“Swedish Mausers” are a family of bolt-action rifles based on an improved variant of Mauser’s earlier Model 1893, but using the 6.5×55 mm cartridge, and incorporating unique design elements as requested by Sweden. These are the m/94(Model 1894) carbine, m/96 (Model 1896) long rifle, m/38 (Model 1938) short rifle and m/41 (Model 1941) sniper rifle. In 1898 production began at Carl Gustafs stads Gevärsfaktori in Eskilstuna, Sweden. All Swedish Mausers were chambered for the 6.5×55 mm cartridge, and all Swedish-made actions were proof-tested with a single 6.5×55mm proof round developing approximately 455 MPa (65,992 psi) piezo pressure (55,000 CUP). Swedish Mausers were manufactured by Waffenfabrik Mauser Oberndorf a/N in Germany and in Sweden by Carl Gustafs stads Gevärsfaktori and Husqvarna Vapenfabriks Aktiebolag. All Swedish Mausers, whether built in Germany or Sweden, were fabricated using a Swedish-supplied high grade tool steel alloyed with nickel, copper, and vanadium, a product noted for its strength and corrosion resistance.
These rifles, like other pre-M 98 system Mauser rifles, lack the third safety locking lug at the rear of the bolt and feature “cock-on-closing” (similar to the contemporary Lee-Enfield rifle) instead of the “cock-on-opening” style found on the German Gewehr 98 and most subsequent bolt action rifles.
The Model 1896 rifle in 6.5×55 mm (6,5 mm Gevär m/96) was adopted in 1896 for infantry use, replacing the Model 1867-89 Remington rolling block rifle in 8×58 mmR Danish Krag. Swedish production (under license) started in 1898 at Carl Gustafs, but additional rifles were produced by Mauser during 1899 and 1900 because of delays in shipping additional production machinery from Germany to Sweden.
Standard production at Carl Gustafs continued until 1925, but approximately 18,000 m/96 rifles were manufactured by Husqvarna Vapenfabriks AB during World War II for civilian marksmanship training.
Mauser produced 40,000 m/1896 long rifles between 1895 and 1900, Carl Gustafs Stads Gevärsfaktori 475,000 m/1896 between 1896 and 1932 and Husqvarna Vapenfabriks AB 20,000 m/1896 between 1942 and 1944. Giving a total of 535,000 m/96 long rifles.
