M96/38, M38 and M96 front sight protectors differences

[sirdutch]

More dumb dumb questions. Here goes.

My Swedish M38, that I recently purchased, didn't come with a front sight protector. I want to get one for it. My M96 has one and it looks great! IMHO

)1) Were these sight protectors discarded a lot when the Swedes used this rifle back in the day or is it just that they are the first thing to get lost on these three different Swedish rifles, the M96. the M96/38 and the M38 purpose built short rifle?

(2) It seems to me that each of these rifles would need a slightly different size front sight protector because of the different muzzle diameters or are the sight protectors adjustable enough to be interchangeable?

(3) Also, my rifle (unfortunately) has the threaded barrel. What did the Swedes use, if anything, to protect the threads. A steel cap of sorts perhaps?

 

[theotherwaldo]

First - the sight protectors are an accessory. I don't think that they were issued with the rifle.

Second - the sight protectors are springy sheet metal with a good bit of give. They'll stretch to fit, although they may scratch up your barrel if you're not careful.

Third - All of the later rifles (except for the sniper rifles) have a threaded muzzle for attaching a blank-firing adapter. The threads were normally proyected with a plastic sleeve. Most US owners have replaced this cheap-looking sleeve with a screw-on blued steel muzzle protector, although some have opted for a more tactical-looking muzzle brake.

 

[sirdutch]

Thank you for your answer to my question sir.

 

[Float Pilot]

There are muzzle and sight covers....

And then there are front sight blade HOODS.


The pressed sheet metal issue front sight hoods came in two sizes.
The standard size for the m/96 and m/38 rifles and the slightly lower model that was made for the m/41B sniper rifle. ( so it would not be seen so much in the scope. )

There were also various front sight covers and muzzle covers. In some cases one device did both. Most of those were civilian made, although some ended up on military match (shooting team) rifles.

The threaded muzzle barrels appeared in the 1950s. The Swedes used wooden bullets in their blank training ammunition. For decades they just told troops not to aim at the OP-FOR during training. But since nothing is soldier proof, some people were still getting hurt.
So in the 50s they rebarreled lots of m/38s and m/96s with threaded barrels so a blank firing adapter could be mounted.

This blank adapter basically shreds the wooden bullet in dust. Two of the seven Swede rifles I own have threaded muzzles. one m/96b and a Husky made m/38b. ( B for blank firing adapted) Both have new barrels and will out-shoot the others.

The blank firing adapter screwed on AND also had a latch that went over the front sight blade. SO,,,,, you could not have a front sight hood in place.

The Swede issues a clear or yellowish looking nylon thread protector for those rifles. They actually issued two types... One was just a threaded band to protect the treads, the other was a threaded nylon cap which also acted as a muzzle cover. The last type are pretty rare.

Here is an interesting muzzle / sight cover that came on my m/38b. This rifle is believed to have been used as a cadet training rifle since it had a School Carbine sling and a school rack number disc under the heel of the stock. Yes the muzzle threads are covered with a US made blued steel protector.

Here is a front sight hood.