Carl Gustafs 1920 Info Please

[MtnCreek]

Questions on a 1920 96: The stock has a round brass plate on it; I’ve been told this is some kind of record showing when it was serviced. Is that correct? Is there any source out there where I could do a little research on the markings?

Next to the round brass plate and toward the buttplate, there are 4 small holes in the stock spread out in a approx. 3” x 3” pattern. I assume there was something attached to the stock at some time. Anyone know what that would have been?

Here's a (probably dumb) question: The cleaning rod is not long enough to clean the barrel. How were these cleaned? Was there something a solder carried that attached to the cleaning rod?

Also, 1920; good year for these rifles or does it even matter?

Edit: Anyone know were I could find an original (or copy of an original) sling?

Thanks!

 

[Gunnerboy]

http://dutchman.rebooty.com/disc.html, Enjoy this article it should help some

 

[MtnCreek]

Thankls for the link; that's a great site!

From the site:

Trajectory Plates & Decals

This area of decals and plates can be a bit confusing. For an m/96 rifle with the sights calibrated for the old m/94 bullet there is a plate or decal showing the sight correction when using the newer m/41 bullet. If there is a zero in the far right column, there is no sight correction. If there is a -2, that means the shooter must hold 2 decimeters low to hit the target, etc. Decals are the most commonly found. They were glued to the stock, then shellaced over. The plates can be found in brass and aluminum and were held to the stock with four small brads.

I guess that's what the four small holes are in my stock.

 

[Gunnerboy]

Yep that be why, you can find em if your wanting one on there, but once you figure out how to decifer those numbers and code on the tags youll hit the bullseye every time.

 

[Float Pilot]

A 1920 vintage m/96 is in the top ten of desirable dates for an m/96. Only 8,229 were made that year at the CG factory.

I am sure you found the Dutchman's web site very informative.

The Swede Military collectors site on gunboards
http://forums.gunboards.com/forumdisplay.php?49-Swedish-Military-Firearms-Forum
often has a couple guys who will sell you a correct sling.

I use a m/41b sniper sling for the one m/96 rifle I use for match shooting. But the regular issue sling is a good design.

Is your barrel threaded (m/96b) or is it just a regular barrel?
Do all your numbers match?
Is your stock Beech-wood or another type of wood?
Is there an [SA] stamped anywhere??? I have seen a couple 1920 dated m/96s that were on loan to the Finns.
How many cartouche marks are stamped onto the stock wrist area?

 

[MtnCreek]

The barrel is not threaded. All numbers match. Not sure about the wood, it’s pretty dark, so I don’t think it would be beech. I'll try to get some photos tonight. The receiver is marked SA. Does that mean this rifle may have shot a few soviets?

cartouche marks are stamped onto the stock wrist area

I’ll check.

The markings on the stock disc show the bore measured 6,50 and the little pie area is marked 1 and 2. I guess the last time it was checked, there was some rust in the barrel.

 

[Gunnerboy]

^ you got the golden ticket if its SA marked.

 

[MtnCreek]

That's good to know! I've had this thing for about 10 years; when I got it, I put a couple of boxes of cartridges through it and put it up. I'll try to get a photo of the remaining box of cartridges I have; ya'll get a kick out of it ($14 from Woolworth's). I'd like to buy a few more boxes for that price.

 

[Float Pilot]

Swede rifles, carbines and other weapons have a history of going to Finland. The Swedes helped the anti-communist Finns during the Finnish Civil war. (1917 to 1918) when the reds from Russia tried to take over Finland as well.

From 1919 until the mid 1920s the Swedes supplied more rifles through various channels to the Swedish speaking areas of Finland. Mostly to a group called the Finish Civil Guard. Remember that they continually had problems with the communist trying to stir up trouble along their border.

Then during the Winter War Nov 1939-Mar 1940, the Swedes sent several large shipments of weapons and ammo to help fight the Soviets. (approx 85,000 rifles and carbines alone)

The Swedes also sent troops in such a way as to not violate their neutrality policy.
The Svenska Frivillig Karen was the Swedish Volunteer Corps.
It consisted of over 8,000 troops who resigned from the Swedish Army on one side of the boarder and then marched across the border in formation where they were sworn into the Finnish defense forces. Uniforms and all. They also took along Swedish weapons which had mysteriously been deleted from the Swedish army as private purchase firearms...

When the winter war ended those troops gave their weapons to the Finns.
But... some Swedes were soon back in Finland, since in 1941 the Soviets attacked again and the Continuation War started up. So once again volunteer battalions of Swedes were fighting the Soviets in Finland. This continued until 1944.
There was also the Lapland War of 1944-1945...

Not all rifles had the chance to be marked with the Finnish [SA] property mark.

If you have owned that rifle for ten years and there is rust in the barrel, then it is time for some cleaning...

 

[MtnCreek]

Remember that they continually had problems with the communist trying to stir up trouble along their border.

We seem to have that problem too, only they’re amongst us!

Thanks for all the good info; lots of photos attached. (BTW: she's been cleaned )

 

[MtnCreek]

A few more:

 

[Gunnerboy]

Thats the good ammo right there even comes with instuctions that make sense none of this chinaman scribbles or spanish stuff.

 

[MtnCreek]

How many cartouche marks are stamped onto the stock wrist area?

Almost forgot; there is one 'crown' on the underside of the stock wrist. I never would have noticed it unless you said something. What's that mean?

Thanks!

Edit: The more I look at it, I think it may be beechwood, just with a dark stain.

Edit-Edit: Yes; the damn floor is a mess! Will discuss w/ the w.i.f.e.

 

[MAKster]

The disks are unique but are basically meaningless as far as the condition of the barrel is concerned. First, you have no way of knowing if the disk really goes with that barrel or was swapped from another rifle. Second, I believe the disks were added in the 1960s so the rifle could have been fired thousands of times since then.

 

[Float Pilot]

The crown cartouche means it was back at a main armory at least once.
The type of crown and any letters under or over it will tell us which arms depot.
A couple of mine have extra stamps under the barrel (you have o take the rifle apart) that also show they were re-barreled at such and such an arms depot.

When you take her apart for a good cleaning, check to see if the serial number stamped in the stock (upper and lower) matches as well. I am betting that it does...

They continually rebuilt and inspected those rifle until the 1970s in some cases.
That is stained beech wood. The little crescent moon grains give it away. They restocked a lot of them over the years. But Beech might be correct for a 1920 from what I remember.

During the 1950s a lot of them were re-barreled with threaded barrels for a blank firing adapter. Yours was not.... So maybe it was imported earlier than most...

Your rifle is in better shape than many of the Swedes that you see today... Plus it is SA marked and a fairly rare year of manufacture. And it has the original style barrel....
It is easily a $500 rifle.
If you were standing in my living room right now I would be plying you with good scotch as I tried to talk you out of it....

Well time to go dig more snow... We are buried deep. 6 feet deep on my property and more in some places that have drifted.... And it is still around zero F...
I have burned 3 cords of firewood since November and used up almost 300 gallons of heating oil.

My wife spends 8 hours a day complaining that she wants to move someplace warm...

 

[MtnCreek]

Thanks for all the info! If we ever meet, the scotch is on me.