...fitting a scope may require taking out the rear sight to mounting it there...

yes: scout rifle mounts are usually bolted to the rear sight sleeve_
this sleeve, at least in the Mauser k98k, should be tight-fit pressure forced onto the barrel and soldered.
in K98 I found that, under the effect of the 8mm. recoil, the sleeve tends to loosen, move and rotate, if the inertia is aggravated by the weight of the scope_it was a rifle in perfect condition, a newly produced commemorative edition, therefore new_(scope Weaver 4x, B-Square mount)_
on vintage ones I have not tried again.
I'm not deep in 6,5 Sw. Mausers, but I wish these rifles do not give the same problem_

 

https://www.badacetactical.com/

Here is your answer. I have two, one on a Swede (scout mount) and another regular mount on a mosin nagant M39. Rock solid and for old eyes they are a game changer. If you want to see pictures of the Swede, pm me your email address and I will send you a couple. Installation is just as simple as their videos show. They are located and manufactured in Nova Scotia. It is the real deal. Regular mount for the Swede requires a bent bolt but that is taken care of by buying just the bolt body for a Swedish M38.

 

The 6.5 Swede is available in more modern actions than the military Mauser's and you might be better served if you can order one or find one. My brother in law had a sporterized Swede that he has killed a whole pile of deer with. It was his go to, get serious rifle. He tried the 6.5 CM an shot a couple with it. I had one of the Swede carbines when I was younger and thought that it would be nice to have one in a sporter. Finally came close with the 6.5CM. If handloading for one in a modern action like the CZ the starting loads are almost the max for a old 96 Mauser action. Another good cartridge in this class is the 260 Remington. I think I would prefer the 260 over either the Swede or the CM except that the 6.5CM is cheap to shoot, there are more loads available and rifles are less expensive. No critter I shoot will know the difference between getting shot with any of the three.

While the military Mausers are collectors, the process of sporterizing one takes a lot of steps and you still end up with a weaker action. One good suggestion I read, is to get a Savage action and buy a barrel for the caliber. Buy a Savage in 260 or get a CZ. There are also other rifles around. Remington made a 700 in one in the Classic model. If I wanted something other then the CM I think it would be the 260 Remington. The cartridge is slightly more versatile and easier to reload for with a good supply of cases. It is another cartridge Remington messed up with when introduced.

DEP

 

The 6.5X55 is one of the finest cartridges out there, and the rifles are among the very best mass-produced firearms of the 20th century. 25 years back when you could get pristine examples for sixty or seventy dollars I bought and modified a number of them in to different configurations ranging from an 18" scout carbine to a 26" Mannlicher-stocked long rifle. Now that those same surplus rifles go for many hundreds of dollars when original, I sort of wished I'd left them alone, but I did enjoy them. Kimber bought thousands of them and converted them in to very handy sporters which could be had back then for a couple of hundred dollars -- considerably pricier these days if you can find one, but very nice rifles that were shortened, restocked, refinished, drilled and tapped for scope mounts and equipped with Timney triggers.

If you find a functional beater at a reasonable price it can still make a nice sporter conversion, but financially you'd likely be better off finding a modern sporter in 6.5x55, or enjoy the same ballistics (or a bit better) in a 6.5 Creedmore.

 

CZ makes nice 6.5x55 rifles. I would get one of those unless you want the military type.

If you want a scout rifle, I think Ruger will probably chamber their Scout in 6.5 CM as they have it in a number of other rifles.

 

CZ makes some quality rifles NIB for a fair price, considering the quality and the accuracy.

If you want something more expensive, you may also consider a Zastava rife. Beautiful Mauser action rifles made by a company that has been in business since the mid 19th Century. Awesome

https://zastavaarmsusa.com/product/sporting-rifle-lk-m70/

I have my nephews CZ 550 and I own a Zastava made Remington 798. Some of the best rifles in my possession.


Mike T.

 

I’d like to find one of the Zastava m70’s as they offer several neat chamberings


https://www.zastava-arms.rs/en/sporting-rifle-m70/

 

Don't do it.... Get a new 6.5x55 Swede and have at it but don't chop a Swede Mauser!

 

Had one, a M38 carbine, would not waste my time scoping, it was a fine iron sight shooter, the best I ever had. It served as the truck rifle for a long time. A scope would shrink the groups a little, but it was so handy with the iron sights.

 

I have one in my safe that I've worked on a little at a time for over 30 years and it's about as done as it's gonna get. I've just lost interest in it for now. Trust me, unless you do it all yourself, it will not be worth the money. I think I paid $90 for it back in the 80's. Wish I had it back in it's original condition. I might list it on here in a few weeks, just to thin the herd. Stay tuned.

 

This is another idea I have been knocking around. Like a surplus Swedish Mauser in 6.5 x 55 mm. There seem to be plenty of these around including the Carl Gustaf military rifles as well as Husqvarna, no not the motorcycles! The guy at Field and Stream said these match up well with 6.5 Creedmore.

https://www.fieldandstream.com/story/guns/6-5-creedmoor-vs-the-6-5-55-swedish/

The only problem I see is that the barrels are way to long and fitting a scope may require taking out the rear sight to mounting it there.

https://www.badacetactical.com/coll...om/collections/feature-products/products/swedish-mauser-m38-m96-ler-scout-mount

Maybe this could be a scout rifle. What do you think?

