6.5x55 M-38 Swedish Mauser

[Palehorseman]

Took my recently acquired Husky M-38 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser out yesterday and was very pleasantly surprised. Had a box of 131 grn Sellier Bellot ammo and was just going to check function of rifle, started by busting a man sized rock out around 110 paces. Four rounds and scored a hit every time, when went to check, all hits could be covered with my hand. Now this was just with elbows resting on the hood of my old K-5 Jimmy on a hot AZ day. Recoil was very light.

All I have read said it would be hitting way high, (300 meter battle sights at lowest elevation) but I held dead on. Also the diameter of most commercial 6.5 ammo is .264" (including the Seller Bellot) and when I slugged the bore, groove diameter was .295".

I now have the custom Lee Cruise Missile mold from Midsouth, it throws WW cast boolits at .271" on the drive bands but currently working out kinks as the nose for boolit was way too fat, But sizing nose down in a .258" sizer lube die now allows base seating depth at neck/shoulder junction. Looking forward to trying the cast boolits at around 1500 fps.

 

[aka108]

The Swedes are nice shooters, some of the more accurate of standard issue rifles. I you contact SARCO they may have high sight front sights for the Swedes. I bought some of them a few years ago, installed them and filed down as necessary at the range to bring them on target at 100 yds. Numrich may also have some.

 

[NCsmitty]

when I slugged the bore, groove diameter was .295".

Something doesn't sound right, it should be close to the .264 bullet size.

Maybe you could recheck it.

I'm sure you know that .002 over groove dimension is pretty standard for cast bullets.



NCsmitty

 

[Palehorseman]

Quote:
when I slugged the bore, groove diameter was .295".

Something doesn't sound right, it should be close to the .264 bullet size.

Maybe you could recheck it.

I'm sure you know that .002 over groove dimension is pretty standard for cast bullets.



NCsmitty

My bad, that was a typo, should have read, .2695", which is not unusual for the Swedes. Current commercial rifle groove diameters run .264" and commercial ammo reflects that.

Aware that 2-3 thou over groove diameter is best for cast boolit accuracy. From Midsouth the nose diameter of Lee Cruise Missile is .264", first band is .267" and other bands are .271" with WW alloy. After pass in .258" sizing die, nose is now .258" and with first band just entering the sizing portion of die, it is reduced to .264".

I have seated the gas checks separately, will hand lube and shoot as cast. These long skinny 170 grain 6.5 boolits will bend in a heartbeat if one gets western when just sizing the nose, even being careful and lubing the nose, out of first 80 I still found 5 with run out.

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=000066.5SWED

 

[Float Pilot]

With Swede Mausers, often the front sight posts (blade) have been replaced with taller units and it really helps bring the point of impact down on the target.
120 grain Nolser Accubonds and 120 grain SMKs are really accurate from my m/38s. Although they can never compete with my m/96s.

 

[Guncollector1982]

I got a replacement front sight for my M96 swede from brownells... they also fit many many older mausers and the like. Think one even fit in the dovetail on my friends 7X57 rolling block.

 

[Palehorseman]

With Swede Mausers, often the front sight posts (blade) have been replaced with taller units and it really helps bring the point of impact down on the target.
120 grain Nolser Accubonds and 120 grain SMKs are really accurate from my m/38s. Although they can never compete with my m/96s.

It is quite possible a higher FS may have already been installed by a previous owner. Will have to check on specs for height of original FS. I know it shot right where I aimed with the 131 grain Sellier Bellot at a bit over 100 yds.

 

[Float Pilot]

Is your rear sight marked with a big T ?

 

[Palehorseman]

Is your rear sight marked with a big T ?

Yes it is in the front center.

 

[cwbjaxfl]

i have a timmney trigger in my m38. it shoots like a dream