Please educate me on this custom 1898 6.5x55 Mauser...

It's a 96 small ring. And the action looks buggered with all the messed up base holes. Not worth much of call it a parts gun

That appears to be an model1896 or maybe a 94 mauser, not a 98. I would expect to pay between 200 and 300 bucks at my local gun shops for that rifle in its current condition.

The “buggered” hole in the rear should cover up just fine with installation of the scope base.

Based on what I can see, it was an 1894 that has been sporterized. "Custom" would be rather facetious. You might expect $300 - $350 in a patient private sale or extended wait on Gunbroker. Selling to a gun shop might get $200 but more like the offer would $150 or less.

1898 is the year it was manufactured. The short barrel and turned down bolt indicate a Model 1894.

Another_Kelley said:

Top of the receiver is stamped....

"Carl Gustafs Stads
Gevarsfaktori
1898"

Click to expand...

Kelly that number you see on the top of the receiver is the year the rifle was built. Not the model number. Rifle was originally a M94 or M96 (same action), the action used was the Mauser '91 (cock on opening) type. Very smooth, but lacking the 'safety lug' of the '98 Mauser.

I’m not sure but I’ve never seen a 6.5x55 rifle with that short of a barrel. I wonder how much of the bad ass oomph that the 6.5x55 is known for is missing with that barrel arrangement. I’d agree with the $200-$300 price tag.

Wade, I think many, if not all(?)94 swedes were made with around a 17” barrel. They welded on extensions later so they could be legally imported to the U.S. back when the minimum legal rifle barrel length was 18 inches. One of my coworkers had one of the extensions fail and go flying down range during a shooting session. He refaced and recrowned the muzzle and it shoots fine now.

10-4, I wasn’t sure.

If the bore is good, it will be a good shooter. Don't worry too much about it being made in 1898 as all of the M96 Swedish Mausers were made with high quality Swedish steel and good quality control. Shooting "standard" military level loads in it should be fine, just don't hot-rod a 120 year old gun

Regarding the particular model, there's also the M1896/38 which were re-barreled to carbine length. Then there was the M1938 in carbine length. IIRC, both of those and the previous model short rifle were intended for horse cavalry.

Looks like this one's wearing a set of Remington sights. Also, while the reciever bridge looks to be milled down, the clip guide wasn't milled out, so I'm thinking it's still usable. That said, I think a Leupold Std one-piece base and a 1.5-4.5x21mm scope mounted as low as possible work real nice on something like this.

A one piece base might be tricky unless its made specifically for a small ring, or modified. The rear of the receiver sits roughly 1/10 of an inch lower than the front. Heres a pic of exactly what you need.

my swedes as well as my other milsurps get very moderate loads, you don,t need super speeds as the 6.5 bullets are known for retaining their speed over long distences.

The barrel is much to short to make 6.5x55 justice. It needs at least 25-27" to burn the powder and get full velocity.
The m/96 rifle had a barrel of 29.1", m/38 short rifle was 24"

Carbine m/94 had a barrel of 18" and was used by the cavalry, engineers, sappers, supplies and logistics, and the infantry coachmen. Later on it was also used by the navy and air force.
Not really front line duty, more of a PDW.

Here in Sweden a rifle in that condition would fetch the equivalent of $50-100 in a gun store, less on the private market.
As a shooters rifle it's a dud, but a collector might be interested in the action.

1898 was the first year of production by Carl Gustafs Stad so its an early rifle, #1061 of over half a million rifles made there.

As you can see, they still do service today

Ryden said:

The barrel is much to short to make 6.5x55 justice. It needs at least 25-27" to burn the powder and get full velocity.
The m/96 rifle had a barrel of 29.1", m/38 short rifle was 24"



As you can see, they still do service today

View attachment 867198

Click to expand...

In the 17.6" Model 94. Cool photo.

Which does lose velocity. Mine drops 150 - 175 fps vs the 24" Model 38 with 140 grs and H4350 / IMR4831. But the 6.5x55 will do just fine in a 22" barrel. All powder will have been consumed in the first 18" of the barrel. There will be no velocity increases beyond 22"-23". The M96 infantry rifle was 29" long because it was designed in the days when the bayonet was still very much at the forefront of military doctrine.

It would be a shame if it was a rare Cavalry Carbine.

I think it is more probable that the rifle was one of the Infantry rifles that were imported in the 1960's. Interarms had warehouses of the things.



Lots of these were imported in the 1990's but gunsmithing services were more and there were fewer gunsmiths than the 1960's and therefore fewer military rifles were gunsmithed. Yours looks like a professional job but it was unusual to have a rifle parkerized, everyone liked high polished blue finishes. It did cost a lot for a low scope bolt handle, adding a Buehler rifle safety, and the front and rear sights. For all that work I am surprised a new barrel was not added. Stocks were never free. Maynard Buehler went out of business sometime 1990's and died 2005. Heck, his house in Orinda California is a National Monument!

