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Sporterized M96 Swedish Mauser made by Kimber

10K views 14 replies 14 participants last post by  James Knierim 
#1 ·
I picked up a sporterized Swedish Mauser made by Kimber in 6.5x55 the other day and was wondering if anyone has any experience with them. I can remember seeing them for sale years ago in sporting publications but never owned one and seldom see any for sale. Kimber got hold of a lot of M96 Mausers (Sweede) quite a few years ago and cut the barrels to 22 inches, put a ramline stock on, put a bueler safety and drilled and tapped them for a scope. Surprisely it made a attractive sporter. It says on the barrel "Sporterized by Kimber of America, Clackamas Oregon imported by KBI M96. I haven't shot it yet but just finished loading a box of ammo with 45.5 grs IMR-4350 behind a 129 gr Hornady in some Win brass It has a new Timney trigger on it and a decent trigger but needs to be adjusted a little. It has a 3.5x10 Alaskan Guide by Cabelas on it in Leupold mounts and rings
 
#2 ·
Considered getting one myself. The 6.5x55 is virtually the same as the 6.5 Creedmoor but you can still find it for about a third to a fourth of the cost for the CM. I had a Swedish 1894 carbine for awhile and it's probably the oldest mainstream European cartridge still in mass production. Just like the 7mm Mauser both of those cartirdges are the parents of almost all the modern ammo out there and all the latest development is just circling back around to match their performances. The only down side is the factory ammo is mostly dialed down in consideration for all the over 100 year old guns out there in both the 7mm and 6.5 mentioned above. Enjoy and would love to see some pics.
 
#3 ·
horseshoe - I haven't seen one sporterized by Kimber, or anyone else for that matter. I have been enjoying this Swedish short rifle for quite a few years.
Wood Brickwork Brick Bicycle fork Building material

I bought it back in the early '90's when they were first really starting to be imported into this country. I put the "scout scope" on it a year or so ago as an aid to "maturing eyes", if you catch my drift. She's a shooter and usually draws a crowd whenever I take her to the range.

WYT-P
Skyhunter
 
#4 ·
I had a nickel plated 6.5x55 96 by kimber and wished I still had it. Kimber did a great job. Loaded 140gr sst I think under 4350 its been a while. I do remember it shot extremely well. One of many I wished I kept. If you don't like it let me know. Enjoy your new kimber !
 
#6 ·
I had one of those original Kimbers about 15-20 years ago. Nice enough rifle that I ended up gifting to the owner of some property that I used to hunt. Hope you enjoy the rifle!!
 
#7 ·
I used to hang out at a gun shop and there was a flood of the M38 Sweeds that hit the market. You saw them regularly on the racks of gun shops and gun shows. I seem to remember that they cost around 125 dollars. Most of the ones I saw looked at leat 90 % and then they dried up and you do not see many of them today.
 
#9 ·
jdb3 - that is a really nice looking 6.5. I remember the Kimbers being sold in the 90's at a local dealer. Unfortunately I did not buy, but instead picked up a M96 during that time and later a Tikka T3X - they are both "shooters". While the action work of the Kimber was very good, I was not impressed with the Ramline stock.

Although the 6.5X55 is loaded down, each and every model 96 was "proofed" to 66,000psi, according to at least a couple of "experts" on military rifles. It is the lack of "gas porting" of the bolt that gets the 96 its lower rating, whereas a pierced primer might cause damage to the shooter. While I don't ignore the max pressure cautions, I tend to load to European pressure standards for the 6.5X55SE listed by Norma and a few others powder manufacturers (from memory, that would be around 55,000psi - not CUP!). The Tikka, Ruger, CZ, Winchester, Remington rifles will take the pressures to the equal of other more modern 6.5's with like, if not identical, velocities.
 
#10 ·
Don't know if it was a Kimber but my brother in law had a Swede but with a 24" barrel that had the Black Plastic stock and was D&T for scope mounting. That was about his favorite rifle and a pile of deer went down to the 140 grain factory loads. I believe his favorite was the Winchester. I had a Swede carbine that was D&T for a scope and it like the old Norma 156 grain round nose. Got a 6 point buck with it and it dropped pretty quick. Now have a 6.5 CM and have taken 4 deer with the CM. 3 with the Hornady 120 GMX loads and one with the 140 Speer loaded to about the same level as a Swede, 2611over my chronograph. They always worked well and gave adequate penetration.
I bought the CM because I had at one time dreamed of getting a custom Swede but never got around to it. The CM got popular enough such that cases and ammo are more common and less expensive. Differences between the Swede, the 260R and the 6.5CM are not anything to get too excited about.
839640

Last shot of the year I had fired out of my 6.5CM. Ruger American Predator with a Boyd's stock

DEP
 
#11 ·
I have one of those, picked it up at a pawn shop couple years ago for $300. It looks great and shoots great, little recoil, not much muzzle blast. It's so good that I sold a couple of my expesisver bolt action hunting rifles because the Kimber-Swede is my new favorite hunting rifle and is just that good, didnt do a thing to it other than mount a scope and run a bore snake thru it and am shooting cheap PPU 139 gr soft points thru it. If I ever see another one in a pawn shop, I'll buy it.
 
#12 ·
Good buy Horseshoe ! I remember seeing those years ago ,,,and never got off my ass to buy one.
Wish I had. I agree with edcknives......the 6.5 sweed and 7mm mauser are perfect...and are all the gun most hunters would ever need . The inherent accuracy , high BC bullets and low recoil are good for all of us. I think these facts are now proven by the great popularity of 6.5 CM. Its amazing how us shooters will sprint out to buy the latest-greatest rifle/cartridge combo.
 
#15 ·
I have one of Kimber American Swedish M 96

I picked up one the M96 Kimber American gun a couple of months ago for less than 3 bills. I put a VX 5 Leupold 4.5x14 x50 on her. When I started shooting it looked like a buck shot group. Checked all the scope mounts and stock to see if it was forked to specks. It was so I spent several hrs cleaning the copper out of the barrel. I was hand loading with H4831sc/ 44 grs & 140 gr SST bullets.
it started shooting 3/4” groups at 100 yds. I’ve shot about 45 to50 rounds now still about 3/4”. Great little gun and was amazed how accurate it is. Love the caliber. Giving it one my 12 year old grandson for this season. He will love it. 10-14-23
 
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