M96 Swedish Mauser restoration

[RooftopKorean]

A while back, I picked up a M94 M96 Carl Gustaf mauser for around $100. It was slightly severly bubba'ed but seemed to function fine. No matching numbers and the stock was chopped up into a sporter configuration.

I initially purchased it to be a project gun with hopes to do a restoration similar to what I did on my Enfield Jungle Carbine and MAS 36.

After searching the web for parts I quickly realized that parts for this particular rifle are very expensive. I decided to unbubba the rifle as much as possible and just put it into a nice Boyd's stock and make it a plinker.

After a tear down, cleaning, and redoing the bluing I got some snap caps for it and tried to do some test dry fires. The bolt will not seat all the way down when there is a bullet in the chamber.

I did a chamber casting with cerrosafe and it definitely is a 6.5x55 swede caliber.

Any ideas what about be causing this?

 

[kev74]

Someone might have swapped bolts without resetting the headspace.

Or the snap caps are junk.

Chamber gauges or quality factory ammo will give you an idea of what you're working with.

 

[RooftopKorean]

I made a dummy round with no primer/powder and the bolt won't turn down when it's in all the way.

If I get a no go gauge and the bolt still doesn't lock in should I assume the barrel isn't seated properly?

 

[rayballz]

Pictures might help.

 

[kev74]

I made a dummy round with no primer/powder and the bolt won't turn down when it's in all the way.

If I get a no go gauge and the bolt still doesn't lock in should I assume the barrel isn't seated properly?

If you can use a factory load, that would take away the variability of the reload - bad brass, bad or improperly set die, etc..

Headspace gauges are better.

Lots of youtube videos to explain checking and setting headspace. I think I'd confuse things more then help if I tried to write it out.

 

[tony]

@RooftopKorean, Try feeding directly from the magazine or by placing the "cartridge" under the extractor lip before chambering. I don't believe the extractor on Mausers was designed to snap over the rim.

 

[FRANKIE]

Give a shout out to see if someone has a set of gauges that you can borrow for the price of the postage. I have some strange calibers but not that size

 

[repete]

Have you tried seating an empty piece of brass( no bullet)? I assume you've cleaned and oiled the gun.
Years ago I picked up a nice looking large ring Mauser that the PO didn't know what caliber, turned out it had been put together as a drill rifle and had never had a chamber cut!

 

[RooftopKorean]

Well... I feel like a complete fucking nub now for not doing what @tony suggested in the first place.

You live and learn, thanks buddy. Now at least I learned something about a rifle I never worked on prior to this.

 

[kev74]

Well... I feel like a complete fucking nub now for not doing what @tony suggested in the first place.

You live and learn, thanks buddy. Now at least I learned something about a rifle I never worked on prior to this.

We were ready to talk you into yanking the barrel off that thing and dremeling the chamber open.

 

[RooftopKorean]

The last thing I will need to do is fill in the screw holes the previous owner did. He put some weaver rail on the barrel in a scout configuration. I don't even think it was straight to be honest.

I saw an old ass video on YT from MidwayUSA on how to do it, seems pretty straight forward.

It's really a shame that I cannot find a complete rear sight, stock, forehand cover, barrel bands, entire bayonet assembly for reasonable prices and/or in stock. I absolutely hate when people sporterize/bubba WW2 era rifles, it's a fucking sin and makes Baby Jesus cry.

Even if I couldn't find the complete rear sight assembly, I'd settle and use the Crosman Williams rear sight that came on it.

I pretty much need 9, 10, 11, 12, all of 24, 25, and 40-46.

Prestigious Wood Stocks has a repro stock but they are nuts asking for $433.

 

[tony]

@RooftopKorean, Glad I was able to help.

For firearm parts you might try "Numrich Gun Parts Corp." in Kingston, NY. and also "Popperts Gun Parts" in Glenside, Pa.

Good luck on your hunt for parts...

 

[RooftopKorean]

@RooftopKorean, Glad I was able to help.

For firearm parts you might try "Numrich Gun Parts Corp." in Kingston, NY. and also "Popperts Gun Parts" in Glenside, Pa.

Good luck on your hunt for parts...

Numerich was out of stock on a lot of parts. I'll check Popperts. Thanks.

 

[RooftopKorean]

Nothing at Popperts.

 

[kev74]

Check Sarco once in a while. They seem to get oddball stuff.

