) and it came with two 200-round battle packs of Swede military ammo. There are two rifles I regret getting rid of and that was one. It LOVED Sierra 120s, usually with 3031. That Norma brass just kept on reloading......

Nice work!

Buzzcook · February 18, 2015, 01:02 AM

I sure missed the boat on the Swedesl
Nice job, looks like a heck of hunting gun.

ekp · February 20, 2015, 08:06 AM

I have wanted the swedish caliber for some time. I now have the chance either to by a Swedish milsurp carbine or a modern firearm in the caliber. Somehow I keep getting drawn back to the milsurp. What kind of accuracy should I see with the milsurp? Both are priced about the same. Which way would you go?

Buzzcook · February 20, 2015, 09:44 PM

The 96 Swedish Mauser is very accurate but a modern commercial version is probably going to be more so.

It depends on what you want. The Mauser will be fine for hunting and fun to shoot so will a modern gun.

February 16, 2015, 04:41 PM	#1
JayPee Member Join Date: February 4, 2011 Posts: 58	A Dolled Up Swede Way back in days of old, us olguys had a ball converting stock military rifles into really attractive and functional sporters. I got the bug back in the 1960’s and stayed at it until arthritis compromised my ability to do the fine detail work in around 1996. One of my fondest projects was to buy and convert eight M1896 Swedish Mausers into guns like the ones I’m about to show you. A friend got me into a wholesale house where I bought the rifles in excellent condition for $65 each, and we went from there. No tears please. I worked up three patterns for the conversions I wanted to do. One involved using a semi-inletted custom stock, while the other two retained the military stocks, albeit in a considerably modified state. Using one pattern, I refashioned the nose cap and cut the rifle down into a really spiffy Mannlicher style carbine. Unfortunately I have no photos of this version. The other, which you see in these photos, was made into more of a scout rifle. I’ll get into the mods I made to this model after these photos. Here are the factory stock 1905 Carl Gustav rifle and the little scout rifle I turned it into, also a 1905 Carl Gustav. This conversion was a college graduation gift for my oldest friend’s son in 1988, and it has taken a gazillion feral hogs and deer by this date. This photo gives you a better idea of the total proportions of the rifle. I’m six feet tall and weigh 190 pounds. This rifle went to a friend in Spokane in 1990 and, at last report, had knocked down a number of White tails in Washington and Idaho. Here’s a view of the conversion by itself. In order to work up this conversion, I had to: 1. Cut and recrown the barrel to 23”. 2. Remove the rear sight and its sleeve. 3. Notch out the rear retaining band of the front handguard to accept a Weaver front scope base. 4. Cut off the factory bolt handle and Tig Weld a custom bolt handle from Brownells onto the bolt. 5. Cut off the squarish, knurled top of the rear of the cocking piece and reshape the piece’s rear. 6. Install and hand fit a Buehler low scope safety conversion. 7. Install a Timney Sportsman adjustable trigger. 8. Discard the original factory butt plate and install a wood piece to fill the now-empty mortise on the top of the butt. After that, I sawed and sanded the butt flat and installed a Pachmayr rifle recoil pad. 9. The forestock was cut back to a point just in front of the front barrel band and rounded. This was done in order to retain the factory sling swivel, which was held in place by a mortised spring just behind the band. 10. Reblue the rifle with a dark black/blue process. 11. Refinish the stock. 12. Dress up the round mortise on the right side of the buttstock. On this rifle I had a small brass plate made and inletted it into the stock after having the recipient’s name, college, and year of graduation engraved into it. On others I was able to inlet semi-rare silver dollars into the mortise. There was no way to hide it, you just had to cover it up with something attractive. 13. Reshape the trigger guard. 14. Install aftermarket floorplate release. 15. Reshape the rear of the magazine spring to allow the bolt to close when the rifle was empty. 16 Drill and tap the receiver for scope bases. As I said, I had a ball doing these, and completed all eight conversions between 1988 and 1996. It was an exhausting but immensely rewarding project. I built four of these conversions according to this pattern. On a couple of them made in this pattern, I used a hardwood dowel to plug and conceal the cleaning rod hole that was exposed when I cut the forend of the stock back. But the hole really wasn’t that noticeable so I left it up to the new owner as to whether I plugged it or not. Like I said, it was an eight year long ball. Best wishes. JayPee

February 20, 2015, 08:06 AM	#5
ekp Member Join Date: February 15, 2015 Posts: 31	Swede Carbin I have wanted the swedish caliber for some time. I now have the chance either to by a Swedish milsurp carbine or a modern firearm in the caliber. Somehow I keep getting drawn back to the milsurp. What kind of accuracy should I see with the milsurp? Both are priced about the same. Which way would you go?

February 17, 2015, 03:33 PM	#2
6.5swedeforelk Member Join Date: April 14, 2014 Location: N. Canada Posts: 92	Very nicely done JayPee. That's a great looking hunting carbine. Would have liked to see your Mannlicher-type conversion.

February 17, 2015, 04:38 PM	#3
FITASC Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2014 Posts: 6,446	I sold off my 1907 Carl Gustav. It had been sporterized from, I believe, a carbine as the barrel was about 17". Had the gunsmith redo the bolt and he installed a new safety to clear the scope. Mine wore a compact US-Burris 4X. I had bought mine at a gun show in the early 80s for $55 (just the rifle) and it came with two 200-round battle packs of Swede military ammo. There are two rifles I regret getting rid of and that was one. It LOVED Sierra 120s, usually with 3031. That Norma brass just kept on reloading...... Nice work!

February 18, 2015, 01:02 AM	#4
Buzzcook Senior Member Join Date: November 29, 2007 Location: Everett, WA Posts: 6,126	I sure missed the boat on the Swedesl Nice job, looks like a heck of hunting gun.

February 20, 2015, 09:44 PM	#6
Buzzcook Senior Member Join Date: November 29, 2007 Location: Everett, WA Posts: 6,126	The 96 Swedish Mauser is very accurate but a modern commercial version is probably going to be more so. It depends on what you want. The Mauser will be fine for hunting and fun to shoot so will a modern gun.