Mauser Model 98 Serial Numbers
Marsilius Boa
All Swedish Mausers other than trials rifles were chambered for the 6.555mm Swedish cartridge, and all Swedish-made actions were proof-tested with a single 6.555mm proof round developing approximately 455 MPa (65,992 psi) piezo pressure (55,000 CUP).[4][5] Swedish Mausers were manufactured by Waffenfabrik Mauser AG in Oberndorf a/N in Germany and in Sweden by Carl Gustafs Stads Gevrsfaktori and Husqvarna Vapenfabriks Aktiebolag. All Swedish Mausers, whether built in Germany or Sweden, were fabricated using a Swedish-supplied high grade tool steel alloyed with nickel, copper, and vanadium, a product then noted for its strength and corrosion resistance.
Submitted for Swedish trials were the M/1892 rifle and carbine based on elements of the m/1889 Belgian, m/1890 Turkish, and m/1891 Argentine Mauser rifles. These had a single-stack magazine but featured a lot of improvements described in Mauser Model 1893#Development, Spain procured small parties of them for troop trials both in 7.65 and new 7 mm cartridges. Extant examples of these Swedish test firearms are chambered in 858mmR Danish Krag, adopted by Sweden in 1889, as well as 6.5.[6]
The m/1894 carbine with an action similar to the Spanish M1893 was adopted in 1894 with the first 12,000 carbines being manufactured by Waffenfabrik Mauser in Oberndorf am Neckar, Germany. This series of carbines were all manufactured in 1895, and a very few spare receivers dated 1895 were received from Mauser Oberndorf's manufacturers "Ludwig Loewe & Company". Some of these spare receivers have been found built as complete m/1896 rifles with serial numbers falling into the regular m/1896 rifle ranges. It is speculated that these were replacement receivers that were later given the same serial number as the replaced receivers, though this is not yet confirmed due to the extremely small number discovered so far.
Production in Sweden under license commenced in 1898. (The preparatory production development at Carl Gustafs stads Gevrsfaktori found a place in history by being the event that caused Carl Edvard Johansson to invent gauge blocks.) Swedish production continued sporadically until 1918. Very limited numbers were later produced with receiver dates of 1929 and more so 1932. The highest 1918 serial number noted is 111,002. The m/94 carbines have a unique serial number sequence beginning with 1. The highest number so far noted is 113,150 dated 1932. There have been no carbines noted with receiver dates of 1902, 1905, 1908, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1912 and 1913. It may be surmised that carbines produced from the end of regular production in 1918 until 1932 numbered about 2,150.
m/1894-67: This was an 1894 carbine modified to accept the m/1867 Yataghan blade saber bayonet. The modification involved a slot machined on the nose cap and a stud sleeve attached to the barrel. Numbers modified are unknown. Possibly only 100 or less. Several have shown up in the United States and one is known in the Netherlands.
Skolskjutningskarbin, (literally "school shooting carbine"): This carbine was manufactured for Swedish civilian schools for student training. All of these school carbines carry the receiver date of 1901. This model deviates from the standard m/1894 carbine in several ways. The serial number is prefixed with S and runs S.1 to S.1161 and possibly a few more. The serial number appears as S.500 on the left side-rail of the receiver. The bolt handle is the same straight handle of the m/1896 rifle. The sling swivels are on the bottom of the stock just as on the m/1896 rifle. There is no bayonet attachment. Many of these carbines have been found rebuilt as standard m/1894-14 carbines and in one case as a Carl Gustaf m/63 target rifle (CG63).
Kammarkarbin: also known as "gallery carbine". Unique serial numbers prefixed by K. Total number produced is unknown, with the highest reported serial number being K.193 currently in a private collection in the United States. One has been reported in Switzerland. Carbine K.91 is in the Carl Gustaf factory museum in Sweden. Other differences from the standard m/1894 carbine include the stock being dyed black. The rifling rate of twist is about 4 times faster than the m/1894 carbine due to the unique bullet and much slower velocity of the special cartridge intended for this carbine. The only two receiver dates noted so far are 1898 and 1901.
1894/96 Fortress Carbine: Another variant produced in unknown numbers and unknown years of production. This carbine is very similar to the standard m/1894 except in the manner of sling attachment. This carbine uses a sling attachment identical to the skolskjutningskarbin as the sling swivels are on the bottom of the stock instead of the side. The lower sling swivel is placed much further up the buttstock nearer the triggerguard than the m/1896 rifle.
Weapons Officers Carbines: These standard m/1894 carbines were hand-built by weapons officers as part of their training. Instead of having serial numbers, the name of the weapons officer is the identifying "serial" mark. Most of the parts are marked with the two letters of the officer's name and in some cases with a + sign. These carbines are among the most valuable of collectible m/1894 carbines.
