New old Rifle

Muir

Well-Known Member
Just picked up my 1944. Husqvarna Model 640 in 8x57. Thought I'd post a pic. Will shoot it tomorrow if the rain lets up.~Muir
husky8mma.jpg
 
Muir, you will have to let us know how it shoots! Is this a swap or purchase? If it's a purchase what prompted it?

I ask only because i know the calibre but nothing about the rilfes.

ft
 
Oh it's just to feed the Gunitus condition and keep the pangs at bay :lol:.

Husqvarna was Swedens version of BSA they made just about everything and their rifles are very well made indeed.

Mod46FWRHS.jpg

That's a 1935 vintage Model 46 Husqvarna in 9.3x57mm.
 
Flytie: Brit has it 50% right. Just gunitis; an affliction I suffer from. I also like Husqvarnas and I like the 8x57 cartridge. This was an outright purchase for about 150 Pounds in your currency. The 640 is a commercial version of the Model 96 Swedish Mauser and is distinguished mostly by the lack of a thumb cut in the left receiver wall, secondly by finish.

Brit is right: Husqvarna made just about everything in rifles and did so for a very long time. This is my 1940-built 9x57. Husqvarna marked but built on an FN action.
161114SC-001-webTimsGun2.jpg


Husqvarna rifles were scarce as can be here in the states, especially the old ones, but someone got smart and started importing them. They won't be around forever and I want to get a few while I can. If one ever surfaces in 7x57 I'll probably sprain my wrist whipping my check book out! ~Muir
 
Brit & Muir, I am quite taken with the "Gunitus" complaint you both suffer from. A wonderful saying :tiphat:

ft
 
I went to the range with some cast bullets that I found in my stores. I didn't have tooo many of any particular variety and all the shots hit low as they were mild loads. Still, the elevation trend seemd to indicate that the rifle was zeroed for heavy bullets. These groups were at 50M with a foreend rest. I fired one at 100 but it was 6" low. The rounds grouped 3.5" at that range but they were on the target backer, not the target. I'm pleased.~Muir
50yardSwede8groups.jpg


PS: Shooting is the only way to put gunitis into remission!!
 
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There is a museum in the old factory at Huskvarna it has a very good gun section with all the models of guns they ever made. Its well worth a visit if you are ever in Sweden. There is also old gun making machines and a section for bikes, motor bikes, household and forest equipment. Its only about an hours drive from where i live.

If you want to get your gunitis going and come over all moist have a look at www.widforss.se click on vapenauktion then Maj 2010 if you click on kulgevär you will get sporting rifles, shoud be some huskies there or click on Gevär and you will get old huskie military weapons includeing Hvs model based on the remmington rolling block. All sell cheap, about 7.5 Sek to the Dollar.

There are several years of previous auctions on there with prices the weapons made.

www.prokennel.se
 
Thanks guys! I hit that site, Jagare. Wow. Most of that stuff is rare here in the US: I could spend some serious money there!! ~Muir
 
Thanks guys! I hit that site, Jagare. Wow. Most of that stuff is rare here in the US: I could spend some serious money there!! ~Muir

Muir, there have been quite a few American gun dealers coming over to England and buying up good quality side by side boxlock shotguns and taking tham back to the USA. Perhaps it might be worth a trip to Sweden and find a few collectables that could fund your Gunitus?

I am glad your "new old gun" is working well.

ft
 
Very nice rifle Muir - I'd love a nice old husky rifle (although give me a Stihl over a husky saw anyday...). Although I think I'd take an FN actioned husky over a 96. Is this blasphemy - how do the commercial 96's handle high pressure (as in european 8x57 or 270) cartridges? I got the impression 640s were a mix of 96 actions for 6.5x55 and FN 98s for bigger ones, am I on the right track?

Jagare - that's an awesome auction site, make mine the Husky 1640 in 30-06 for £130! How do you find the price of the old auctions? I can only find a price range. Also I'm off to Sweden this summer for a serious bit of hiking, where is this Huskvarna museum? Also still debating with myself whether to bring the 243, do spontaneous hunting oppotunites ever pop up? What about the legality of walking and hunting in say Sarek?
 
Harry: My understanding id that the 640 is a Model 96 without the thumb cut for magazine charger use. That describes my rifle: Solid left receiver wall. This doesn't make the action any stronger as it is still a Model 96 when the day is over.

But! That does not mean it is weak. There is nothing weak about a Model 96 Swede. It is proofed at the same pressures as a Model 70 Winchester. (F. d'Haas, "Bolt Action Rifles") What limits the 96 is a "safety margin" offered by the lack of a large gas shield and venting ala Model 98 Mauser. Mauser also has the extra bolt lug.

And with that being said.... Remington 700 rifles have no larger gas shield than the Model 96 Swede, not does it have more then two lugs either. When Kimber USA ran into organizational problems back in the eighties they took to rebarreling Model96 Swedes to 270 and the like. I have heard no cases of actions letting go. Nor do I think Kimber would do something unsafe while trying to reorganize their business in the fussy American market.

My rifle was made for, and shot (presumably) European 8x57 loads. I guess it's perfectly safe.~Muir
 
Muir it seems I need to be told things a few times before I take them in! I have D'Haas book and it's a good bit of info. I guess I see so many comments by people saying 96's can't handle modern pressures so I think there must be something in it. But you're right if they were chambered for 8x57 (and sometimes factory 30-06?) then why not. Interesting about the 700 - I assumed it had a safety lug and better venting, but I've never been into them so not fussed. I'm into Mausers and their derivitives!