Like most cartridges that have been around since the 1890's, the 6.5x55 is loaded mild and most manuals do not reflect what the cartridge is really able to do. The combination of modern powders, bullets, and the right twist can produce impressive results. You only need a longer bolt travel to cycle. Mauser actions are great. They glass bed well, you can get good triggers, and any cartridge based on the 8MM, 30-06, 6.5x55 will work well.

Like other have indicated, you can pick up post war 60's-70's commercial arms like Parker Hale, Interarms, Zastava, etc very reasonably in a wide variety of calibers. The Parker Hale has an odd trigger and I have seen many Zastava's with double set triggers. Check out GunBroker. No issues with scope mounting on the commercial actions.

Not to cause you to shift gears, if you have not looked at the 280 Ackley Improved, it is an outstanding option as well. I just built one on an old Parker Hale commercial Mauser action. Douglas Silhouette contour SS barrel with a Boyds Peppe Laminate Pro Varmint.

short read from Chuck Hawk

small_ring_mausers.htm

 

Pappy's comment is correct, due to the age of the older Mausers the loading data for the Swede is limited. However Speer does list loads for its 140 grain bullet for modern actions that are in line with the 260 Remington. Finn Agaard called the 6.5X55 the "perfect deer cartridge" That was before the 6.5cm and maybe the 260R which are about the same thing. I have enjoyed shooting my 6.5CM the last couple of years and can say that if it isn't the perfect cartridge for deer it's at least a darn good one. Not a lot of recoil and quite effective. Seen the Swede used on deer quite a bit and it is a very good one also. At this time I have been using Hornady's GMX monoliths and have been impressed by them. No fragmentation in the meat even when bone is hit.

DEP

 

Dont know much about the older military 6.5x55 swedes, but the cartridge itself you will really like. Mine is a CZ 557 synthetic, and it is a super soft recoiling cartridge. Not only is recoil about like a 243, it is also very accurate. 6.5x55 is known as a deep penetrator, and that it certainly is. Here is a texas dall sheep I shot with mine 2 weeks ago. A head on shot was all I could get, the bullet, which was a S&B 131 gr. soft point, went in the front of the chest and came out the right rear leg travelling the entire length of the body. To say I was suprised at the amount of penetration would be an understatement.

 

I made one (M38 scout) using a spare sight ramp and a couple of leftover QR rings. Mitt m38 scoutprojrékt - forum.robsoft.nu

 

This is another idea I have been knocking around. Like a surplus Swedish Mauser in 6.5 x 55 mm. There seem to be plenty of these around including the Carl Gustaf military rifles as well as Husqvarna, no not the motorcycles! The guy at Field and Stream said these match up well with 6.5 Creedmore.

The 6.5 Creedmoor Vs. the 6.5x55 Swedish

The only problem I see is that the barrels are way to long and fitting a scope may require taking out the rear sight to mounting it there.

Gen 2 Swedish Mauser NDT Scout Mount Low-Profile for M38 and M96

Maybe this could be a scout rifle. What do you think?

Swede Mausers are very nice Small ring actions. They are known for their quality and accuracy. You
can' t go wrong with that cartridge, as it is very flat shooting, especially if you handload. The actions and bolts are good,, heat treated for hardness. Especially the ones made in the 1930' s on. I feel they are better actions than say, the German 1894 1895 small rings, as these are softer steel.

The days of cheap surplus mausers are over. If you can get a Swede for under say $ 350 , thats probably a very good deal. Be particular about bore and rifling condition...If you are interested in sporterizing it, they are fun to work on,,,, but you' ll have alot of extra $$ tied up into it. I' ve done about 3 German small rings and 2 large ring German, so I know how much cash I had to spend over the years, to get all the good tools needed.

Low forge bolt handle $
Cut and recrown barrel $
New sporter stock $
Timney trigger $
Scope mount and rings $

Good luck, add it all up and compare the price of a used Ruger, CZ, Winchester M70 etc....in 6.5x55.

 

My compromise, handy, accurate, and very light.

25+ Year Quest Finally Finished - Baby Swede Arrives, 6...

An earlier post had it put together and going to the range. She IS a shooter. Got her back from the finisher for manganese phosphate to Mil-Spec, and WOW! What a difference. This is going to be a keeper for sure. Mini 14 front sight, M16 early three prong, Williams Fool Proof, a RamLine...

www.marlinowners.com

AC

 

M96 Swedish Mausers are my favorite military surplus rifle. As others have mentioned the Badace scout scope mount is excellent. I have one on one of my Swedes and it works fine, after trying another brand which did not align with the bore enough to allow me to bore sight the scope using internal scope adjustments. The Badace (probably spelling it incorrectly) does allow for some adjustment which got me close. The Scout scope mount allows the use of a straight bolt handle.

