Just won my Holy Grail rifle! Carl Gustafs 1898 Swedish Mauser

[SigMatt]

I just lucked out huge! Just won an M96 Swedish Mauser made in 1898. This has been my Holy Grail of firearms for a long time and I've lost others due to outbidding and some rather high prices (an all-matching museum quality 1897 went for $2800 on me last year).

All matching here save for a barrel band. I am ecstatic! Only a few thousand pre-1899 Swedes were ever made.

Matt

 

[Lou45]

I have a few near mint & matching pre 1899 Swedes in my collection, forget how many.

 

[iH8DemLibz]

Congrats!

They are beautiful rifles.

And I believe there is something missing from your post...

 

[BlackBart]

I'm in! 4702! Fair karma.

 

[h2u]

Congrats!!! But ya can't go all, "Holy Grail" on us and not supply pics! Even an auction photo will suffice...for now

 

[BeerHunter]

Yes, as others have noted, pics please!

 

[SigMatt]

Congrats!

They are beautiful rifles.

And I believe there is something missing from your post...

A teaser. Serial 1205.

Matt

 

[BlackBart]

A teaser.

Matt

OK, 4702 AND 0009 AND five bucks.... very nice! Thing of beauty, OBVIOUSLY mauser inspired.

 

[Rockchucker]

I prefer my German made Swede and it only cost me $280 In excellent condition.

 

[Alphabrew]

I have a few near mint & matching pre 1899 Swedes in my collection, forget how many.

Someone buy Lou a camera phone so he'll post pics.

 

[iH8DemLibz]

I prefer my German made Swede and it only cost me $280 In excellent condition.

Back when Empire Arms was selling them 15 years ago.

Not 280 no mo.

 

[SigMatt]

I have a 1915 Carl Gustafs as well that was one of Kimber's sporterizations. Something I would have never done myself because of the sacrilege but it is one of my favorite rifles. Shoots at least 1 MOA and I've had no trouble parking rounds on an 8 inch circle at 400 yards on factory ammo. I have lusted after an original M96 for a long time but really wanted an early M96. With a little luck, I'll have the rifle by next week.

Matt

 

[Threeband]

.



My 1902 Carl Gustaf, all matching.

Swapped a Mossberg 500 for it.

... Thing of beauty, OBVIOUSLY mauser inspired.

Not just "inspired".

100% Mauser.






.

 

[Sunir]

I have an 1899 Swedish also... It's got that circle logo/symbol on the buttstock also, it's all matching and in real nice shape, pretty long and skinny rifle sits upright against one of the sides of the safe, looks like the one in the pic but the wood is a lighter brown. Any way to know if this is a Gustafs or otherwise?

 

[Threeband]

What does it say on the receiver ring? See the photo in post nine. The earliest ones were made at the Mauser factory in Oberndorf, using special steel supplied by the Swedes. As soon as the Swedes got their own factory going, they began making them in Sweden at the Carl Gustaf works. Later a second factory began production. Those are marked Husqvarna.

Stock disk: http://candrsenal.com/tip-how-to-read-swedish-mauser-stock-disks/

Stocks, etc: http://dutchman.rebooty.com/index.html

 

[dre271]

Congrats

I just got this fully matching M96 the other day, cannot wait for the weather to clear up! Where are the pics of the 1898?

 

[SigMatt]

I just got this fully matching M96 the other day, cannot wait for the weather to clear up! Where are the pics of the 1898?

I posted an auction pic above. Here are a couple more of the receiver ring.

Matt

 

[Dave91]

These seem to be pretty popular lately. I'll be picking up my 1915 in the next few days. Looks like mine was made at the same factory as yours. Whats the price difference between pre and post 1898 rifles?

 

[SigMatt]

In my case, virtually the same. It is that arbitrary line of antique vs. modern that has the appeal. So pre-1899 rifles tend to be more collectable because they are low number rifles and only a small number of them are out there as compared to the follow-on production. In the case of the rifle I stopped chasing last year, it was a low number, all-matching first production run M96. It was truly a museum piece that I would have handled with cotton gloves. I've generally noted that pre-1899 Swedes near or all matching in good condition fetch a premium over their post-1898 counterparts.

Swedish Mausers have always been popular rifles. The quality of the construction and their cartridge are the big reasons. 6.5x55mm has always been a popular round in Europe and is popular here despite not being an "American" round. Personally, I consider it one of the finest rifle rounds ever made as a balance of accuracy, ballistics (much better than match .308), recoil and hitting power.

Post-1898 rifles typically run $300 to $500 depending on condition and rarity. M41b snipers go higher especially if they have a scope. Prices have been steadily increasing over the years because, like any milsurp rifle, there are only a limited number out there that will never go up. So if desire to own such a rifle increases, so does the price.

Matt

 

[Dave91]

In my case, virtually the same. It is that arbitrary line of antique vs. modern that has the appeal. So pre-1899 rifles tend to be more collectable because they are low number rifles and only a small number of them are out there as compared to the follow-on production. In the case of the rifle I stopped chasing last year, it was a low number, all-matching first production run M96. It was truly a museum piece that I would have handled with cotton gloves. I've generally noted that pre-1899 Swedes near or all matching in good condition fetch a premium over their post-1898 counterparts.

Swedish Mausers have always been popular rifles. The quality of the construction and their cartridge are the big reasons. 6.5x55mm has always been a popular round in Europe and is popular here despite not being an "American" round. Personally, I consider it one of the finest rifle rounds ever made as a balance of accuracy, ballistics (much better than match .308), recoil and hitting power.

Post-1898 rifles typically run $300 to $500 depending on condition and rarity. M41b snipers go higher especially if they have a scope. Prices have been steadily increasing over the years because, like any milsurp rifle, there are only a limited number out there that will never go up. So if desire to own such a rifle increases, so does the price.

Matt

The one I'm getting is a 1915 Carl Gustafs stads Gevärsfaktori with the Finnish SA marking. I still need to get some ammo and clips.