Still reckon I've heard 640s were a mixture of swedish SR and FN 98 actions though, but I have a feeling you may be more reliable than my forgotten source! Either way I still want a husky
 
Harry: d Haas's complaints were in the area of "Safety" in the case of a blown primer. In his columns in "The Rifleman" etc, he made it clear many times. I looked again for the quote on the pressures and didn't find it in the "Bolt Action Rifles" so it must have come from either one of his other books or The Rifleman. I remember the Kimber rep repeating the figures back when they were doing the conversions... but he was selling guns!

The observations comparing them to Remingtons are my own! but possible metallurgy aside, they seem valid. YOu know, I was told this 8x57 was a 640. I know that the Model 46 is the military action in a sporter... maybe I've gotten it wrong? I have one of the M98 Huskies (two at the moment, atcually) in 9.3x57. Beautiful rifles. Not fancy: Just trim and business like. ~Muir

PS: Just took a look in another source: the 640 Husky is the 96 w/o the thumbcut in the receiver.
 
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Gemtlemen belive me that the mauser 95/96 handles a blown primer with no difficulty at all. I brought some PMC 144 grain FMJ ammo and one particuler round was way over pressed. It happened whilst shooting the Stalkers test at the BSRC at Bisley. At first I thought I had left my thumb sticking up as something hit my nose and glasses. That was the rear of the bolt as the denonation had snapped the firing pin. The primer was never found just the anvil. the cases primer pocket was grossly enlarged and remember this was FACTORY AMMUNITION The rifle was taken to Fultons for insepection and they put a new firing pin in it and it's the same sporterised mauser that I shoot today. I did find on stripping the bolt a while later to dry the rifle out after being out stalking in a monsoon, or it felt like it :rolleyes: , and to my disgust I found that Fultons had not fitted the firing pin nut and had used a vice to force it onto the pin. I spent about one and half hours correcting their shoody workmanship.

Oh I have also seen a report from Normas head ballistician and they use Mauser 96 actions to hold their pressure barrels.
 
Unbelievable! How can a professional organization think they can get away with such work? That was a 6.5, correct?

Thanks for confirmation on the Swede's strength. I have 8 or 9 Swede 96's and have no worries about any of them. I had never hear that about Norma. No surprise, I guess. I don't think there was ever a question as to the metallurgical component of the Swede actions. ~Muir
 
Hej hg382, Go to your auction of choice on the widforss site and click on, slutprislista for auktionen, or slutprislista this is a PDF flle they have the prices on now.
The museum is in Huskvarna which is in the north part of the town of Jönköping (Jurnshurping not jonkoping) Jönköping is at the southern end of lake Vättern. If you travel up the E4 from the south through Jönköping you will see the signs for the museum its only 5 mins from the motorway.
Leave the .243 at home as there is no hunting in the summer apart from yearling boar and you need a letter of invite and a swedish FAC plus a class 1 weapon = 6.5x55 or over.
Bring your fishing rod plenty of fishing to be had everywhere.
Don,t forget if you are near Gällstad to go to the village of Torsbo and visit the best gun shop in Sweden.

Sarek is a bit north of Jönköping

www.prokennel.se
 
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Unbelievable! How can a professional organization think they can get away with such work? That was a 6.5, correct?

Thanks for confirmation on the Swede's strength. I have 8 or 9 Swede 96's and have no worries about any of them. I had never hear that about Norma. No surprise, I guess. I don't think there was ever a question as to the metallurgical component of the Swede actions. ~Muir

Muir,

I assume you mean Fultons of Bisley? If so they get away with it because of where they are situated and trade on a generations old reputation. One is not supposed to critize or complain don't you know. The old uns and the serious target shooters seem to think of them as gods :doh:. I learnt differently....................... Once Bitten twice shy ;).

The thing that peeved more than anything even the shoddy workmanship was they lied to me. They told me one thing and wrote a report which I never saw as York Guns paid for it in which they said something different. York Guns gave me 200 rounds of ammo as a "Goodwill gesture" :rolleyes:. They told York guns that the rifle had excessive head space and they told me it was fine and gave me the three Norma cases from the Norma factory ammo they fired through it on test. Now if it had been a headspace problem then the cases would have ruptured by the web. It would not have caused the primer pocket to expand and blow out the primer.

Another thing is that of course they used a commercial, or I am assuming they used one, SAMMI spec guage and of course the CIP spec Military spec guage in 6.5x55 is different as far as I am aware and seeing as how the rifle has a new military Swedish barrel on it it would ahve more than likely been adjusted to the Swedish specs and not SAMMI. However as I don't know who did the actual conversion I cannot be sure to what specs it was built :oops:. So I just don't take anything to Fultons.
 
I agree with you. The failure of the primer and web is a loading issue, not a headspace issue. Pardon me for the observation, but Englishmen seem to find sudden headspace change/failure at every juncture of firearm dilemma. Headspace does not generally change between shots, and can remain constant for a century if not stressed by overloading. I have several rifles that fail a SAAMI sporting "no-go" gage but pass on a Service Field Gage and are therefore safe to shoot. I agree again, wrong test standard. In short, that was an ammunition problem, plain and simple.

As to the two tales issued, well heck, I'd have been polite, then irate, then I'd have held their feet to the fire in every web forum and pulp media I could find. (Screw 'em!)

But then, I'm an uncouth Yankee.~Muir
 
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