I also have a M96, actually one that was arsenal altered to their short rifle, M38 configuration. That particular one was made by Mauser Obendorf, for the Swedes in 1900, and has a two digit serial number with all the serial numbered parts matching.

 

Old thread, but just wanted to say compare the Norma ballistic charts for the Swedish Mauser and the 6.5 Creedmore.
The Creedmore has nothing in the way of advantage over the Swedish cartridge, in fact some velocities are less.
Proofing pressure for the Swede was high. I believe 62,000 PSI but don't quote me!
It is a fantastic cartridge, one of the all -time best.
I would always go with a chopped Swede rather than a new rifle in that chambering, ( for a sporting rifle)as no new off the shelf rifle is as well made as that rifle was.
Mine all shoot Extremely well. Two are full wood still. (Husqvarna and Oberndorf.)

All the best,
Richard.

 

I have shot a couple of nice ones including full military & sporterized & while I agree that they are among the most accurate of military rifles, they did not prove quite as accurate as my Savage Stealth 6.5 CM.

 

to the O.P.:... very accurate and flexible caliber, really, but the strenght of old mil. actions isn't the same as today's modern hunting rifles in the same caliber. (beware: if interested, more on that on last Vihtavuori reloading manual)

 

Had a 96, now have a 38 Husquavarna made in 42. Soon going to have an M1 Garand chambered in 6.5x55.

The only thing I do not like with the Mausers are the damn V rear sight cut. Makes it difficult to see the front sight post with old eyes.

 

The only thing I do not like with the Mausers are the damn V rear sight cut. Makes it difficult to see the front sight post with old eyes.

1) the Mauser bros. were excellent businessmen and engineers, but not shooters_
2) those who actually used their guns were sent to the front lines at sixteen

 

Sounds interesting BrokenVet. I would be very careful on determining the gas port diameter. With a .26 cal. bore there is less volume acting on the op rod piston. I would think to start with a smaller gas port and work your way up in diameter. M1 op rods can be finicky and bend with too much gas. Please keep us posted. A 6.5 Swede rim and body is larger than a 7.62 NATO and .30/06 and require more umph to strip from the clip. Been there loading a clip with 6.5 mm doing the same thing with the same idea in the past. AC

 

The barrel is made by Criterion specifically for the Garand. They have addressed the port hole issue.

Criterion also recommends using Winchester and Remington cases as they have .473 body vs .480 with others, I figure if you reload it's not going to matter what case

 

Wiley,

It is hard to generalize like that.
Mauser rifles were used by half the world, and each country is and was different.

 

Wiley,It is hard to generalize like that.
Mauser rifles were used by half the world, and each country is and was different.

during the First World War, the call to the draft also really affected sixteen year olds, including my grandfather (even if not in the Austro-Hungarian army), and in any case even at eighteen I certainly saw better than today__
regarding the Mauser military rifles, you're right: I probably should have specified German Army K98k, and I admit I have a tendency to be a little biased, because it is the bolt-action that I could enjoy, appreciate (and handload ) the most, in the K98k/7,92mm version, and indeed the sights can be difficult if the eyes of the shooter are not perfect.
on my K98s, after my 53 b-day, I had to compete by mounting the Carl Gustav front sight, wider and square, not the oem inverted V shaped, and filing the rear sight from V notch to square notch_ (today, at 64, without glasses , I probably can't even tie my shoes ...)
I think I am part of the half world with the Mausers: currently I have keep a pair of Brno-build K98 snipers, one before and the other after the German invasion, and a race-ready K98 in kriegsmodell configuration, even if I don't compete anymore.

 

Very good reply, Wiley!

Thanks for that and the explanation.
I'm now 66 and seem to be shooting wider than I used to at times. Sunlight now is only half as good as overcast if we count score. LOL!
It sounds like you have some Very nice rifles!
And yes, The C-G front sight is a nice one.
All the best,

Richard.

 

... do not worry: at our age, when our rifles enlarge the group, it is evidently because we have worn out the barrels _
that's why I don't talk much about my .444: because I bought it new last year, and I don't even have this last excuse (the recoil, maybe...)

 

Man, I'm a lover of the Swedish Mauser, too. And I only have one, but it's one I'll never part with. It's a 1899 Carl Gustaf that was factory shortened to a M38. All part numbers match, except the bolt release. It appears the stock was reworked by the factory to slimmer proportions. Build quality is phenomenal and puts most present guns to shame. Swedish steel, even then, was the best in the world. It's chromoly vanadium content was the model for present steel requirements for US military rifles and machine guns. Unless you have a parts Mauser, and even then only if its not so nice, would I consider modifying one. I've not examined a CZ since they went to the 557 model, but if I wanted a sporter 6.5x55, I probably would buy a new CZ sight unseen, since CZ quality is excellent. Zastava also make phenomenal guns - real bargains for what you get. IIRC, Remington imported Zastavas re-branded to Remington and they were, arguably, better rifles than their 700s.