 

[FP1201]

Liberty Gun Parts might be the way to go, although I had problem with them once: I was searching EVERYWHERE and I do mean everywhere for a Swedish Mauser Firing pin, well they showed one, so I placed an order and added some small bullshit because I'm already paying the freight, might as well make it worth while: Order arrives, no firing pin "we were out, bu sent the other stuff anyway." NOT HAPPY. Ended up buying a complete Bolt assembly $125 bolt for a $15 firing pin.

 

[RooftopKorean]

Liberty Gun Parts might be the way to go, although I had problem with them once: I was searching EVERYWHERE and I do mean everywhere for a Swedish Mauser Firing pin, well they showed one, so I placed an order and added some small bullshit because I'm already paying the freight, might as well make it worth while: Order arrives, no firing pin "we were out, bu sent the other stuff anyway." NOT HAPPY. Ended up buying a complete Bolt assembly $125 bolt for a $15 firing pin.

Had the same thing happen to me with the exact same item.

I forget where I ended up buying a repro firing pin from.

 

[RooftopKorean]

So apparently my M94 is actually a chopped down M96 according to some over at Gunboards. After looking up some pictures of the M96, it seems as if they were correct.

It seems as if the barrel and stock were chopped down and the front sight was moved down the barrel and holes threaded for it.

I guess I will have to deal with a modified M96, but I will definitely be putting some of the original parts back on it to make it close to original as possible.

 

[RooftopKorean]

So far I sealed up the tapped screw holes on the top side of the barrel where the previous owner had mounted weaver rail. I used permanent Loctite, put in the screws, and peened them over. I filed off what was sticking out and used fine grit sandpaper to smooth it down, applied bluing and was done.

I ordered a few parts to try and restore it back to a semi-factory state.

• M96 handguard
• Handguard ring
• Rear band with sling
• Rear sight assembly
• Front end cap
• Stock nose cap
• Buttplate

I got the buttstock plate and complete rear sight assembly in the mail today.

After I attempted to fit on the buttstock plate, I quickly realized that the rear of the stock was chopped as well. I will have to add a curve to the rear of the stock and cut a groove for the tang to sit in.

I also slide on the rear sights. They aren't positioned properly since I haven't gotten the barrel bands/rings or the handguard yet. With just these two items (and it not even being fitted yet), it looks much better.

 

[RooftopKorean]

Got some parts in and did a test fitment.

Mounted the handguard but it appears as if the body of the stock was also thinned out. Between that and the butt being cut, the best solution was to order a used stock off eBay for $69. Whoever bubbaed this, did a number on it.

This is what the test fitment looks like with the bubbaed stock it came with. Even with the handguard overhanging it looks a hundred times better than when it was in a sporter configuration. It looks like a M94/96 hybrid, an M96 "carbine" if you will, which doesn't exist.

 

[RooftopKorean]

Well, she's almost finished. Got the stock in today, chopped off about 5" off the stock at the same length as the sporterized barrel. Did some minor wood working to accommodate the modified bolt handle. Had to also shave off a few millimeters on the front end of the stock to accommodate the front end cap.

The wood is in decent shape, no cracks, dents, or pitting. I'm still going to be sanding it smooth and sealing with water based stain and BLO.

I opted to use the modified front end cap because it involved less woodworking to make a slot on the underside and front end to accommodate the retaining flat spring and front end cap. The modified front end is simply held in with a screw going into the hole for the cleaning rod.

She's back to a somewhat respectable form.

BEFORE


INTERIM STOCK


AFTER

 

[RooftopKorean]

Sanded down the stock the other night. Gave it a soak in water and bleach for a few hours and set to dry for 8 hours. Got started on the stain a few minutes ago.

I will probably put about 8-10 coats using a water-based stain, the color funny enough is called: Gun stock. It is the same stain color I used on my Enfield No5 Mk1 restoration.

After the last coat and proper set time I will start the BLO.

 

[RooftopKorean]

First coat of BLO applied, now only 24 hours to go and then two more coats.

 

[RooftopKorean]

All finished, except for the sling which should arrive this week. I went with a replica since the NOS slings were overpriced.

The humidity level was ideal, so I only needed a 12-hour set time in between coats. I'll let it sit out and cure for 3 weeks before I shoot it. I'm very pleased with the way it came out considering what it was and how much I paid for it. Overall, I'm in $269 between the cost of the rifle itself, missing parts, and a new-used stock.

Hope you all like my work.

 

[RooftopKorean]

Last part arrived.