Standard production at Carl Gustafs continued until 1925, but approximately 18,000 m/96 rifles were manufactured by Husqvarna Vapenfabriks AB during World War II for civilian marksmanship training.[9]
The m/96 rifle used a triangular front sight post and a rear tangent sight with a V-shaped notch. When folded down the rear sight is graduated from 300 to 600 m (328 to 656 yd), in 100 m (109 yd) increments. When flipped up the rear sight is graduated from 700 to 2,000 m (766 to 2,187 yd). The iron sights line was matched for the trajectory of 6.555mm m/94 ball service ammunition loaded with a round-nosed (B-projectile) bullet. A rifleman never used the flipped up position on his own - it was only used for simultaneous fire at ranks of enemies.[7]
From 1941 onwards the introduction of 6.555mm m/94 ball ammunition loaded with a boat-tailed spitzer(D-projectile) bullet necessitated adapting the iron sight lines with a new m/41 rectangular post and the rear sight element was altered to have a U-shaped notch and match the flatter trajectory of the new service round.[1]
The original m/1938 rifles (Type I) were converted m/1896 rifles with barrels cut down by 139 mm (5.5 in) and almost always with the original straight bolt handles. These rifles are often referred to by collectors as "m/96-38" rifles, but there was never an official designation for this conversion.[10] The majority of purpose-built m/1938s (Type II) had turned-down bolt handles and were manufactured by Husqvarna Vapenfabriks AB, with production ending in 1944. However, the Swedish military made no distinction in service between the two types.[11]
Both subtypes of the family got a new simpler and shorter-range rear sight update designed by P. O. Fldt of Svenska Metallverken [sv] in 1936, which used a horizontal disk with ranges rotating a vertical screw in order to elevate the original tangent leaf (like a micrometer).[12] The rear sighting element of iron sight lines of the short rifles converted from old m/96 rifles were adjustable for ranges from 250 to 600 m (273 to 656 yd) calibrated for 6.555mm m/94 round-nosed (B-projectile) ammunition.The rear sights of new production m/38 short rifles were adjustable for ranges from 100 to 600 m (109 to 656 yd) calibrated for 6.555mm m/94 round-nosed ammunition or alternatively 150 to 600 m (164 to 656 yd) calibrated for 6.555mm m/41 (B-projectile) boat-tailed spitzer ammunition and are now known as SM-sikte after the producer markings. Both sighting types were adjustable in 50 m (55 yd) increments[7]
After World War 2, in 1955, the weapons were refurbished to the m/1941B standard. This included a stop screw on the mounting rail for the mounting arrestment lever, preventing it from being overtightened, the serial number on the receiver that the mount covered was now repeated on the mount and the fastening screws got peened into the holes of the now removed locking screws. The tangent-type rear sight element was replaced by a micrometer SM-sight. All the m/42 telescopic sights (which had a problem with the sealing and thus could fog up) and most of the m/44 telescopic sights were replaced with AJACK 490 telescopic sights, which a decade after World War II were available in sufficient numbers.[7][16]
In 1940, Finland bought 77,000 M1896 Mausers from Sweden in 6.555mm. They were mainly used by second line units.[17] Model 1896 rifles used by Finland in WWII can be recognized by a stamp with the letters SA (Suomen Armeija = Finnish Army) surrounded by a square with rounded corners. Most of the rifles were returned to Sweden after WWII but some remained in Finland.[18]
Both the m/1896 and m/1938 rifles are highly sought after by military rifle shooters and hunters. The 6.555mm is an ideal all-round hunting rifle cartridge, as it has a flat trajectory, low recoil, and high accuracy. Many rifles in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States and South Africa have been sporterized to make deer (or similar game) hunting rifles, and many firearms manufacturers, including SAKO, Ruger and Winchester, produce new hunting rifles chambered in this cartridge.
When surplus Swedish Mausers became available after World War II many m/1896 and m/1938 rifles were successfully converted by Carl Gustafs and Norma into the CG 63 Competition/Target Rifle chambered in 6.555mm and 7.6251mm NATO. A number of CG 63 match rifles were acquired by the Swedish Army, with their rifles colloquially known as Gevr 6 if in 6.555mm and Gevr 7 if in 7.6251mm. These competition/target rifles were used by members of the Swedish Volunteer Sharpshooting Movement Frivilliga Skytterrelsen (FSR) and are known to be very accurate for their price. The FSR strived to keep the costs of participating in their shooting events reasonable, so the FSR rulings restricted the unchecked use of very expensive highly specialized target rifles, ammunition and other gear.The CG 63 rifle was built on a Swedish Mauser receiver, to which a new heavy, non-stepped free-floating target barrel was fitted. The vertical thumb piece was removed from the bolt to improve lock time. The triggers were adjusted and smoothed to match quality and the rifles got diopter and globe sighting lines (from several Swedish manufacturers) and target stocks.The CG 63 was further developed into the CG 73 / CG 74, also called m/74, and finally the CG 80 competition/target rifle.[19] The CG competition/target rifles complied and evolved with the technical and dimensional FSR rulings then imposed for FSR shooting events. Starting at the end of the 20th century the FSR allowed the use of competition/target rifles that are not based on the Swedish Mauser receiver.
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