Someone took off the scope mounts, wish you luck finding a set that matches the holes.

On the scope mounts, use scope base mount charts as a search term and you might find the specifications including base screw distances for the different scope mounts. Some brands use the same distance and screws for the mounts.

Ludwig Olson wrote an article in a 1950's American Rifleman article on the 6.5 Swedish cartridge and in it, he claims that a 140 grain bullet with 43.0 grains IMR 4350 is a service rifle equivalent. Accurate Arms told me that AA4350 was blended to the same pressure curve as IMR 4350, and it cost less, so I have been using that. And it shoots well in my 6.5 Swede's.


M1896 Infantry Rifle 29' barrel Carl Gustafs mfgr 1903

17-Aug-06 T = 85 °F

143 gr FMJ 1986 Swedish Ball


Ave Vel = 2610
Std Dev = 14.38
ES = 45.59
High = 2633
Low = 2587
N = 8





The longer barrel does make a difference as can be seen between the velocities of the same ammunition in a 29 inch barrel and a 24 inch barrel.

M38 Infantry Carbine 24" barrel
28-Oct-94 T ≈ 60 °F

143 gr 1986 Swedish Ball OAL 3.065" 47.4 grs powder average

Ave Vel = 2427
STD=22
ES = 62
Low = 2395
High = 2457
N = 10

The velocities I got out of my 22 barrel Swedes are faster by comparision, and that is probably due to a tighter tube. These are factory rifles, but I would not have chambered a barrel less than 24 inches long in 6.5 Swede. Your barrel is even shorter, and there is nothing you can really do to make up for that, and because of the age of your receiver, I am going to say it is unwise and unsafe to exceed service rifle pressures.

M700 22" Barrel

143 gr Swedish Ball 1986 headstamp
2 Feb 2008 T = 54 °F

Ave Vel =2470
Std Dev =18
ES =48
High =2491
Low =2443
N =5

140 gr Hornady Spire Point 43.0 grs AA4350 R-P new brass CCI-200 OAL 2.990"

2 Feb 2008 T = 52 °F

Ave Vel = 2512
Std Dev = 27
ES = 72
High = 2547
Low = 2475
N = 5

140 gr Hornady Spire Point (0.264") 43.0 grs AA4350 greased new R-P cases CCI 200 OAL 2.990" loaded 2-5-2000

2 Nov 2017 T=72 °F

Ave Vel =2531
Std Dev =14
ES =33
High =2540
Low =2507
N=5


140 gr Hornady SP greased 45.0 grs H4831 wtd lot 01-06-2014 new R-P cases CCI 200 OAL 3.065"

2 Nov 2017 T=72 °F

Ave Vel = 2419
Std Dev = 31
ES = 88
High = 2477
Low = 2389
N = 8





Shot an internet bragging sub MOA group with three shots. Too bad three shots proves absolutely nothing in terms of inherent accuracy:





I really think the four shot group is a better indication of the accuracy potential of this load, but, the fifth shot went out of the ten ring. This is proof that if you want to claim sub MOA accuracy, shoot as few shots as possible. This is something in-print gunwriters do all the time. Makes them and their loads look good.




Not in the middle, but a five shot group at 300 yards, 4.36 inches in diameter.







M70 Featherweight 22" Barrel

143.5 gr FMJBT Swedish 1986 ball. OAL 3.065" 47.4 grs powder average
13 Oct 2017 T=72 °F

Ave Vel = 2460
Std Dev = 21
ES = 30
High = 2474
Low = 2444
N = 5

Very good group

140 gr Hornady Spire Point greased 43.0 grs AA4350 R-P new brass CCI-200 OAL 2.990"

18 Nov 2007 T = 75 °F

Ave Vel =2428
Std Dev =29
ES =95
High =2480
Low =2385
N =24

easy bolt life,nice rounded primers


140 gr Hornady Spire Point (0.264") greased 43.0 grs AA4350 new R-P cases CCI 200 OAL 2.990" loaded 2-2000

13 Oct 2017 T=72 °F

Ave Vel = 2387
Std Dev = 23
ES = 67
High = 2424
Low = 2357
N = 15

Best group of all reloads

five shot group 200 yards



ten shot group, low, but 6.6 inches at 300 yards



this rifle did not Rem CorLokt's



For lightweight hunting rifles these groups are just fine. These are not 12 lb F Class rifles, and weight makes a huge difference in group size and recoil dynamics. These lightweight rifles are twitchy and extremely sensitive to variations in hold, trigger pull, front rest placement. Plus they move, requiring a re adjustment of position each shot.